[ДК] Christmas Eve and Christmas in Bulgaria
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by Corlys
Hei, Norge! 🙂
I will introduce you how we celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas in Bulgaria.
On December 24, before the festive table is arranged, the owner of the house fire Yule log - cut trunk of oak, elm or pear tree. The tree remains all night to keeps the fire alive.
Traditionally, the festive table should have 7, 9 or 12 non meat meals - 7, because that's the days of the week; 9, because so long the pregnancy lasts and 12 as the months of the year. The table should be rich and include all that is produced in the household such as boiled wheat, boiled beans, sarma, stuffed peppers with beans or rice, oats, pickles, onions, garlic, honey, walnuts and wine.
At midnight on Christmas Eve a special ceremony starts. It's a Eastern European type of caroling called koleduvane. The carolers (koledari) go from house to house singing Christmas songs. People invite the carolers at their homes, giving them simit (gevrek, kravai), money and wine. The collected money are donated to the local chitalishte (a typical Bulgarian public institution and building which fulfills several functions at once, such as a community centre, library and a theatre.), the local school, and to the church.
At Christmas, after the church service, everyone gathers in the horo (a type of circle dance originating in the Balkans.), which, according to beliefs, symbolizes longevity. Dinner on December 25 is much richer than that of Christmas Eve, because it is allowed to eat meat. After dinner, everyone gathers next to the Christmas tree and opens their presents.
We also dance horo in a cold water river, but it's on January 6 😃
Best Regards,
Martin the Arrogant
eBulgarian ambassador to eNorway
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GG, за тези, които празнуват.
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Why is it only non meat meals on Christmas Eve but meat on Christmas? Also, that water looks to cold for dancing 🙂
The Christian tradition requires 40 days before Christmas to eat no meat. Then God's mother has begun the last torment for the birth of the Son of God. Especially the night before Christmas was the biggest torment, so everyone sit down at the table and still offered leafy meals and waiting for the birth of Christ. The next day is Christmas, when Christ was born, and that is why the celebration begins and we start to eat meat.
The dance is organized every year and dates centuries ago. First they brake the ace, that cover the river. Also they drink wine to keep warmer. No one became sick after this dance.
Thanks for the information, very interesting!
Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the information..
Looks great! Planning on a grand Christmas myself too. 🙂