#9 The Three Kings versus La Befana (English)

Being born on the second of January means that every year again, it seems like there’s no end to the holiday season. I take full responsibility for the many New Year’s resolutions of family and friends that have been given up on in the very first days of the year. As I do every year, I’ve treated the family to many cakes (vlaai: the typical cake we eat as soon we have even the tiniest excuse to celebrate something) heavy with cream, pastry and sugar on the second, and I’ve been out for an Italian dinner with friends on the third. Nonetheless all the comments about “how everyone really had enough of all the drinking”, a couple of bottles of red wine were consumed. However, today is really that first Monday many of us have been dreading and although it’s known as Three Kings day internationally (so why is this not a national holiday?), the working life has taken off again. Chances are high you have been stuck in traffic this morning on your way to work, and also the beloved long school holiday for the children has come to an end. But not in Italy, where they’re even better in prolonging the holidays than I am: today it’s the day of L’Epifania del Signore. In other words: La Befana has paid a visit last night! 

I just love it how this tradition displays both la dolce vita (the good wine) and the collective cleaning instinct the Italians possess

But who is this Mrs. Befana? And in catholic Italy, shouldn’t they be celebrating the Three Kings finally arriving at baby Jezus today? It probably won’t take you by surprise that La Befana has a close link with the Three Wise Men: they actually knew each other. How come? Well, the legend goes that an old woman flying on her broom pays a visit to every child in Italy in the night when the fifth of January goes over into the sixth. Through the chimney, she makes her way down into the living rooms where she fills the children’s stockings with sweets or black carbon. An old woman with long, grey hair in a black robe, with a pointed hat and flying around on a broom: that must be a witch, right? Well, apparently she isn’t. When I tried to explain the phenomenon of Befana to a tourist in a Roman bar the other day, I dared to use the word ‘witch’ when describing her. Immediately, the man at the table next to us who had clearly been eavesdropping on our conversation snapped at me “La Befana non è una strega!”. Translated: La Befana is not a witch! Right. I think we could compare La Befana not being called a witch to the Dutch Sinterklaas not being called a bishop, although clearly looking like (and being?) one. Anyway, the legend goes that the Three Kings who were looking for baby Jezus knocked at the door of La Befana, the best housekeeper of the town. She offered them a shelter for the night, and when dawn broke they invited the old woman to join them on their search. La Befana refused, as she had many chores still to do (that’s the origin of the broom playing such an important role). However, soon she started to regret her decision and she decided to go out to look for Jezus anyway. Then, there’s two different versions on how the story continues. In the first version, La Befana finds Jezus and offers him sweets, and to celebrate this event, the Italian children get sweets every year too. In the second version, the old woman never finds baby Jezus and the legend goes she is still looking for Christ’s child. Therefore, she brings sweets to every little kid in Italy as the innocent child of God can be found in every young child. I’m sure you have noticed the similarities between La Befana and the tradition of Santa Claus (and for the Dutch readers: our Sinterklaas and his Pieten). Nonetheless, La Befana has a very Italian detail: instead of leaving Santa milk and biscuits (as the British children do), or some old bread, a carrot and water for Sinterklaas’ horse (as the Dutch children do), the Italian children put wine at the chimney. Preferably a whole bottle – from a good year – as the Italians want La Befana to get in a good mood for her to sweep their living room. I just love it how this tradition displays both la dolce vita (the good wine) and the collective cleaning instinct the Italians possess. 

Ah well, drama queen is my middle name…

For me personally, this particular holiday marks the end of my Christmas holiday: tomorrow at ten past eleven my flight takes off back to Rome. I’m really looking forward to returning to my Roman life but still, I woke up this morning feeling slightly nostalgic about ‘everything that has come to an end again’. Ah well, drama queen is my middle name… And in fact, does the holiday season ever really end? In both the south of the Netherlands as in many places in Italy, the end of the Christmas holidays marks the beginning of the Carnaval festivities. Last Saturday, while I attended my first Carnaval party of the season, my friends were sending me videos from Naples, where the first people all dressed up and with the most beautiful masks had been spotted already, strolling elegantly through the galleria.

Pretty uncomfortable for her, so you’d better take a look in your wine cellar to dust off the best bottle you can find

But at the end of the day, restarting normal life again in January is something many of us have been dreading in some way. So whenever you’re coming home from work feeling all exhausted some day this week, and this awful January month just seems endless and cold and dark, just remember you can create your own party at every single moment you need it most. Because hey, if La Befana can fly on her broom and climb through chimneys, that same Befana can be delayed due to a poorly functioning navigation system. So in case she hasn’t stopped by your house yet, she definitely got lost on her way. Pretty uncomfortable for her, so you’d better take a look in your wine cellar to dust off the best bottle you can find and put a glass for her at the chimney to give her a warm welcome. One glass for La Befana and one for you, because I’m sure she also doesn’t like drinking alone.