CHRISTMASin Slovakia

Lukáš Hurtík9.A

CHRISTMAS

Christmas is a feast of love and peace. It was so and still is. Traditional Slovak Christmas from about 100 years ago is quite distinct from that of today. Some customs and traditions, however, persisted until today.

Traditional Christmas tree

CHRISTMAS TODAY

Most of Slovakia's population are Christians and they respect Christian traditions. They celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ (25th December). We start to prepare for Christmas four weeks in advance, during a period called Advent. Advent means coming in Latin, it is actually waiting for the Saviour of the world. Each Advent Sunday one more candle on the Advent wreath is lighted.

Advent wreath

Before Christmas people go to church, decorate houses with Christmas trees and decorations, and buy Christmas presents for family and friends. Christmas holidays last from 23rd December until the Three kings Day (6th January). On 6th December there is the feast of St. Nicholas. Children receive candy from their parents. On the eve of Saint Nicholas´day the children clean their shoes and boots and put them under the window. At night their parents give them chocolates and candy or a wooden spoon if they didn´t obey in there.On Christmas Eve (24th December) people prepare for Christmas dinner from early morning. They decorate the Christmas tree, prepare various dishes: fish with potato salad, sauerkraut soup, various cakes and desserts. During the whole Christmas day they fast strictly. Eating may be up for dinner. Dinner begins when the first star appears in the sky. Family meet at the table, pray and start dinner. The first they eat wafers with honey, followed by soup and then fish with potato salad. Menu may vary according to customs and traditions in different regions of Slovakia. After dinner the family sit together in the living room, eat cakes, drink wine, talk, sing Christmas carols and unpack Christmas gifts. In Slovakia children believe that Jesus brings them gifts under the Christmas tree. At midnight many people go to a midnight Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

On 25th and 26th December families often stay together, go to church or visit relatives and friends. On 6th January - Three Kings Day - the Christmas season ends. People put off Christmas decorations and Christmas trees.

CHRISTMAS IN PASTIn the past people respected the customs of Slovakia more than today. In every part of the country they kept different customs. Winter habits began on Catherine day (25th November), which used to be the last folk festivity. The next Sunday advent began. On this day people ate garlic and made a cross on the door to be protected from witches. Four-week period before Christmas was called Advent. All the parties and weddings were banned, it wasn´t allowed to dance. Careful housewives cleaned all pots, skillet, spatula, not have them stay and not oily blob. Butter and lard during Lent save. They ate the simple foods, no meat. For breakfast they drank herb tea and ate dry bread, or bread smeared with butter. For lunch they had soup of beans, peas or lentils. Also boiled whole potatoes and dumplings. In the evening they had mostly baked potatoes without the salve, which served barrels sour cabbage. Children very fond cornmeal mush. An important food of the long winter and Lenten days were also fruit. Nowhere was missing and its stocks were large, because in the autumn months were collected plums, apples, raspberries and blueberries, and various medicinal herbs and mushrooms. Some of them dried, but most of them cooked jam. The first winter holiday was Nicholas. Nicholas walked around the village. He was dressed as a bishop, a had in a hand bell announce his arrival. Children got nuts, apples and the evil that would not obeyed, garlic, coal or potatoes. Evening

before St. Nicholas was no different from today. Perhaps only the gifts were more modest. Instead of chocolate, the children found the apple, pear or prunes. Thirteenth day of December, the girls ran from house to house dressed in white as Lucy. All the home had to pray. Lucies received flour, eggs, poppy seeds, nuts and jam. And from collected materials cooked cakes, which girls ate with a young mans. The biggest curious who want to see real witch, produced a wooden stool without a single nail. At midnight they issued with the crossing. Sat down in the midst of road and waited what will happen. Sometimes it happened that the witch really seen in the form of dressed young man who came here to scare them. While the boys scared at the crossroads girls were busy. The evening was secretly gathered and cooked noodles to stolen wood. But this was no ordinary noodles. In each dumpling was in the middle piece of paper in which was hidden the boy's name. The first dumpling, which surfaced , hidden name of the future husband. After reading the room could hear a joyful whoop, but silent mourning. On Christmas Eve housekeeper couldn’t leave the house. Baked fresh bread, cakes and prepare dinner. Throughout the day kept a strict fast. When father returned home, dressed tree, pine or fir , to solemn robes. Decorations were modest: candles, straw stars, gilded nuts, wafers and apples. Children were excited and anxious, when it comes the long awaited Jesus. The house was not allowed to shine, until the come first star. When this happened, reeve lit a candle and they all prayed. After prayer, the father cut the apple into as many parts as there were people around the table. Everyone had to eat their share, to be healthy. Elsewhere, the apple used to be split in half. If the star appeared, it meant happiness and health. If you see a cross, come sickness or death. Also tasted the nuts and wafers with honey to be sweet and peaceful life. Christmas dinner was modest and simple, without any frying. It was a tomato, wine or fish soup. Fish waved only wealthier villagers. Bones from fish, nuts and peel apples after dinner, collected and set asided. When a big storm, when the housewives or girls burned to eject away all evil. Children hardly wait to know the gifts. Were not as plentiful as today. For the girls mother made dolls from rags and for the boys smarter fathers made wooden horses. Children enjoyed the dried apples and plums. At midnight mass went all together. The only exceptions were small children and sick. On the first and second day of Christmas straddle people rhymes. On st.Stephen went to the village the shepherds in an unique clothing. Winter Fun ended by the New Year Eve and welcoming New Year. During this period, pig slaughtering took place, feast of the all family. Began to plan the wedding and shared dance and expect merry Carnival. Winter habits and traditions of our ancestors, of course, varied according to region and characterized the then period.

The importance of some Christmas traditions:

Lent to the east of the first stars - the man to prepare for a big celebration of

the birth of Jesus. Recalls that the world is also poor and hungry, who need help. Strict fasting by the church means : do not eat meat, to be saturated in the day may only once.

Washing in water with apple or money - to bring wealth, health and love.

Inserting the scales of carp in your wallet - so you all year will be rich.

Large money under the tablecloth - also has a scare poor from the door.

The Christmas Eve table plate and cutlery, in addition - a symbol of mercy, so you can regale a stranger.

Throwing nuts into the corner after dinner - the oldest family member throwing nuts into corners of the room, so that throughout the year in the house of plenty.

Honey cross on the forehead - it does head of the family or others in the family circle, to be humble and good as honey.

Some traditional Christmas dishes:

Carp with potato salad: traditional and tasty meal that is prepared until today

Carp with salad

Potato saladSauerkraut: Sauerkraut soup with sausage, mushrooms and dried plums

Sauerkraut

Gingerbread: Gingerbread traditional

Štedrák: cake composed of 3 layers: 1. layer - jam with poppy seed 2. layer - nuts 3. layer - curd

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR