Chitika

Thursday, May 24, 2012

At Christmas day in Italy

By Peter Hamilton


As opposed to a lot of European nations, the story of how gifts are distributed at Christmas in Italy has not been watered down by secular influences, particularly from America. Even the actual day of gift-giving is more straight in keeping with all the story of your nativity, with distribution not taking location until Epiphany on January 6.

The distributor, although, is exactly where one of the most notable difference lies. It is actually broadly believed that the contemporary image of Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) is based on St Nicholas. Indeed, Germany does not have a Santa Claus at all - only St Nicholas, who wears a coat of green, not Coca-Cola red. Though Babbo Natale is developing in popularity as globalisation takes effect, he continues to be a minor character through Christmas in Italy.

The main sharing of presents takes place at Epiphany - January 6. This really is the celebration on the day when the three Smart Males (the Magi) finally reached Bethlehem to provide their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the child Jesus. They had been slightly delayed due to the fact of a woman who, when they stopped to request food and shelter, refused to provide either due to the fact she said that she was also busy.

She refused, also, to accompany the 3 kings as well as the shepherds, who also passed by. Upon seeing a bright light within the sky, although, she had a change of heart and gathered up some toys which had belonged to her late youngster. She was too late to discover the stable in which Jesus Christ was born.

At Christmas in Italy, kids place out their stockings and shoes around the fireplace to get presents from this woman - La Befana. She continues to seek the infant Jesus and, having no light to direct her, delivers toys to each household in the hope of at some point finding the proper 1. Various representations of La Befana see her as a fairy queen or an ugly witch on a broomstick.




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