Romanian Christmas TraditionsRealizatori

Dragan Stefana-GeorgianaHarlea Casandra Maria

I DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN I SAY ON CHRISTMAS EVERY ROMANIAN FAMILY HAVE ON THEIR TABLE SARMALE, CALTABOSI, CARNATI AND TOBA.

BELOW YOU'LL FIND SHORT EXPLANATIONS OF THESE WORDS (AND MANY OTHERS) AND IN THE FUTURE THEIR RECIPES. ALL OF THEM BEING

PART OF THE

THE TRADITIONAL FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS IN ROMANIA

Romanian Christmas food generally use pork (except Advent food). Pork meat, animal's organs, fat and blood. Everything swine has inside is used. Some of them are used for Christmas holidays, others are prepared to be eaten later, till in spring.

A CHRISTMAS TREE IS A DECORATED TREE, USUALLY AN EVERGREEN CONIFER SUCH AS SPRUCE, PINE OR FIR, TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS. AN ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS

TREE IS AN OBJECT MADE TO RESEMBLE SUCH A TREE, USUALLY MADE FROM POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC).

THE TREE WAS TRADITIONALLY DECORATED WITH EDIBLES SUCH AS APPLES, NUTS OR OTHER FOODS. IN THE 18TH CENTURY, IT BEGAN TO BE ILLUMINATED BY CANDLES, WHICH WITH ELECTRIFICATION COULD

ALSO BE REPLACED BY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. TODAY, THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL ORNAMENTS, SUCH AS GARLAND,

TINSEL, AND CANDY CANES. AN ANGEL OR STAR MAY BE PLACED AT THE TOP OF THE TREE TO REPRESENT THE ANGEL GABRIEL OR THE

STAR OF BETHLEHEM FROM THE NATIVITY

The Christmas Tree

SPELLING PLAYS CAROL CARTMAN, A CONCEITED SENSATIONALIST TALK SHOW HOST. SHE IS CYNICAL, SELFISH, AND GENERALLY TREATS HER EMPLOYEES WITH COLD CONTEMPT. SHE HAS BEEN MOLDED THIS WAY BY HER

LATE AUNT MARLA (DINAH MANOFF). ON CHRISTMAS EVE, SHE IS HAUNTED BY HER AUNT WHO WARNS HER OF THE MISTAKE SHE MADE AND THE TERRIBLE FATE AWAITING HER IF SHE DOESN'T CHANGE. IN THE TRADITION OF THE ORIGINAL STORY, SHE IS VISITED BY THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. SHE IS SHOWN HOW SHE WILL DIE ALONE AND UNLOVED IF SHE DOESN'T CHANGE. AT THE END, SHE BECOMES A

WARM, CARING PERSON VOWING TO MAKE AMENDS. SHE GOES ON TO HER TELEVISION SHOW AND MAKES A TOUCHING SPEECH TO HER AUDIENCE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTMAS AND GIVING. AT THE VERY END, THE THREE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS REAPPEAR OUTSIDE CAROL'S SISTER'S HOUSE, WHERE CAROL DECIDED TO GO AFTER ALL FOR THE HOLIDAYS, AND COMMENT ON THEIR WORK AT TRANSFORMING CAROL CARTMAN, A TWIST NOT SEEN IN ANY ADAPTATION OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL UP TO THEN, AND WHICH WOULD BE REPEATED THREE

YEARS LATER, AT THE END OF BAH, HUMDUCK! A LOONEY TUNES CHRISTMAS.

The Christmas Carol

THE PIG SACRIFICE IN ROMANIA

WELL, IT’S PRETTY TRICKY TO PRESENT THE PIG’S SACRIFICE TRADITION WITHOUT RAISING SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING ANIMAL RIGHTS OR EU NORMS THAT PRETTY MUCH OPPOSE THIS

PRACTICE. NEVERTHELESS, THIS IS A TRADITION THAT EXISTS FROM PRE-CHRISTIAN TIMES WHEN THE SACRIFICE OF ANIMALS ON THE WINTER SOLSTICE HOLIDAYS WAS PART OF A MORE

COMPLEX RITUAL OF ASKING THE GODS TO BRING BACK THE LIGHT AND SUN.MANY SUPERSTITIONS STILL EXIST REGARDING THIS CUSTOM, USUALLY PERFORMED BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE TRADITION HAVING IT DONE ON THE 20TH OF DECEMBER, ON THE DAY OF

IGNAT. ALTHOUGH IT LOST ITS RITUAL PURPOSES, THE PIG’S SACRIFICE IS A STILL A POWERFUL TRADITION IN RURAL ROMANIA, HAVING VERY PRECISE SOCIAL AND UTILITARIAN IMPLICATIONS FOR FAMILIES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. IT’S ALSO BECOMING A TOURIST ATTRACTION AND ONE OF

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MANY WINTER HOLIDAY OFFERS. IT’S UP TO YOU TO LIKE IT OR NOT.

The Pig Sacrifice