ROMANIANROMANIAN WINTERWINTER CUSTOMSCUSTOMS

Winter holidays in Romania start on December 6 and last until January 7, with the main focus points being Christmas, New Year and the Epiphany Day (plus the Eve of every one of these celebrations, which is also very important).

Their most important characteristic is the rich repertoire of customs and beliefs, artistically represented in literary, musical and choreographic creations.

Carols, special carols sung by children, wishes of prosperity and abundant crops made with specific traditions such as Plugusorul, Sorcova, the mask dances - Capra, Brezaia, Turca are some of the most spectacular displays of Romanian spirituality.

Saint NicholasSaint Nicholas

On the night of December 5th, boots are polished and put by the door or windows because the old man Saint Nicholas is going to visit us, leaving a small present for everyone. Sometimes, he leaves a rod in children’s boots representing a warning for the child whose behavior should improve.

Christmas DayChristmas Day Carols form an important part of the Romanian

folklore. Romanian carols are not simple songs with religious origin - they reflect many aspects of our culture.

During the Christmas season, the children visit people’s houses singing carols, reciting poetry and legends of their lands. They usually receive apples, nuts, sweets and money.

Children also walk in the streets of the town holding a star in their hands. This special star symbolizes the star of the Magi. It is made of wood and is decorated with shiny paper, bells and coloured ribbon. The star is placed on the top of a wooden pole and is carried by the leader of the group. It is sometimes illuminated by a candle.

New Year’s DayNew Year’s Day

As New Year’s Day is deemed to be magically charged, according to folk tradition, it has always been considered the most auspicious moment for making good wishes. These had a strong economic and social component and were made by groups of young unmarried men. Among the most frequent were Plugusorul (The little Plough) and Sorcova ( a stick adorned with artificial flowers).

The little ploughThe little plough

Children used to make wishes with the little plough. They made a make-believe plough of a small branch with two twigs - resembling the plough tails - and a bell hanging in between. They also had a “buhai”, a traditional instrument. Children were also holding a whip, playing the “buhai” which has a sound like the mooing of an ox – yelling “Hey! Hey!” The lyrics told a whole story with verses about the main agricultural and domestic chores, from seeding the wheat to baking the bread.

SorcovaSorcova On New Year’s Eve, Romanian people begin to

talk about Sorcova, which is a special bouquet used for wishes. Children wish people “Happy New Year!”, while touching them lightly with this bouquet. After the children make wishes to the members of their family, they go to other houses. At the beginning the “Sorcova” was made up of one or several fruit-tree twigs, such as apple-tree, plum-tree, pear-tree. Nowadays, it is a small stick adorned with paper or plastic flowers.

The Epiphany DayThe Epiphany Day The Epiphany Day is one of the oldest Christian

celebrations. The folk calendar also called it “The Baptizing Water”; it was considered the final celebration of the Christmas cycle.

In all the Romanian villages, on the Eve of the Epiphany Day, the priest carrying his cross visits the villagers’ houses and baptizes them with holy water from church.

On this day the priest blesses the waters, with the whole community attending the ceremony performed near the church or a water course (river) and also baptizes the people splashing them with a bunch of wet basil leaves.

Christmas preparations in our Christmas preparations in our schoolschool

Christmas decorations

Christmas cardsexhibition

Christmas playsChristmas plays

A Christmas story(Puppet show)

The puppets were made by the children.

The drama group Little WillyThe drama group Little WillyThe story of Rudolph -

The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Singing Singing

carols

Decorating the classroomsDecorating the classrooms

May the beauty of the season brighten up your May the beauty of the season brighten up your life and decorate your days with love, smiles life and decorate your days with love, smiles

and happiness!and happiness!MER R Y CH R I STMA S!MER R Y CH R I STMA S!

H ave a prosperous New Year!H ave a prosperous New Year!