ROMANIAN WINTER TRADITIONS

By Elena, Bianca and Cristina

Christmas

Our traditional food for Christmas is “sarmale”, stuffed cabbage rolls, but we also eat all kinds of pork meals, sausages and pastries.

We go Christmas Caroling the evening before Christmas. We sing Carols at our neighbours doors and we receive sweets, nuts and apples. We have special bags where we put all the goodies we receive.

The “goat dance”

“Capra” (the goat) is another winter tradition. People dress up in colorful costumes (one of them as a goat) and dance in the streets. It signifies the death of the old year and the birth of the new one. You can watch it on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHOtC4Y4fkI

St Nicolas

We also celebrate St Nicolas (Nicolae in Romanian) on December 6th. We receive little presents like chocolate in our shoes. That’s why children polish their shoes the evening before and put them in a place where St. Nicolas can see them .

Santa Claus

Santa Claus (Mos Craciun in Romanian) only comes on the 25th and places the presents under the Christmas tree.

Traditions during communism

Many Christmas traditions, especially the religious ones, were forbidden during communism so our parents could not celebrate Christmas like we do!

The end