The Legend of the Gift-Giving Witch
According to Italian folklore, it’s not Santa Claus who gives presents to good little boys and girls. Instead, La Befana, a good witch, travels the country by broomstick on Epiphany Eve (the night before January 6). She fills the stockings of good children with goodies, but leaves only coal for those who have been naughty. (These days, parents put carbone dulce (”sugar charcoal”), a rock candy that looks like coal, in their children’s stockings as a joke.)
The story behind the legend is that the Three Wise Men invited La Befana to go with them to visit the newborn Christ child, but she declined because she had housework to do. When she was done she set off to join them, but got lost. Every year, she continues her search on Epiphany Eve, giving presents (or coal) to all the children along the way.
(Source: About.com)
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