traditions in my country2

8/14/2019 Traditions in My Country2

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By Sabina Costinel


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Winter season traditions

In Romania, the winter holiday season istruly in full-swing from December 24 toJanuary 7. Highlights include: ChristmasDay, New Year and Epiphany.


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Traditionally, during the first hours after dark on

Christmas' Eve, Its the childrens time to go caroling

and the adults stay home to greet them.

As they go caroling from house to house, the childrenreceive treats like candy, fruit, baked treats and

sometimes even money in appreciation of their

performance and as a sign of holiday good will.


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Steaua

In the Romanian tradition,while caroling the childrencarry a "Steaua, a woodenstar covered with gilt ordecorated with colored

paper, on a long pole. Thestar framed a picture of theNativity. Sometimes bellsand ribbons are used tomake the Steaua evenmore beautiful. And when

the lighted candle wasplaced inside, everyonesaid it looked like aheavenly lantern.


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The GoatDance

The elder held the goat asthe animal that couldforetell if the weather wouldbe good or bad. Originally,

the goat dance (the killing,mourning, burial and

resurrection ) was a graveand serious ceremony. Intime it has turned into a

ritual meant to bringprosperity in the year to

come. Nowadays, this gamehas remained a pretext toremember traditions from

long ago and also take pride

in the colorful traditionalcostumes worn on this

occasion.


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The grown-ups also go caroling on Christmas evening at

night. Usually they go and carol close friends or family. When

they are in the front yard of a house, they perform their

repertory to the host. The songs are always accompanied by

dance. When the performance is over, the host invites the

carolers inside the house for food, drinks and presents.

Carols create an atmosphere full of optimism. They put

people in the mood for a perfect communion with the simple

and healing greatness of Jesus' Birth.


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Five days before Christmas with a

very sharp knife the pig is cut.


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This custom is called "Ignatius" from Saint Ignatius(celebrated on December the 20th). Straws are put in hissnout and then it is covered with burning straws and then isit singed. The pig is nicely washed and covered with a piece

of cloth for ten minutes. The housewife comes and incensethe pig and then the husband comes and makes the sign ofthe cross on the pig's head saying to the family gatheredaround: "Let's eat the pig!"

After the pig is cut there is a feast called the pig's funeralfeast or alms. At the feast the whole family friends and

neighbors take part. All eat the rid or the skin of the baconand they also eat small pieces of fried pork they drink wineor plum brandy.


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This tradition is kept

particularly in thecountryside.The origins ofthis custom date back toimmemorial times. It wasaccepted and absorbed bythe Christian religion as anatural part of the localcommunity life. Christianityalso bestowed upon it areligious significance, asnobody can taste the food

prepared on this day untilafter the priest has givenhis blessing.


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The Christmas TreeThe custom of the Christmas

tree was borrowed fromWestern Europe. Supposedly,it comes from the paganGermanic tribes and wassubsequently absorbed bychristianity. In Romania, thetradition of decorating a tree or

a green branch was tied to thewedding ritual (the weddingfirtree) or to the burial ritual ofan unwed youth. As aChristmas tradition, it wasencountered until the end ofthe XIXth century only in the

houses of the Germanimmigrants. After WWI, thiscustom spread in the entirecountry

traditions in my country2

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