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29. What brought the witch to the good children?

F ino the '60s in Italian families in the majority was a witch wearing on the night of Epiphany gifts to children. Santa belonged then to the cultures of Northern Europe.

The Italian tradition, in fact, wanted the children to put under a great stocking the fireplace to allow the Epiphany to fill it with gifts.

The social class made the difference between the gifts received in the homes of peasants, or who had a sporadic income, compared to the "lords", as it was then.

Rita and Angela told us about their rich gifts received under the chimney: dolls, trains, and various games were definitely the dream of others less fortunate children, who remained, however, really an impossible dream, then removed: the poor child would not even want them. In their shoes, however, when they woke up in the morning and ran into the room where stands the fireplace (or stove for those who did not have a fireplace) and were swollen and full of stuff, was really a big party for these kids bursting with happiness.

What was in the sock? I have asked many to remember. And here's the result:

From North to South or the content changed little. We were placed mandarins, portugal (which oranges were so named Emilia who is in Naples), nuts, candies, some ten pounds, one or two packets of "Mignini" (industrial crackers made in layers that are selling more per day) peanuts, dried figs, some chocolate. For the poorest of the shield was filled with apples. Games very rarely, unless you have an uncle who had returned from America. Sometimes it could be some colored pencils, the famous "Giotto."

But what I never failed at the bottom of the sock, for all children, rich and poor, which during the years of some mischief had committed, was a nice piece of coal, the real one of course !

This was our Befana, which still gave us an endless delight. All night we tried to stay awake to surprise the old woman, in vain. I, like Rita, I got to put the bed near the fireplace, but the witch was smarter than me.

A my grandmother's house, however, there was a very nice tradition for us kids. It achieved a tortellone sweet, as long as the dining room table, filled with nuts, cocoa, honey and other ingredients that I remember. This particular tortello was baked at the bakery in the country, the only one that had an oven suitable for cooking a food so long.

Once placed on the table we had to line up (from smallest to largest), we were blindfolded and we were given a knife with which we had to cut the tortello: ate the piece that we were able to cut!

What fun, what fun!

However, now, thank goodness the Epiphany celebrations all them!

Barbara