La Befana“La Befana vien di notte

con le scarpe tutte rotte

il vestito alla romana

viva viva la Befana !”

( Befana comes during the night

with her old ruined shoes

and the “roman” dress

hurrah hurrah Befana !)

This rhyme tells the story of Befana.All across Italy on the night of the 5th of January, children wait for a visit from a kind, little old lady who brings sweets and presents.She travels on a broomstick wearing a long, flowing skirt darned with some colourful patches, with an apron with pockets and wrapped in a wool shawl. On her head she wears a headscarf or a ramshackled large hat and on her feet a pair of ruined slippers.She lands her broomstick on the rooftops and climbs slowly down the chimney. She puts sweets into stockings hanging on the fireplaces or on the window sills.

Befana has existed since the time of the birth of Jesus. The Three Kings on their way to give presents to Baby Jesus stopped Befana to ask her to show them the path.Befana gave them directions but didn’t go with them.The next day she regretted not following the Three Kings and realised she had missed an opportunity to give a present to the Baby Jesus.Although Befana did not know where the Baby Jesus was, she wanted to give him a present. So she prepared a large basket of sweets and visited every house giving these sweets to children hoping to find him.From this time onwards Befana has been delivering sweets, fruits and small gifts to children who believe well.However Befana does not give nice things to naughty children but .... leaves .....the dreaded, black COAL!!!!

Befana is a traditional Italian custom wich is celebrated across the whole country but especially in Rome.In our town, Pistoia, for 13 years the City Council and the Fire Brigade have organised a party on the 6th of January in celebration of Befana.Hundreds of children come to see a live perfomance of Befana as she climbs down from the top of the tallest church tower to the floor of the cathedral square in Pistoia.The night of Befana signifies the end of all the years festivities.It is recognized in the Catholic church as Epifania wich is the time of revelation. Although Christmas, New Years Eve and Day and Befana are over this period of revelation is also a time to rejoice and of rebirth.In recognition of both the end of the year and the beginning of the new one, fires are lit across Italy on the night of the Befana. Fire symbolises the end of the past and from the ashes of these fires new life and a new year will arise. Befana brings together pagan and Catholic traditions.

“Befanini” recipeIngredients:

500 gr flour300 gr sugar150 gr butter3 eggshalf gass of milkbaking powdera small glass of rhumbreadcrumbs peel of orange  or lemona pinch of salt

 Cooking instructions:

Mix the flour with soft butter, then put all the other ingredients.Make a ball and let to rest it in the fridge half an hour.Roll out the dough and cut it with biscuit cutter into animals, stars, witch….Put the biscuits on a baking pan, being sure they do not touch. Brush over tops with a beaten egg, cover with some coloured sugar.Bake about 20 minutes in a hot oven.