IllustrationLa Vigilia · December 24 — La Befana · January 6
La Befana and the Feast of the Seven Fishes: the Italian-American Christmas, from Christmas Eve to Epiphany
Italian-American Christmas runs from one feast to another: seven kinds of fish on Christmas Eve, and twelve days later La Befana, the old woman on a broom who fills children's stockings on the night before Epiphany. Here is what each tradition means, what to cook and bake, and where to find a Befana party or an Italian bakery near you.
11 Befana and Seven Fishes events · 418 Italian bakeries and delis · checked September 2026
📍 Find one near youuntil La Befana
Who is La Befana?
An old woman in a patched shawl who flies on a broomstick on the night of January 5 and fills the stockings of good children with sweets and small gifts — and those of naughty ones with coal, today usually carbone dolce, black sugar candy that looks like the real thing. She comes down the chimney, so she is covered in soot, and before she leaves she sweeps the floor.
The legend says the Three Kings stopped at her house on their way to Bethlehem and asked her to come. She was too busy with her housework and said no, then changed her mind — but she never found them. Ever since, she has searched every house on the eve of Epiphany, leaving something for each child in case he is the one. Her name comes from Epifania, Epiphany.
Photo: Beatrice · CC BY-SA 3.0When does La Befana come?
On the night of January 5, the eve of Epiphany; the stockings are opened on the morning of January 6. In 2027 that is a Wednesday. Epiphany is a public holiday in Italy, and it closes the season — Italians say that Epiphany carries all the holidays away.
Children hang a stocking by the fireplace or on the bedroom door. The polite thing is to leave La Befana a glass of wine and a little plate of food — in some regions sausage and broccoli, in others a mandarin and a cookie.
Photo: Bartolomeo Pinelli (1781–1835) · CC0The Feast of the Seven Fishes
Christmas Eve — La Vigilia — was traditionally a day without meat for Catholics, so southern Italian families from Campania, Calabria and Sicily built a long dinner out of fish. In Italy it is simply the cenone della Vigilia; the fixed number seven is an Italian-American touch, usually explained by the seven sacraments or the seven days of creation. Some families make nine, eleven or thirteen dishes.
The usual line-up: baccalà (salt cod — fried, in a salad or baked), fried calamari, fried smelts, baked or linguine with clams, shrimp, octopus or scungilli salad, and a whole roasted fish; the old-school table has eel too. Most families shop for it at an Italian fish market on December 23 — order salt cod early, since it needs two or three days of soaking.
IllustrationItalian Christmas sweets
Panettone from Milan and pandoro from Verona are the Christmas cakes; struffoli — little fried dough balls in honey with sprinkles — are the Neapolitan one; add pizzelle, cannoli, cartellate from Puglia, torrone and a tray of assorted cookies. Italian bakeries across the US bake them from early December and take orders for Christmas Eve — the finder below lists them by distance.
La Befana parties and Italian bakeries near you
Befana parties we confirmed with the organisers — museums, Italian cultural centres and heritage clubs — plus 418 Italian bakeries, delis and import stores in the 34 US metro areas with the largest Italian-American communities — for panettone, struffoli, the cookie tray and the baccalà for Christmas Eve. Dates are as last held; most clubs repeat on the first weekend of January.
Tap Near me for the closest Befana party, Italian bakery or Italian deli. Shops come from Google Maps (checked September 2026); call ahead for Christmas orders.
By city
New York & New Jersey, NY / NJ
Little Italy, Manhattan
Epiphany and La Befana at the Italian American Museum
An Epiphany evening with La Befana at the museum in the heart of Little Italy — tickets required.
Last held: Saturday, January 3, 2026, at 5 pm
Rome, NY (Mohawk Valley)
La Befana at the Italian Heritage Club
The Italian Heritage Club of the Mohawk Valley's holiday party for La Befana.
Last held: Saturday, January 3, 2026
Ulster County, NY
Little Christmas with La Befana
The Ulster County Italian American Foundation's Little Christmas evening, with the traditional reading of La Befana.
Last held: Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 6–10 pm
Belleville, NJ
Three Kings Day with La Befana
The township's drive-by celebration on Epiphany, with La Befana handing out treats.
Last held: Monday, January 6, 2025
New England, CT / MA
New Haven, CT
La Befana: An Epiphany Tale
A free performance of the Italian folk tale for families, alongside other Three Kings Day traditions.
Last held: Saturday, January 3, 2026, 2–3:30 pm
Stamford, CT
Festa della Befana at the Italian Center
An afternoon party for children with La Befana — kids 16 and under free.
Last held: Sunday, January 5, 2025, 1–4 pm
South Shore, MA
La Befana Italian Family Celebration
The South Shore Italian American Cultural Organization's family party — tickets in advance only.
Next: January 2027 (RSVP by January 5, 2027)
Midwest & South, WI / KY / VA / WV
Milwaukee, WI
La Befana Children's Party
The Italian Community Center's party for children, with La Befana herself.
Last held: Sunday, January 4, 2026, 2–3 pm
Louisville, KY
Epiphany Eve with La Befana
Ciao Louisville's La Vigilia evening, with La Befana, magic, games and more.
Last held: Monday, January 5, 2026
Fredericksburg, VA
La Befana Celebration
The Fredericksburg–Este sister-city society's yearly Befana lunch.
Last held: Sunday, January 12, 2025
Charleston, WV
Feast of the 7 Fishes at the Capitol Market
West Virginia's Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition as a market event in early December.
Last held: December 2025
Questions
- Is La Befana good or bad?
- Good. She looks like a witch — broom, soot, patched clothes — but she brings sweets and gifts, and coal only as a joke for the naughty.
- What do you leave out for La Befana?
- A stocking to fill, and for her a glass of wine and a small plate of food; in some families a mandarin and a cookie.
- Is La Befana older than Santa Claus?
- The Befana figure is recorded in Italy from the Middle Ages and grew from much older midwinter customs; the American Santa Claus took shape in the 1800s.
- What are the seven fishes on Christmas Eve?
- There is no fixed list. Baccalà, fried calamari, smelts, clams, shrimp, octopus or scungilli and a whole roasted fish are the most common.
- Is the Feast of the Seven Fishes a Catholic thing?
- It comes from the Catholic custom of eating no meat on Christmas Eve, but today it is a family tradition, religious or not.