Dear readers, we hope that you celebrate this holiday with joy, in health and in peace together with your loved ones. May this day mark the beginning of a better and more successful year!
It is a time of year rich with many customs and these few weeks around Christmas make it the most solemn period in the whole calendar year.
Although the month and date of birth of Jesus Christ are not well established, this holiday is always celebrated on January 7 (Christians who adhere to the Gregorian calendar celebrate it on 25 December) since 380. A.D.
According to ancient belief and tradition, Christmas is considered to be a cheerful family holiday. That day you do not visit guests, but the birth of Christ is celebrated in your own house. Christians traditionally believe that on that day all who during the year were in strife, should reconcile and forgive one another for inflicted insults.
Christmas is preceded by a 40-day fast, and on the day of the holiday, the feast table is rich. In the homes of Orthodox believers ‘česnica’ bread is made for Christmas and it is broken into as many parts as there are household members.
Some of the old beliefs and customs of the Orthodox Christmas include the following:
-If it rains on Christmas, it is believed that whatever is hoed will yield a harvest.
-In some regions, it is believed that there will be a lot of honey in the coming year if the Yule log throws sparks by itself.
-If you had an argument with someone during the year, you should come to peace on Christmas Eve.
-Before eating, all members of a household take their shoes at the same time because it is believed that this would make chicks to hatch at the same time, women would give birth faster, cows would calve faster, and sheep would lamb faster.
-One should buy something new for Christmas.
-Girls and boys who sleep on straw on the Christmas Eve will see their future spouse in their dream.
-Before the dinner, praying is mandatory.
-In some areas, it is believed that the Christmas candle should not be extinguished by blowing, but it should be extinguished with a piece of bread soaked in wine.
-On Christmas, all borrowed things must be given back and all debts must be repaid, and uneven number of dishes should be prepared for dinner.
-Plants that are planted on that day will certainly grow.
-It is recommended to do things that caused you trouble in the past year, in order to deal with the same situations easier in the next year.
-Housework should not be done.
-You should not lend anything to anyone, so that you would not lose things from your house throughout the year.
