CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS ININ ROMANIAROMANIA

MERRY MERRY CHRISMAS!CHRISMAS!

CRACIUN CRACIUN FERICIT!FERICIT!

•FOR THE ROMANIANS CHRISTMAS IS A an occasion of great celebration. The winter holydays begin on the 24th of December with carols , decoration of the Christmas tree and preparations for Christmas dinner on the 25th . •Groups of all ages , dressed in traditional costumes, stop at each house and sing carols. they are rewarded with apples, nuts and sweets. They come at night as this is a ritual to wake up the hosts to announce the birth of Christ. !

Tradition says that the Christmas tree must be decorated on Christmas Eve, December 24. An angel or star is placed on top of the tree, representing angels or the Star of Bethlehem. The children are the ones who decorate it singing carols ad hoping that Santa Claus will bring them lots of gifts!

The Ritual of slaughtering the pig, called “ignat” ,around Christmas, remembers the animal sacrifices practiced by the ancient people (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans) in periods of transition from one year to another or from season to season. By this sacrifice, the old dies and a new life blossoms, that of the new year. The family participates at this sacrifice and prepares all sorts of meat products: sausages, ham, and so on. Christmas is preceded by 6 weeks during which we don’t consume animal products so the meat will be served only after attending Christmas mass on Christmas morning !

On the morning of December 25th everyone attends Holy Mass and then Christmas dinner . gradually begin to emerge the Children with THE "Star". They preach that Jesus was born and talk about the THREE Magi. THE Worship of the Magi and WHAT THEY GAVE TO THE Holy Infant generated THE custom OF Christmas gifts. THIS INSPIRED SANTA CLAUS as A mythical character who shares Christmas gifts to children. they find presents under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and are told that Santa came while they were sleeping. THE “STAR” IS A SONG OF THE CHILDREN, THEY ARE INVITED IN EVERY HOUSE AND GIVEN SWEETS OR MONNEY.

THE game OF THE “GOAT” is an ancient custom, REPRESENTATIVE over centuries of popular spirituality and traditions belonging to the Romanian winter. IT IS KEPT today in most Romanian settlements, SPECIALY in the villages of Moldova. IT Is A MASK ACCOMPANIED BY a NOISY GROUP OF MEN WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. IT IS played to bring good fortune and abundance. Finally THE " Goat "is killed, SIMBOLYSING the year THAT ends and symbolically buried.

“Plugusorul” is an ancient agrarian custom that is practiced today, especially in Moldova. Dressed in warm clothes with hats decorated with colored ribbons and holding in their hands whips and bells, boys and men start to carol relatives and neighbors. Some carry with them a “buhai”, a specific musical instrument made from a wooden barrel and sheepskin, through which it is pulled a strand of horse hair, it produces a hollow sound, similar of an ox. After the necessary greetings, housewives reward them with apples, pretzels, nuts or money.this is one of the oldest traditions of the Romanian people.

The Masks of Moldova games are archaic customs, agricultural and pastoral tradition of thousands of years, taking place on the occasion of New Year.Strong, violent, unpredictable and sometimes cruel, the bear is a revered animal in ancient times, considered as the forest spirit, a supreme master of cosmic energy and a symbol of fecundity.The dance with masks symbolizes the death and resurrection of nature. This has the role to banish demons from houses and households.

Christmas beliefs

•In Bucovina, on Christmas Eve put bread on the table and a glass of water, it is believed that the souls of the dead come to their homes that night, taste the bread and wet the mouth with water.•It is believed that at midnight, towards Christmas, the water turns into wine, and the beasts can talk.•To dream of green wheat in the Christmas eve is a good sign that the coming year is to be rich.•The Carols gained a precise destination as a form of good magic, influencing in a positive way, the lives of people and nature.•It is believed that the first four days, from December 24, correspond to the four seasons in order: first day of spring , the second is summer, third and fourth autumn and winter showing how the weather will be next year.

Merry Christmas

Zalig Kerstfeast

Tchestita Koleda

Froehliche Weihnachten

Craciun fericit

Boze Narodzenie