Christmas in Serbia facts for kids

An icon representing the birth of Jesus Christ.

Serbian Christmas traditions are special customs that Serbs follow around Christmas. This festive time starts about three Sundays before Christmas Day. It ends with a holiday called Epiphany. Many of these traditions are very old and detailed. They can be a bit different depending on where you are in Serbia. Some have also changed over time to fit modern life.

In Serbian, Christmas is called Božić (Serbian Cyrillic: Божић). This word means "young god." Serbs celebrate Christmas for three days. The celebration begins on Christmas Day itself. During these days, people greet each other by saying "Christ is Born!" The proper reply is "Truly He is Born!" In Serbian, this is "Hristos se rodi" – "Vaistinu se rodi".

Christmas Eve

The day before Christmas is known as Badnji dan during daylight hours. After sunset, it becomes Badnje veče. On this day, families get everything ready for the upcoming celebration. The dinner on Christmas Eve is special and has many different foods. However, it follows fasting rules, meaning no meat or dairy products are eaten.

Badnjak: The Christmas Log

The badnjak is a special oak log or branch. It is brought into the house and placed on the fire on Christmas Eve. It is similar to a yule log found in other European traditions. Many unique customs are connected to the badnjak.

Early in the morning, the head of the family, often with other male relatives, goes to find a tree. They will cut a log from it for their home. They might even fire small celebratory mortars called prangija to announce their departure. The Turkey oak is a popular choice for the tree. Other oak trees or different kinds of trees are also sometimes chosen. Most families prepare one badnjak. However, some regions cut more than one.

When the family head finds a suitable tree, he stands facing east. He throws grain at the tree and says, "Good morning and happy Christmas Eve to you." He then makes the Sign of the Cross, says a prayer, and kisses the tree. He cuts it slantwise on its eastern side using an axe. The tree should fall towards the east. Its top is removed, leaving a log that can be carried on a man's shoulder. It is usually up to about 2.5 meters (8 feet) long. Once home, the badnjak is leaned against the entrance door. In some areas, it is cut into three logs.

In the evening, a man brings the badnjak into the house. If there is more than one, the thickest one is brought in first. Stepping inside with his right foot first, the man greets his family. He says, "Good evening and happy Christmas Eve to you." The woman of the house greets him back. She might say, "May God give you well-being, and may you have good luck." Or she might say, "Good luck to you, and together with you for many years to come." She then throws grain from a sieve at the man and the badnjak he carries.

Upon entering the house, the man goes to the fireplace. This fireplace is called ognjište. An ognjište is like a campfire because it has no vertical walls around it. He lays the badnjak down on the fire. He moves it a little forward to bring good luck to the household. Any other logs are brought in by other males. They are laid on the fire parallel or perpendicular to the first. The head of the household takes a jug of wine and pours some on the badnjak. In some regions, he might sprinkle wheat grains over the logs. He then makes a toast. He asks God for health and joy in the home. He also asks for good harvests, healthy children, and more property. The head drinks some wine from the jug. Then, it is passed to other family members. When the log has burned through, some families let the fire go out. In others, men take turns watching during the night to keep the badnjak burning.

An Orthodox priest places the badnjak on the fire during Christmas Eve celebration at the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade.

Another type of badnjak has become common among Serbs. It has mostly replaced the traditional log. Burning a large log is often not possible in modern homes. This new badnjak is a bunch of oak twigs with their brown leaves still attached. People use these twigs to decorate their homes on Christmas Eve. This cluster is also called the badnjak. It is usually kept in the home until the next Christmas Eve. For people living in towns and cities, these small badnjaks can be bought at markets. They are also given out in churches. Often, the oak twigs are tied together with twigs of European Cornel and several stalks of straw.

Since the early 1990s, the Serbian Orthodox Church has organized public Christmas Eve celebrations. They do this with local communities. These celebrations typically have three parts. First, the preparation, which involves cutting the tree for the badnjak. Then, taking it to the churchyard. And preparing drinks and food for the people gathered. Second, the ritual, which includes Vespers (evening prayers). Placing the badnjak on an open fire in the churchyard. Blessing the badnjak. And a program with songs and recitals. In some places, the fire is built in another suitable spot in the town or village. Third, the festivity, which involves gathering around the fire and socializing. Each celebration has its own special features. These reflect the traditions of the local community.

Christmas Straw

Right after the badnjak is brought in, or sometimes just before, an armful of straw is spread over the floor. The straw is usually brought in with the same greetings and grain-throwing as the badnjak. The person spreading it might cluck like a hen, "Kvo, kvo, kvo." The children of the family might imitate chicks, "Piju, piju, piju." They pick at the straw. A common custom is to scatter a handful of walnuts over the straw.

In Petar II Petrović-Njegoš's poem The Mountain Wreath, the holiday mood on Christmas Eve is described:

Christmas Eve Dinner

Once the badnjak and straw are in the house, the Christmas Eve dinner can begin. The head of the household makes the Sign of the Cross. He lights a candle and uses a censer to bless the whole house.

Before the table is served, it is covered with a thin layer of straw. Then, it is covered with a white cloth. The family members sit down at the table. Before eating, they all stand up. A man or boy among them says a prayer. Or, they sing the Troparion of the Nativity (a special Christmas hymn) in Church Slavonic language:

The Troparion of the Nativity.

Your birth, O Christ our God, dawned the light of knowledge upon the earth. For by Your birth those who adored stars were taught by a star to worship You, the Sun of Justice, and to know You, Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You.

Christmas Eve is a fast day. So, the dinner is prepared according to fasting rules. But it is still a large meal with many different foods. Besides a round unleavened bread called badnjački kolač, and salt, which are necessary, this meal may include roast fish, cooked beans, sauerkraut, noodles with ground walnuts, honey, and wine.

After dinner, young people might visit their friends. A group of them may gather at one person's house. The elderly tell stories from olden times. Christmas songs are sung. In these songs, Christmas is often treated as a male person. The Serbian name for Christmas is Božić, which means "young god." An old Christmas song from the Bay of Kotor has these lyrics:

The following song is sung in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the evening before Christmas Day:

In the region of Banat, after Christmas Eve dinner, groups of children go from house to house. They sing to their neighbors. This custom is called korinđanje. The children who take part are called korinđaši. They knock on a neighbor's door or ring the doorbell. When the neighbor comes out, they greet him and ask if they can sing. If the answer is yes, they sing a children's song or the Troparion of the Nativity. As a reward, the neighbor gives them candies or money. More traditional gifts include walnuts, prunes, apples, and cakes. Not only Serbian children can be korinđaši, but also Romanian and Hungarian ones.

In central Serbia, once the family members have gone to bed, an elderly woman might stick a knife into the house door from the inside. Or, she puts a hawthorn stake by the door. She hangs a wreath of garlic on it. This is done to protect against curses, witches, and demons. For the same reason, children are rubbed with garlic on their palms, armpits, and soles before going to bed. In some regions, the men take turns watching by the fireplace during the night. They do this to keep the fire burning.

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, the celebration is announced at dawn. Church bells ring, and guns and prangijas are fired. The head of the household and some family members go to church. They attend the Morning Liturgy. No one eats anything before tasting the prosphora (blessed bread). The head of the household brings this from church for those who stay home to do chores.

Serbs living in the Slovenian region of White Carniola traditionally try to see only healthy and successful people on this day. Serbs in Timiș County in Romania have adopted the custom of putting up a Christmas tree in their homes. They call it krisindla, after the German Christkindl. On Christmas Day, children sing little songs. At the start of these songs, Christmas is said to knock or tread loudly. This means that the Young God is making his arrival known to people. Here are the lyrics of two such songs:

The Polažajnik

A polažajnik is the first person who visits a family on Christmas Day. This visit can be by chance or planned beforehand. People believe that this visit will bring good luck and well-being to their home in the coming year. A family often chooses a man or boy in advance. They arrange for him to visit them on Christmas morning. If he brings good luck, he is invited again next year to be the polažajnik. If not, they send word to him not to come again in that role.

A polažajnik steps into the house with his right foot first. He greets the gathered family, "Christ is Born, Happy Christmas." He carries grain in his glove. He shakes it out before the threshold or throws it at the family members. They respond with "Truly He is Born," and throw grain at the polažajnik. He then goes to the fireplace. He takes a poker or a branch. He strikes the burning badnjak repeatedly to make sparks fly from it. At the same time, he says these words (or similar):

After saying that, he moves the log a little forward. He throws a coin into the fire. The woman of the house puts a woolen blanket on the polaznik's back. She seats him on a low stool by the fireplace. At the moment he sits down, they might try to pull the stool away, as if to make him fall. The polaznik goes out into the yard. He throws grain inside a circle made with the rope that tied the Christmas straw. He calls chickens. When they gather in the circle, he catches a rooster. This rooster will be roasted on a wooden spit as part of Christmas dinner. The polaznik usually stays for dinner with the family. He receives a gift. This gift is often a round cake with a coin inside. He might also get a towel, shirt, socks, or another useful item.

Strong Water

Early in the morning, a girl or woman goes to a water source. This could be a well, spring, or stream. She places an ear of maize and a bunch of basil by the water. She brings these from home. Then, she collects water with a bucket and takes it home to her family. This water, collected on early Christmas morning, is called "strong water." It is believed to have a special beneficial power. Each member of the family washes their face with it and drinks it before breakfast. Babies are bathed in it. On her way back home, the girl carrying the strong water picks several cornel or willow twigs. Children are lightly tapped with these twigs that morning. This is meant to strengthen their health.

Christmas Dinner

Česnica

An essential part of Christmas dinner is the česnica. This is a round loaf of bread. The preparation of this bread may involve various rules and rituals. The dough for it is sometimes prepared with the strong water. A common custom is to put a coin into the dough. In some regions, small objects made of cornel wood may be put inside. These represent chickens, oxen, cows, pigs, bees, and other animals.

In Vojvodina, a different, sweet cake or pie version of česnica is made. It uses walnuts, honey, and special pie crust.

Besides the česnica, other kinds of Christmas loaves may be baked. Each has its specific name and purpose within the celebration. The božićni kolač is a round loaf with a Christogram (a symbol of Christ) pressed onto its top surface using a wooden seal. For each male member of the family, a round loaf named ratarica may be prepared. The biggest one is for the head of the family, and the smallest for the youngest boy. For each female member, a pletenica may be baked. This loaf is shaped like a three-strand braid.

Pečenica

On Christmas Eve, the men of the family build a fire in their house yard. They roast a pig, or a sheep in some areas, on a long wooden spit. This whole roasted pig or sheep, called pečenica, is a traditional part of Christmas dinner. People who raise their own pigs set one aside for the pečenica a month or two before. They feed it with better fodder. The day before Christmas Eve is called Tucindan. This name comes from the verb tući meaning "to beat," referring to the preparation of the animal. The roasted pečenica may be brought into the house with a ritual similar to bringing in the badnjak.

The Meal

Family members break a česnica at the beginning of Christmas dinner.

An example of a Christmas table in Serbia; grilled pork, olivie salad (also called Russian salad), dzadziki salad, red wine and Bajadera sweets

Christmas dinner is the most festive meal a family has during a year. Around noon, or even earlier, the family members sit down at the table. When the head of the household gives a sign, all rise. He lights a candle, uses a censer to bless his family and house, and prays the Lord's Prayer. After that, the family members kiss each other on the cheek. They say, "The peace of God among us, Christ is Born." The head and another man of the family hold the česnica between them. They rotate it three times counterclockwise. The česnica is then carefully broken among the relatives. Each of them gets their own share of the loaf. The family member whose share contains the coin hidden in the česnica is believed to be exceptionally lucky in the coming year. The main course of Christmas dinner is the roast pork pečenica. During the dinner, the head of the household makes a toast to his family with a glass of wine, several times. A traditional toast from parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina goes like this:

After Christmas dinner, the remaining food should not be removed from the table. Only the used dishes are taken away. The food is covered with a white cloth. It is eaten in the evening as supper.

Koleda

The koleda was a custom where a group of young men, wearing masks and costumes, went from house to house in their village. They sang special koleda songs. They also performed acts meant to bring health, wealth, and good luck to each household. The members of the group were called koledari. The koleda was performed from five days before Christmas until Epiphany. This custom was best preserved in southeastern Serbia. The Serbian Orthodox Church discouraged koleda because it was seen as pagan. So, it mostly stopped being performed among Serbs during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Koledari prepared themselves for several days before the koleda began. They practiced the koleda songs. They also made their masks and costumes. The masks could be human-like, animal-like (representing a bear, cow, stag, goat, sheep, ox, wolf, or stork), or a mix of both. They were mostly made from animal hide. The face could be made separately from a dried gourd shell or wood. Then, it was sewn to the hide so the mask covered the whole head. Moustaches, beards, and eyebrows were made with black wool, horsehair, or hemp fibers. The teeth were made with beans. Animal and mixed masks might have white, black, or red painted horns attached. The costumes were made from ragged clothes, sheepskins with the wool turned outside, and calf hides. An ox tail with a bell at its end was sometimes attached to the back.

The leader of the group was called Grandpa. The other koledari gathered at his house on the eve of koleda. At midnight, they all went out and started their activities. Walking through the village streets, they shouted and made noise with their bells and ratchets. Most were armed with sabers or clubs. One of them, called Bride, was masked and dressed as a pregnant woman. He held a distaff in his hand and spun hemp fibers. The koledari teased and joked with Bride, which added a funny part to the koleda. Some of them were called alosniks, men believed to be possessed by the demon ala. There could have been other named characters in the group.

The koledari sang special songs. The word koledo, which is a form of koleda, was put in the middle and at the end of each verse. Vuk Stefanović Karadžić recorded many of these koleda songs in the 19th century. This included the following one, which koledari sang when entering a house:

In the following song, also recorded by Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, the badnjak and Christmas were referred to as male persons. The badnjak was described as old, and Christmas as young. Koledari sang this to the head of the household they visited:

Besides singing, the koledari also chased away demons from the household. First, they searched the house to find where the demons were hiding. They looked everywhere. At the same time, they shouted, danced, jumped, knocked on the floor and walls with sticks, and teased Bride. When they found the demons, they drove them out of their hiding place. They fought with them, swinging their sabers and clubs. After the demons were chased away, the koledari briefly danced the kolo. Then, they blessed the household. As a reward, they received a loaf of bread that the family prepared specially for them. They also received other food gifts.

Vertep

On Christmas Eve and Day, a group of boys dressed in colorful costumes goes from house to house. They carry a vertep. This is a litter built as a wooden model of a house or a church. The name vertep comes from a Church Slavonic word meaning "cave." It refers to the cave that held the manger where newborn Jesus Christ was laid. There are two dolls inside the litter. One represents the Theotokos (Mary). The other, placed in a model manger, represents the Christ Child. The floor is covered with straw. This custom is called vertep, and the boys participating are the vertepaši. In front of each house, they sing Christmas songs. They also recite poems that praise the birth of Christ. Like koledari, vertepaši carry wooden swords and might pretend to fence with each other in front of houses. Vertep can be seen as a Christian version of the koleda. This custom is mainly found among Serbs in Vojvodina.

Second and Third Day of Christmas

Christmas is celebrated for three days. On the second day of Christmas, neighbors visit each other. On the third day, Christmas straw is taken out of the house. Small bundles are made with it. They are hung on fruit trees to help them grow better fruit. A bigger bundle may be stored in a dry place. It will be burned on St. George's Day. This is done to protect fields against hail. Another bundle is taken across the nearest stream. This is a symbolic way to get rid of any pests that may be in the house. Men make crosses from the leftover thicker side of the badnjak. They stick them under eaves, on fields, meadows, vineyards, and beehives. It is believed this will help the coming year be happy and fruitful. A good sign that this will happen is when there is a lot of snow on Christmas Day.

The third day of Christmas is also St. Stephen's Day. This is the slava (family patron saint day) of many Serbian families. So, many Serbs celebrate two important holidays, Christmas and their slava, within three days.

Twelve Days of Christmas

During the Twelve Days of Christmas (January 7 – January 18 on the Gregorian calendar), people continue to greet each other. They say "Christ is Born," and the response is "Truly He is Born."

January 14 on the Gregorian calendar is January 1, New Year's Day, on the Julian calendar. This holiday is also called Mali Božić (Serbian Cyrillic: Мали Божић), meaning "Little Christmas." In some regions, the head and the right Boston butt of the pečenica are saved from Christmas dinner. They are served for dinner on this day. A part of this meal may include small round loaves. These are made with cornmeal and cream. The loaves are named vasilica after Saint Basil the Great. This is because January 1 is also the feast day of this saint.

On the day before Little Christmas, especially in southeastern Serbia, a group of young unmarried men went through the village streets. They chased away demons by making a very loud noise. These men, called sirovari, shouted as loud as possible two words, "Sirovo burovo!" They also made noise with bells, ratchets, and horseshoes strung on a rope. The group had seven, nine, or eleven members. It was said that if there was an even number of sirovari, one of them would die within a year. As they moved through the village, they tried to make it impossible for anyone to count them. They constantly changed positions in the group, hid, and suddenly reappeared. Villagers were glad to welcome them into their homes. They treated them with food and drink.

The last of the Twelve Days of Christmas, January 18 (January 5 on the Julian calendar), is the eve of the Epiphany. Its folk name is Krstovdan – the Day of the Cross. This is a strict fast day. Adults should eat almost nothing. It was believed that the north, south, east, and west winds crossed each other on Krstovdan. The wind that was strongest would be dominant in the coming year.

This twelve-day period used to be called the unbaptized days. During this time, all kinds of bad spirits were thought to be more active and dangerous. People were careful not to attract their attention. They did not go out late at night. This was especially to avoid demons called karakondžula. These were imagined as heavy, squat, and ugly creatures. When a karakondžula found someone outdoors during the night of an unbaptized day, it would jump on their back. It would make them carry it wherever it wanted. This would only end when roosters announced the dawn. At that moment, the creature would release its victim and run away.

Gifts

Giving gifts on Christmas Day is not a Serbian tradition. Instead, gifts are given on the three Sundays before Christmas Day. These three holidays are called Detinjci or Djetinjci, Materice, and Oci. Children give gifts on Detinjci. Married women give gifts on Materice. And married men give gifts on Oci. The best presents are exchanged between parents and their children.

The gifts are given in a fun way, like a ransom. On the morning of Detinjci, adults use a belt, rope, or scarf to tie their own children and neighbors' children. They bind their legs. The children have already prepared presents for this event. They use these presents to "pay the ransom" and get untied. On the morning of Materice, the children suddenly tie their mother. She asks, as if surprised, why she has been tied. The children then wish her a happy Feast of Materice. She "pays the ransom" with the prepared presents. They may do the same with married women from their neighborhood. Mothers prepare a family feast on this day. On the morning of Oci, the Sunday right before Christmas Day, the children tie their father. Of these three holidays, Materice is the most festive.

It's worth noting that most Serbian people do not follow the traditions of "Detinjci, Materice and Oci" anymore. If gifts are given, it usually happens on Christmas Eve. This is common in Vojvodina. This province has many Protestant and Catholic people. This has led to some mixing of customs. Churches in small rural villages usually provide local children with gifts before Christmas.

List of Terms

The following is a list of Serbian terms related to Christmas. They are written in the Serbian Latin alphabet and the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet.

See also

• Serbian traditions