BULGARIAN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Full of beauty, gaiety and love of life, Bulgarian traditions and customs
date back to ancient times when man tried to appease the natural elements
and trembled before their power.
Some of the most colourful and richest customs in a ritual aspect are
Christmas and the New Year.

CHRISTMAS AND KOLEDOUVANE

As in most countries Christmas is a traditional holiday in
Bulgaria.
"Koleda" is the Bulgarian name of the Christian holiday
-Christmas. It begins on the 24th of December- "Malka Koleda".
On Christmas Eve all the families gather together. In the
fireplace is put special log, called "badnik". Traditionally there
are odd number of different dishes on the table 7, 9 11 or 13.
Walnuts, beans, boiled wheat and dishes such as boiled haricot,
leaves stuffed with rice or grouts, pumpkin pie,and stewed dried
fruit are prepared. Home made bread ise also put on the table. A
silver coin is put in the bread for luck. The oldest man in the family gives a
piece of the bread to everyone. Who gets the coin will be lucky during the
forthcoming year.
By tradition there is also a special banitsa with Lucky charms in it.
Cornels buds for luck are put in it. For example, one bud for happiness, two
buds for success, three for health and so on. There is also a coin in it.
After midnight, all can drink a sip of wine so that the divine blessing should
come upon them as fasting ends. 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.
At the Christmas Eve table, fortunes are told. To predict what the year is
going to be, everyone cracks a walnut. If it is good and delicious, the year is
going to be lucky, if the walnut is empty, you can expect a bad year.
Predictions are also made for the weather in each month of the new year, the
expected crops, each family member's health, and for the coming marriages of
the girls.
At midnight on Christmas, the ritual known as
Koleduvane
start.Only boys participate in it. 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 koledari songs are characteristically lively, happy and festive. 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), fruits, walnuts, popcorn and other traditional delicatecies. Here is a
typical song sung by koledari.
GOSTI SME VI, KOLEDARI
Gosti sme vi koledari, kolade.
ja sreshtnete ni stopani, kolade,
Viti porti otvorete, kolade,
Ne sme idvali ot lani, kolade kolade,
ja sreshtnete ni stopani, kolade

WE ARE YOUR GUESTS, KOLEDARI

We are your guests, koledari, kolade.
Come meet us landlords, kolade.
Open the arched doors, kolade
We havent come since last year,.
Come meet us, landlords, kolade.

Today, Christmas is still a very special family holiday in modern Bulgaria.

The tradition for the christams Eve are still kept and followed. In the cities, the
koledari tradition is not followed as strictly as in the villages. However, city
dwellers should not be surprised if kids knock on the door after midnight on
Christmas to sing a song, wishing happiness, love, health and wealth during
the coming year.
And at the end we have to mention that the Bulgarian greeting for
Christmas is "Vesela Koleda".

THE NEW YEAR AND SOURVAKANE

Typical Bulgarian tradition is the so called
"sourvakane". It begins at dawn on the New Years
Day. Everybody carries "sourvaknica"(a cornel twig).
The twigs are cut just before the New Year. They are
cornel ones because the tree is strong and resilient.
The twigs decoration is various. It is made if wool,
beans, popcorns, walnuts, hot peppers and etc.
When the "sourvakarite" entered the house they
wish a Happy Year by taping the hosts' backs with
the decorated cornel twigs. They wish health, longevity and prosperity. The
hostess blesses the sourvakarite and gives ring-shaped buns and some coins.
They recite the following poem:
Sourva,sourva godina,
Vesela godina,
Goliam klas na niva,
Chervena iabalka v gradina,
Zhalt mamul na masa,
Goliam grozd na loza
Palen kosher s pcheli,
palna kesia s pari,
zhivi zdravi do godina
do godina do amina.