January 5 - January 6, 2026
Culture, Families & Children
Bormio, Valdidentro, Valdisotto, Valfurva, SondaloIn Bormio and the Valleys, the Befana does not arrive, but the Ĝabinát is won!
The dialect word Ĝabinát comes from the German Gabe-Nacht (night of gifts) and refers to the day of Epiphany.
Since ancient times, following a tradition likely imported from Bavaria, from the evening of January 5th until the evening of January 6th, the first person who says Ĝabinát wins, and those who lose must give nuts, rice cakes, mandarins, or sweets. The unfortunate soul who loses will have until January 17th, the feast day of St. Anthony the Abbot, to settle the matter.
This tradition, very common especially in the 19th century, remains alive even today among children who prepare and adopt all kinds of stratagems to surprise their chosen person and be the first to pronounce Gabinat.
