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© Julia Lazarova
In many European traditions, Christmas has a markedly Christian character: the English Christmas, the German Weihnachten, the French Christmas … Where did the Bulgarian Christmas originate from ?, Explains the linguist Ilya Zlatanov for Deutsche Welle.
In many European traditions, Christmas has a strong Christian name. Such are the Russian Christmas, the Italian Natale with the same meaning and the French Noel through sound transformations again from the same root, the German “holy nights” Weihnachten and the English Christmas “Mass of Christ”. In our country, the Nativity of Christ is the official name of the festival church, but we use the name Christmas extensively, which is a continuation of Roman traditions.
The Roman priests solemnly announced the beginning of a new month called Kalendae. Calendars, like the word calendar, derive from the verb calare – “to proclaim.” The January calendars were celebrated in the most solemn way – a feast of a new beginning and universal joy. In Justinian’s time, new Christian content was added to this holiday, which ran from Christmas to Epiphany. We take the word Christmas as a synonym for the Nativity.
Christmas, Krachun, Christmas
Christian symbolism is called to replace the pagan festival of the winter solstice. Then the sun “passes” from winter to summer, so the holiday was called Krachun, a name that Romanians and Hungarians keep as the name of Christmas. After this day, the day “shines”, so the month bore the old name of December, in our country January, and for Czechs and Croats December. The old name for December among Bulgarians and Albanians was kologeg due to the custom of lighting and rolling wheels as a symbolic image of the sun.
In western Bulgaria and in the lands of the former Yugoslavia, Christmas is called Christmas. This is the name of an ancient character that is sung in Christmas carols as the Young God. It is a symbol of youth and a new beginning and is opposed to Christmas Eve, symbolizing the old year. Christmas Eve is called a specially selected stump that is burned on Christmas Eve. In the name of Christmas Eve, scientists have discovered ancient Indo-European roots, similar to the Indian demon Ahi Budhnya (Ahi “dragon” of the deep – budhpa). Sometimes the Christmas tree is shaped like an old man’s beard and is called the Old God or grandfather. The burning of the Christmas log at the end of the old year symbolizes the destruction of the dragon by fire and marks the beginning of a new seasonal cycle, guaranteeing fertility.
Traditional and new customs
Ritual actions are performed with the Christmas tree, in which it is treated as a living being: they feed it, they give it wine from the jug to drink. For this purpose, a special dimple is carved into the stump – “the mouth of the Christmas tree.” They pour butter, honey, wheat into the dimple and then glue it with wax. In return, they hope that the Christmas tree will give them health and fertility.
The custom of burning a stump at Christmas has existed in other European traditions. Such are the English Christmas log “Christmas stump” and the French bûche de noël “the mouth of Christmas”.
At the beginning of the new era, traditions are changing. In many countries there was the custom of raising a decorated maypole, most often a birch, against Walpurgis Night. In northern German cities, they also begin to decorate the Christmas tree at Christmas, which they decorate with treats. Instead of the burning Christmas tree trunk, candles are placed on the Christmas tree to light up Christmas Eve.
Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Noel Grandma
The image of Christmas in England began to be personified as early as the 15th century, and two centuries later the name of Santa Claus appeared for the first time. Later it was merged with the image of Saint Nicholas, who distributed gifts to children. Among the Dutch settlers in America, the name of Saint Nicholas sounded Sinter Niklaas, colloquially Sante Klaas. In the 19th century, the American Santa Claus came to England and Santa Claus became a secret nightly visitor bringing gifts.
The Russian fairy tale hero Morozko has been described as a short old man who punishes the bad guys and rewards the good kids. In the XIX century, the writer VF Odoevski wrote the fairy tale “Frost Ivanovich” and gradually the folklore character became our familiar Santa Claus, accompanied by his granddaughter Snow White. After the October Revolution, Santa Claus, along with all the Christmas traditions, was persecuted, but in the 1930s he returned, this time to the New Year, which is a feast clean of religious symbols.
Now Santa Claus is popular in many countries of the world. In Turkey he is known as Noel Baba and in Japan as Santakurosu.
