Italy : Epiphany festival will see Italians splurge over handicrafts
January 6, 2014
Italians are going to spend almost 95 million euro, which is 5 percent more compared to 2005, on traditional items and sweets during this festival of Epiphany, according to Confartigianato.
Almost 70,000 handicraft companies, involved in manufacturing traditional Epiphany festival sweets and items are presumed to gain from this trend.
Handicraft items are manufactured from natural materials, like foam rubber, cardboard, wool, wood, jute and cloth.
Befana, a witch like woman, in the form of a doll, symbolizing Epiphany, costs between 4 and 18 euro, broom used by Befana, costs between 7 and 8 euro and traditional stockings for sweets and toys, costs between 3 and 14 euro.
Three Wise Men are the other symbol of Epiphany, whose models are sold between 5 and 10 euro.
Low-cost products of China and South Korea are not up to the mark as per the safety regulations of the EU, so buyers must be careful, said Confartigianato.
