CHRISTMAS IN CROATIA traditions and songs

Advent or Došašće It is a period before Christmas that lasts for 4 weeks. In Advent we prepare for Christmas, for the birth of Jesus. Every family has a wreath with four candles on a table. On every Sunday of Advent, one candle is lit.

Christmas Eve or Badnjak Badnjak is on the 24 th of December. On that day we decorate our homes with a tree. We usually put the wheat plants and manger under the Christmas tree. People plant wheat seeds on St Lucy's Day (on 13 December). We tie it with ribbons and place a candle in the middle. Wheat plants are believed to bring good luck.

In the past, hay was brought in the house and put under the table. Children used to play on it. Christmas trees were decorated with red apples and candles.

We spend time together and go to the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. We don't eat meat the day before Christmas, so we prepare fish, especially cod fish.

Christmas or Božić is the day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The whole family gets together. In the morning we open gifts that are placed under the Christmas tree. We also go to church. Then we have a festive lunch. We eat turkey with „mlinci“. Mlinci are traditional pasta. We also eat French salad. That is a salad with cooked carrots, potatoes, pickles, peas and eggs mixed with mayonnaise and a bit of mustard.

For desserts, there are many kinds of traditional cakes, cookies or pastries. The most popular is orehnjača (a walnut cake) or makovnjača (a poppy seed cake).

Christmas songs

Zvončići Dolove i brijeg, zabijelio je snijeg, Sa saona kroz noć naš se čuje smijeh Okićen i plah, naš vranac juri svud, A zvona dalek zvuk pokazuje nam put. Hej, zvončići, zvončići, zvone cijelu noć, I ostaju u sjećanju što nikad neće proć. Hej, zvončići, zvončići, zvone na sav glas, Kroz tihu noć, čitav kraj, zvone za sve nas. Ponoć već je tu, za satom ide sat, Juri vranac naš, ko da nikad neće stat. Tiho pada snijeg, ko perje leti lak Prijatelj je drag, veseli mu se svak.

Zvončići

Sretan Božić svakome Snijeg svud pada Zvona zvone Srca mlada vesele se To je vrijeme ljubavi i mira Sretan Božić svakome Sretan Božić svakome (x4) Snijeg svud pada Zvona zvone Srca mlada vesele se To je vrijeme ljubavi i mira Sretan Božić svakome Sretan Božić svakome (x4) Usta se smiju U Beču i Riu Svi grijesi praštaju Pas će mačku poklonit' značku Skupa će poć' u zvjezdanu noć Vojnik će vojniku pružiti ruku Kinez će Eskimu Preko cijele zemlje poslat' čestitku veliku Ponoć je blizu Darovi stižu Cijelo društvo opet je tu Kad bi barem Božić bio Svaku baš svaku subotu

Sretan Božić svakome

Pahuljice padajte Pahuljice padajte meke i guste, na široke ceste i stazice puste, jer već se bliži onaj čas, kad nama do đ e Djeda Mraz x2 Osvjetlite zvijezdice putove, drume posvijetlite kućice, polja i šume jer već se bliži onaj čas, kad nama do đ e Djeda Mraz x2 Dječice pjevajte veselu pjesmu a svijeće na boru nek radosno bljesnu jer već se bliži onaj čas, kad nama do đ e Djeda Mraz x2

Pahuljice padajte

SRETAN BOŽIĆ IZ HRVATSKE! MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM CROATIA! Christmas in Croatia (All About Christmas - eTwinning project) Made by: 4th graders from primary school Mursko Središće and 3rd graders from branch school Hlapičina teacher: Ivana Šokman December 2013