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class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Origin</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Origin-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Appearance_and_behavior" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Appearance_and_behavior"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Appearance and behavior</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Appearance_and_behavior-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Christian_legend" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Christian_legend"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Christian legend</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Christian_legend-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Associated_figures" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Associated_figures"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Associated figures</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Associated_figures-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Traditional_customs" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Traditional_customs"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Traditional customs</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Traditional_customs-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Ban" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Ban"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Ban</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Ban-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Parallels" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Parallels"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Parallels</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Parallels-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Interpretations_and_theories" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Interpretations_and_theories"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Interpretations and theories</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Interpretations_and_theories-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Contemporary_customs" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Contemporary_customs"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>Contemporary customs</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Contemporary_customs-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Poems_and_songs" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Poems_and_songs"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>Poems and songs</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Poems_and_songs-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_modern_media" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_modern_media"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12</span> <span>In modern media</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_modern_media-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">13</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">14</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">15</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Bibliography" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Bibliography"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">16</span> <span>Bibliography</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Bibliography-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">17</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button 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Available in 28 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-28" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">28 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7" title="بيفانا – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="بيفانا" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE" title="বেফানা – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="বেফানা" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bcl mw-list-item"><a href="https://bcl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Central Bikol" lang="bcl" hreflang="bcl" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Bikol Central" data-language-local-name="Central Bikol" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bikol Central</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0" title="Бефана – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Бефана" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-br mw-list-item"><a href="https://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Breton" lang="br" hreflang="br" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Brezhoneg" data-language-local-name="Breton" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Brezhoneg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Befana" title="La Befana – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="La Befana" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%86%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%B1" title="Μπεφάνα – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Μπεφάνα" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eml mw-list-item"><a href="https://eml.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bef%C3%A0na" title="Befàna – Emiliano-Romagnolo" lang="egl" hreflang="egl" data-title="Befàna" data-language-autonym="Emiliàn e rumagnòl" data-language-local-name="Emiliano-Romagnolo" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Emiliàn e rumagnòl</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lo mw-list-item"><a href="https://lo.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%BB%80%E0%BA%9A%E0%BA%9F%E0%BA%B2%E0%BA%99%E0%BA%B2" title="ເບຟານາ – Lao" lang="lo" hreflang="lo" data-title="ເບຟານາ" data-language-autonym="ລາວ" data-language-local-name="Lao" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ລາວ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lv mw-list-item"><a href="https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Latvian" lang="lv" hreflang="lv" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Latviešu" data-language-local-name="Latvian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latviešu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%99%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8A" title="ベファーナ – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="ベファーナ" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0" title="Бефана – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Бефана" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sq mw-list-item"><a href="https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Albanian" lang="sq" hreflang="sq" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Shqip" data-language-local-name="Albanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Shqip</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tl mw-list-item"><a href="https://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana" title="Befana – Tagalog" lang="tl" hreflang="tl" data-title="Befana" data-language-autonym="Tagalog" data-language-local-name="Tagalog" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tagalog</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0" title="Бефана – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Бефана" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q814168#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> 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decoding="async" width="220" height="293" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Befana1.jpg/330px-Befana1.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Befana1.jpg/440px-Befana1.jpg 2x" data-file-width="954" data-file-height="1269" /></a><figcaption>A wooden puppet depicting the Befana</figcaption></figure> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Folklore_of_Italy" title="Folklore of Italy">Italian folklore</a> and folk customs, the <b>Befana</b> (<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1177148991">.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}</style><span class="IPA-label IPA-label-small">Italian:</span> <span class="IPA nowrap" lang="it-Latn-fonipa"><a href="/wiki/Help:IPA/Italian" title="Help:IPA/Italian">[beˈfaːna]</a></span>) is a <a href="/wiki/Witchcraft" title="Witchcraft">witch-like</a> old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout <a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a> on <a href="/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)" title="Epiphany (holiday)">Epiphany Eve</a> (the night of January 5) in a similar way to <a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus" title="Santa Claus">Santa Claus</a> or the <a href="/wiki/Biblical_Magi" title="Biblical Magi">Three Magi</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Ultimate_Guide_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ultimate_Guide-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Befana is a widespread tradition among all <a href="/wiki/Italians" title="Italians">Italians</a> and thus has many names. She is a part of both popular national culture and traditional folk culture and is akin to other figures who roam about sometime during the <a href="/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas" title="Twelve Days of Christmas">Twelve Days</a> and reward the good, punish the bad, and receive offerings. The Befana is a mysterious, contradictory figure of unclear origins. This character is enhanced by the fact that she is overall neglected by scholars but is the subject of much speculation by the ones who do mention her. Pre-Christian, Christian, and syncretism of the two have all been postulated as explanations of her origins. In some parts of Italy, especially the central regions, <a href="/wiki/Mumming" class="mw-redirect" title="Mumming">mumming</a> takes place on Epiphany eve. Dolls are made of her and effigies are burnt and bonfires are often lit. She brings gifts to good children in some parts of Italy, typically sweets, candies or toys but coal, cinders and garlic to bad children. She is usually portrayed as a <a href="/wiki/Hag" title="Hag">hag</a> riding a broomstick through the air wearing a black shawl and is covered in soot because she enters the children's houses through the chimney. She is often smiling and carries a bag or hamper filled with candy, gifts, or both.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (January 2010)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> She is not only loved but also feared and mocked, particularly by children. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Names_and_etymology">Names and etymology</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Names and etymology"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A popular belief is that her name derives from the <a href="/wiki/Calendar_of_saints" title="Calendar of saints">Feast</a> of <a href="/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)" title="Epiphany (holiday)">Epiphany</a> (<a href="/wiki/Italian_language" title="Italian language">Italian</a>: <i lang="it">Festa dell'Epifania</i>).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Italian_Link_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Italian_Link-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Many people believe that the name <i>Befana</i> is derived from the Italian version of the Greek word <i>epifania</i> or <i>epiphaneia</i> (Greek, επιφάνεια = appearance, surface; English: <a href="/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)" title="Epiphany (holiday)">epiphany</a>) and this is the most popular theory. Others posit, however, that the name is a derivative of <i>bastrina</i>, the gifts associated with the goddess Strina. In the book <i>Domestic Life in Palestine</i>, by Mary E. Rogers (Poe & Hitchcock, 1865) the author notes: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>But an 'Essay on the Fine Arts', by E. L. Tarbuck, led me to believe that this custom is a relic of pagan worship, and that the word "Bastrina" refers to the offerings which used to be made to the goddess Strenia. We could hardly expect that the pagans who embraced Christianity could altogether abandon their former creeds and customs. Macaulay says, "Christianity conquered paganism, but paganism infected Christianity; the rites of the Pantheon passed into her 'worship, and the subtlities of the Academy into her creed'". Many pagan customs were adopted by the new Church. T. Hope, in his 'Essay on Architecture', says: 'The Saturnalia were continued in the Carnival, and the festival with offerings to the goddess Strenia was continued in that of the New Year . . .'<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>The Befana is known by several other names throughout Italy as demonstrated by <a href="/w/index.php?title=Alfredo_Cattabiani&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Alfredo Cattabiani (page does not exist)">Alfredo Cattabiani</a><span class="noprint" style="font-size:85%; font-style: normal;"> [<a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfredo_Cattabiani" class="extiw" title="it:Alfredo Cattabiani">it</a>]</span>, some of them dialectal variants of the <a href="/wiki/Standard_Italian" class="mw-redirect" title="Standard Italian">Standard Italian</a> "old woman" (vecchia) or "witch" (strega): </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>But the figure of the old woman who brings gifts is not only Roman: she is called, for example, the Vecchia [Old Woman] in Pavia, the Pifanie [Epiphany] in Lario Orientale, the Vecia [Old Woman] or Stria [Witch] in Mantua, Padua, Treviso, and Verona, the Pasquetta [Little Easter] in Legnago, in Venice Marantega or Redodesa, a name that is also found in the Belluno Alps with the variants Redosega, Redosola and Redosa; the Sibilia [Sybil] in Pirano, the Donnazza [Woman?] in Borca di Cadore, the Anguana [Serpent?] in Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Berola in the province of Treviso, the Vecie [Old Woman] or the Strie [Witch] or the Femenate or the Marangule in Friuli. In Modena she is Barbasa, in Piacenza she is Mara, and the Voecia [Old Woman] in Bologna.<sup id="cite_ref-first_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-first-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>Italian folklorist <a href="/wiki/Giuseppe_Pitr%C3%A8" title="Giuseppe Pitrè">Giuseppe Pitrè</a> also calls her Carcavecchia and the old woman of Christmas,<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the latter of which is Sicilian.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The associated mumming custom also goes by different names in different regions of Italy. In Tuscany it is called the Befanata. It is called the Pasquella in Umbria, Lazio, Marche,<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Emilia-Romagna,<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_c_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_c-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Abruzzo.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is also known as the Pasquarella in Abruzzo.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Both of these latter names are derived from the Italian word for Easter <i>Pasqua</i> borrowed straight from the Hebrew <i>Pesach</i>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origin">Origin</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Origin"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Written records of the Befana and Befanata date to the Middle Ages. Her origins are the subject of speculation by scholars who have variously proposed they lie in paganism, Christianity, or a mix of the two. John B. Smith said she, like her High German counterpart Perchta, is nothing more than the personification of Epiphany invented by medieval Christians who had a tendency to personify feast and fast days<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> while <a href="/wiki/Jacob_Grimm" title="Jacob Grimm">Jacob Grimm</a> found it not credible that two separate cultures would personify a feast day as a supernatural figure ("a name in the calendar had caused the invention of a supernatural being") and concluded it was far more likely that the Befana and Perchta were pre-Christian in origin and that they blended with the Christian holiday name.<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It has been pointed out that there was "a clear attempt to Christianize the disturbing female character by transforming her into the female personification of the feast."<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Generally the pre-Christian origin is the one most proposed and the Befana is often said to be a goddess or the remnant of one, though what culture and time period she comes from has been less uniform. Cultures that have been proposed include Roman, Celtic, Neolithic farmers, and Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Appearance_and_behavior">Appearance and behavior</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Appearance and behavior"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In traditional Italian iconography, she is portrayed as having ember eyes, sharp feline teeth, a sharp and cutting tongue, and a sooty face from the chimneys she enters houses through.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She is also described as an "ugly, toothless old woman".<sup id="cite_ref-Muthig_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Muthig-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Grimm described her as a misshapen fairy.<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She is said wear rags, a headscarf, and carries a broom and a sack or a basket that she keeps her gifts in. </p><p>Once a year on the night of January 5, she leaves the mountain caves where she is said to live and flies through the air, riding her broom backwards, to bring toys or candy to good children and coal or cinders to naughty children in all of Italy.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Muthig_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Muthig-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In many poorer parts of Italy and in particular rural Sicily, a stick in a stocking was placed instead of coal. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. To some the sweeping means the sweeping away of the problems of the year. </p><p>Children must not watch her as she visits and delivers items or they are in serious danger<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as she does not like to be watched. Another, sanitized version says that if the Befana catches someone watching her, they will receive a playful thump on the shoulder from her broomstick. This aspect of the tradition may be designed to keep children in their beds. In Rome, her house is said to be among the roofs of the <a href="/wiki/Piazza_Navona" title="Piazza Navona">Piazza Navona</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Grimm said she was a "terror to children".<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Siporin noted her contradictory character and summed it up thus: "She is grandmotherly but witchlike, the target of endless mockery but deeply beloved, ridiculous and dignified, domestic yet a wanderer, weak and dependent yet feared and powerful. She is an old woman played by a young man."<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2022_a_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2022_a-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Christian_legend">Christian legend</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Christian legend"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Christian legend had it that the Befana was approached by the <a href="/wiki/Biblical_Magi" title="Biblical Magi">Biblical Magi</a>, also known as the <a href="/wiki/Biblical_Magi" title="Biblical Magi">Three Wise Men</a> or the <a href="/wiki/Biblical_Magi" title="Biblical Magi">Three Kings</a>, a few days before the birth of the <a href="/wiki/Christ_Child" title="Christ Child">Baby Jesus</a>. They asked for directions to where the <a href="/wiki/Son_of_God" title="Son of God">Son of God</a> was, as they had seen his star in the sky, but she did not know. She provided them with shelter for a night as she was considered the best housekeeper in the village with the most pleasant home. The Magi invited her to join them on the journey to find the Baby Jesus, but she declined, stating she was too busy with her housework. Later, the Befana had a change of heart and tried to search out the Magi and Jesus. That night she was not able to find them, so to this day the Befana is still searching for the Baby Jesus. She leaves all the good children toys and candy (<i>caramelle</i>) or fruit while the bad children get coal or dark candy (<i>carbone</i>), onions or garlic.<sup id="cite_ref-Italian_Link_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Italian_Link-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another commonly heard Christian legend of the Befana starts at the time of the birth of the Baby Jesus.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In this telling, Befana spent her days cleaning and sweeping. One day the Magi came to her door in search of the Baby Jesus. However, she turned them away because she was too busy cleaning. Feeling guilty, she eventually decides to find Jesus on her own by following a bright light, also known as the big star in the sky which she believes points the way. She brings along a bag filled with baked goods and gifts for Jesus and a broom to help the new mother clean. Unfortunately despite her best efforts she never finds him. According to this telling, the Befana is still searching after all these centuries for the newborn Messiah. On the eve of the Epiphany, the Befana comes to every house where there is a child and leaves a gift. Although she has been unsuccessful in her search, she still leaves gifts for children everywhere because the Christ Child can be found in all children.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Associated_figures">Associated figures</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Associated figures"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In folk tradition, various figures are related to her, comprising a family, and are present in the <i>befanotti</i>, though the exact characters involved vary in time and place. Always present is her husband and male counterpart, the Befano, though in some places <a href="/wiki/Anthony_the_Great" title="Anthony the Great">Saint Anthony the Abbot</a> is said to be her husband.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_e_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_e-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Songs sung as part of the mumming by <i>befanotti</i> mention her children, who she is searching for food for<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_b_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_b-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> either implicitly or explicitly,<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> paralleled in real life by the <i>befanotti</i> doing the same. One song specifies their number at one hundred.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Grimm noted that "some say, she is Herod’s daughter".<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In <a href="/wiki/Latera" title="Latera">Latera</a>, the Befana and Befano are accompanied by the Count of Buon’Umor, a crier-type character who announces their presence and asks people to host them and to treat them with love as they ask for it. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Traditional_customs">Traditional customs</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Traditional customs"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A number of customs are associated with her are practiced on the evening of January 5 and the following day, Epiphany (January 6). On the former, groups of men in the Italian countryside travel<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> from house to house collecting food, both for themselves and the Befana in exchange for performing a song, "The Befana" ("La Befana"), and sometimes skits and other entertainment like dancing and quips for the houses’ inhabitants. The men who participate in these activities are called <i>befanotti</i>. While scholars have traditionally called this a "begging custom",<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2022_b_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2022_b-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Steve Siporin disagrees and argues it is an equal exchange (food for entertainment) designed to preserve the dignity of the <i>befanotti</i> precisely so they are not reduced to begging.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <i>befanotti</i> themselves view it as an exchange<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2022_b_29-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2022_b-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and one song explicitly states "the Befana doesn’t beg".<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The songs often, implicitly or explicitly, encourage the people being visited to give generously, typically because if they do not something bad will happen, either to the household (including people, animals, and objects, such as the house itself) or to the Befana, who is effectively held hostage.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Alternatively, these threats were not to be taken seriously, akin to teasing and pranks that are part of the fun and festivities of the Befanata rather than actual intimidation.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_d_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_d-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Fitting this atmosphere, the skits performed by the <i>befanotti</i> are suggestive and carnivalesque<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_c_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_c-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Epiphany is the start of the <a href="/wiki/Carnival" title="Carnival">Carnival</a> season.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Sometimes the song requests specific foods from the households, of which meat, especially pork, and eggs are paramount.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In Tuscany, the song is the main performance and is always present.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_e_24-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_e-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Italian folklorists have collected a large number of Befana songs from all over the country which demonstrate great lyrical variety and are very local, though mention of local landmarks is rare.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There may be versions of songs sung only to specific people, such as those who are stingy to convince them to be more generous.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_d_33-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_d-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Traditionally, the men who comprised the <i>befanotti</i> were the poorest in the village and rich men were severely prohibited from forming their own squads and taking part.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_a_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_a-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This is because the practical function of the <i>befanotti</i> was to provide those who had little to no food with fat and protein rich foods over the winter to, at least temporarily, ward off hunger and death via starvation,<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which was ever present in Italy until only the 20th century, in some areas even into the latter half of said century.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Neither this restriction nor the sense that this custom is only for the poor exists nowadays.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_a_37-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_a-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However the custom does not exist in all parts of the country. It is absent from Sicily where in the past wealthy landowners directly distributed food to the poor in a way that "was humiliating to the recipients",<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> thus negating the need for the Befanata and other, similar begging or exchange rituals. </p><p>In the 20th century, Pitrè noted a custom in which "We carry around the old witch . . . and we chase her".<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Dolls and effigies of the Befana are commonly made. The former are black and are considered lucky, possibly as a result of their black color.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> They are ugly in appearance and "made of rags".<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On Twelfth Night in Rome, these dolls are placed in windows<sup id="cite_ref-Forsdyke_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Forsdyke-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> by women and children<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and on Epiphany,<sup id="cite_ref-Marinoni_44-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Marinoni-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "in some Tuscan villages a large effigy of her [the Befana] was burnt."<sup id="cite_ref-Forsdyke_43-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Forsdyke-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Bonfires are often lit as well. On Epiphany eve, families with children typically leave out a small glass of <a href="/wiki/Wine" title="Wine">wine</a> and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local, for the Befana.<sup id="cite_ref-Italian_Link_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Italian_Link-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Ban">Ban</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Ban"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In 1977, the Italian government, headed at that time by <a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister" class="mw-redirect" title="Prime Minister">Prime Minister</a> <a href="/wiki/Giulio_Andreotti" title="Giulio Andreotti">Giulio Andreotti</a>, canceled Epiphany as a national public holiday, along with several other feasts in the schedule, in an attempt to perk up the country’s sagging economy. Until recently, Epiphany had been "more lavishly celebrated than Christmas" and was also known by Italians as "Little Christmas".<sup id="cite_ref-Muthig_17-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Muthig-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "Poor Befana, she is a refugee," <a href="/wiki/Pope_Paul_VI" title="Pope Paul VI">Pope Paul VI</a> lamented in a public speech. "She seeks shelter now on the first Sunday after the feast which was her own.".<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The public holiday was reinstated in 1985. </p><p><br /> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Parallels">Parallels</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Parallels"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>She has long been noted to resemble other <a href="/wiki/Christmas_gift-bringers" class="mw-redirect" title="Christmas gift-bringers">Christmas gift-bringers</a> and figures who roam during the Christmas season and is called the Italian version of them, though different parts of Italy have <a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_and_winter_gift-bringers" title="List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers">other gift-bringers as well, such as the Three Kings</a>. In particular, her resemblance to the female German figures of <a href="/wiki/Frau_Holle" title="Frau Holle">Holle</a> and <a href="/wiki/Perchta" title="Perchta">Perchta</a> is often noted by scholars, even if just in passing, and the Befana is considered their Italian equivalent. The Befana and Perchta "both bring well-being".<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There is an evil Befana who punishes girls and women who spin on Epiphany eve, which is prohibited in some places.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2022_a_21-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2022_a-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Perchta does the same though the prohibited day(s) vary by location. There are also analogs in Greek, Anatolian, and Slavic mythology and traditions.<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Pitrè thought the modern Italian custom of carrying and driving the Befana out bears similarity to the ancient Roman custom of leading and driving out a figure called Mamurius Venturius, Old Winter Man, who was clad in animal skins.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Historian <a href="/wiki/Carlo_Ginzburg" title="Carlo Ginzburg">Carlo Ginzburg</a> relates her to <a href="/wiki/Nicnevin" title="Nicnevin">Nicnevin</a>. The old lady character should then represent the "old year" just passed, ready to be burned in order to give place to the new one. In many European countries, the tradition still exists of burning a puppet of an old lady at the beginning of the New Year. In northern Italy, this figure is called <a href="/wiki/Giubiana" title="Giubiana">Giubiana</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Interpretations_and_theories">Interpretations and theories</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Interpretations and theories"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The mystery of the Befana has led to many interpretations and theories over the centuries. The tradition of Befana appears to incorporate several pre-Christian popular elements, adapted to Christian culture and related to the celebration of the <a href="/wiki/New_Year" title="New Year">New Year</a>. Jacob Grimm simply called her a "misshapen fairy" despite drawing parallels between her and Perchta, the latter of whom he considered to be a former heathen goddess.<sup id="cite_ref-Grimm_15-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/James_Frazer" class="mw-redirect" title="James Frazer">James Frazer</a> simply said she was "an old hag." Steve Siporin thinks "they both missed the mark."<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2022_a_21-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2022_a-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After noting that effigies of her are burnt, Marinoni remarks "Of how many things does indeed the dawn of a new year mark the death!"<sup id="cite_ref-Marinoni_44-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Marinoni-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> John Forsdyke says she has "become the representative of the evil influences that are destroyed on Twelfth Night."<sup id="cite_ref-Forsdyke_43-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Forsdyke-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Cattabiani reports that she has been interpreted as "an image of Mother Nature" and the old dying year who sows the seeds, even if just symbolically, for her reappearance "in the guise of young Nature", alluding to a goddess with power over plants, animals, abundance, prosperity, life, and death.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Italian anthropologists Claudia and Luigi Manciocco, in their book <i>Una casa senza porte</i> ("A House without Doors") trace the Befana's origins back to Neolithic beliefs and practices. The team of anthropologists also wrote about the Befana as a figure that evolved into a goddess associated with fertility and agriculture. The Befana may be connected to a prehistoric European <a href="/wiki/Bear_cult" class="mw-redirect" title="Bear cult">bear cult</a> that was practiced among <a href="/wiki/Hunter-gatherers" class="mw-redirect" title="Hunter-gatherers">hunter-gatherers</a> and which dates as far back as the <a href="/wiki/Upper_Paleolithic" title="Upper Paleolithic">Upper Paleolithic</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A theory connects the tradition of exchanging gifts to an ancient Roman festivity in honor of <a href="/wiki/Janus" title="Janus">Janus</a> and <a href="/wiki/Strenua" title="Strenua">Strenia</a> (in Italian a Christmas gift used to be called <i>strenna</i>), celebrated at the beginning of the year when Romans used to give each other presents. In the book <i>Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, Discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily</i> (1823), John J. Blunt says: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>This Befana appears to be heir at law of a certain heathen goddess called <a href="/wiki/Strenia" class="mw-redirect" title="Strenia">Strenia</a>, who presided over the new-year's gifts, 'Strenae', from which, indeed, she derived her name.<sup id="cite_ref-Vestiges_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Vestiges-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Her presents were of the same description as those of the Befana—figs, dates, and honey.<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Moreover her solemnities were vigorously opposed by the early Christians on account of their noisy, riotous, and licentious character".<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Contemporary_customs">Contemporary customs</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Contemporary customs"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Befana_-_Campomarino_di_Maruggio.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Befana_-_Campomarino_di_Maruggio.JPG/170px-Befana_-_Campomarino_di_Maruggio.JPG" decoding="async" width="170" height="227" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Befana_-_Campomarino_di_Maruggio.JPG 1.5x" data-file-width="240" data-file-height="320" /></a><figcaption>Befana of Campomarino di <a href="/wiki/Maruggio" title="Maruggio">Maruggio</a>, Italy</figcaption></figure> <p>The Befana is celebrated throughout all of Italy,<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and has become a national icon. In the regions of <a href="/wiki/Marche" title="Marche">Marche</a>, <a href="/wiki/Umbria" title="Umbria">Umbria</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Lazio" title="Lazio">Lazio</a>, her figure is associated with the <a href="/wiki/Papal_States" title="Papal States">Papal States</a> where the Epiphany held the most importance. <a href="/wiki/Urbania" title="Urbania">Urbania</a> is thought to be her official home. Every year there is a big festival held to celebrate the holiday. About 30,000 to 50,000 people attend the festivities. Hundreds of Befanas are present, swinging from the main tower. They juggle, dance, and greet all the children.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Traditionally, all Italian children may expect to find a lump of "<a href="/wiki/Coal" title="Coal">coal</a>" in their stockings (actually <a href="/wiki/Rock_candy" title="Rock candy">rock candy</a> made black with food coloring) as every child has been at least occasionally bad during the year. </p><p>Three places in Italy are nowadays associated with the Befana tradition:<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (January 2014)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Piazza_Navona" title="Piazza Navona">Piazza Navona</a>, in central <a href="/wiki/Rome" title="Rome">Rome</a>, is the site of a popular market each year between <a href="/wiki/Christmas" title="Christmas">Christmas</a> and the Epiphany, where toys, <a href="/wiki/Coal_candy" title="Coal candy">coal candy</a>, and other candies are on sale. The feast of the Befana in Rome was immortalized in four famous <a href="/wiki/Sonnet" title="Sonnet">sonnets</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Romanesco_dialect" title="Romanesco dialect">Romanesco dialect</a> by the 19th century Roman poet <a href="/wiki/Giuseppe_Gioachino_Belli" title="Giuseppe Gioachino Belli">Giuseppe Gioachino Belli</a>. In <a href="/wiki/Ottorino_Respighi" title="Ottorino Respighi">Ottorino Respighi</a>'s 1928 <i><a href="/wiki/Roman_Festivals_(Respighi)" title="Roman Festivals (Respighi)">Feste Romane</a></i> (English: "Roman Festivals"), the fourth movement, titled <i>La Befana</i>, is an orchestral portrayal of this Piazza Navona festival. A common superstition is that at midnight when it turns January 6 the Befana shows herself in a window of Piazza Navona and visitors often go there to observe this.</li> <li>The town of Urbania in the <a href="/wiki/Province_of_Pesaro_and_Urbino" title="Province of Pesaro and Urbino">province of Pesaro and Urbino</a> in Marche where the national Befana festival is held each year, usually between January 2 and 6. A "house of the Befana" is scheduled to be built and the post office has a <a href="/wiki/Letter_box" title="Letter box">mailbox</a> reserved for letters addressed to the Befana, mirroring what happens with <a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus" title="Santa Claus">Santa Claus</a> in <a href="/wiki/Rovaniemi" title="Rovaniemi">Rovaniemi</a>.</li> <li>In <a href="/wiki/Fornovo_di_Taro" title="Fornovo di Taro">Fornovo di Taro</a>, a town in the <a href="/wiki/Province_of_Parma" title="Province of Parma">province of Parma</a>, the national meeting "Raduno Nazionale delle Befane e dei Befani" is held on 5 and 6 January.</li></ul> <p>In other parts of the world where a vibrant Italian community exists, traditions involving Befana may be observed and shared or celebrated with the wider community. In Toronto, Canada for example, a Befana Choir shows up on the winter solstice each December to sing in the <a href="/wiki/Kensington_Market" title="Kensington Market">Kensington Market</a> Festival of Lights parade. Women, men, and children dressed in Befana costumes and nose sing love songs to serenade the sun to beckon its return. The singing hags gather in the street to give candy to children, to cackle and screech to accordion music, and to sing in every key imaginable as delighted parade participants join in the cacophony. Sometimes, the Befanas dance with paradegoers and dust down the willing as they walk by. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Poems_and_songs">Poems and songs</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Poems and songs"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>There are poems about Befana, which are known in slightly different versions throughout Italy.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Here is one of the versions: </p> <blockquote> <p><i>La Befana vien di notte</i><br /> <i>Con le scarpe tutte rotte</i><br /> <i>Col vestito alla romana</i><br /> <i>Viva, Viva La Befana!</i> </p> </blockquote> <p>The English translation is: </p> <blockquote> <p><i>The Befana comes by night</i><br /> <i>With her shoes all tattered and torn</i><br /> <i>She comes dressed in the Roman way</i><br /> <i>Long live the Befana!</i> </p> </blockquote> <p>Another version is given in a poem by <a href="/wiki/Giovanni_Pascoli" title="Giovanni Pascoli">Giovanni Pascoli</a>:<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <blockquote> <p><i>Viene, viene la Befana</i><br /> <i>Vien dai monti a notte fonda</i><br /> <i>Come è stanca! la circonda </i><br /> <i>Neve e gelo e tramontana!</i><br /> <i>Viene, viene la Befana</i><br /> </p> </blockquote> <p>The English translation is: </p> <blockquote> <p><i>Here comes, here comes the Befana</i><br /> <i>She comes from the mountains in the deep of the night</i><br /> <i>Look how tired she is! All wrapped up</i><br /> <i>In snow and frost and the north wind!</i><sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <br /> <i>Here comes, here comes the Befana!</i><br /> </p> </blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="In_modern_media">In modern media</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: In modern media"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/How_the_Toys_Saved_Christmas" title="How the Toys Saved Christmas">How the Toys Saved Christmas</a></i>, 1996 animated film.</li> <li>The Italian-language Christmas fantasy comedy film <i><a href="/wiki/The_Legend_of_the_Christmas_Witch" title="The Legend of the Christmas Witch">The Legend of the Christmas Witch</a></i> (<a href="/wiki/Italian_language" title="Italian language">Italian</a>: <i lang="it">La Befana vien di notte</i>) was released on December 27, 2018. The Italian-Spanish co-production was directed by <a href="/wiki/Michele_Soavi" title="Michele Soavi">Michele Soavi</a> and features a 500-year-old Befana who works as a schoolteacher by day.</li> <li>The 2022 <a href="/wiki/Disney%2B" title="Disney+">Disney+</a> Christmas miniseries <i><a href="/wiki/The_Santa_Clauses" title="The Santa Clauses">The Santa Clauses</a></i> featured Befana played by <a href="/wiki/Laura_San_Giacomo" title="Laura San Giacomo">Laura San Giacomo</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Krampus" title="Krampus">Krampus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/P%C3%A8re_Fouettard" title="Père Fouettard">Père Fouettard</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zwarte_Piet" title="Zwarte Piet">Zwarte Piet</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-first-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-first_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ma la figura della vecchia che porta i regali non è soltanto romana: è detta, per esempio, la Vecchia a Pavia, la Pifanie a Lario Orientale, la Vecia o la Stria a Mantova, Padova, Treviso e Verona, la Pasquetta a Legnago, a Venezia Marantega o Redodesa, nome che si ritrova anche nelle Alpi bellunesi con le varianti Redosega, Redosola e Redosa; la Sibilia a Pirano, la Donnazza a Borca di Cadore, l’Anguana a Cortina d’Ampezzo e la Berola in provincia di Treviso, la Vecie o la Strie o la Femenate o la Marangule nel Friuli. A Modena è la Barbasa, a Piacenza la Mara, la Voecia a Bologna.<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">la vecchia Befana, la Carcavecchia, la vecchia di Natale,<sup id="cite_ref-Pitre_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pitre-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">La Befana, che nell’iconografia tradizionale appare come una vecchia col viso fuligginoso, gli occhi di brace, i denti felini e affilati, la lingua aguzza e tagliente . . . e scende per la cappa del camino nel focolare . . .<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">. . . abita secondo la leggenda nelle caverne delle montagne e una volta all’anno, nella notte fra il 5 e il 6 gennaio, arriva di notte, a cavallo di una magica scopa che inforca al contrario . . . portando piccoli doni ai bambini buoni e, secondo l’interpretazione pedagogica corrente, carbone per i più capricciosi.<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">È una figura non solo misteriosa, ma pericolosa se non si rispetta la sua invisibilità: chi incautamente volesse sorprenderla mentre deposita i doni incorrerebbe in gravi pericoli. A Roma, dove familiarmente hanno immaginato la sua casa fra i tetti di piazza Navona . . .<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">È una figura non solo misteriosa, ma pericolosa se non si rispetta la sua invisibilità: chi incautamente volesse sorprenderla mentre deposita i doni incorrerebbe in gravi pericoli. A Roma, dove familiarmente hanno immaginato la sua casa fra i tetti di piazza Navona . . .<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Itinerancy is a key feature of the custom.<sup id="cite_ref-Siporin_2023_b_25-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Siporin_2023_b-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Noi meniamo in giro la vecchia strega . . . e la inseguiamo,<sup id="cite_ref-Pitre_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pitre-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">e i romani nella vigiliadegli Idi menavano per Roma cacciandolo per fuori le mura Mamurio Veturio, il vecchio inverno, sotto forma di un uomo coperto di pelli.<sup id="cite_ref-Pitre_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pitre-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-48">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">È stata interpretata come un’immagine di Madre Natura che, giunta alla fine dell’anno invecchiata e rinsecchita, assume le sembianze di una befana e prima di morire offre dolciumi e regalini che altro non sono, simbolicamente, se non i semi, grazie ai quali riapparirà nelle vesti di giovinetta Natura. Questa Madre Natura non è solo un fenomeno peculiare italiano, ma rivela analogie con la mitologia greco-anatolica e con molte tradizioni germaniche e slave. Allude alla Grande Madre, signora della vita, che regna su animali, rocce, vegetali, evocando l’idea della fecondità, dell’abbondanza, della prosperità: madre del cosmo che governa il ciclo terreno di vita-morte-vita . . .<sup id="cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Ultimate_Guide-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Ultimate_Guide_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Illes, Judika. <i>Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses</i> (2009) p. 269. <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-06-135024-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-06-135024-5">978-0-06-135024-5</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"Viva La Befana". Transparent Language 6 Jan, 2009. 12 Dec, 2009. <<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.transparent.com/italian/tag/la-befana/">http://www.transparent.com/italian/tag/la-befana/</a>>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Italian_Link-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Italian_Link_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Italian_Link_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Italian_Link_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">"Italian Christmas tradition of "La Befana"." <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.italian-link.com/pages/labefana.shtml">Italian-Link.com n.d. 15 Dec, 2009</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">page 408</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Cattabiani-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Cattabiani_5-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Cattabiani 1988, pp. 108-114</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Pitre-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Pitre_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pitre_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Pitre_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Pitrè cited in Cocchiara (2016) [1952], p. 264</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cacopardo 2016, pp. 240-61</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, pp. 112-113</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2023_c-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_c_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_c_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 104</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 109</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 112</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Smith 2004, pp. 3-4</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Grimm-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Grimm_15-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Grimm 1883, p. 282</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Muthig-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Muthig_17-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Muthig_17-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Muthig_17-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Muthig 1978, pp. 2-3</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2022_a-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2022_a_21-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2022_a_21-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2022_a_21-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2022, p. 144-173</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"LA VERA STORIA." La Befana n.d. 13 Dec, 2009. <<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.la-befana.it/">http://www.la-befana.it/</a>>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"The Legend of ’La Befana’". John D. Calandra Italian American Institute n.d. 12 Dec, 2009. <<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://qcpages.qc.edu/calandra/community/commbefa.html/">http://qcpages.qc.edu/calandra/community/commbefa.html/</a>>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2023_e-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_e_24-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_e_24-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 108</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2023_b-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_b_25-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_b_25-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 95</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 93</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Biondi 1981, p. 67</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2022_b-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2022_b_29-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2022_b_29-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2022, p. 191</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, pp. 100, 90, 92</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 103</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, pp. 103, 105-108</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2023_d-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_d_33-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_d_33-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 106</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 102</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 99</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 114</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Siporin_2023_a-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_a_37-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Siporin_2023_a_37-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 90</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, pp. 92, 99</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 91</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2023, p. 100</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Young 2017, p. 254</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Forsdyke-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Forsdyke_43-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Forsdyke_43-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Forsdyke_43-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Forsdyke 1954, pp. 1-9</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Marinoni-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Marinoni_44-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Marinoni_44-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Marinoni 1916, p. 72</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-45">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">1978, p. 11</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Siporin 2022, p. 17-40</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-49">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Frank 2004, pp. 161-63</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Vestiges-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Vestiges_50-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">D. Augustine de Civit. Dei, lib. iv. c. 16.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-51">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Fasti_(Ovid)" class="mw-redirect" title="Fasti (Ovid)">Ovid <i>Fasti</i></a> i. 185.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-52">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Vide Rosini, ed. Dempster. lib. i. c. 13, de Dea Strenia, p. 120</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-53">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"The Befana Comes by Night…" Alice Bonvincini Italian American Digital Project n.d. 2 Jan, 2011. <<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.i-italy.org/16375/befana-comes-night">http://www.i-italy.org/16375/befana-comes-night</a>>;</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-54">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Giglio, Michael. "Taking Flight with Italy’s Holiday Witch." Spiegel Online 12 Dec, 2008. 15 Dec, 2009.<<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,596060,00.html">http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,596060,00.html</a>>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-55">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.filastrocche.it/nostalgici/natale/befana.htm">DI FILASTROCCHE.IT</a> retrieved 2010-1-04</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-56">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ridolfo.it/poesia/Pascoli.html">"Poesie: Giovanni Pascoli: "La befana"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>. <i>www.ridolfo.it</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-05</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.ridolfo.it&rft.atitle=Poesie%3A+Giovanni+Pascoli%3A+%22La+befana%22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ridolfo.it%2Fpoesia%2FPascoli.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABefana" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-57">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tramontana (English - <a href="/wiki/Tramontane" title="Tramontane">tramontane</a>) is "a classical name for a northern wind", from <i>tra i monti</i>, meaning "from the mountains"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-58">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRice2022" class="citation web cs1">Rice, Lynette (August 5, 2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://deadline.com/2022/08/the-santa-clauses-laura-san-giacomo-christmas-witch-1235085884/">"<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>'The Santa Clauses' Adds Laura San Giacomo As Christmas Witch"</a>. <i>Deadline Hollywood</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 23,</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Deadline+Hollywood&rft.atitle=%27The+Santa+Clauses%27+Adds+Laura+San+Giacomo+As+Christmas+Witch&rft.date=2022-08-05&rft.aulast=Rice&rft.aufirst=Lynette&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fdeadline.com%2F2022%2F08%2Fthe-santa-clauses-laura-san-giacomo-christmas-witch-1235085884%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABefana" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Bibliography">Bibliography</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Bibliography"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Biondi, Angelo (1981). "La Befana nel soranese e nel pitiglianese". In Roberto Ferretti (ed.). <i>La tradizione della Befana nella Maremma di Grosseto</i>. Grosseto: Comune di Grosseto, Archivio delle tradizioni popolari della Maremma grossetana. pp. 65–102. (in Italian)</li> <li>Cacopardo, Augusto S. (2016). <i>Pagan Christmas: Winter Feasts of the Kalasha of the Hindu Kush</i>. Gingko.</li> <li>Cattabiani, Alfredo (2008) [1988]. <i>Calendario. Le feste, i miti, le leggende e i riti dell'anno</i>. Milan, Italy: Mondadori. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/88-04-58419-X" title="Special:BookSources/88-04-58419-X">88-04-58419-X</a>; <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-88-04-58419-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-88-04-58419-3">978-88-04-58419-3</a> . (in Italian)</li> <li>"Epiphany is Not a Fable, Pope Says". <i>Catholic News Service – Newsfeeds</i>. 1978-01-09. Retrieved 2024-03-04.</li> <li>Forsdyke, John (1954). "The 'Harvester Vase' of Hagia Triada". <i>Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes</i>. <b>17</b> (1/2): 1-9.</li> <li>Frank, Roslyn M. (May 2004). "Hunting the European Sky Bears: German 'Straw-bears' and their Relatives as Transformers"/"Die Jagd auf die europäischen Himmelsbären Deutsche 'Strohbären' und ihre Verwandten als Verwandler". In Michael and Barbara Rappenglück (eds.). <i>Symbole der Wandlung - Wandel der Symbole. Proceedingsof the Gesellschaft für wissenschaftliche Symbolforschung</i>/<i>Society for the Scientific Study of Symbols</i>. Germany. pp. 141–166.</li> <li>Grimm, Jacob (2004a) [1883]. <i>Teutonic Mythology: Volume I</i>. Translated by James Steven Stallybrass. Mineola: Dover.</li> <li>Marinoni, A. (January 1916). "Popular Feasts and Legends in Italy". <i>The Sewanee Review</i>. <b>24</b> (1): 69-80.</li> <li>Muthig, John (1978-01-06). "Italians Adjust to Loss of 'Little Christmas'". <i>Catholic News Service – Newsfeeds</i>. Retrieved 2024-03-04.</li> <li>Pitrè, Giuseppe, cited in Giuseppe Cocchiara (2016) [1952]. In Bollati Boringhieri (ed.). <i>Storia del folklore in Europa</i>. Turin, Italy: Gruppo editoriale Mauri Spagnol. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-88-339-7450-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-88-339-7450-7">978-88-339-7450-7</a>. (in Italian)</li> <li>Siporin, Steve (2022). <i>The Befana Is Returning: The Story of a Tuscan Festival</i>. Madison, United States of America: University of Wisconsin Press. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-29933-730-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-29933-730-8">978-0-29933-730-8</a>.</li> <li>Siporin, Steve (2023). "Excerpt from Wayland D. Hand Prize Winner <i>The Befana Is Returning: The Story of a Tuscan Festival</i>". <i>TFH: The Journal of History and Folklore</i>. <b>39 & 40</b>: 88–119.</li> <li>Smith, John B. (August 2004). "Perchta the Belly-Slitter and Her Kin: A View of Some Traditional Threatening Figures, Threats and Punishments". <i>Folklore</i>. <b>115</b> (2): 167–186.</li> <li>Young, Sheila M. (2017). "The Evolution of the Contemporary Blackening". <i>Folklore</i>. <b>128</b> (3): 244-270. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1080%2F0015587X.2017.1327633">10.1080/0015587X.2017.1327633</a>.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Befana&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:La_Befana" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:La Befana">La Befana</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130313032917/http://www.abruzzo2000.com/abruzzo/traditions/christmas/befana.htm">"Christmas in Abruzzo: La Befana"</a>. <i>Abruzzo</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.abruzzo2000.com/abruzzo/traditions/christmas/befana.htm">the original</a> on 2013-03-13<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">24 February</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Abruzzo&rft.atitle=Christmas+in+Abruzzo%3A+La+Befana&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abruzzo2000.com%2Fabruzzo%2Ftraditions%2Fchristmas%2Fbefana.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABefana" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.stregheria.com/Befana.htm">Befana, an academic view</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170815113148/http://www.stregheria.com/Befana.htm">Archived</a> 2017-08-15 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mybefana.it/english/befana_home_en.html">The story of the Befana and letters and pictures by children</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" 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title="Special:EditPage/Template:Christmas"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:white">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Christmas" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Christmas" title="Christmas"><span style="color:white">Christmas</span></a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Blue_Christmas_(holiday)" title="Blue Christmas (holiday)"><span style="color:white">Blue Christmas</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boxing_Day" title="Boxing Day"><span style="color:white">Boxing Day</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Children%27s_Day" title="Children's Day"><span style="color:white">Children's Day</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_Eve" title="Christmas Eve"><span style="color:white">Christmas Eve</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Nicholas_Day" title="Saint Nicholas Day"><span style="color:white">Saint Nicholas Day</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Stephen%27s_Day" title="Saint Stephen's Day"><span style="color:white">St. Stephen's Day</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sol_Invictus" title="Sol Invictus"><span style="color:white">Sol Invictus</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule" title="Yule"><span style="color:white">Yule</span></a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%">In<br />Christianity</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Biblical_Magi" title="Biblical Magi">Biblical Magi</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adoration_of_the_Magi" title="Adoration of the Magi">Adoration of the Magi</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adoration_of_the_Shepherds" title="Adoration of the Shepherds">Adoration of the Shepherds</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advent" title="Advent">Advent</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gabriel" title="Gabriel">Angel Gabriel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Annunciation" title="Annunciation">Annunciation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Annunciation_to_the_shepherds" title="Annunciation to the shepherds">Annunciation to the shepherds</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptism_of_the_Lord" class="mw-redirect" title="Baptism of the Lord">Baptism of the Lord</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bethlehem" title="Bethlehem">Bethlehem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmastide" title="Christmastide">Christmastide</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)" title="Epiphany (holiday)">Epiphany</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Herod_the_Great" title="Herod the Great">Herod the Great</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jesus" title="Jesus">Jesus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Joseph" title="Saint Joseph">Joseph</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mary,_mother_of_Jesus" title="Mary, mother of Jesus">Mary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents" title="Massacre of the Innocents">Massacre of the Innocents</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Flight_into_Egypt" title="Flight into Egypt">flight into Egypt</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_Fast" title="Nativity Fast">Nativity Fast</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus" title="Nativity of Jesus">Nativity of Jesus</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus_in_art" title="Nativity of Jesus in art">in art</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus_in_later_culture" title="Nativity of Jesus in later culture">in later culture</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_scene" title="Nativity scene">Nativity scene</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Neapolitan_nativity_scene" title="Neapolitan nativity scene">Neapolitan</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Star_of_Bethlehem" title="Star of Bethlehem">Star of Bethlehem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twelfth_Night_(holiday)" title="Twelfth Night (holiday)">Twelfth Night</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;">In <a href="/wiki/Folklore" title="Folklore"><span style="color:white">folklore</span></a></div></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Badalisc" title="Badalisc">Badalisc</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caganer" title="Caganer">Caganer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christkind" title="Christkind">Christkind</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gr%C3%BDla" title="Grýla">Grýla</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jack_Frost" title="Jack Frost">Jack Frost</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Korvatunturi" title="Korvatunturi">Korvatunturi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kallikantzaros" title="Kallikantzaros">Kallikantzaros</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legend_of_the_Christmas_Spider" title="Legend of the Christmas Spider">Legend of the Christmas Spider</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mari_Lwyd" title="Mari Lwyd">Mari Lwyd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Miner%27s_figure" title="Miner's figure">Miner's figure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nisse_(folklore)" title="Nisse (folklore)">Nisse</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Pole" title="North Pole">North Pole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Man_Winter" title="Old Man Winter">Old Man Winter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Perchta" title="Perchta">Perchta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa%27s_workshop" title="Santa's workshop">Santa's workshop</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ti%C3%B3_de_Nadal" title="Tió de Nadal">Tió de Nadal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turo%C5%84" title="Turoń">Turoń</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vertep" title="Vertep">Vertep</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wenceslaus_I,_Duke_of_Bohemia" title="Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia">Wenceslaus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule_cat" title="Yule cat">Yule cat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule_Lads" class="mw-redirect" title="Yule Lads">Yule Lads</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;"><a href="/wiki/Christmas_gift-bringer" title="Christmas gift-bringer"><span style="color:white">Gift-bringers</span></a></div></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Nicholas" title="Saint Nicholas">Saint Nicholas</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Nicholas_(European_folklore)" title="Saint Nicholas (European folklore)">folklore</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus" title="Santa Claus">Santa Claus</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Befana</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ded_Moroz" title="Ded Moroz">Ded Moroz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Father_Christmas" title="Father Christmas">Father Christmas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Grandpa_Indian" title="Grandpa Indian">Grandpa Indian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Joulupukki" title="Joulupukki">Joulupukki</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Julemanden" title="Julemanden">Julemanden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Noel_Baba" title="Noel Baba">Noel Baba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Olentzero" title="Olentzero">Olentzero</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/P%C3%A8re_No%C3%ABl" title="Père Noël">Père Noël</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sinterklaas" title="Sinterklaas">Sinterklaas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_and_winter_gift-bringers" title="List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers">Others</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas" title="Companions of Saint Nicholas"><span style="color:white">Companions of<br />Saint Nicholas</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Belsnickel" title="Belsnickel">Belsnickel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_elf" title="Christmas elf">Elves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht" title="Knecht Ruprecht">Knecht Ruprecht</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Krampus" title="Krampus">Krampus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mrs._Claus" title="Mrs. Claus">Mrs. Claus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/P%C3%A8re_Fouettard" title="Père Fouettard">Père Fouettard</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sack_Man" title="Sack Man">Sack Man</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus%27_daughter" title="Santa Claus' daughter">Santa Claus' daughter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus%27s_reindeer" title="Santa Claus's reindeer">Santa's reindeer</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer" title="Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer">Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Snegurochka" title="Snegurochka">Snegurochka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zwarte_Piet" title="Zwarte Piet">Zwarte Piet</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christmas_traditions" title="Christmas traditions"><span style="color:white">Traditions</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advent_calendar" title="Advent calendar">Advent calendar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advent_candle" title="Advent candle">Advent candle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advent_wreath" title="Advent wreath">Advent wreath</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boar%27s_Head_Feast" title="Boar's Head Feast">Boar's Head Feast</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Schwibbogen" title="Schwibbogen">Candle arches</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_card" title="Christmas card">Cards</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carols_by_Candlelight" title="Carols by Candlelight">Carols by Candlelight</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cavalcade_of_Magi" title="Cavalcade of Magi">Cavalcade of Magi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christingle" title="Christingle">Christingle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_jumper" title="Christmas jumper">Christmas jumper</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_Peace" title="Christmas Peace">Christmas Peace</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_cracker" title="Christmas cracker">Crackers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_decoration" title="Christmas decoration">Decorations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Didukh" title="Didukh">Didukh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Christmas_events_and_celebrations" title="Category:Christmas events and celebrations">Events and celebrations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Feast_of_the_Seven_Fishes" title="Feast of the Seven Fishes">Feast of the Seven Fishes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flying_Santa" title="Flying Santa">Flying Santa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_gift" title="Christmas gift">Gifts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Google_Santa_Tracker" title="Google Santa Tracker">Google Santa Tracker</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hamper#Christmas_hamper" title="Hamper">Hampers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Las_Posadas" title="Las Posadas">Las Posadas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Round-robin_letter" title="Round-robin letter">Letters</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_lights" title="Christmas lights">Lights</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lord_of_Misrule" title="Lord of Misrule">Lord of Misrule</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_market" title="Christmas market">Markets</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Christmas_meals_and_feasts" title="Category:Christmas meals and feasts">Meals and feasts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Midnight_Mass" title="Midnight Mass">Midnight Mass</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moravian_star" title="Moravian star">Moravian star</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nine_Lessons_and_Carols" title="Nine Lessons and Carols">Nine Lessons and Carols</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NORAD_Tracks_Santa" title="NORAD Tracks Santa">NORAD Tracks Santa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nutcracker" title="Nutcracker">Nutcrackers</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nutcracker_doll" title="Nutcracker doll">dolls</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_ornament" title="Christmas ornament">Ornaments</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus_parade" title="Santa Claus parade">Parades</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_and_holiday_season_parades" title="List of Christmas and holiday season parades">list</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pi%C3%B1ata" title="Piñata">Piñatas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Poinsettia" title="Poinsettia">Poinsettia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_pyramid" title="Christmas pyramid">Pyramids</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/R%C3%A4uchermann" title="Räuchermann">Räuchermann</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_seal" class="mw-redirect" title="Christmas seal">Seals</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secret_Santa" title="Secret Santa">Secret Santa</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Spanbaum" title="Spanbaum">Spanbaum</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Krak%C3%B3w_szopka" title="Kraków szopka">Szopka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_stamp" title="Christmas stamp">Stamps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_stocking" title="Christmas stocking">Stockings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_tree" title="Christmas tree">Tree</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas" title="Twelve Days of Christmas">Twelve Days</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wassailing" title="Wassailing">Wassailing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_window" title="Christmas window">Windows</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule_goat" title="Yule goat">Yule goat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule_log" title="Yule log">Yule log</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Observance_of_Christmas_by_country" title="Observance of Christmas by country"><span style="color:white">By country</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Australia" title="Christmas in Australia">Australia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Colombia" title="Christmas in Colombia">Colombia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule_and_Christmas_in_Denmark" title="Yule and Christmas in Denmark">Denmark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Christmas_in_England" title="Category:Christmas in England">England</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ethiopian_Christmas" title="Ethiopian Christmas">Ethiopia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Finland" title="Christmas in Finland">Finland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_France" title="Christmas in France">France</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Weihnachten" title="Weihnachten">Germany</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Nazi_Germany" title="Christmas in Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Hungary" title="Christmas in Hungary">Hungary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Iceland" title="Christmas in Iceland">Iceland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Indonesia" title="Christmas in Indonesia">Indonesia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Ireland" title="Christmas in Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Italy" title="Christmas in Italy">Italy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Mexico" title="Christmas in Mexico">Mexico</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_New_Zealand" title="Christmas in New Zealand">New Zealand</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Norway" title="Christmas in Norway">Norway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_the_Philippines" title="Christmas in the Philippines">Philippines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Poland" title="Christmas in Poland">Poland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Romania" title="Christmas in Romania">Romania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Russia" title="Christmas in Russia">Russia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Scotland" title="Christmas in Scotland">Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Serbia" title="Christmas in Serbia">Serbia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Sweden" title="Christmas in Sweden">Sweden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Ukraine" title="Christmas in Ukraine">Ukraine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Christmas_in_the_United_States" title="Category:Christmas in the United States">United States</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_the_American_Civil_War" title="Christmas in the American Civil War">American Civil War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Hawaii" title="Christmas in Hawaii">Hawaii</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_New_Mexico" title="Christmas in New Mexico">New Mexico</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_the_United_States_(1946%E2%80%931964)" title="Christmas in the United States (1946–1964)">Post-War United States</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christmas_music" title="Christmas music"><span style="color:white">Music</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_carol" title="Christmas carol">Carols</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_carols" title="List of Christmas carols">list</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_operas" title="List of Christmas operas">Operas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_music#Popular_Christmas_songs" title="Christmas music">Songs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_hit_singles_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="List of Christmas hit singles in the United Kingdom">Hit singles in the UK</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_popular_Christmas_singles_in_the_United_States" title="List of popular Christmas singles in the United States">Hit singles in the US</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Billboard_Christmas_Holiday_charts" title="Billboard Christmas Holiday charts">Music charts (<i>Billboard</i>)</a></li> <li>Music books <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Carols_for_Choirs" title="Carols for Choirs">Carols for Choirs</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oxford_Book_of_Carols" title="The Oxford Book of Carols">The Oxford Book of Carols</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_New_Oxford_Book_of_Carols" title="The New Oxford Book of Carols">The New Oxford Book of Carols</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Piae_Cantiones" title="Piae Cantiones">Piae Cantiones</a></i></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christmas_by_medium" title="Christmas by medium"><span style="color:white">Other media</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_literature" class="mw-redirect" title="Christmas in literature">In literature</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_novels" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Christmas novels">novels</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol" title="A Christmas Carol">A Christmas Carol</a></i></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_films" title="List of Christmas films">Films (Christmas,</a> <a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus_in_film" title="Santa Claus in film">Santa,</a> <a href="/wiki/Christmas_horror" title="Christmas horror">Christmas horror</a>)</li> <li>Poetry <ul><li>"<a href="/wiki/Old_Santeclaus_with_Much_Delight" title="Old Santeclaus with Much Delight">Old Santeclaus with Much Delight</a>"</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/A_Visit_from_St._Nicholas" title="A Visit from St. Nicholas">A Visit from St. Nicholas</a></i></li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/Christmas_Day_in_the_Workhouse" title="Christmas Day in the Workhouse">Christmas Day in the Workhouse</a>"</li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/Journey_of_the_Magi" title="Journey of the Magi">Journey of the Magi</a>"</li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/Tomten" class="mw-redirect" title="Tomten">Tomten</a>"</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_television_specials" title="List of Christmas television specials">Christmas television specials</a> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Yule_Log_(TV_program)" title="Yule Log (TV program)">Yule Log</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Apollo_8_Genesis_reading" title="Apollo 8 Genesis reading">Apollo 8 Genesis reading</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%">In<br />modern<br />society</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advent_Conspiracy" title="Advent Conspiracy">Advent Conspiracy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Black_Friday_(partying)" title="Black Friday (partying)">Black Friday (partying)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)" title="Black Friday (shopping)">Black Friday (shopping)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bronner%27s_Christmas_Wonderland" title="Bronner's Christmas Wonderland">Bronner's Christmas Wonderland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_and_holiday_season" title="Christmas and holiday season">Christmas and holiday season</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_club" title="Christmas club">Christmas club</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_creep" title="Christmas creep">Christmas creep</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_Day_(Trading)_Act_2004" title="Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004">Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Institution_Christmas_Lectures" title="Royal Institution Christmas Lectures">Christmas Lectures</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_Mountains" title="Christmas Mountains">Christmas Mountains</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_seals" title="Christmas seals">Christmas seals</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_truce" title="Christmas truce">Christmas truce</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_controversies" title="Christmas controversies">Controversies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cyber_Monday" title="Cyber Monday">Cyber Monday</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Economics_of_Christmas" title="Economics of Christmas">Economics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Giving_Tuesday" class="mw-redirect" title="Giving Tuesday">Giving Tuesday</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Grinch" title="Grinch">Grinch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spanish_Christmas_Lottery" title="Spanish Christmas Lottery">El Gordo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jews_and_Christmas" title="Jews and Christmas">Jews and Christmas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_July" title="Christmas in July">In July</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_August_(Yellowstone)" title="Christmas in August (Yellowstone)">In August</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NBA_Christmas_games" title="NBA Christmas games">NBA games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NFL_on_Christmas_Day" title="NFL on Christmas Day">NFL games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pikkujoulu" title="Pikkujoulu">Pikkujoulu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SantaCon" title="SantaCon">SantaCon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa%27s_Candy_Castle" title="Santa's Candy Castle">Santa's Candy Castle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Santa_Claus_Village" title="Santa Claus Village">Santa Claus Village</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ebenezer_Scrooge" title="Ebenezer Scrooge">Scrooge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Small_Business_Saturday" title="Small Business Saturday">Small Business Saturday</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Super_Saturday" title="Super Saturday">Super Saturday</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_jumper" title="Christmas jumper">Ugly sweaters</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Virginia_O%27Hanlon" title="Virginia O'Hanlon">Virginia O'Hanlon</a> ("<a href="/wiki/Yes,_Virginia,_there_is_a_Santa_Claus" title="Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus">Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus</a>")</li> <li><a href="/wiki/White_Christmas_(weather)" title="White Christmas (weather)">White Christmas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_multinational_festivals_and_holidays" title="List of multinational festivals and holidays">Winter festivals</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/WWE_Tribute_to_the_Troops" title="WWE Tribute to the Troops">WWE Tribute to the Troops</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xmas" title="Xmas">Xmas</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christmas_dishes" title="List of Christmas dishes"><span style="color:white">Food and<br />drink</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em"><a href="/wiki/Christmas_dinner" title="Christmas dinner"><span style="color:white">Dinner</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Joulup%C3%B6yt%C3%A4" title="Joulupöytä">Joulupöytä</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Julebord" title="Julebord">Julebord</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/K%C5%AB%C4%8Dios" title="Kūčios">Kūčios</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/R%C3%A9veillon" title="Réveillon">Réveillon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thirteen_desserts" title="Thirteen desserts">Thirteen desserts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twelve-dish_Christmas_Eve_supper" title="Twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper">Twelve-dish supper</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sm%C3%B6rg%C3%A5sbord" class="mw-redirect" title="Smörgåsbord">Smörgåsbord</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wigilia" title="Wigilia">Wigilia</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em">Sweets</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Baked_Alaska" title="Baked Alaska">Baked Alaska</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Candy_cane" title="Candy cane">Candy cane</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_cake" title="Christmas cake">Cake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_cookie" title="Christmas cookie">Cookie</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cozonac" title="Cozonac">Cozonac</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fruitcake" title="Fruitcake">Fruitcake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gingerbread" title="Gingerbread">Gingerbread</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kutia" title="Kutia">Kutia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mak%C3%B3wki" title="Makówki">Makówki</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Melomakarono" title="Melomakarono">Melomakarono</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mince_pie" title="Mince pie">Mince pie</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pampushka" title="Pampushka">Pampushka</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Panettone" title="Panettone">Panettone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pavlova_(cake)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pavlova (cake)">Pavlova</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pecan_pie" title="Pecan pie">Pecan pie</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Poppy_seed_roll" title="Poppy seed roll">Poppy seed roll</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_pudding" title="Christmas pudding">Pudding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pumpkin_pie" title="Pumpkin pie">Pumpkin pie</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qurabiya" title="Qurabiya">Qurabiya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Red_velvet_cake" title="Red velvet cake">Red velvet cake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stollen" title="Stollen">Stollen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Szaloncukor" title="Szaloncukor">Szaloncukor</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turr%C3%B3n" title="Turrón">Turrón</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yule_log_(cake)" title="Yule log (cake)">Yule log</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em">Soup</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Menudo_(soup)" title="Menudo (soup)">Menudo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Borscht" title="Borscht">Borscht</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em">Sauces</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bread_sauce" title="Bread sauce">Bread sauce</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cranberry_sauce" title="Cranberry sauce">Cranberry sauce</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Redcurrant_sauce" title="Redcurrant sauce">Redcurrant sauce</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em">Beverages</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Apple_cider" title="Apple cider">Apple cider</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Champurrado" title="Champurrado">Champurrado</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eggnog" title="Eggnog">Eggnog</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hot_chocolate" title="Hot chocolate">Hot chocolate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kissel" title="Kissel">Kissel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mulled_wine" title="Mulled wine">Mulled wine</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Smoking_Bishop" class="mw-redirect" title="Smoking Bishop">Smoking Bishop</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ponche_crema" title="Ponche crema">Ponche crema</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Snowball_(cocktail)" title="Snowball (cocktail)">Snowball</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em">Dumplings</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hallaca" title="Hallaca">Hallaca</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pierogi" title="Pierogi">Pierogi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tamale" title="Tamale">Tamale</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Varenyky" class="mw-redirect" title="Varenyky">Varenyky</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white;width:6.5em">Meat and fish</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Carp" title="Carp">Carp</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gefilte_fish" title="Gefilte fish">Gefilte fish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_ham" title="Christmas ham">Ham</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pickled_herring" title="Pickled herring">Pickled herring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roast_goose" title="Roast goose">Roast goose</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romeritos" title="Romeritos">Romeritos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stuffing" title="Stuffing">Stuffing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tourti%C3%A8re" title="Tourtière">Tourtière</a> (<a href="/wiki/Meat_pie" title="Meat pie">meat pie</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turkey_meat" title="Turkey meat">Turkey</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background:#CE1D20; color:white"><div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:Christmas" title="Category:Christmas"><span style="color:white">Category</span></a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1038841319">.mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q814168#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q814168#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a> <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q814168#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/15px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">International</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://viaf.org/viaf/203293662">VIAF</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/829862/">FAST</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://d-nb.info/gnd/4437201-2">Germany</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Befana (Legendary character)"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/sh85012877">United States</a></span></span></li><li><span class="uid"><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Befana (personnage légendaire)"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb160714196">France</a></span></span></li><li><span class="uid"><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Befana (personnage légendaire)"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb160714196">BnF data</a></span></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://olduli.nli.org.il/F/?func=find-b&local_base=NLX10&find_code=UID&request=987007283144805171">Israel</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td 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