Just like us here in the UK,
Bulgarians celebrate Christmas on December 25, however this is somewhat unexpected
because Bulgaria is an Orthodox country. The traditional Eastern Orthodox
celebration of Christmas actually occurs on January 7th. Bulgaria's Orthodox
Church follows the Gregorian calendar, which means its religious observances
are in keeping with those of the West. If you're in Bulgaria during the winter
season, you can see cities like Sofia covered in Christmas lights with the
Sofia Christmas Market an ideal place for travellers to go during the month of
December to experience Bulgarian Christmas cheer. A typical Bulgarian Christmas
is full of customs and traditions that make this time of year special for those
who maintain them.
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| The Sofia Christmas Market is regarded as one of the best in Europe to visit |
The Bulgarian
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve in Bulgaria is
celebrated in a traditional fashion with an odd number of guests who dine on a
vegetarian meal consisting of an odd number of dishes, which follows the 40 day
Advent fast. This rich meal, which encourages abundance in the coming year,
includes grains and vegetables such as stuffed peppers, fruits and nuts.
One thing that is sure to be found on
the Bulgarian Christmas Eve table are Walnuts. These nuts are cracked in order
to predict success or failure for the coming year. Another special aspect of
the the Bulgarian Christmas Eve meal is the rounded loaf of bread, into which a
coin is baked. The person who finds the coin will be rewarded with good
fortune. Pieces of this bread are shared around the table and may be placed
near the house's icon, much like the wafer that is shared at Christmas in
countries such as Poland.
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| A typical Bulgarian Christmas table with Walnuts, Peppers and Fruits |
Interestingly, the Christmas Eve
dinner table is not allowed to be cleared until the following morning in order
to provide nourishment for the ghosts of ancestors who may come back to visit
before Christmas morning.
One belief that is key to Bulgarian
culture is the legend that the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ on
Christmas Eve, but only announced his birth the day after, on Christmas Day.
Legend also says that Mary was in labor from December 20th until the birth of
Christ. December 20th is the Day of St. Ignat, or Ignazhden.
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| The person who finds the coin is said to be rewarded with good fortune |
The Bulgarian
Christmas Day
Once the vegetarian fast has ended,
everyone enjoys an enormous dinner on Christmas Day, with a main dish of some
type of meat which is often pork. Koledari, or Christmas carolers, go from
house to house through villages. These groups of carolers are typically made up
of young men dressed in traditional costumes which vary from region to region.
Some preparation goes into the koledari's performances, which begin at midnight
on Christmas Eve. This tradition is said to protect against evil spirits. The
koledari are rewarded with food in return for their services.
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| Bulgarian men dress in traditional costumes to perform at various houses |
And of course there is always the
Christmas presents, which as is mostly done in the UK, are opened on Christmas
Day itself, for those who cannot wait until the morning or later in the day, it
is also acceptable for the presents to be opened at midnight on Christmas Day.
So now that you know a little more
about a typical Bulgarian Christmas, we hope you have an memorable and jolly Christmas
yourself.
If you fancy treating yourself this Christmas, you can enjoy a great value winter holiday or summer holiday to Bulgaria with Balkan Holidays.
Vesela Koleda!
