The Dark Side of Christmas: La Befana – Italy’s Christmas Witch

On an eternal path to greet the baby Jesus, the Italian Christmas Witch, La Befana leaves candy for the children and a question to the grown ups: Who was she really, and could her origins be older than her own tradition perhaps?

The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long live the Befana!

Italy, with its rich tapestry of folklore and traditions, adds a unique twist to the festive season with the legend of La Befana. This Christmas witch, who predates Santa Claus in Italian tradition, is a figure shrouded in mystery, magic, and a touch of spookiness.

On an eternal path to greet the baby Jesus, the Italian Christmas Witch, La Befana leaves candy for the children and a question to the grown ups: Who was she really, and could her origins be older than her own tradition perhaps? — **La Befana:** a custom in January in Rome”, Italian illustration from 1821 showing children and women at a market stall with a Befana figure.

The Legend of La Befana

La Befana is an old woman, often depicted as a witch with a broomstick, who visits children on the night of January 5th, the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany. According to Italian folklore, she flies through the night sky, delivering gifts to children much like Santa Claus does on Christmas Eve. However, La Befana’s tale is much older and imbued with a darker, more mystical aura.

The origins of La Befana’s legend are diverse and multifaceted, drawing from ancient Roman, pagan, and Christian traditions, sources going back as far as the eighth century. Some say it evolved from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strenia who symbolizes the new year and the seasonal cycles linked to agriculture, or relating to the harvest of the past year, now ready to be reborn as new.

The Goddess Strenua
Strenua was a Sabine Goddess of the new year, purification and health and like the Roman God of medicine “Aesculapius” is often protrayed with a snake. According to legend Her cult was introduced by the Sabine King Titus Tatius,... — **The Goddess Strenua**: a Sabine deity associated with the new year, purification, and health, was often depicted with a snake like the Roman God of medicine, Aesculapius. Her cult was introduced by the Sabine King Titus Tatius, and on new year’s day in ancient Rome, her image and branches of bay laurel from her sacred grove were carried in procession from her shrine to the Arx on the Capitoline Hill. The Romans included Strenua in the annual auspices, seeking her blessings for the coming year, and the ceremonies evolved to include the custom of exchanging gifts on the first day of the New Year, often laurel twigs symbolizing good health that were then burned as incense for Strenua.

Some believe that Strenua is the origin of “Befana”. In Italian folklore Befana is an old witch that flies around Italy on a broomstick and comes down chimneys on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) to deliver gifts.On the twelfth night after the winter solstice, the death and rebirth of nature was celebrated through Mother Nature . The Romans believed that in these twelve nights, female figures flew over the cultivated fields, to propitiate the fertility of future crops, hence the myth of the “flying” figure. According to some, this female figure was first identified in Diana , the lunar goddess not only linked to game, but also to vegetation, while according to others she was associated with a minor divinity called Sàtia (goddess of satiety), or Aboundia (goddess of abundance ). Another hypothesis would connect the Befana with an ancient Roman festival, which always took place in winter, in honor of Janus and Strenia (from which the term “strenna” also derives) and during which gifts were exchanged ^[9] .

One popular version of the story recounts that La Befana was approached by the Three Wise Men during their journey to find the newborn Jesus after the Betlehem appeared in the sky. They asked for directions, but La Befana, busy with her housework, initially refused to help. Later, feeling remorseful, she tried to find the Wise Men and the baby Jesus, bringing gifts for the child. Unable to find them, she continues to search for Jesus every year, leaving gifts for children in the hope that one of them might be the Christ child.

The Spooky Aspect of La Befana

While La Befana is generally seen as a benevolent figure, her appearance and certain aspects of her legend lend her a spooky, witch-like quality. Dressed in tattered clothes, with a soot-covered face from climbing down chimneys, La Befana’s witch-like appearance contrasts sharply with the jolly figure of Santa Claus.

Her annual visit is not without a touch of fear. Italian children believe that La Befana will leave a lump of coal or dark candy if they have been naughty, rather than the sweets and small gifts she bestows upon the well-behaved. The thought of a witch visiting their home in the dead of night can be as thrilling as it is terrifying for young children.

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Moreover, the image of an old witch flying through the night sky, broomstick in hand, evokes classic Halloween imagery, adding a layer of spookiness to the festive season. The idea that she continues her eternal search for the Christ child, year after year, wandering the dark winter skies, gives her story a haunting, almost ghostly dimension.

La Befana’s Rituals and Traditions

In Italy, the arrival of La Befana is celebrated with various customs and traditions. On the night of January 5th, children hang stockings by the fireplace and leave out food and wine for La Befana, hoping to appease the witch and receive her blessings. The next morning, they eagerly check their stockings for gifts or coal, depending on their behavior over the past year.

Throughout Italy, especially in the regions of Rome and the surrounding Lazio area, towns and cities host Epiphany fairs and parades. Dolls are made of her and effigies are burnt and bonfires are often lit. One of the most famous celebrations takes place in Urbania, where thousands gather to celebrate La Befana with a grand festival featuring street performers, music, and, of course, the arrival of the Christmas witch herself.

La Befana in Modern Culture

Despite her spooky undertones, La Befana remains a beloved figure in Italian culture. She represents the blending of ancient traditions with modern festivities, embodying the spirit of both giving and penance. There is even a Viva la Befana in Roma at St. Peter’s Square in the mornings.

In recent years, La Befana has also become a symbol of female empowerment and independence, reflecting the strength and resilience of the old woman who braves the winter night alone. La Befana’s tale is a fascinating blend of whimsy, mystery, and a hint of spookiness. As Italy’s Christmas witch, she adds a unique and eerie charm to the festive season, reminding us that the magic of Christmas is not just about joy and light, but also about the mysteries that lurk in the shadows Her story continues to captivate and enchant, ensuring that the Christmas witch will remain an enduring part of Italy’s rich cultural heritage.