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Christmas in Bulgaria
Christmas Eve• Christmas Eve or “Budni
vecher” 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
andWEALTHY.
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.
tell fortunes for what the
new year HOLDS.
Nuts, especially,
WALNUTS to
• 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.
Christmas
Eve 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”
Christm
as Day• 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.
And remember…at
Christmas, a man could
want whatever they want, wishes
come true.
Wish something!
CHEER IN YOUR LIFES
