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Christmas Around the World
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The Italian Befana

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Use the arrow keys to move between letters. Press Enter or Space on the first letter of a word, then again on the last letter. Press Escape to cancel.

A few of the words

BEFANA
Her name is thought to derive from 'Epifania,' the Italian word for Epiphany, softened and shortened on children's lips over many generations.Find this word in the grid to read its note.
EPIPHANY
January 6th marks the Epiphany, the day the three Magi are said to have reached Bethlehem, making it one of the most celebrated feast days on the Italian calendar.Find this word in the grid to read its note.
COAL
The traditional lump of coal for naughty children is so beloved that Italian candy makers now craft edible black sugar 'coal', called carbone dolce, so everyone gets a treat.Find this word in the grid to read its note.
BROOM
The Befana's broomstick is no symbol of menace, she is a warm and generous figure, and the broom is simply her trusty steed for a very long night's work across all of Italy.Find this word in the grid to read its note.

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Italian Befana word search

The Italian Befana: a free online word search

Italian Befana word search, free, no account, nothing to install. She rides her broom on January 6th, leaving sweets or coal before the children wake.

About The Italian Befana

On the eve of January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, Italian children hang their stockings by the fireplace and wait for the Befana, a kindly old woman who soars through the winter sky on a broomstick. Good children wake to find their stockings stuffed with sweets and small gifts; those who misbehaved discover a lump of dark coal inside. She slips in through the chimney, dusting every hearth with a little soot, and by dawn she has visited every home in Italy, leaving nothing behind but a warm sense of wonder.

How to play

  1. 1
    Find a word.Tap its first letter, then tap along to its last. The trail fills in and finishes itself when it spells a word. Or press the first letter and drag.
  2. 2
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  3. 3
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  4. 4
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