La Befana and Epiphany in Italy

The Feast of the Epiphany, celebrated January 6 with a national holiday in Italy, and the tradition of La Befana are a big part of Italian Christmas celebrations. Epiphany commemorates the 12th day of Christmas when the three Wise Men arrived at the manger bearing gifts for Baby Jesus. The traditional Christmas holiday season in Italy lasts through Epiphany.

LA BEFANA
La Befana Italy's traditional celebration includes the tale of a witch known as La Befana who arrives on her broomstick during the night of January 5 and fills the stockings with toys and sweets for the good children and lumps of coal for the bad ones.
According to the legend, the night before the Wise Men arrived at the manger they stopped at the shack of an old woman to ask directions. They invited her to come along but she replied that she was too busy. Then a shepherd asked her to join him but again she refused. Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had died. She got lost and never found the manger.
Now La Befana flies around on her broomstick each year on the 11th night, bringing gifts to children in hopes that she might find the Baby Jesus. Children hang their stockings on the evening of January 5 awaiting the visit of La Befana.
The origins of La Befana may actually go back farther, to the Roman's pagan festival of Saturnalia, a one or two week festival starting just before the winter solstice. At the end of Saturnalia, Romans would go to the Temple of Juno on the Capitoline Hill to have their augers read by an old crone. Many pagan traditions were incorporated into Christmas celebrations when Christianity became main stream. La Befana was a good substitute for the old woman who read the augers. The saying augur originated with this practice, too, as it was common to wish someone good augers.

LA BEFANA FESTIVALS
The town of Urbania, in Le Marche region, holds a 4-day festival for La Befana from January 2-6. Children can meet La Befana in La Casa della Befana. This is one of the biggest celebrations for La Befana in Italy.
The Befana races are held in Venice on January 6. Men dressed as La Befana race in boats on the Grand Canal.

Christmas in Roma

CHRISTMAS IN ROMA

Rome is a top Italian city to visit during the Christmas holiday season, from early December through Epiphany on January 6, and the place where the celebration of Christmas originated. The first Christ Mass was said at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome and what's believed to be the earliest permanent Christmas crib was carved for the first Rome Jubilee in 1300. Just like the city itself, Rome's Christmas traditions are steeped in hundreds of years of history.

Italian Hannukah

There is a long standing Jewish tradition in Italy dating back to Roman times. The community begins an 8-day commemoration of the miraculous oil that kept the sacred flame of the Temple alight following the victory of the Maccabeans over Antiochus. The Italian Hannukah is celebrated with oil prepared fried foods. One of my favorites is Carciofi alla Guidia or Carciofi alla Romana. Here is a time tested receipe that has made it through the centuries:

http://italianfood.about.com/od/artichokes/r/blr0375.htm?nl=1

A "Room" with a View ( dining room that is) on Capri

ANACAPRI. A new restaurant at the Blue Grotto, ‘Il Riccio’ owned and managed by the famous Capri Palace Hotel & Spa. This sea-side restaurant and beach club is perched on the cliffs just meters away from the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto). The Mediterranian cuisine is second only to the view.

Christmas in Italy

PRESEPE, Nativity scenes are best found on Via San Gregorio Armeno, in the heart of Naples' old town. Lining the narrow pedestrian street are artisan workshops making these nativity scenes (presepe in Italian). Tiny shops sell Christmas crib figures and souvenirs which are an important part of Christmas in Italy.