Christmas

Christmas begins in Bulgaria from the first hours after midnightThe feast of Christmas (Kolyada) begins in Bulgaria from the first hours after midnight. From house to house begin their procession carolers, which are all waiting. These are young unmarried teenagers and guys aged 12 to 20 years (sometimes more). They are dressed in national folk costumes. They are all in burkas and in special headdresses made of karakul (“caps”), to which a flower is attached. Everyone has a long decorated shepherd stick with a hook. It plays a special role in ceremonial dances and slanders.

Usually, first the carolers gather in the house of their leader - "stanenik". If the village is large, then several groups of carolers are formed, and each bypasses its area. The leader notifies the beginning of the bypass with a rifle shot. Carolers go from house to house and all the time sing songs dedicated to Kolyad (Young God, who was born that night). Their repertoire is quite diverse. When, for example, carolers enter the house on the way, the first song they sing to the owner of the house. Then in the next song they send wishes to all family members from small to big. At the same time, the carolers tap their sticks on the ground (almost the same as Victor Cram’s friends did in the 4th Harry Potter film). The owner of the house invites the guys to the table and treats them with wine and rakia. If there is an unmarried girl in the house, she gives the leader her loaf specially designed for carolers. The leader, for his part, lifts the loaf high and says a prayer to the whole house and calls for the harvest. This is usually the climax of the ceremony. In addition to caravans, carolers are given fruits, part of the festive cake, wine, rakia, and recently money.

Before the carolers usually run boys under the age of 12, who notify the owners knocking on the door that they will come expensive guests. In this case, some boys (cats) make cat sounds. Other boys (donkeys) carry gifts of magicians.

In the morning, all the guys are going to the leader to drink and eat the gifts collected the day before and begin to share the caravans among themselves. Part of the collected gifts and money necessarily go to charity - to church or school. Everyone takes a loaf of their favorite girl. If rivals appeared on this loaf, they make bets, and which of the guys will put more money, the loaf gets it. The party with the leader sometimes lasts until the next morning.

In some parts of Bulgaria, Christmas (Koljada) is still celebrated in the Orthodox way - on January 7.