Transcript Christmas in Bulgaria

Christmas in
Bulgaria
Christmas
• Christmas Eve or “Budni vecher”
Eve
in Bulgarian is one of the most
important family holidays.
• It is dedicated to home, hearth,
and the dead relatives who are
also considered part of the family.
• In some parts of Bulgaria is also
known as the “Small Christmas”.
Its name is believed to come from
“бъда/ bada” or to be in English,
because on this day people wish
each other all the best in the
future.
Christmas Eve
dishes
• Christmas Eve table should be plentiful
• On the table there must be 7, 9 or 12
meatless dishes.
• On the table are served boiled corn,
boiled beans, cabbage or vine leaves
stuffed with rice, peppers stuffed with
beans or rice, pickles, onions, garlic,
dried fruits, honey and walnuts, apples,
pumpkin pie, wine and traditional
Bulgarian drink – rakia, the traditional
round loaf called “Banitsa”.
• Everyone should try all the dishes in order to have luck in
the next year.
• Selected nuts are guessing if the year will be tough for the
person.
• The table is not cleared until the following morning.
The dishes have
SYMBOLIC meanings
centering around
FERTILITY
and
ABUNDANCE:
Bean soup or another legume
soup like pea or lentil so the
coming year WILL BE:
FERTILE,
ABUNDANT
and
WEALTHY.
Honey
so that
Life will
be SWEET:
Stuffed peppers, grape or cabbage
leaves stuffed with either beans
or rice again so the next year
will be abundant and crops
and families will be fertile.
Nuts,
especially,
WALNUTS to
tell fortunes
for what the
new year
HOLDS.
Christmas Eve
• Before the festive table is laid on
Christmas Eve, the householder
should put a Chripear, oak or
beechstmas log-especially picked
thick part of a tree into the fire.
• This tree is called “Badnik”.
• A pre-dug hole is made in the tree
and red wine, olive oil and incense
are poured for fertility.
• The Badnik is left to burn through
the night on Christmas Eve.
• There is a belief that the sparks
from the fire says what will be the
year. The more they are, the richer
will be harvest.
Fire
Carols
singers
• At midnight on Christmas Eve carolers start their rounds, visiting
all the houses of their neighbors.
• Carolers can be only boys and unmarried men.
• They are dressed in their best clothes, covered up with a special
cloak called “jamurluk”, with fur caps on their heads decorated
with box-tree braces, popcorn strung on red thread, prunes and
figs.
• The leader (“Stanenik”) of the band pronounces blessings on the
family and the house, then all sing songs for wealth and health
each family member, for which they are rewarded with small
change, meat, bacon, flour, beans, onion, wine and walnuts. Part
of the collected money is donated for the church, school or
community center.
• The host invites the singers to the table and gives them a treat
and then young, unmarried women from the family give them
special ring shaped bread called “koleden kravay”
• Christmas tree and Santa
Claus have become very
common in Bulgaria.
• People decorate their houses
and children write a letter to
Santa.
• On the Christmas morning
children open their presents,
which were left by Santa
under the Christmas tree.
• Religious people go to the
church to celebrate the brief
of Jesus. It is believed that on
Christmas Day the sky opens
and everything illuminates
for a moment, however, only
religious ones can see it.
Christmas
Day
And remember…
at Christmas,
a man could want
whatever they
want, wishes
come true.
Wish something!
CHEER IN YOUR LIFES