January the 6th is one of the children's most beloved National festivity in Italy, the day dedicated to la Befana, a good old witch, the feminine equivalent of Babbo Natale, Santa Claus. She comes in the night between January 5th and 6th bringing little gifts and candies to children.
This is actually the day when the Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem and brought the Holy Child their gifts: Gold, Incense and Myrrh, as the famous painting by Gentile da Fabriano in the Uffizi gallery represents, with its elegant display of gold, details and elegant figures.
In Florence this day is celebrated with a Renaissance costume parade from Palazzo Pitti to Piazza San Giovanni, arriving in front of the Cathedral.
But for the children the best part is when they wake up and find their socks filled with candies: the good ones, while the naughty ones have coal instead...
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento