Talk:La Befana

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I have started cleaning up this article, but I could not obtain a good article. It is a mess up of information. There is also some citation of leggend and of a song that in my opinion should be removed AnyFile 16:45, 10 Feb 2005 (UTC)

There is a substantially different story at http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/christmas/epiphany/la_befana.htm

Befana to me is like my santa clause

[edit] etymology

The entry says that "Befana" means "giver of gifts." That is in error, I believe. Most sources derive the word from "epiphania," from the Greek, meaning "to manifest" or "to show". The day of the Epiphany is celebrated in Italy on January 6th, the so-called 12th day of Christmas, the day on which Jesus was revealed as the Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi, the three Wise Men.

Besides the link mentioned above, there is another at [this URL ].

I removed the "giver of gifts" thing, and changed shoes to socks (the article said socks are filled with candies, socks are). The article currently also says that sausages, broccoli and wine are left for her. I wonder if it is a regional tradition, I doubt that it is used in all of Italy. 213.140.21.231 22:59, 5 January 2006 (UTC)
The bit about broccoli and sausage are surely regional, even local. Wine is more commonly referenced, though. [1] [2] Mindmatrix 00:28, 6 January 2006 (UTC)
Rather than leaving broccoli and sausage, people usually leave something to eat for the donkey she has. --Stefano 17:38, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Melbourne Australia

In Carlton, an inner suburb of Melbourne with a strong Italian presence, there has been a La Befana festival on Jan 6 for at least the last three or four years maybe longer. A La Befana play is performed and the the lady herself wanders around the crowd distributing sweets. I got the impression that the people running it were old socialists, the play had a soft left flavour, but the event is supported by the local business association. The birth of Christ is treated as a major incident in La Befana's life rather than as the beginnning. I'll ask more questions this year. 203.214.68.40 (talk) 08:32, 27 December 2007 (UTC) Signed...Jeremy (talk) 08:34, 27 December 2007 (UTC)