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Show Wandering Old Lady h Santa in Italy Santa Claus doesn't visit children in Italy. It isn't because they are all naughty, but because there is no Santa Claus in Italy. No one runs down to a well-decorated tree on Christmas morning to look for presents. Brightly colored ; flowers decorate the room instead , of Christmas trees, and presents are not exchanged until January 6. On that night, an old, old lady, La Befana, walks from house to house and leaves a present beside each little child she visits. Exactly 1,940 years ago, according accord-ing to the Italian legend, La Befana was very busy sweeping her kitchen when several men dressed like kings stopped in front of her cottage. They asked her where Bethlehem was, but she had never heard of it. The men told her about a baby which had been born in Bethlehem, and mentioned a star which had been guiding them. The old lady wished she could accompany them when they left her in search of the infant Jesus. But La Befana stayed home. It was getting too dark out, and besides, be-sides, the baby could wait until tomorrow. to-morrow. Later that night she noticed no-ticed the sky quivering with light. The clouds seemed to take the form of angels. All thought of sleep left her. Rising, she carefully wrapped two gifts for the Holy Baby," then ran out into the night in the direction direc-tion the kings had gone. Fast as she hurried, she had not reached Bethlehem when the star disappeared and dawn filled the sky. She frantically asked the way to Bethlehem, but no one could tell her. And so La Befana has constantly traveled since that day, searching for the Christ Child. On the Epiphany, Epiph-any, 12 days after Christmas, she goes from house to house, looking into the faces of babies. With each she leaves a gift, hoping that at last she will give her presents to the right child. |