I don’t really remember many things from when I was a little boy: it was so long ago. But there is one thing I remember vividly: I was very good on 24 December. I hung up my stocking and obediently went to bed at the usual half past seven. I fact I behaved well all day; my only little piece of disobedience was not going to sleep at once. I tried and tried to stay awake, I even held my eyes open. All to no avail, I never ever saw him come in. But the thrill of waking up and finding my stocking full was an experience never to be forgotten.

There are people that try to pretend that Santa Claus doesn’t really exist. Complete nonsense! Anyone who was ever a child or, even better, lucky enough to have watched their own children at Christmas will tell you otherwise. The absolute belief and love of hundreds of millions of little children cannot be denied, and is one of life’s great joys. I was lucky enough to have experienced Santa many times and can honestly say he has provided some of the highlights of my life. Despite finding the commercialism of Christmas rather sad, I really do love Santa.

But there is one problem with Santa: he comes just once a year. The rising crescendo of excitement culminating in the day itself leaves a rather empty feeling in its wake. We have another year to wait, wondering if he’ll come next year.

I was in the Italian Cultural Institute a few days ago, looking through the forthcoming events. It was in the numb no man’s land between Christmas and New Year: nothing was happening, and very slowly. Over a coffee and an idle chat with Dr Anna Porcheddu we chatted about Christmases, past and present. I rued the post Christmas anticlimax and the long wait for next year.

“Why do you have to wait a year? We only wait two weeks,” Dr Porcheddu interrupted my flow. “We have a special night on the eve of the Epiphany.”

Two weeks? Does Santa not need a year to make all the presents again? “Not Santa: Befana!” she explained. Sorry Anna, I think you’ll have to explain a little further. “In Italy we have Befana. The children all hang out their stockings on Epiphany Eve night and she fills them with presents and sweets; if they’ve been good.”

And if they haven’t been good? “Well then she leaves them coal. But what child isn’t good?”

I had never heard of Befana, but I was immediately interested. Where I come from we call 6 January “Nollaig Bheag” - Little Christmas, but the only thing in your stockings that day are your feet. Does Befana come to Malta I wondered?

“No, I don’t think so,” replied Dr Porcheddu, “but we really want the children of Malta, and the grown-ups, to learn about Befana and experience her too.”

‘So we are hosting a Special Magic Box on Tuesday 7 January at the earlier time of 5.30pm! There will be games and surprises and the special guest of the evening will be Befana herself!’

As Dr Porcheddu said, Befana may not be that familiar to many of you. But she is very important and famous in Italy, especially to Italian children. In Italy she is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy. She is very much like a special Italian Santa Claus!

In popular folklore Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, the night of 5 January. The children hang up their socks and she fills them with sweets and presents if they are good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves; to some the sweeping meant the sweeping away of the problems of the year. 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. She is seen as a smiling old lady riding a broomstick  through the air and wearing a black shawl. She is covered in soot because she enters the children's houses through the chimney, and carries a bag or hamper filled with sweets, gifts, or both. Just like you know who!

For this very special Magic Box, she will be telling all the children (including the adult children) about what she does and why. She will have competitions and surprises all round.

Will there be a little something for an informal chat with Befana afterwards?

“Yes,” said Dr Porcheddu, “our good friend Cristiano Bagnaschi from Lo Spuntino is sponsoring the evening for us. So I hope Befana likes good pizza.”

Tuesday 7 January at the earlier time of 5.30pm! All children are welcome and you can even drag the grown-ups along too. Fun, excitement, surprises and Befana.

 Start nagging your parents and big brothers and sisters now: you don’t want to be late!

And don’t forget to be good!