Christmas stories seen through children's eyes Christmas in the countries of Europe | Page 12

December 26, (St. Stephen's Day, in Italian Giorno di Santo Stefano), is also a public
holiday in Italy.
Festivities extend to the
end of the year and then
to Epiphany.
the
On January 6 (Epiphany,
in Epifania)
Italian
decorations
are usually
taken down,
and in some areas female puppets are burned on a pire (called "falò"), to symbolize, along
with the end of the Christmas period, the death of the old year and the beginning of a new
one. While gifts are now given at Christmas by an American style Santa Claus as well,
Italy holds fast to its tradition of native gift-givers. On the eve of the 6th, la Befana, the
good Epiphany witch, is thought to ride the night skies on broomstick, bringing good
children gifts and sweets, and bad ones charcoal or bags of ashes. In other areas it is
the Three Wise Men who bring gifts, especially oranges symbolizing gold, and chocolate
symbolizing their kisses to good children. In some municipalities, most famously
in Milan, the custom of the "Corteo dei Re Magi" (Three Kings Procession) is
elaboratedly celebrated with a parade welcoming the Wise Men, and the passing out of
sweets. In other places, such as Treviso the day is celebrated with bonfires, the sparks of
which are said to predict the future of the new year.