Christmas Eve – (December 24) When Tradition Meets Modernity

Christmas Eve is a family holiday usually celebrated at home. Traditionally before the festive dinner the host puts a special log in the fireplace – budnik, which burns throughout the night. On Christmas Eve the festive meal consists of odd number of lenten dishes – 7, 9 or, 11. There is also a festive round loaf of bread with a coin put into the dough during the kneading. It is believed that whoever finds the coin in their piece of bread will be healthy and lucky throughout the following year.

Every year at midnight on Christmas Eve in the village of Zheleznitsa an old folklore tradition comes to live. Men called koledari take part in a ceremony called koleduvane. They are dressed in traditional costumes and wear specially decorated hats. They visit all houses in the village and wish prosperity, health, luck and success throughout the New Year.