The document summarizes Christmas traditions in Macedonia, which are celebrated from January 5-7. On January 5, wooden fires are lit in cities where people sing, dance, and celebrate. On January 6, children go from house to house singing carols to receive sweets and coins, bringing the news that Jesus will be born. Families have meals that day which include bread with coins baked inside for good luck. On January 7, people visit relatives and friends, exchanging well-wishes and presents. The holidays are a time for celebration, decorations, family gatherings, and commemorating the birth of Jesus.

1. Christmas traditions

2. We celebrate Christmas on
the seventh of January

3. On the fifth of January the Godfathers of the Event called Koledica’s wooden fire
organize wooden fire , meal, drink and music on some locations in the cities. People
sing songs, dance, eat food and enjoy in the festivities. We wait Jesus to be born and
we are all awake. The person who finds the coin in his bread is chosen to be the
Godfather of the Event next year. All the people who participate in the Event clean
the streets after the Event. This Event is a symbol that people accept God’s warmth
and light and the darkness and the ignorance are destroyed

6. On the sixth of January in the morning people go to
church (We call it Badnik)

8. In the morning children go from house to house,
sing Christmas carols and receive
sweets, nuts, fruit and coins. It is believed that the children bring the news that
Jesus Our Saviour will be born

9. People have a family meal in the
afternoon

10. The home made
traditional Christmas meal
Women make a home
made bread and they put
a coin in it. During the
family meal the person
who finds the coin in
his/her part of the bread
is believed that he/she will
be the luckiest person in
the family during the
whole year.
During the family meal we
have tavce gravce
(traditional meal made
with beans), sarma, fruit
and vegetables.

12. We have a Christmas tree
on our table

14. Christmas decorations

18. We do not go to
school on the sixth
and the seventh of
January. We
celebrate Christmas
The streets, the houses,
the shops are
decorated; you can see
Christmas decorations
everywhere you go.
On the seventh of
January we visit our
relatives and our
friends. It is the time
when we all talk about
who found the coin in
the bread, wish each
other Merry Christmas,
give and receive
presents and enjoy in
the holidays. We greet
each other saying Jesus
is born

23. Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year