The Befana

Every culture has a pagan idol ready to groom children's loyalty through gift giving. In most cultures, it is done in the name of 'fun'. If you don't participate in the 'fun', you're accused of ruining the 'fun'.

For example: the Old Italian tradition has the Befana. She is a false-god, masked as a gift-giving witch.

She is always covered in soot because of her countless trips down chimney's. Not only that, but she arrives to fill children's socks with candy if they've been good, or coal if they've been bad.

She sweeps the floor of each house before she leaves. The sweeping of the floor is believed to have swept away all the problems of the year.

These types of superstitious, pagan beliefs show up in every culture, just in different forms.

In America, we don't have the Befana, instead we've got Santa Claus. Santa is a gift-giving male witch. The Bible calls a male witch, a wizard; and warns about both.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.