Befana is a character from Italian folklore, depicted as an old woman flying on a broomstick. On the night between January 5th and 6th, she visits children’s homes to fill their stockings with sweets and gifts if they have been good, or coal if they have been naughty. Befana is linked to the religious holiday of Epiphany, which celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men. Despite its Christian origins, the Befana tradition has roots in ancient pagan customs related to the cycles of nature and the seasons.