Christmas Traditions (cont...)

The children went from house to house with a song or rhyme that they had learnt by heart. In the Orava region, children used to say the following rhyme:

"We wish you for this celebration as much milk as there is water, a pot full of cream, butter like a flower, but please give me some coins at once!"

As a treat people then gave them some sweets and money into their baskets, similar to the Halloween tradition of today.

Following the old Roman traditions, where important holidays were celebrated for days at a time, so the Christmas holidays were celebrated from 24th until 27th of December. However, according to the Church calendar, the Christmas cycle is actually from 24th of December until 6th of January (the day of the Three Wise Men). All the ceremonies, superstitious practices and hardships throughout this period were mostly performed to positively influence the life, health and the nature. People foretold each other what the harvest was going to be like, which girl was going to get married, which woman was to have a baby or even who would die. The prophecies started to gain a ritual character, such as people putting on masks and going round the houses, where they danced, said wishes and sang Christmas carols.

Christmas Traditions (cont...) >>

- Introduction

- Traditional Calendar

- Traditional Food

- Traditional Recipes

- Traditional Crafts

- Folk Music & Dance

- Folkgroup ORAVA

- Folkgroup Kubincan