In the Venetian tradition, on December 25th, children did not expect the arrival of Santa Claus, but that of Befana - the so-called "Maràntega" - who filled the children's socks with tangerines, peanuts, some sweets, candies and pieces of coal.

A legend tells that the three Magi, in search of the Baby Jesus, stopped to ask an old woman for the way. However, she knew nothing of the child and could not indicate the way forward.
Gaspar, Melchior and Baldassarre, the three Magi, left immediately from there too quickly for the poor old woman, who would have liked to follow them and bring her little gifts to the Baby Jesus, too.

From that moment the old woman, who never reached the hut, continues to search for the Baby Child all over the world, always leaving all good children with the gifts she always carries with her, in the hope that the Baby Jesus will also be found among them.