Christmas is often described as the warmest, most intimate Italian holiday because it is a special time for family members to enjoy age-old traditions. On Christmas Eve, a ceremony takes place around the presepio, a nativity scene of Bethlehem. Then, after Midnight Mass, there is a cenone, a delicious feast of rich Italian food.
Children eagerly await the presents brought to them by a good-hearted witch called La Befana. She is the Christmas gift-giver who climbs down chimneys to fill good children’s shoes with treats. Naughty children may find a lump of coal instead!
Unlike Santa Claus, who appears on Christmas Eve, La Befana arrives on the eve of Epiphany. Year after year, La Befana wanders the countryside looking for Gesu Bambino, the baby Jesus, and leaves gifts just in case she finds him.
Here is the story of the tradition of La Befana herself during the Epcot Holidays around the World, now the Festival of the Holidays Celebration.
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Looking for more Epcot Holidays? Check out the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, Festival Merchandise from 2021, Festival Food from 2021, A musical Tour, Norway, the Holiday Fountain of Nations, Candlelight Processional or a flashback to Epcot 1987
