a document of days

On Thursday, January 6th, Christians celebrated the Epiphany; the holy day commemorating the Three Kings' visit to baby Jesus. Of course, this is just one belief, as the reason for the celebration and accompanying traditions vary throughout the world.

In Italy, Nonno recalls receiving his only holiday gifts on the eve of the Epiphany; small treats, such as tangerines, were taken from the Christmas tree, where they served as decorations, and placed in the children's shoes. According to Italian myth, these treats were delivered by Befana (deriving from the word Epiphania), an old woman known to give gifts on the eve of the Epiphany.

In popular folklore, Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their socks with candy and presents. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The child's family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local, for the Befana. --- Italian Christmas tradition of “La Befana”

In Louisiana, the Epiphany is important because it marks the beginning of carnival season. And besides beads and boobs, this time of the year is best known for king cakes. To show my reverence for the the Louisiana tradition, I baked my first king cake of the season.