As winter descends upon Romania, the air is filled not only with the crisp chill of the season but also with the warmth of cherished Christmas traditions. Rooted in centuries-old customs and a rich cultural tapestry, the festive season in Romania is a time of joy, reflection, and the coming together of families. Let’s delve into the heartwarming traditions that make Romanian Christmas celebrations unique.
In Romania, several customs are kept every year. The carol, the decorated Christmas tree or the rich meals are indispensable in all corners of the country, especially in the village, where traditions are best preserved.
1. Advent and St. Andrew’s Day: The Christmas season in Romania begins with Advent, a period of anticipation and preparation for the Nativity. St. Andrew’s Day on November 30th marks the start of Advent, and in some regions, it is believed that mystical events occur on this night, providing a mystical segue into the Christmas season.
2. Caroling and Good Wishes: Caroling, known as “Colinde,” is a beloved tradition in Romania. Groups of children and adults visit homes, singing carols and spreading good wishes. In return, they receive treats, fruits, and sometimes money. The songs often narrate the story of the Nativity and express hopes for a prosperous and joyful year.
3. Christmas Eve Feast: Christmas Eve is marked by a festive feast known as “Cina de Crăciun.” The menu can include fish dishes, especially a special kind of fish called “crap,” symbolic of abundance and prosperity, but also pork dishes: sausages, liverwurst, toba, caltabos, steak, pomana porcului, sarmale. Traditional sweets like cozonac, nuts, and a variety of fruits are also part of the feast.
4. The Birth of Jesus – “Moș Crăciun”: The moment of exchanging gifts occurs on Christmas Day when children eagerly await the arrival of “Moș Crăciun,” the Romanian Santa Claus. Gifts are placed under the Christmas tree, and families gather to unwrap presents, sharing in the joy of giving and receiving.
5. Religious Traditions: For many Romanians, attending the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is a significant part of the celebration. Churches are beautifully adorned, and the service includes the singing of traditional carols and the recounting of the story of Christ’s birth.
Caroling
One of the most beloved Christmas traditions is caroling. On the first day of Christmas, carolers go from house to house with the star in hand and announce the birth of Jesus to the people through songs and poems. It is said that the one who does not open the door to carolers will have an unproductive year and bad luck in the house, caused by the stinginess he has shown.
In Maramureș, adults also go to caroling, not only children. They are received by the hosts and treated with cakes, sausages, pork dishes, cakes and wine. The carolers walk from house to house with the “Star” and the “Goat”, performances spread in many areas of Romania, according to the book “Christmas Traditions” produced by the Bucharest Center for Creation, Art and Tradition. Something more special and consecrated in the area of Maramureş is the “Game of the Grandfathers”, the origin of which is believed to be the masked ceremonies of vigil nights, an ancient ritual honoring the dead. After caroling all night, the children and young people take their whips and go out into the streets of the village. Whoever gets in their way is “tailored” by the whip of the “elders”. The Maramuresi “grandfathers” generally wear a mask made of horned fur and knock on people’s doors to scare them and wish them a better year.
In some areas of Moldova, in addition to carolers, groups of masked people – “old ladies and old men” come out on the streets of the village, who through games, gestures and dialogue convey wishes for the coming year.
In Oltenia, the valleys resound with carols every Eve. The most widespread is “Steaua”, which is generally sung in groups of four. Each member has a role: one holds the Star, another is responsible for collecting the promised money, nuts and pretzels, while two others hold the sack and a club to protect themselves from the dogs.
In Banat, in the towns of Valea Almajului, the carolers take with them a stick of hazelnut wood encrusted in bark or smoked by candle. The stick is hit on the floor of the house to ward off evil spirits. The hazelnut being the godfather, in Romanian folklore, snakes and clouds are chased away with him, to protect the household from devils and bring prosperity. The elders throw grains of wheat and corn in front of the carolers. People believe that if they mix the grains that the carolers have passed over with the seed that they will put in the furrow, they will have a good harvest in the coming year.
In the area of Dobrogea there are also the so-called “mosoi”. These carolers with colorful masks have become an emblem for Luncaviţa, the only commune in Romania where the custom is still practiced. The carolers wear masks to symbolize the presence of the ancestral spirits who ward off evil from the path of the birth of Jesus and announce a more prosperous year, with peace and joy. The old men dress up in a floor-length coat, turned inside out, made of fox or rabbit fur, masks made of gourds, ram’s horns, colored ribbons, flowers and colored beads