Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and the name “Božić” (Christmas) comes from the diminutive of the word “Bog” (God), meaning “little God,” marking the birth of Jesus.
This holiday has significant symbolism and is recognized in both Catholic and Orthodox traditions, although the dates of the celebration differ due to the use of different calendars.
Western Christians, who use the Gregorian calendar, celebrate Christmas on December 25, while Orthodox churches that adhere to the Julian calendar do so on January 7.
Some Orthodox churches, such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Church in Poland, Romania, and Greece, celebrate Christmas on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar, while many others have retained the traditional date.
For example, the Russian, Ukrainian, and Serbian churches celebrate Christmas on January 7 according to the old calendar.
Having in mind different cultures, faiths, latitudes, and weather conditions in the territories where this Christmas is marked—popularly called Catholic Christmas in some regions—it is understandable why there are great differences in the way it is observed.
Customs that are observed
The custom of placing a Nativity scene in churches, with figures depicting the poor stable conditions in which Christ was born, dates back to the 13th century. Believers also have such Nativity scenes in their homes.
Catholics often attend three liturgies: starting with the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve to welcome Christmas, then the early morning liturgy “zornica,” a small liturgy where communion is usually taken, and the “poldanica” or High Mass was attended during the day. Girls often attended the liturgies in various formal dresses.
Women prepare a rich Christmas menu the day before, and the lunch is festive and abundant, gathering the whole family at the table. Fruit, vegetables, meat, various roasts, bread, aspic, pastries, and numerous other dishes are eaten.
After lunch, Christmas is congratulated to relatives and friends, and then to other locals.
For the Christmas holidays, great attention is also paid to the Christmas tree, which has a special place in every family, and gifts are given to children who recite, sing, and play Christmas songs.
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Source: N1, Photo: Shutterstock/Debra Angel