Winter Holiday Traditions in Romania

Although some customs may differ from region to region, Christmas in Romania is celebrated in the same manner throughout the country. In many European countries, Christmas and the New Year were jointly celebrated on December 25th, and the custom was preserved in Romanian Principalities until the end of the 19th century. The memory of those days continues to be alive in the collective memory of several dwelling places from Banat (Western Romania) and Transylvania (Central Romania), since The New Year is also known as Little Christmas. During the Communist era, the religious meaning of Christmas was banished. In those times, you were not allowed to celebrate at Church and you were not allowed to even mention that you are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Even the name of “Father Christmas” was changed to “Father Frosty (Moș Gerilă).”There was no “Christmas time”, but “Winter celebrations”. During the 1980s, communist Romania were undergoing their own enforced ‘age of austerity’, as leader Nicolae Ceausescu sought to pay off Romania’s foreign debts. While shortages were commonplace across the Soviet bloc throughout the 1980s, in Romania the situation was particularly bad, with strict rationing of even the most basic foodstuffs, electricity and gasoline enforced from 1981. Romanians however continued to secretly celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in their families and observe the old Christmas customs and traditions.

Preparation for Christmas. St. Nicholas Day

The Christmas season in Romania is kicked off by the arrival of St. Nicholas (Mos Niculae) on December 6. This is one of the most awaited holidays of the year by children, who receive small gifts in their boots from St. Nicholas on this day. But only if they are good! Otherwise, instead of presents they receive a stick. On the evening of December 5th every child must clean a pair of their shoes and leave it by the door, hoping that Old St. Nick will leave a present for them. The gifts are usually small and symbolic, like crayons, or watercolors, often just oranges or chocolate.
A tradition says that if it snows on December 6th, Sfantul Nicolae has shaken his beard so that winter can begin.

The ritual sequences commencing the celebration of Christmas begin on December 20th, also known as the “Ignat’s day”, a day when a pig is sacrificed so that ritual food can be prepared for the Christmas feast out of its meat.
Carol singing (known as 'Colindatul') is also a very popular part of Christmas in Romania.

On Christmas Eve, children go out carol singing from house to house performing to the adults in the houses. They normally dance as well. The children get sweets, fruit, traditional cakes called 'cozonaci' and sometimes money for singing well. Adults go carol singing on Christmas Day evening and night. A traditional Romanian Carol is the 'Star Carol'. The star, made of colored paper and often decorated with tinsel, silver foil and sometimes bells, is put on a pole. In the middle of the star is a picture of baby Jesus or a nativity scene. The symbolism of the carol with star recalls the star proclaiming the birth of Jesus. She guided the three magicians to find the crib in which the miracle happened. In our days, one is going with the carol with star only in the first and second day of Christmas.
In many parts of Romania, it is also traditional that someone dresses up as a goat, with a multicolored mask, and goes round with the carol singers. The goat is known as the 'Capra' and it jumps and dances around getting up to lots of mischief!

Another Christmas Eve tradition is a drumming band or 'dubasi'. This is normally composed of un-married men. A band can have up to 50 or 60 men in it! As well as the drums, there is often a saxophone and violin. The band will practice for about a month before Christmas so they are really good. They go round the streets and are given presents. The Christmas celebrations really begin on Christmas Eve, 24th, when it's time to decorate the Christmas tree. This is done in the evening of Christmas Eve. In Romanian, Christmas Eve is called 'Ajunul Craciunului'.

On Christmas day, children and grown-ups alike wander around, singing carols. Traditionally, carolers have bells, whips and drums and make noise to dispel the malevolent spirits.

Some of them also wear costumes and masks symbolizing diverse animals such as: bears, goats and horses, which represent the evil forces. Religious tradition has it that the heavens open on Christmas night, so that the spirits of the deceased may spend time with their beloved ones who are still on earth. Several biblical characters, such as St. Nicholas, St. Demetrius and St. George can be seen sitting at the princely feast. Some folklore household habits also say that in the Christmas’ Eve and the following days, the family must beware not to argue, because the whole year will be in strife and reproach. In addition, no cleaning is to be done in the day of Christmas. You do not throw the trash, because in this way you banish luck.
The holiday would not be complete without the entire family gathered for a large traditional meal, enjoying Christmas foods: Roast Gammon and Pork Chops, 'Ciorba de perisoare' which is a slightly sour vegetable soup made with fermented bran and pork meatballs; 'Sarmale' cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork and served with polenta; 'Cozonac' a rich fruit bread; Romanian doughnuts called 'gogosi' and cheesecakes.

New Year's Eve is also an important celebration in Romania. It is sometimes called Little Christmas. Traditionally a small,
decorated plough called a 'Plugusorul' is paraded through the streets on New Year's Eve. It is meant to help people have
good crops during the following year.

On New Year's Day, children wish people a Happy New Year while carrying around a special bouquet called a 'Sorcova'. Traditionally, the Sorcova was made of twigs from one or more fruit trees like apple, pear, cherry or plum. They are put into water in a warm place on 30th November, so they hopefully come into leaf and blossom on New Year's Eve!

Nowadays often a single twig of an apple or pear tree is used and it's decorated with flowers made from colored paper.