Babbo Natale - Italian Santa Claus

My dear readers, I will continue my publications on the topic with a story about Babbo Natale, that is, about the Italian Santa Claus.

In this story I will answer a question asked yesterday by feedback from a large number of readers.

B Abbo Natale brings present on Christmas night and leaves them under the tree. But present only those children who have been obedient all year and written a letter receive Babbo Natale. Children usually don’t remember about being obedient in December, before Christmas, and that’s because mom and dad constantly remind them that Babbo Natale will bring a gift.

He lives Babbo Natale, according to Italian children, in Lapland.

This is where kids write their letters. These letters contain an account of one's behavior and also express a wish for a Christmas gift.

All children must receive answers from Babbo Natale from Lapland, and written in Italian.

And you, my dears, believe in Babbo Natale(Santa Claus)?

Do you believe in an ordinary miracle?

If you believe, then it will definitely happen!

Merry Christmas to you!

May everything you wish come true!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAYS TO YOU, DEAR FRIENDS!!!

Christmas has passed, the New Year's fireworks have died down, but in Italy the mid-winter celebrations do not end there: in the first week of January, all Italians look forward to the holiday of Befana, a good witch with an eerie appearance.

What kind of holiday is Befana?

On January 6, the Catholic world celebrates the day of Epiphany and the day of St. Epiphany, and in Italy this holiday is called the day of the sorceress (or witch) Befana.

The New Year holidays are ending, and at sales and fairs, figures of Santa Claus - in Italy they call him Babbo Natale - are replaced by the image of an old witch with a broom in her hands. This is Befana, a sorceress who wanders the Italian land at night and gives gifts to children. A hooked nose with a wart, tousled hair (a real “crow’s nest”!), a shabby hat with a huge brim - it would seem that she is a classic witch, but a gentle, slightly sly smile immediately tells us that this is a good sorceress.

Quietly, on tiptoe, so as not to wake up the sleeping children, Befana enters the house and places nuts and dates, apples and oranges, candies and chocolate in stockings hanging from the fireplace. Of course, not everyone can receive such a gift - in order for Befana to give sweets and not coal, children must behave well not only before Christmas, but also long before it. But there are still such desperate naughty people who are not afraid even by the threat of receiving coal as a gift. And not without reason - after all, skilled Italian confectioners manage to make sweets in the form of small coal stones.

Befans and adults do not go unnoticed - the sorceress helps especially tortured housewives with cleaning. Don't believe me? Throw a piece of paper on the floor by the fireplace in the evening - in the morning you will no longer find it, the good witch will sweep everything away with her broom.

They say that the witch gets terribly tired on this holiday - it’s no joke to visit hundreds of houses in one night! In order to somehow help the old sorceress, adults leave a glass of red wine on the table for her, and children place next to them cookies that they made with their own hands (or rather, with the help of mothers and grandmothers) the day before. Befana gets tired, sits down at the table at night, drinks a little wine, eats cookies - and flies on, giving gifts to the rest of the children.

History of Befana

The legend of the witch Befana is beautiful and amazing, like many truly Italian fairy tales. And it starts like this...

Many, many years ago, the wise men, who learned about the birth of Christ, collected rich gifts - incense, gold, myrrh - and went in search of the newborn Savior. One late evening they knocked on the door of Befana, an old witch whose house was the cleanest, most elegant and well-groomed in the village, and asked for a place to stay for the night. Befana did not refuse and helped the wanderers settle down comfortably for the night. The Magi liked the hospitality so much that the next morning, having gathered in the ditch, they invited Befana with them to greet the baby Jesus.

However, the old witch refused - after all, she still had so much to do! “No, venerable elders, I won’t go with you, I’m so busy! After all, I need to finish cleaning the house,” these words of Befana are heard in almost every performance that children are happy to stage on the school stage.

Several hours passed, and Befana came to her senses. Is it possible to refuse such an important matter? She collected her own gifts - everything that was tasty in the house - and rushed to catch up with the wise men. But, alas! Too late the old witch remembered her yesterday's guests, they had gone too far. Befana did not catch up with the Magi - and ever since then she has been wandering the land of Italy in search of that same baby. Every year, on the night from the fifth to the sixth of January, she looks into the houses of Italians and leaves gifts for children - sweets, nuts, fruits, chocolate.

In Italy, at the end of the passing year, old or unnecessary things fly out of all the windows. Italians always make sure that they enter the New Year not only in an updated interior, but also by dressing up in everything new. The ancient custom looks quite funny: on December 31, men and women give red underwear to their loved ones. This color symbolizes newness. And little Italians are waiting for gifts from the woman Santa Claus, although not quite the Snow Maiden, whose name is La Befana.
In Italy, the New Year begins on January 6th. All Italian children are looking forward to the good fairy Befana. She flies in at night on a broom, opens the doors with a small key and, entering the room where the children sleep, fills the children's stockings, specially hung from the fireplace, with gifts. For those who study poorly and play pranks, the fairy leaves a pinch of ash and coal. It’s a shame, but who deserves what?
On New Year's Eve, Italians throw out old clothes and even furniture from their apartment windows at the very last minute of the old year. Following them, firecrackers, confetti, and sparklers fly. It is generally accepted that if you throw away an old item on New Year's Eve, you will buy a new item in the coming year.
Gifts are given to little Italians not only by Befana, but also by the Italian Santa Claus. His name is Babbo Natale. He even has a real mailing address to which you can send a letter. This address is known to all children of Italy: Babbo Natale, Boulevard of Europe, no. 175, Rome, Italy.
Write to Babbo Natale, and the Italian Santa Claus will congratulate you on the holiday.

In Italy, the New Year begins on January 6th. All Italian children are looking forward to the good Fairy Befana. She flies in at night on a magic broom, opens the doors with a small golden key and, entering the room where the children sleep, fills the children's stockings, specially hung from the fireplace, with gifts. For those who have studied poorly or been naughty, Befana leaves a pinch of ash or coal. It's a shame, but he deserved it! Babbo Natale - Italian Santa Claus.
In Italy, it is believed that the New Year should begin, freed from everything old. Therefore, on New Year's Eve it is customary to throw old things out of windows. You have to be careful if you don't want an iron or a straw chair to fall on your head. And, as befits southerners, they do it temperamentally, on a grand scale: they throw all the rubbish out of the windows... It is believed that the vacated space will certainly be taken by new things.
Italians always have nuts, lentils and grapes on their New Year's table - symbols of longevity, health and prosperity. In the Italian provinces, this custom has long existed: on January 1, early in the morning, you need to bring “new water” home from the source. “If you have nothing to give your friends,” the Italians say, “give them “new water” with an olive branch.” It is believed that “new water” brings happiness. For Italians, it is also important who they meet first in the new year. If on January 1 the first person an Italian sees is a monk or priest, that’s bad. It is also undesirable to meet a small child, but meeting a nice grandfather is good. And it’s even better if he’s hunchbacked... Then the New Year will definitely be happy!

The New Year comes to Russia accompanied by Father Frost and Snow Maiden. In England and America - with Santa Claus and his faithful elf. And in addition to Santa Claus, Italian children have their own unique hero of New Year's fairy tales. More precisely, the heroine is the old witch Befana. According to legend, in appearance she looks like a real Baba Yaga - her nose is hooked, she’s ugly herself, and perhaps her leg isn’t made of bone. But, unlike her Russian relative, Befana loves children and treats them like a kind grandmother. Every year, on the sixth of January, she flies into the house through the chimney and leaves gifts for the children. Those who behaved well get sweets, chestnuts, nuts, honey and dried fruits, but hooligans have to be content with sugar coal, carrots, onions and garlic. Her clothes are so-so - a long black dress, an apron, an indispensable scarf on her head, holey stockings and old shoes, but she has a magic broom on which she flies from house to house. So that Grandma Befana has a place to put gifts, children hang long socks in the kitchen, bedroom, and best of all, right by the fireplace, and in some areas it is customary to leave coffee and cookies on the kitchen table for the good old lady. By the way, about the treat. In general, Christmas and New Year are among the most delicious Italian holidays. According to tradition, on these holidays the family gathers not only to exchange gifts, but also to remember how much fun it is at the family table. A typical holiday menu in almost all areas of Italy includes traditional dishes. The Christmas menu includes dumplings in broth, stuffed meat, sweet buns or Milanese cake, and the New Year's menu includes zampone, pork sausage and lentils.

Another New Year's tradition is New Year's markets. They are very popular in those areas of Italy where the influence of Northern European culture is felt. There is so much to be found in these bazaars! Handicrafts - wooden figurines, candles of all shapes and colors, sweets, wreaths of dried flowers, ribbons, Christmas decorations for the home and charming balls for the Christmas tree - these can cost a fortune. Starting at the end of November, trading stops only on Christmas Eve, and attracts crowds of people - locals make appointments there, and tourists flock to look at the curiosities.

Many Italians still, according to an ancient tradition, throw old things out of windows, parting with all the troubles that the old year brought. And the New Year itself is celebrated with fireworks and festive lights, with all the joy that people are capable of in the hope that the next year will repay them in kind - will bring joy.

Krylova Kristina 6"B" class

"Witches are quick-witted creatures. After a good dirty trick, grievances are instantly forgotten."
Katerina Polyanskaya "The Missing Faculty, or Witches at the Academy of Battle Mages"

In Bologna for the New Year, we did not see a single traditional attribute of this holiday, except for the Christmas tree. In the store windows there were mostly Christmas stars, Poinsettias, Santa Clauses, called Babbo Natale in Italy, and even those were missing. And the weather was sunny and warm (+12). So we completely lost this feeling of the New Year holiday.
And then there were plenty of witches looking at us. Yes, yes, witches on brooms, just like on Halloween. What the heck? Exactly!!!
We'll figure it out under the cut.)))

A little New Year in Bologna...

And the rest are witches))))

It turns out that on January 6 the Catholic world celebrates Epiphany and the Day of St. Epiphany. It is believed that the night of Epiphany in Italy is full of miracles; on this night the witch Befana flies around the country. Although, according to some information, Befana flies around Italy from January 1 to January 6. Are Saint Epifania and the witch Befana the same person? Yes! Befana is a corruption of Epifania, which means "Epiphany."
They say that Befana can appear either in the form of a toothless old woman or in the form of a young beauty. But in general, this is a good fairy with a bag of gifts, who, on the night of January 5-6, flies into the house through the chimney on her old broom and places gifts and sweets on the prepared socks.

The legend of Befana is an amazing mixture of paganism and Christianity. Befana comes from Bethlehem! One day, the wise men knocked on her house, looking for the newborn Jesus. Befana did not go with them, citing being busy with household chores. However, then she grabbed her magic broom and flew in search of baby Jesus, deciding to give him a gift. So the witch Befana has been flying since then, visiting all the kids and giving them gifts.
By the way, the bad guys don't get gifts (here, apparently, they and Santa Claus are in agreement!), instead of candy, they get coals.

But parents are still not such monsters as they seem)))))))))))))))), so the coals are also sugar. These are the so-called "carboni" - black sugar candies that look like coals. By the way, they turn the tongue black.))) They are sold on the streets everywhere.

Befana brought us nothing on that magical night. Either because we didn’t prepare socks, or because you have to be Italian. But we were lucky enough to catch her on the street, and this, it seems to me, is a good sign!))))

Candy for everyone! Miracles to everyone!

Italian Santa Claus Babbo Natale- rushes to the children on Christmas Eve. And on January 6, the feast of Epiphany, young Italians receive gifts from Befana fairies. Thus, the kids are twice lucky! Translated from Italian, “Babbo Natale” means Father Christmas. This beloved Italian character traces its historical roots back to Saint Nicholas, who was born in the second half of the third century AD in the city of Patara, located in Turkey.

Babbo Natale - looks almost like the Russian Father Frost, only the fur coat is not so warm. Babbo Natale lived for a long time at the North Pole, and later bought himself an excellent home in the Finnish north - in Lapland, where Italian children actively write both simple letters and emails with reports on their behavior, as well as wishes for Christmas gifts and where they receive answers in Italian.

Italy celebrates another one of the most beloved children's holidays - the day of the fairy Befana. According to tradition, this “colleague” of Father Frost and Santa Claus brings sweets to the kids in a stocking.
Befana coincides with the day of Epiphany (Epiphany), celebrated by Western Christianity on January 6 (in Germany it is called the Day of the Three Kings), but the Church is calm about the semi-pagan custom. However, the legend about the appearance of Befana is still connected with Christmas. According to legend, the Magi (or the very kings whom Germans remember today), heading to Bethlehem to bring gifts to the newborn Jesus, stopped along the way in the house of a lonely old woman. Having told her where they were going, the pilgrims invited the hostess to join, but she refused. When the guests left, she decided to go with gifts to the baby Jesus, but she was late for Bethlehem - the Holy Family was no longer there. Since then, Befana has been wandering around the world on the night of January 5-6, bringing sweets to children as gifts.
In appearance, the fairy Befana is similar to Baba Yaga from Russian fairy tales - a humpbacked nose, gray hair sticking out from under a scarf, dressed in rags and flying on a broom. The only difference is that Befana wears glasses and is considered a good fairy. If a child has behaved badly all year, Befana will bring him a stocking full of ash. That is why all the treat dealers stock up on black caramels by the beginning of January. The fairy usually reserves all kinds of sweets for obedient children.