The Legend of Befana

Another holiday discovery is this Italian legend. We have become quite smitten with her story and are collecting La Befana dolls. Which one would you want to have hanging in your kitchen? 

According to local legend, long ago there lived a woman named Befana who spent her days cleaning and sweeping. One day the Wise Men came to her door in search of the Baby Jesus. She invited them in to her immaculate home, fed them a meal, but declined their invitation to accompany them in their search because she was too busy cleaning. Later, feeling guilty, she decided to find Jesus on her own by following a bright light in the sky which she believed pointed the way. As she travelled around searching, she brings along a bag filled with baked goods and gifts for Jesus, and a broom to help the new mother clean. According to legend, Befana is still searching after all these centuries for the new born Messiah.   https://theculturetrip.com/italy/articles/the-story-of-befana-the-italian-santa-claus/ AND https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana#cite_note-5 

La Befana is portrayed as a hooded old hag, covered in soot (because she enters homes through the chimney) and rides a broom. On the eve of Epiphany (January 6th) she will visit homes leaving gifts, candy and treats for the good children while the bad children are left with a stick or coal in their stockings. (That sounds a bit familiar!) Her arrival is highly anticipated and is almost like a second Christmas and provides another reason to celebrate the holiday.  

We love this legend and are going to keep one of our La Befana dolls displayed to remind us that there are important times when it is best to "lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better." - Doctrine & Covenants 25:10