Thank you all for your visit and interest :-)
As soon as this is about Christmas and thus CAROLING TIME let me share with you a few more about this TRADITION still ALIVE, and not just in the countryside but in the cities too! ... and not "practiced" only on Christmas but prepared for an entire "season" :-)
In Romania, children often wander around their neighborhoods singing Christmas carols during this special time of year.
Steps:
1. Teach your children the words of popular holiday songs and poems.
2. Encourage them to practice singing and reciting the verses prior to the holiday.
3. Remember that the songs have religious overtones and deeper meaning.
4. Explain to your children how the songs convey the idea of connecting
with God and overcoming the challenges faced in life. Help them
prepare for COLINDAT :-)
Traditionally, during the first
hours after dark on Christmas' Eve is the time for children to go caroling and
the adults stay home to greet them. As they go caroling from house to house, the
children receive treats like candy, fruit, baked treats and sometimes even money
in appreciation of their performance and as a sign of holiday good will.
The grown-ups caroling goes on
Christmas evening and night. The waits -young and mature people - gather in
groups and they choose a leader. When they are in the front yard of a house,
they perform their repertory to the host. The songs are always accompanied by
dance. When the performance is over, the host invites the carolers inside the
house for food, drinks and presents.
The
Star Carol * Steaua
Children make a star using colored
paper and then they put in its middle an icon of Jesus. Many of children
decorate their star using shiny tinsel.
"The Star Carol” is a
tradition during the 3 days of Romanian Christmas.
"Do you receive the pretty star,
Pretty and
so bright?
It has appeared on the earth,
Just like God thought it would
be right;
And it could be seen on high,
Just like we did, in the sky."
While holding the star in the hands
the children sing:
"The
star has appeared on high,
Like a big secret in the sky,
The star is bright,
May all your wishes turn out right…"
click to listen for the carol!
Throughout the season, teenagers and
young adults especially enjoy caroling with the “Goat”. The “Goat” is
actually a usually boisterous young person dressed up in a goat costume. The
whole group dances through the streets and from door to door, often with flute
music. This tradition comes from the ancient Roman people and it reminds us of the celebration of the
ancient Greek gods.
This custom is also called "brezaia"
in Wallachia and Oltenia, because of the
multicolored appearance of the goat mask.
The goat jumps, jerks, turns round, and bends, clattering regularly the wooden
jaws.
Bear Custom *
Ursul
This
custom is known only in Moldavia, a part of Romania, on the Christmas Eve. In
this case a young person dresses up in a bear costume adorned with red tassels
on its ears, on his head and shoulders. The person wearing the bear costume
is accompanied by fiddlers and followed by a whole procession of characters,
among them a child dressed-up as the bear's cub. Inspired by the crowd’s
singing:
"Dance
well, you old bear,
And I’ll give you bread and olives",
the bear grumbles and imitates the steps of the
bear, striking strongly against the earth with the soles of its feet to the
sound of drums and pipes.
Hope you enjoyed all these :-)
I'll be back with more carols for you to enjoy!
With friendship,
Anamaria