Christmas in Bulgaria

Christmas carolers……………………………………………………1.

Gregorian calendar……………………………………………………2.

Decorating in Bulgaria……………………………………………….3.

Vegetarian dinner……………………………………………………..4.

The christmas eve bread…………………………………………….5.

Visitation by ghosts…………………………………………………..6.

The birth of Jeasus……………………………………………………7.

Christmas meet……………………………………………………….8.

Walnuts…………………………………………………………………9.

Recipe for sarmi……………………………………………………..10.

Chrismas gifts……………………………………………………….11.

Peanut butter kiss cookies………………………………………..12.

Tomato-Butter Roast Chicken recipe…………………………….13.

Christmas in Bulgaria is very beautiful and fun, there are many different customs.

1.Christmas carolers

Bulgarian Christmas Day customs.
Koledari, or Christmas carolers, go from house to house throughout Bulgarian villages on Christmas, starting at midnight on Christmas Eve. These groups of carolers are typically made up of young men dressed in traditional costumes, which vary from region to region.

2.Gregorian calendar

Bulgarians celebrate Christmas on the same day Americans do, Dec. 25, though this is somewhat unusual because Bulgaria is an Eastern Orthodox country, and the traditional Eastern Orthodox celebration of Christmas lands on Jan. 7. Bulgaria’s Orthodox Church follows the Gregorian calendar, which means its religiousIf  observances are in keeping with those in the West.

3.Decorating in Bulgaria

If you’re in Bulgaria during the winter holiday season, you’ll experience holiday festivities, Bulgarian style: Cities like Sofia are bedecked in Christmas lights, and the Sofia Christmas Market is the ideal place for travelers to go in December for a full-on Bulgarian Christmas experience.

4.Vegetarian dinner

Those who follow Bulgarian customs closely invite an odd number of guests for a meal that’s made up of an odd number of dishes and this meal follows the Orthodox 40-day Advent fast.

This is a vegetarian meal, which for its participants encourages abundance in the coming year. It includes grains; vegetables, such as stuffed peppers; fruits; and nuts. Walnuts are most especially found on the Bulgarian Christmas Eve table. These nuts are cracked to predict success or failure for the coming year.

5. The christmas eve bread

Another special aspect of the  Bulgarian Christmas Eve meal is a round loaf of bread that has a coin baked inside. This custom says that the person who finds the coin will be rewarded with good fortune. Pieces of this bread are shared around the table and might be placed near the house’s icon.

6. visitation by ghosts

The hosts might leave the Christmas Eve dinner table as it is after everyone finishes eating and might not be cleared until the next morning to provide sustenance for the ghosts of ancestors who might come back to visit before Christmas morning.

7. the birth of Jeasus

A belief that is central to Bulgarian culture is the legend that the Virgin Mary bore Christ on Christmas Eve but only announced his birth the day after, on Christmas Day. Bulgarian Legend also has it that Mary was in labour from Dec. 20th until the birth of Christ. Dec. 20th is the Day of St. Ignat, or Ignazhden, in Bulgaria.

8. Christmas meet

Once the vegetarian fast has ended, everyone enjoys an enormous dinner on Christmas Day, with the main dish of some type of meat which is often pork.

9. Walnuts

Walnuts are a must on the Bulgarian Christmas table! Traditionally each member of the family cracks a walnut to determine their fate for the next year. It is believed that if the walnut is a good one the next year will be full of success, a bad one predicts bad luck.

10. Recipe for sarmi

Otherwise, all family have their own traditions and recipes on what they consider must be on the table. Although, Сарми (Sarmi) is a popular dish around Christmas as well. Sarmi is a meal where you either use leaves from grapes or white cabbage to fill them with rice, onion and parsley. You can also fill them with minced meat but then it won´t fit in for the vegetarian Christmas food.

12.Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

These are the four ingredients you’ll need for this crowd-pleasing peanut butter kiss cookie recipe:

· Sugar: These simple peanut butter kiss cookies start with a cup of sugar. Some reviewers suggest using a blend of white, brown, and confectioners’ sugars.
· Peanut butter: Make sure you get creamy peanut butter — save the chunky stuff for something else.
· Egg: One egg adds moisture and richness. Plus, it helps bind the cookie dough together.
· Chocolate candy kisses: Did you need another excuse to buy a bag of Hershey’s Kisses? Well, now you have one!

13.Tomato-Butter Roast Chicken recipe

• 1 1/2 lb.baby Yukon potatoes, quartered
• 2large leeks, white and light green parts sliced into 1/2″ rounds
• 1 tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 c.(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 c.tomato paste
• 1 tbsp.fresh thyme leaves