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Comenius Multilateral School Partnership “European Multiguide”2012 - 2014

Sredno Obshtoobrazovatelno Uchilishte “Vassil Levski” – HaskovoDecember 2012 – January 2013

On this day all families gather together. According to the old

Bulgarian tradition, a young man or boy in the family has to cut a huge piece of old plumb tree and carry it

into the house. That piece of wood is called Badnik. People put it in the

fire to burn all the night.

In Bulgaria Christmas days begin on 24th December. This is Christmas Eve – Badni vecher – Бъдни вечер.

Christmas is one of the most honored Christian celebrations in Bulgaria and the most beloved family

holiday in winter. In our language the name for Christmas

is Koleda – Коледа.

The Christmas Eve table is the place for a great, usually meatless feast. There are an odd number (usually 5, 7 or 9 )

lenten dishes.

Traditional food includes boiled wheat, boiled beans, grape or

cabbage leaves or peppers stuffed with

rice, dried fruits, garlic, nuts, honey, onions saved from summer, fresh fruit, wine and

rakiya ( Bulgarian drink). The foods represent the things people have

produced in the previous year.

A home baked soda bread joins the table and it is called pitka – питка. Typically it is round and it contains a silver coin inside. The eldest man or woman in the family blesses the table with some burning incense and gives out pieces of bread to

everyone.

The first piece of bread is always for the Mother of the God. The

second one is for the house. Who finds the coin is promised a year of

good luck – he or she will be the richest person in the upcoming

year.

Walnuts also are eaten for this same reason. Everyone cracks a walnut, and if the walnut inside is a good one, this person will have a good and healthy

year ahead. It is a custom people not to rise from the dinner table. Thus they allow chickens to hatch. It is also

a custom not to clean up the table until the following day. It is believed that the souls of dead family members come back to

visit on this night.

Christmas Eve has to be calm and quiet while waiting for the birth of

Christ.

At midnight on Christmas Eve a ritual called Koleduvane

starts. Young men called koledari visit houses in the

neighbourhood and sing carols – special songs for health,

fortune, happiness, love and luck for the hosts and the

household.

The preparation for the ritual includes the learning of songs and the decoration of costumes. Each caroler carries a stick called gega.

The head of the visited family gives the koledari food, wine, money. The youngest, usually unmarried woman in the family gives every koledar a bread called “gevrek” or “kravai”.

The koledari ritual takes place from midnight on Christmas Eve till dawn on Christmas.

Коledarska pesen / Carolers’ song

Stani nine, gospodine,che ti idem dobri gosti,che ti idem dobri gosti,dobri gosti, Koledari!

Dine, kolko zvezdi v yasno nebe,Tolkoz zdrave v taz druzhina.

Stani nine, gospodine!

Кolko zdravets po gorata, Tolkoz zdrave v taya kashta!

Stani nine, gospodine!

Christmas is celebrated on 25th December.The name of Father Christmas in Bulgarian is Дядо Коледа ( diado

Koleda )It is time to greet everyone with Merry Christmas.

In Bulgarian this is Честита Коледа! ( Chestita Koleda! )

The family is gathered around the rich, festive lunch or dinner, which is richer than the Christmas Eve food because there are

meat dishes. The most typical kind of meat is the pork.

Members exchange gifts put under the Christmas tree.Many Bulgarians go to the church to listen to the festive liturgy

service.

Koleda( Christmas song )

Kolade lade,Kolade lade.

Oi Koledo, moi Koledo!Rodilo se bozi chedo,rodilo se bozi chedo.

Kolade lade,Kolade lade.

Kravai skacha ot politsa,vri v kotleto karvavitsa,vri v kotleto karvavitsa.

Kolade lade,Kolade lade.

Kazi babo kato lani,na nas veselo da stane,na nas veselo da stane.

Kolade lade,Kolade lade.

The last day of the year gathers the family members, relatives and

friends to meet the new year together. There is a rich table with

numerous meals and drinks. Typical dishes are pork meat,

steaks, well-fed cock with spicy rice.

In many regions people prepare the kapama –

stewed pork, sausages and chicken meat with cabbage

and wine.

It is a must to cook the typical home banitsa –a layered pastry made with

phyllo dough with cheese filling. Cornels buds as “Lucky charms” are

put on it.

Usually the dessert is baklava – a sweet pastry with walnuts. There are lots of fruits, drinks and sweets too.

Fortunes are written in advance, wrapped in foil and added in the baked

banitsa after baking. There are “charms” for happiness, for success, for health and so on. There is also a coin in the pastry – for richness.

The head of the family turns the baked banitsa and every person chooses a slice in front of him/her. There is a silver coin in one of

the slices.

At midnight people drink champagne and wish Happy

new year!, in Bulgarian Честита Нова година!

( Chestita Nova godina! )

Fireworks illuminate the towns and villages. There are many concerts in the

main square of the towns.

The traditional Bulgarian dance - horo always opens the concert.

At dawn on the first of January a very popular and typical Bulgarian custom begins. It is called Survakane. Small kids,

called survakari, carry special cornel twigs – survachki decorated with red wool, beans, popcorns, hot peppers, small bells

and coins.

Kids tap gently the backs of the people at home with their twigs saying wishes (poems)

for health, longevity and prosperity.

Children also go to their relatives and neighbours and wish them the same.

People give the kids money, sweets and fruits.

Surva godina ( Survakari song )

Peite, peite hali beli,Padai, padai tsveten snyag.

Srebarna elha zapaliPalaviyat severnyak.

Zdrave, vesela godinaide vihreno pri nas,

I nad tsyalata rodina ekva vesel, detski glas.

Surva, surva, surva godina!Da e, da e zdrava garbina.

Agne byalo da blee, medna krusha da zree.

Surva, surva, surva godina!Da e, da e zdrava garbina.

Zlatni da sa zhitata, Zdravi da sa detsata.

January 6th is known as Bogoyavlenie (“Epiphany"), (Krashtenie Gospodne or "Baptism of the Lord") or Yordanovden ("Day of Yordan”).

On this day, a wooden cross is thrown by a priest into nearby waters - the sea, river, harbour, swimming pool or lake and young men jump into the cold freezing waters to find it. The swimmer who is the first to reach the cross returns to the priest and is blessed by him. It is believed that the swimmer will be very healthy and happy all the year round after.

In the town of Kalofer,

a traditional horo with drums and bagpipes is played in the icy

waters of the

Tundzha river before

the throwing of the cross.

On Yordanovde

n people with the name

Yordan ( Jordan )

and similar celebrate

their name-day.

During the winter months Bulgarian celebrate many other name–days.

Only men dance in this horo.

The tradition is 150 years

old.

It is the 3rd popular name

after Ivan and Georgy in Bulgaria.

In the presentation are used photos from www.google.bg and photos made by Mr.Erfandov - the school librarian.

Many thanks to the English Club “I know, I can” ( some students from 5A,B, 6A, 7A,B classes)

who helped with materials for this presentation.