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Ana Maria Padurean

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DECEMER II - Christmas Traditions
12/12/2008 3:46:51 PM


December 24: Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, groups of children or men go to the other village houses and sing traditional carols named colinde. These carols have kept until our days the oldest form of the Romanian folk poetry. These songs communicate wishes of health, good harvests, handsome young men and beautiful working girls, marriages, success in various occupations’ the major problems of the peasants life….

The name of colinda comes from the Latin calendae. At Romans, the calendae were the first days of each month. Calendae Ianuarii marked the beginning of the new administrative year. On this occasion, wishes were sent, gifts were given and the future was predicted. In the Eastern Roman Empire especially, people disguised themselves.

Not everyone can go caroling. Usually only children, lads and younger men are accepted.

People go to sing carols in bands (ceata), which are formed long time before Christmas Eve. The bands have a well established leader and they meet in a house to repeat the carols. The bands play a very important role in transmitting the old customs from generation to generation. It is said that a young man, once entered a band, becomes a man. On the other hand, in some places it is believed that the man who entered a band is abandoned by his guarding angel for 6 weeks. During all this time, he is not allowed to enter the church and if he died, he would be considered a pagan.

(well, until preparing this post neither myself knew anything about this one?! )

The band is formed of 2-3 up up to dozens of carol singers and represents the collectivity. The band goes from house to house (but not to the mournful ones) and transmits wishes of well being. The master of the house is always asked if he receives the carol (colinda). Those who dont receive it are mocked at. The carol is first sung at the door or at the window, announcing the celebration. Then, inside the house, the great carol, named the householders carol is sung. The carol singers receive drinks and food: decorated ring biscuits, smoke-dried meet, sausages, eau-de-vie or wine.

(well, nowadays mostly kids are going caroling and they mainly prefer to get sweets or money :-) )




In some regions, the carols are accompanied by a musical instrument (flute, bagpipe, clarinet or violin).
Considering that a period in which the spirits of the dead are believed to come down on earth follows, food for the dead is also placed on the table prepared on Christmas Eve
,
grinded nuts cakes, doused in sugar syrup; "coliva"
(corn boiled with honey) or boiled plums. All this food is doled on Christmas morning.




December 25:
Christmas

Christmas has both Christian and pagan origins. On Christmas day, the born of Jesus Christ is celebrated, but also on December 25 the Romans celebrated the birth of god Mithra, celebration imported from the orient by the Roman soldiers (this celebration was called "Natalis Solis Imvicti"). Also in this period, during December 17 and December 23, the Roman "Saturnalii" were celebrated.

Scholars say that only the fires lit on December 25th and the round form of the bread have remained today from the ancient solar cult.

Christmas marks the beginning of an entire folk cycle, dominated by ancient customs and celebrations. This 12 days cycle (December 25
- January 6) symbolizes the 12 months of the year. During this period the year grows up, gets older and finally dies. In the folk tradition, the saints also have the same characteristics: at the beginning of the year, the young saints are celebrated; the mature saints follow and then, at the end of the year, people celebrate the old saints. Not only the year grows older, but the saints also.

The 12 years folk cycle is symmetrical and contains two periods: the one between December 25 and the New Year midnight and the one between the New Year midnight and "Boboteaza"
(or baptism, on  January 6). The first part of the cycle begins on Christmas day and is an evil period. On these days, the time degrades, the night grows, the spirits of the dead go around on earth and the ancestors are invocated. Remains of ancient orgiastic rituals can be found in some regions. The idea that the spirits of the dead come on earth has its origins in an old belief.

According to this, before the beginning of a new year, the natural order of things is annulled and the time and space go back to the initial chaos state. That
s why all the rituals from these 12 days are meant to symbolically restore the world.

Cakes and round jumbles are put on the Christmas table. These are also offered to the carol singers, to the priest and to godfathers and some are doled for the dead. Sometimes this food is given together with pork and wine bottles.



The custom of decorating the tree and the custom of giving gifts havent folk origins. They were borowed later (in the end of the 19th century), from the Western countries.

According to the Romanian tradition, Craciun ( = Christmas) is a white bearded old man, shepherd and brother of
Ajun (Christmas Eve). He rides a white gimp horse.

A legend presents Craciun as a rich man whom Virgin Mary asked to help her when the time for birth came and she was in front of his house. Craciun refused, but his wife, Craciuneasa, a good woman, called Virgin Mary in the stable and helped her to give birth to Jesus.

When she returned to the house, Craciun saw the blood on his wife
s hands. He punished her for not having listened to him, by cutting her hands from the elbows. Virgin Mary told Craciuneasa to put her hands in the water where the baby child had been washed. This way the woman got new golden hands. Craciun, impressed by the miracle happened in front of his eyes, became a Christian, thus being the first saint (the second one is Saint Nicholas).

Other beliefs tell that Santa Close (Mos Craciun) is an ancient local god, who dies and revives on the solstice. He is symbolized by the wood which is burnt during the celebration and by the sacrifice of the pig.





December 27: St. Stephen

There are no special customs in order to celebrate the third day of Christmas. Though, this day is celebrated because there are many people who have St. Stephen
s name. He was the first saint who confessed his faith in Jesus Christ.


More to come soon :-)
See you again.
With lots of friendship,
Anamaria
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Ana Maria Padurean

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Re: DECEMER II - Christmas Traditions
12/12/2008 3:52:20 PM
One more thing :-)

I'm sorry I couldn't SHRINK this in order to post every thing into one post!
The corals will be coming as gifts for your kindness, friendship and support :-)

Hugs and wish you all a wonderful weekend!


Christmas Dividers

Anamaria


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Roger Macdivitt .

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Re: DECEMER II - Christmas Traditions
12/12/2008 4:38:43 PM

Anamaria,

Thank you for all of your hard work.

As usual you find much to tell us about.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Roger

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Peter Fogel

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Re: DECEMER II - Christmas Traditions
12/12/2008 7:13:48 PM

Dear AnaMaria,

Once again you've outdone yourself. What a great explanation and description of the traditions of the Romanian country folk.

We forget that much of our customs and traditions stem from the country and farm folks. it is wonderful to see that they are maintaining the old traditions in sch a beautiful manner.

I am looking forward to hearing the chorals that you say are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us. I'll be back. :)

Happy Holidays to all.

Shalom,

Peter

Peter Fogel
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Alain Deguire

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Re: DECEMER II - Christmas Traditions
12/12/2008 7:14:59 PM
Hello Anamaria!
Thank you for such great and interesting to read info... there is a lots of work and research in this and I appreciate it very much...


Have  a wonderful weekend!
With Friendship,
Alain

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