It is not only Santa who brings Christmas gifts. Right across Italy, on January 6 – marking the end of the holiday season – there is a visit from la Befana. This translates literally as ‘the good witch’, and legend says that on this date she would fill stockings with candy for the children on the good list, and coal for the naughty children.

But she didn’t stop there, as she would also sweep the floor: being a good housekeeper, as was in her nature, but it is said that this was also to sweep away the problems of the previous year and leave the family with a fresh slate to go into the year ahead. Her housework, according to the tale, stopped her from venturing out with the three kings on the night they went off in search of baby Jesus. She went off herself later on, with a bag full of gifts for the newborn king.