Befana other presents. In the book "Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, Discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily" (1823), John J. Blunt says: The tradition of Befana appears to incorporate other pre-Christian popular elements as well, adapted to Christian culture and related to the celebration of the New Year. Historian Carlo Ginzburg relates her to Nicevenn. The old lady character should then represent the "old year" just passed, ready to be burned in order to give place to the new one. In many European countries the tradition still exists of burning a puppet of an old lady at the beginning of
Doctor Who: Children in Need but "is" considered canonical; the 2007 Children in Need mini-episode "Time Crash" is also considered canonical, as is the two-part mini-episode "Space" and "Time" produced for the 2011 edition of Comic Relief. The mini-episode was written and recorded separately from both "The Parting of the Ways" and "The Christmas Invasion" and recorded after the latter had completed shooting. "The Christmas Invasion" does not reprise any of this episode (although the Doctor does mention having a mole between his shoulder blades in both the mini-episode and "The Christmas Invasion"). The online feed of the mini-episode ended with several pre-recorded inserts of