ONLY In Italy: The Mirth And Magic Of La Befana!

From our friends at Tutto Italiano:

In Italy, the holidays don’t truly end on December 25. They end when La Befana arrives.

On the night of January 5, she “flies” in for L’Epifania (January 6)—a folk figure who feels like part grandmother, part fairytale, part old-world winter magic. The most loved story says the Wise Men once stopped and asked her for directions on their way to the Christ child. She helped them, but didn’t join. Later, filled with regret, she set out to find them—and ever since, she travels from home to home, leaving gifts for children as she goes. Yes…she brings gifts. Just with a little more attitude than Babbo Natale.

She’s usually portrayed in a way that’s unmistakably Italian: practical, weathered, and warm. A layered skirt, patched clothes, a shawl, an apron, a headscarf, and a sack or basket over her shoulder—plus the signature broom, often said to be used to “sweep away” the old year’s dust. Sometimes she’s drawn a little soot-smudged, because she’s linked to chimneys in popular imagery.

In homes across Italy, children hang stockings (le calze), and La Befana fills them with sweets and small treats. The famous twist is that naughty kids get “coal”—but in the sweetest Italian way possible, it’s often carbone dolce, a black candy that looks like coal but tastes like sugar and mischief. It’s playful, not scary—La Befana is more “stern nonna with a soft heart” than anything dark.

And because Italy is Italy, the celebration is also delicious—especially in regional specialties. Here’s how Epiphany tastes in different corners of the country:

Veneto keeps it rustic and wintry, with homemade sweets that feel like they were born in a farmhouse kitchen. A classic Epiphany treat is pinza (or pinsa veneta)—a dense, comforting cake often made with cornmeal and dried fruit, served in slices with coffee or a little grappa energy. Tables also lean into winter staples: nuts, citrus, dried fruit, and whatever family dessert is “the one” every year.

Tuscany has one of the most perfectly named traditions: befanini—little Epiphany cookies, often simple and buttery, sometimes topped with colorful sprinkles. They’re the kind of sweet that looks humble but disappears fast, especially with espresso. In many homes, January 6 still feels like the last sweet day before the year gets serious again.

Lazio (Rome) celebrates in a very Roman way: lively, communal, and centered around the “closing of the season.” You’ll find stockings everywhere—in shops and markets—and families lean into classic holiday sweets still on the table: torrone, chocolate, nuts, citrus, and bakery treats that carry over from Christmas through Epiphany. The vibe is: one last indulgent moment before routine returns.

Sicily turns Epiphany into a miniature candy festival. Alongside the calze, Sicilian celebrations often feature pupi di zucchero—bright, ornate sugar figurines—and traditional sweets that feel ancient: sesame brittle (giuggiulena/cubbaita), marzipan-style treats, and the island’s beloved holiday cookies that linger through the season. It’s colorful, theatrical, and joyfully extra—very Sicily.

And then comes the line Italians say like a gentle sigh:

“L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via.”

Epiphany takes all the holidays away.

So if you’re still craving holiday magic, Italy is here to remind you: there’s one last night of tradition left—stockings, sweets, and a broom sweeping the season closed.