Hello! I’m currently traveling in northern Italy and have seen a few of these witch figurines hanging near front doors. I’m curious about the meaning or folklore behind them if anyone could help! Grazie!

9 comments

1. The Befana

2. Only italian general folklore about witch is the [Befana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana)

3. Probably something related to the Witches of the Scilliar (Schlernhexen). It’s an old legend https://www.seiser-alm.it/en/highlights/tradition-and-culture/the-sciliar-witches/

4. Some local stuff

5. Are you in Santa Cristina? I’ve see the second location for sure 2 days ago!

6. They’re befane. Even in northern Italy they’re common. I don’t know if they have any particular meaning, to my knowledge they’re just cute. They’re hanging because hanged they look like they’re flying

7. Probably la Befana, a witch from Italian tradition who had the opportunity to go with the 3 wise men to meet the baby Jesus and instead went to fly over Italy. She brings candy and presents on the Feast of Kings (6 January).

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana

8. Either la befana o la caremma. One is an old woman that brings candy to children after Christmas in the first week of January. While the caremma usually happens before Easter, where the city puts a big doll of an old woman and blow it up.

9. Witches of the Scilliar are famous in Sud Tirol (Alto Adige).

   In other parts of Italy they are not because it’s a region of language minority.

   Anyway it seems very similar to Befana so maybe they are using both cultures.