Do you know the woman ("witch"?) pictured below?

My heritage is half Italian, so, yes, I do know who she is. Her name is "La Befana" or just "Befana."

In Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to St. Nicholas delivering gifts to children on December 6 and Santa Claus on December 25.

(Epiphany marks the arrival of the magi kings.)

A popular belief is that her name derives from the Feast of Epiphany. Epifania is a Latinized Greek word meaning "appearance" on the surface.

January 6, 2026, at home