2. Bulgaria's Christmas Eve is celebrated with a meal consisting of an odd
number of dishes which follows the forty-day Advent fast. This vegetarian
meal includes grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Walnuts, in particular,
are found on the Bulgarian Christmas Eve table. These nuts are cracked in
order to predict success or failure for the coming year. Another special
aspect of the Bulgarian Christmas Eve meal is the round loaf of bread, into
which a coin is baked. The person who finds the coin will be rewarded with
good fortune.
The Christmas Eve dinner table may not be cleared until the next morning
to provide a meal for the ghosts of the dead family members who may
come back to visit before Christmas morning.
3.
4. In the past Christmas was celebrated
differently. There were boys and non-married
young men who were visiting the houses,
singing songs for wealth and health for the
hosts. They were rewarded with money or
food. They were bringing long sticks to
put kravai which are round breads with holes
in them. They were called koledaris
5.
6. In the houses the families gathered sitting on
the ground or on dry grass and eating
meatless food. There were 7 or 12 meals:
wine, Rakia , sarmy and so on. There always
was a huge round bread where all the cattle
and the house were carved.
