Christmas Carols And New Year Traditions In Romania

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CHRISTMAS CAROLS and NEW YEAR TRADITIONS IN ROMANIA

I chose this subject because it’s an interesting one, it’s part of my culture and I have now the opportunity to show to others what traditions my people haves in the winter, in winter’s holidays, although less and less people respects them. When I was a little child, I was involved in there traditions: The Caroling The Goat Tradition The Little Plough Now, I just try to watch and listen them whenever I can. I think it’s fun, but now we’re kind of doing different stuff than listen carrols.

Christmas in Romania • Carols form an important part of the Romanian folklore. Romanian carols are not simple songs (a sort of invocation in verse sung by children and lads, on the evening of Winters Holidays) with religions origin, but wide windows through which we are allowed once in a year to go by the immaculate snow-towards the evergreen Heaven and to eye-touch God at least for an instant , in order to give us the power to surpass the life's obstacles. Carols put people in the mood for a perfect communion with the simple and healing greatness of Jesus' Birth.

• The carol singers walk in the streets of the villages and towns holding in their hands a star made of board and paper with biblical scenes painted in water colors and they sing: "Do you receive the pretty star, Pretty and so very bright? It Haseko we did in the sky Just like God thought it would be right, Stand it could be seen on high, Just like we did in the sky"

• On the first Christmas day, children walk in the streets of snow covered towns and villages, when holding in their hands a star made of board and paper with a biblical scenes painted in water colors or an icon showing Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, they sing somewhat of a question: • "Do you receive the pretty star, Pretty and so bright? It has appeared on the earth Just like God through it would be right And it could be seen on high, Just like we did, in the sky.

Romanian Winter Season Traditions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The Caroling * Colindatul The Star Carol * Steaua The Goat Tradition * Capra Bear Custom  * Ursul The Little Plough * Plugusorul Sorcova

The Caroling * Colindatul Traditionally, during the first hours after dark on Christmas' Eve is the time for children to go caroling and the adults stay home to greet them. As they go caroling from house to house, the children receive treats like candy, fruit, baked treats and sometimes even money in appreciation of their performance and as a sign of holiday good will. The grown-ups caroling goes on Christmas evening and night. The waits -young and mature people - gather in groups and they choose a leader. When they are in the front yard of a house, they perform their repertory to the host. The songs are always accompanied by dance. When the performance is over, the host invites the carolers inside the house for food, drinks and presents.

The Star Carol * Steaua

Children make a star using colored paper and then they put in its middle an icon of Jesus. Many of children decorate their star using shiny tinsel.  The “Star Carol” is a tradition during the 3 days of Romanian Christmas.   While holding the star in the hands the children sing:   "The star has appeared on high,  Like a big secret in the sky,  The star is bright,  May all your wishes turn out right…"

The Goat Tradition * Capra • Throughout the season, teenagers and young adults especially enjoy caroling with the “Goat”. The “Goat” is actually a usually boisterous young person dressed up in a goat costume. The whole group dances through the streets and from door to door, often with flute music. This tradition comes from the ancient Roman people and it reminds us of the celebration of the ancient Greek gods. • This custom is also called "brezaia" in Wallachia and Oltenia, because of the multicolored appearance of the goat mask. The goat jumps, jerks, turns round, and bends, clattering regularly the wooden jaws.

Bear Custom * Ursul • This custom is known only in Moldavia, a part of Romania, on the Christmas Eve. In this case a young person dresses up in a bear costume adorned with red tassels on its ears, on his head and shoulders. The person wearing the bear costume is accompanied by fiddlers and followed by a whole procession of characters, among them a child dressed-up as the bear's cub. Inspired by the crowd’s singing: "Dance well, you old bear, And I’ll give you bread and olives", • the bear grumbles and imitates the steps of the bear, striking strongly against the earth with the soles of its feet to the sound of drums and pipes.

The Little Plough * Plugusorul • Plugusorul is a small plough. In Romanian folklore is a traditional procession with a decorated plough, on New Years' Eve. This is a well wishing custom for the field fruitfulness into the new year. This custom arises from "Carmen arvale", a Roman wish for bountiful crops. The ploughmen are teenagers and children carrying whips, bells and pipes in their hands. • Mâine anul se-nnoieşte, Pluguşorul se porneşte Şi-om începe a ura, Pe la case a colinda. • Iarna-i grea, omătu-i mare, Semne bune anul are; Semne bune de belşug, Pentru brazda de sub plug."

Children are singing at their party too, where the honourgest is Santa

Mos Craciun

And then… there are the choirs, which relax and makes us feel we’re in heaven.

Byzantion Choir

Sorcova "Sorcova" is a special bouquet used for New Year's wishes early New Year’s morning. Children wish people a “Happy New Year!” while touching them lightly with this bouquet. After they have wished a Happy New Year to the members of their family, the children go to the neighbors and relatives. Traditionally, the "Sorcova" bouquet was made up of one or several fruit - tree twigs (appletree, pear-tree, cherry-tree, plum-tree); all of them are put into water, in warm place, on November 30th (St. Andrew’s Day), in order to bud and to blossom on New Year's Eve.

Hope you enjoyed my traditions, and , if you would like, you could try them one day. I know for sure I’ve tried some of yours. I liked some of them, and some of them I didn’t , but I’m sure you’ll like all my traditions. What can I say… I hope you didn’t felt asleep, and I hope you had a good time, ‘cause this is the ending. Have a nice day!

Authors: 1. Ailioaiei Loredana and 2. Bogdan Vintila students in Scoala Normala “Vasile Lupu” Iasi