Tombola

Galette des Rois

Last Friday night we went to an Italian bingo night called tombola with some Italians who we have made friends with and are also living here in Nice.  The evening was at an international school where  the kids spoke only Italian and French and there was no English spoken throughout the whole night, yet I was able to understand both languages.  We had lots of fun and there were many kids. There were lots of prizes, one of the prizes was a big proscuitto.  Unfortunately I didn't win anything, but Simona won a big gift basket from Sephora. 
The event was in celebration of La Befana. The tradition of La Befana started when baby Jesus was born and the three wise man came knocking on an old woman's door asking for directions to see baby Jesus.  The old woman did not understand them, so she wasn't able to help them. Before she closed the door the wise men asked "would you like to come with us?"  She said "No I'm too busy."  After the wise men left the woman realized she had made a mistake and set off in search of the kings.  After searching for a few hours without any luck she stopped each child she saw and presented them with a gift because she felt so bad she had missed the opportunity to see the baby Jesus.
So from then on La Befana is celebrated throughout Italy, with La Befana coming to each child's house on the night of the Epiphany leaving candy for good kids and a lump of coal for those who are naughty.                    

In France, instead of La Befana they celebrate Le fête des Roi and instead getting candy, children get a chance to be king or queen for the day.  Boulangerie windows are filled with "galette des roi", each  come with gold crowns.  Inside each cake there is 1 little figure, like a baby Jesus or a king. Whoever finds the figure in their piece of cake gets to wear the crown and be the king or queen for the day.


Madeleine