In Croatia, Christmas is celebrated from December 25th and is preceded by the Advent season. Traditions include decorating an advent wreath and wheat that has been sprouting since Saint Lucy's day. On Christmas Eve, families clean their homes, cook fish for dinner, and attend midnight mass. Christmas day is spent with family, eating traditional foods like turkey and strudel while singing carols. Homes are decorated with wreaths, trees adorned with lights and cookies, and nativity scenes to celebrate the holiday.

1. Christmas in Croatia

2. Christmas
• Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the
birth of Jesus Christ
• The word Božić in Croatian comes from the diminutive
of the word God (Bog)
• We celebrate Christmas on the 25th December

3. Advent
• This is the time before Christmas
• It starts 4 Sundays before Christmas
and ends on Christmas Eve
• We make advent wreaths with 4
candles which we light every Sunday
before Christmas, they symbolize
hope, peace, joy and love

4. Christmas wheat
• On Christmas Eve, the
Christmas wheat, which has
been sprouting since St. Lucy's
Day on the 13th of December,
is tied with ribbon in the colors
of the Croatian flag – red,
white, and blue. Sometimes a
candle is also placed within the
wheat.

5. Christmas Eve
• On this day people make Christmas
meals, they clean and decorate the
house and cook dinner ( usually fish)
• After the dinner families go to church
to a midnight mass

6. Christmas Day
• Christmas Day is spent with family and
at church
• People are happy, they sing Christmas
carols and they spend time with their
families and closest friends
• They eat Christmas cookies and other
traditional food

7. Christmas food
• On Christmas Day Croatians traditionally prepare
turkey, lamb, roasted pork, sarma (minced meat
wrapped in cabbage), peppers stuffed with minced
meat, salads, freshly baked bread and traditional
Christmas deserts such as fritule (pastry similar to
doughnuts), strudels, walnut and poppy-seed cakes
and many, many more.

8. Christmas tree
• We decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve
• Long ago people used to decorate Christmas trees with
flowers or fruit
• Today we decoate it with Christmas lights and balls
• We put presents under the tree

9. Christmas decorations
• Besides sprouting wheat, Croatians
decorate their homes with wreaths and
trees. Licitar hearts or hand-decorated
cookies often decorate Christmas trees
in Croatia. Christmas creches are also
used for decoration in Croatia. Various
greenery, including evergreen boughs,
is a typical Christmas decoration.

10. Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year to all our project partners!