Christmas in Romania

Christmas in Romania is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world.

The observance of Christmas was introduced once with the Christianization of Romania but it was then interrupted during the Communist period (1948—1989), as concepts as religion, Jesus Christ or the Church were banned. In the post-communist Romania, Christmas started being celebrated again more festively

The Christmas and holiday season starts officially on November 30, on Saint Andrew's day and ends on January 7, with the celebration of Saint John. Other major holidays in this period are Great Union Day, Saint Nicholas day, Saint Ignatius day, Christmas eve, Christmas Day, Saint Stephen day, New Year's Eve (named Revelion in Romania), and the Epiphany.

Music is an important part of Christmas celebration all over Romania. There is a special genre of music, related to Christmas carols but with more traditional / Christian lyrics. These are named colind ă Christmas music

During Christmastime, Romanian bake or buy various special dishes, including desserts, sweets or fries. Romanians most usually bake Cozonac, a somewhat of a Panetone made of flour, yolks, yeast and many other dependable ingredients, flavors, condiments and additions. There are several types of cozonac, with hundreds of recipes. You can either knead it for hours to be out in 6 hours or you can let it crease for 12 hours to avoid kneading it. You can fill the cozonac with chestnuts, cocoa, raisins or Turkish delights. Other Christmas dishes include piftie, sarmale. Christmas food

At the beginning of December the Christmas lights are turned on all over the streets. The same night, Moş Nicolae comes and gives children presents.[11] Children receive their gifts early in the morning of December 6 or late at night on December 5; traditionally, the gifts are put in their laced up boots.[12] Children are usually given sweets or books; if they have been naughty they get wooden sticks.

On December 23 is Noaptea de ajun, the day children usually start caroling their neighbours. On the same date women bake traditional cookies to give children for their caroling. By that time the Christmas tree must normally be already decorated.

In some parts of the country, there is a custom called "carrying the icon", which symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ. In the north of Moldavia, the Christmas Eve feast is made of fasting food. And no one is allowed to uncover the table, until the priest comes through the door.

There are other customs like the Goat tradition (Capra), where people dress in multicolored goat mask and costume and go from door to door in large groups, dancing on the flute tunes. this is an ancient Roman custom. Then there is the Bear custom (Ursul), known only in Moldavia, where young people dress up as bear and cubs and go out in groups to sing and dance.

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