01/03/2026
π§Ήβ¨In Italy, the holidays donβt truly end on December 25. They end when La Befana arrives.
On the night of January 5, she βfliesβ in for LβEpifania (January 6)βa folk figure who feels like part grandmother, part fairytale, part old-world winter magic. The most loved story says the Wise Men once stopped and asked her for directions on their way to the Christ child. She helped them, but didnβt join. Later, filled with regret, she set out to find themβand ever since, she travels from home to home, leaving gifts for children as she goes. Yesβ¦she brings gifts. Just with a little more attitude than Babbo Natale.
Sheβs usually portrayed in a way thatβs unmistakably Italian: practical, weathered, and warm. A layered skirt, patched clothes, a shawl, an apron, a headscarf, and a sack or basket over her shoulderβplus the signature broom, often said to be used to βsweep awayβ the old yearβs dust. Sometimes sheβs drawn a little soot-smudged, because sheβs linked to chimneys in popular imagery.
In homes across Italy, children hang stockings (le calze), and La Befana fills them with sweets and small treats. The famous twist is that naughty kids get βcoalββbut in the sweetest Italian way possible, itβs often carbone dolce, a black candy that looks like coal but tastes like sugar and mischief. Itβs playful, not scaryβLa Befana is more βstern nonna with a soft heartβ than anything dark.
And because Italy is Italy, the celebration is also deliciousβespecially in regional specialties. Hereβs how Epiphany tastes in different corners of the country:
Veneto keeps it rustic and wintry, with homemade sweets that feel like they were born in a farmhouse kitchen. A classic Epiphany treat is pinza (or pinsa veneta)βa dense, comforting cake often made with cornmeal and dried fruit, served in slices with coffee or a little grappa energy. Tables also lean into winter staples: nuts, citrus, dried fruit, and whatever family dessert is βthe oneβ every year.
Tuscany has one of the most perfectly named traditions: befaniniβlittle Epiphany cookies, often simple and buttery, sometimes topped with colorful sprinkles. Theyβre the kind of sweet that looks humble but disappears fast, especially with espresso. In many homes, January 6 still feels like the last sweet day before the year gets serious again.
Lazio (Rome) celebrates in a very Roman way: lively, communal, and centered around the βclosing of the season.β Youβll find stockings everywhereβin shops and marketsβand families lean into classic holiday sweets still on the table: torrone, chocolate, nuts, citrus, and bakery treats that carry over from Christmas through Epiphany. The vibe is: one last indulgent moment before routine returns.
Sicily turns Epiphany into a miniature candy festival. Alongside the calze, Sicilian celebrations often feature pupi di zuccheroβbright, ornate sugar figurinesβand traditional sweets that feel ancient: sesame brittle (giuggiulena/cubbaita), marzipan-style treats, and the islandβs beloved holiday cookies that linger through the season. Itβs colorful, theatrical, and joyfully extraβvery Sicily.
And then comes the line Italians say like a gentle sigh:
βLβEpifania tutte le feste porta via.β
Epiphany takes all the holidays away.
So if youβre still craving holiday magic, Italy is here to remind you: thereβs one last night of tradition leftβstockings, sweets, and a broom sweeping the season closed.
