La Befana

In the Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5).

Christian legend had it that Befana was approached by the biblical Three Wise Men.......

She leaves all the good children toys and candy ("caramelle") or fruit, while the bad children get coal ("carbone"), onions or garlic.
Traditionally, all Italian children may expect to find a lump of "coal" in their stockings (actually rock candy made black with caramel coloring), as every child has been at least occasionally bad during the year.

In Rome it is an old tradition to go to Piazza Navona in this occasion.
In Spain and South America the candies are traditionally left inside shoes or flip flop!

Well I got mine today although I am not a child anymore ;)