In Italy, they have weird holidays.
The 5th and 6th of January are called Epiphany in Italy. On the night of the 5th, a witch named La Befana comes and fills children's stockings with good or bad gifts depending on their behavior. This is a big part of Christmas celebrations and is a branch off of the 12th day of Christmas when the three Wise Men came with gifts for the baby Jesus.
La Befana was a woman who replied to the wise men as being 'too busy' to come with them to the baby Jesus. She later went to join them but got lost and never found the manger. La Befana now rides her broomstick bringing gifts to children, hoping she will find the baby Jesus.
Cayman and I laughed (I was probably a little intoxicated) about how it would have been crazy if we hadn't researched this holiday and just showed up. A huge fire with a cross like symbol on the top could set off some weird comments... but we understood the holiday and its traditions!
We were told by a friend at the BX about this 'witch burning' tonight... so we went on a search for fires.
We found one! And they had sweets and hot wine, which is absolutely amazing and I think the US should adopt it!
The fires (we went to two different festivals) were giant!
The second one, we met up with friends Ambrose and Zala, had fireworks!
Piro in the making.
These older Italian men set off these fire lanterns. We had seen one earlier and were wondering what it was!
Our first Epiphany holiday in Italy! (Notice my pink cup with more wine in it)
This was a great end to a Saturday night spent with awesome new friends here in Italy!
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