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Christmas carols are an important part of the holiday celebration in Romania. These songs are thought to give singers the power to connect with God as they reflect on Jesus' birth, and to gain the strength to overcome life's obstacles.
Steps:
1. Kick off the winter holidays with St. Nicholas Day on December 6.
2. Remind your children to clean their boots or shoes and leave them out so Father Nicholas can fill them with small presents.
3. Arrange to go caroling in your village or town on Christmas Eve. Go from house to house until the wee hours of Christmas morning.
4. Make a star (called a "steaua") out of shiny paper and wood, and attach it to a broomstick for the leader of your group to carry. Hang bells and ribbons on it, along with a picture of the Holy Family.
5. Expect to partake of nuts, apples, pretzels and cakes along with the other carolers.
6. Invite family and friends to come back to your home and tell stories about Jesus' birth in front of the Christmas tree.
7. Follow the tradition of "Ignatius" by cutting and roasting a pig to serve to family and friends. Burn straws in its snout and hold the pig's funeral feast.
8. Invite neighbors and relatives for a festive holiday meal.
9. Spend the evening of December 25 and 26 at the village hall, folk dancing and drinking mulled wine.
10. Celebrate St. Vasile on January 1 by spreading grain around the house to bring good luck for the next 12 months.
Tips:
On St. Nicholas Day, along with their gifts, children will find a stick in their boots to remind them to behave during the coming year.
"Cracuin Fericit" means "Merry Christmas" in Romanian.
On New Year's Eve, boys will don costumes and recite "Plugusorul," which is a folk poem thought to protect the home and help crops grow well.
Warnings:
Romania is a country with several cultural influences, so Christmas traditions are quite diverse and cannot be generalized. The preceding steps represent a few examples of local traditions that may or may not be appropriate for your personal celebration of Christmas.
This is the first of a serie I intend to post presenting our different traditions. Enjoy jourself :-)
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