All Bulgaria Virtual Guide - Bulgarian Christmas Eve and Christmas

It is believed that as Christmas Eve goes, so goes the life during the following year. Therefore the whole family becomes involved in performing the rituals.

So, it is also Christmas Eve in Bulgaria; by tradition, it may be called "Sukha koleda" (Dry Christmas), "Malka koleda" (Little Christmas) or "Kadena vecher" (Incensed Night). For Orthodox Christians, Christmas comes after 40 days and nights of fasting. 40 days to prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth. It’s also a time to subdue some of the worldly desires of everyday life in order to pray and reflect.

Some compare the Nativity Fast to a journey in which participants strip away the distractions of daily routines and thoughtless habits in an effort to gain self-awareness and spiritual enlightenment. Many consider this the beginning of the Christmas season. A time to focus on the spirituality of the season rather than the shopping and the spending.

The Nativity Fast is meant to be, in this culture, at this time, counter-cultural. When everyone else is going out to buy, buy, buy and get, get, get - the Orthodox Bulgarian is saying ‘no’. You need to fast, to give up some things. You need to focus more on Christ and not just what you can get out of this life.

The forty-day Advent, started on November 15, finishes on Christmas Eve. Folk beliefs hold it that the Mother of Jesus began her labours on St. Ignatius’ Day and gave birth to God’s son on Christmas Eve, but that she told of it only on the next day. According to tradition, when bearing her first child, a young mother did not let others know of the birth on the same day; instead people were told about it only on the following day, when guests were invited into the home.

Throughout the fasting period, Orthodox Bulgarians will avoid alcohol and animal products. Even the festive dinner on the eve of Christmas is commerative and includes no meat, cheese, milk, eggs or animal oils.

Bulgaria's Orthodox Church recommends 13 different foods on the Christmas-eve meal (salt, pepper and sugar are seen as separate foods). The foods are vegetable and odd in number for luck. Beans are a traditional Christmas Eve dish in Bulgaria, as families gather that evening to a meatless holiday meal. The Christmas fare provided at table also includes garlic, walnuts, honey, onion, summer fruit kept fresh, wine, brandy - everything that has been produced during the past year - fresh or processed. This is possibly the most important family event of the year. The family gathers in expectation of the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ.

There are always walnuts on the table. Traditionally, wheat is boiled and dishes such as boiled haricot, leaves stuffed with rice or grouts, and stewed dried fruit are cooked. Wheat grains and the Ignazhden (Saint Ignatius’ Day) kolaks (ring-shaped cake) are also put on the table. After the festive mass starting at 12:00 am on December 25, all should drink a sip of wine so that the divine blessing should come upon them as fasting ends.

Christmas Eve is dedicated to the home, the fireplace, and to ancestor relatives as well, who were considered part of the family. A place at the table is left vacant for the deceased (relatives or other dear people). The table is not cleared for the night because people believe that the deceased will come to dinner and take care of the well-being of the living..

The return to meat and dairy comes on Christmas day, with, one should hope, a cleansed mind and spirit for the coming year.

At midnight on Christmas, the koledari (carollers) start their round.

Only boys participate as major figures in the ritual known as Koleduvane. Its purpose is to wish health, good luck and fertility to the heads of households, to their houses, livestock, land, etc. The koledari, as those participating in the ritual are called, are divided into two age groups. Each group may consist of 10 or more koledari who divide the homes of their village or neighborhood among themselves, to be sure each will be blessed. The preparations include the learning of songs and dances, and the decoration of costumes, which include the kalpaci (fur hats) decorated with bouquets of boxwood and wild geranium, carved wooden staffs, yamurluci (hooded cloaks) which are made to size, sandals, and new fancy leggings. The magnificent embroidery on the white shirts is especially beautiful.

The koledari songs are characteristically lively, happy and festive, and are performed antiphonally. The group divides into two subgroups, then one groups begins, and the second group repeats what the first group has just sung. The songs can be divided into several themes: those which are sung on the road from one house to another, those which are sung while entering or leaving a house, those devoted to the head of the house, those for the women, those for small children, those for unmarried girls, those for soldiers, those for the livestock, those for the fertility of the fields, and so on. At the end of the performance, the head of the household gives stedro (from his heart) - so called Koledni gevreci (round buns), banitsa (a multi-layered pastry filled with feta-like cheese (sirine), fruits, walnuts, popcorn and other traditional delicacies..

Today, Christmas is still a very special family holiday in modern Bulgaria. In the cities, the koledari tradition is not followed as strictly as in the villages. However, city dwellers should not be surprised if kids (survakarcheta) knock on the door after midnight on Christmas to sing a song, wishing happiness, love, health and wealth during the coming year.

December 26 in Bulgaria is celebrated as the second day of Christmas. It is officially a non-working day. It is a day to pay tribute to Jesus' mother Virgin Mary. Bulgarians believe that Virgin Mary will bring their prayers to Jesus, as she is His closest person.