Christmas around the world: in Romania
Chez les Roumains, la fête de Christmas a gardé sa signification folklorique et religieuse. Les cantiques de Noël (les « colindatori ») sont d’ailleurs toujours d’inspiration spirituelle pour annoncer la venue de l’Enfant-Jesus.
Customs and traditions
Every home decorates the Christmas tree with chestnuts, various nuts, apples, candies, and chocolates covered in colorful foil. This delicious tree will be preserved until the beginning of January, on Midsummer Day.
On Christmas Eve, children visit homes in their neighborhood to sing door-to-door. According to tradition, they receive donuts, pretzels, fruit, or money. In the evening, they accompany the family to attend Christmas Mass.
Upon returning, the younger ones go to bed while waiting for Santa Claus to come by. The older ones participate in the vigil with family and friends; they are sometimes lucky enough to meet Santa Claus, who then asks them to sing a carol or recite a short poem before he gives them their gifts.
Christmas dinner
In Romania, you need a hearty appetite to tackle the Christmas table. Sausages, grilled meats, all kinds of cured meats, beef salad, not to mention "sarmale" (a traditional dish of sauerkraut with pork and polenta), "ciroba de perisoare" (a fermented bran soup with minced meat), are among the many traditional dishes served to guests. The Christmas dessert is called a "cozonac": it is a large brioche filled with dried fruits and chocolate. To wash down these victuals, red wines and a typical brandy called "palinca" or "tuica" end the New Year's Eve on a joyful note.
