In Italy, Santa is called Babbo Natale, which translates as Father Christmas.
Like the panettone, fairy-lit tree and nativity scene, the bright red flower known in Italy as the stella di Natale is synonymous with Christmas in most Italian households.
Beliefs vary from family to family depending on what region of Italy they are from, but traditionally it was thought that Jesus, not Santa Claus, brings the gifts. However, nowadays many Italian families celebrate Christmas with gifts from 'Babbo Natale,' Italy's Father Christmas.
In Italian folklore, the Befana (pronounced [beˈfaːna]) is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Santa Claus or the Three Magi Kings.
La Befana, the Christmas Witch: Italy's version of Santa Claus.
La Befana is the last festivity of Christmas time in Italy and we celebrate it every 6 January. According to the Christian tradition, on the day of Ephiphany, the three biblical Magi finally meet the baby Jesus. In Italian Christmas folklore, we also celebrate the coming of La Befana.
La Befana: Celebrations throughout Italy
They might burn a pile of wood, but more often a large straw figure called il vecchio, the old one, is burned a sort of out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new ritual. Florence and other cities host elaborate parades led by elegantly costumed men on horseback representing Three Magi.
The name Santa is girl's name of Spanish, Italian origin meaning "saint".
The tradition of La Befana
January 6th is also known as La Befana. In Italian folklore, Befana is an old soot-covered woman or witch who delivers presents to Italian children on the night before La Befana (Epiphany Eve).
Rome is the capital of Italy and also of the Province of Rome and of the region of Lazio. With 2.9 million residents in 1,285.3 km2, it is also the country's largest and most populated comune and fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits.
When passing through Italy, Babbo Natale (aka Santa Claus) gets a clementine from children — and some hay for his donkey, because reindeer are not always his chosen mode of transportation. But a few weeks earlier, on Dec.
Many people choose to exchange gifts on Christmas Day, but in some cities in Italy's northern regions, children open gifts on the 13th of December, Saint Lucia Day. Some people wait until the 6th of January, the Epiphany, to open gifts left by the witch, La Befana.
The term Natale derives from the Latin natalis, which literally means 'birth', and the greetings in Italian are buon Natale (Merry Christmas) and felice Natale (Happy Christmas).
If you enter an Italian household during the Christmas holidays, you will see the Christmas tree and the presepe! The nativity scene is a big part of the Christmas tradition in Italy: decorating the presepe with the little hand-made figurines of the holy family is a must!
One of the most loved Italian Christmas traditions is presepe or nativity scenes. Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus are spread throughout homes, churches and squares all over Italy. In fact, it seems that no matter where you're in the country, there's always one close by.
In addition to a rich history, Italian culture consistently leads the way in style and fashion. The world's best gelato, rich home-cooked meals, remnants of the Roman Empire, snow-capped Alps, or picturesque coastal towns on the Adriatic Sea help Italians truly live la dolce vita (the sweet life).
The 6th of January is a fabulous day for kids in Rome. On this day, Italy celebrates the Epiphany, the festivity remembering the arrival of the Three Kings to the crib of baby Jesus: the day is deemed so important that it is a day off.
Santamaria (also spelled Santamaría or Santa Maria) is a surname from the Latin Arch in Europe. The name, a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary meaning Holy Mary or Saint Mary, means the same thing in the Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Catalan languages. In Arabic, the equivalent name is Mariam.
Buon Natale / Merry Christmas.
(bəˈfɑːnə ) noun. (in Italian folklore) an ugly good fairy who brings gifts to good children on Epiphany eve.
Epiphany is celebrated in Italy on January 6 every year. This holiday is based on the story of the three wise men (or kings) offering Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
col cappello alla romana… viva, viva, la Befana! Translated, the above poem reads “The Befana comes at night / In worn out shoes / Dressed like a Roman / Long live the Befana!” La Befana is often depicted as an old lady riding a broomstick, covered in soot and wearing a black shawl.
Italian Christmas tradition doesn't include stockings filled by Babbo Natale on Christmas Eve. Instead, children put their stockings out on the eve of the Epiphany, to be filled by La Befana.