La Belfana Christmas postcard
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La Belfana Christmas postcard
Updated Mar 10, 2025
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Arba Morrow
2 followers 169 favorites
12/25/2012
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AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
01/06/2020
Do you know who "La Befana" is? If you're Italian or of Italian heritage, you do!
Kathy Pinna
218 followers 32.7k+ favorites
01/06/2020
My Welsh grandmother used to call it "Little Christmas" - Jan 6th, Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, there are many names on the Christmas calendar for today, depending on your religion and your country of origin.
I think that this photo is misnamed and that it refers to La Befana of Italy. She is perceived as an old lady - sometimes a witch - who visits children on Epiphany Eve (Jan 5th). She brought "bad" children coal or a stick - and good children candy and gifts. Sound familiar? But the tradition of La Befana is probably older than St. Nick, dating back a few centuries earlier!
I think that this photo is misnamed and that it refers to La Befana of Italy. She is perceived as an old lady - sometimes a witch - who visits children on Epiphany Eve (Jan 5th). She brought "bad" children coal or a stick - and good children candy and gifts. Sound familiar? But the tradition of La Befana is probably older than St. Nick, dating back a few centuries earlier!
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Arba Morrow
About me:I haven't shared any details about myself.
Kathy Pinna
I'm a Founder of AncientFaces and support the community answering questions & helping members make connections to the past (thus my official title of Founder & Content and Community Support ). For me, it's been a labor of love for over 20 years. I truly believe with all of my heart that everyone should be remembered for generations to come.
I am 2nd generation San Jose and have seen a lot of changes in the area while growing up. We used to be known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" (because the Valley was covered with orchards and there were many canneries to process the food grown here, which shipped all over the US) - now we have adopted the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley" and Apple, Ebay, Adobe, Netflix, Facebook, and many more tech companies are within a few miles of my current home in San Jose (including AncientFaces). From a small town of 25,000, we have grown to 1 million plus. And when you add in all of the communities surrounding us (for instance, Saratoga, where I attended high school, living a block from our previous Mayor), we are truly one of the big cities in the US. I am so very proud of my hometown. For more information see Kathy - Founder & Content and Community Director
My family began AncientFaces because we believe that unique photos and stories that show who people are/were should be shared with the world.
My family began AncientFaces because we believe that unique photos and stories that show who people are/were should be shared with the world.
Daniel Pinna
I'm the creator of AncientFaces which we began in 2000 while I was a sophomore at Santa Clara University.
To our amazing friends and super active members - thank you for your support & patience as we've slowly but surely evolved AncientFaces into the place where our loved ones live on through our memories.
This particular account is for my personal interests. Feel free to reach out and say hi!
One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) relatives was one of the first to be hanged for criminal punishment in the U.S.
One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) relatives was one of the first to be hanged for criminal punishment in the U.S.
Carol Lanza
I love researching my family and the main names I'm searching for in my family are: Taylor/Horner/Sims/Baker/Dennis/Fife/
White/Miller/Jackson/Essick/Todd/Romine
& Perrin
In my husband's family: Lanza/Meier/
Cassel/Noland/Thompson/Payne/Rees/
Marheine/Falikowski/Mohrhoff/Johnson
Gurecio/Gustafson/Thom
Areas are: Ireland/Germany/England to:
PA-OH-Wis-Iowa
Daniel Pinna
I want to build a place where my son can meet his great-grandparents. My grandmother Marian Joyce (Benning) Kroetch always wanted to meet her great-grandchildren, but she died just a handful of years before my son's birth.
So while she didn't have the opportunity to meet him, at least he will be able to know her.
For more information about what we're building see About AncientFaces. For information on the folks who build and support the community see Daniel - Founder & Creator.
My father's side is full blood Sicilian and my mother's side is a combination of Welsh, Scottish, German and a few other European cultures. One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) family members came over on the Mayflower. He was among the first to be hanged in the New World for a criminal offense he made while onboard the ship.
My father's side is full blood Sicilian and my mother's side is a combination of Welsh, Scottish, German and a few other European cultures. One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) family members came over on the Mayflower. He was among the first to be hanged in the New World for a criminal offense he made while onboard the ship.
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