Christmas traditions period, the death of the old year and the beginning of a new one. While gifts are now given at Christmas by an American style Santa Claus as well, Italy holds fast to its tradition of native gift-givers. On the eve of the 6th, la Befana, the good Epiphany witch, is thought to ride the night skies on broomstick, bringing good children gifts and sweets, and bad ones charcoal or bags of ashes. In other areas it is the Three Wise Men who bring gifts, especially oranges symbolizing gold, and chocolate symbolizing their kisses to good children. In some municipalities,
The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales (1957) is an anthology of indigenous myths and legends for children, compiled by Australian author Enid Moodie Heddle, illustrated by Nancy Parker. It won the in 1957. This anthology contains a selection of Australian Aboriginal legends, and myths from New Zealand, Fiji, New Guinea, Tonga, Borneo, Micronesia and the Solomon Islands. In a survey of possible Christmas book gifts for children in "The Age" in 1957, Dennis Dugan noted: "Miss Moodie Heddle has drawn on the work of such writers as Mrs. Langloh Parker, Mervyn Skipper, Roland Robinson,