CHRISTMAS

TRADITIONS

POSTOVARU DIANA ALEXANDRA

CLASA A VI-A B

LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

The legend of the Christmas tree has several interesting stories that have been passed down through the centuries.

At the moment of the birth of Christ, one myth says that every tree bore perfect fruit to bear tribute and honor to the Lord except the lowlyfir tree. This tree was ashamed of his statureuntil the Lord approached him and caused him to sparkle with light.One enchanting tale holds that a poor family generously took in a needy child near Christmas. This child was in fact the Christ Child. To repay this family for their kindness the child created a small lit fir tree outside the home to light the way for other weary travelers in need of blessing.

THE CAROLWord Origin

The word carol or carole is a medieval word of French and Anglo-Norman origin, believed to mean a dance song or a circle dance accompanied by singing. Broadly defined, carols express religious joy and is often associated to the Christmas season. Carols are also used to describe late medieval English songs on various subjects with a verse and refrain. Often the verse and refrain (also called burden) alternates.

History of Christmas CarolsIt is unclear when the first carol was written but it is believed that circa 1350 to 1550 is the golden age of English carols and most of the carols followed the verse-refrain pattern.During the 14th century carols became a popular religious song form. The theme often revolved around a saint, the Christ child or the Virgin Mary, at times blending two languages such as English and Latin.By the 15th century the carol was also considered as art music. During this time, elaborate arrangements were made and carols were considered an important contribution to English medieval music. The Fayrfax Manuscript, a court songbook featuring carols, was written by the end of the 15th century. The songs were written for 3 or 4 voices and themes were mostly on the Passion of Christ.By the 16th century though, the popularity of carols faltered, almost disappearing entirely if not for the revival that happened by the middle of the 18th century. Most of the carols we know today were written during this period.

Romanian cuisine is a diverse blend of different dishes from several traditions with which it has come into contact, but it also maintains its own character. It has been greatly influenced by Ottoman cuisine, while it also includes influences from the cuisines of other neighbours, such as Germans, Serbs, Bulgarians and Hungarians.Quite different types of dishes are sometimes included under a generic term; for example, the category ciorbă includes a wide range of soups with a characteristic sour taste. These may be meat and vegetable soups, tripe (ciorbă de burtă) and calf foot soups, or fish soups, all of which are soured by lemon juice, sauerkraut juice, vinegar, or traditionally borş. The category ţuică (plum brandy) is a generic name for a strong alcoholic spirit in Romania, while in other countries, every flavour has a different name.

Romanian cuisine

SANTA CLAUS• SANTA CLAUS, ALSO KNOWN AS SAINT NICHOLAS,

FATHER CHRISTMAS, KRIS KRINGLE AND SIMPLY "SANTA", IS A MYTHICAL FIGURE WITH LEGENDARY, HISTORICAL AND FOLKLORIC ORIGINS WHO, IN MANY WESTERN CULTURES, IS SAID TO BRING GIFTS TO THE HOMES OF THE GOOD CHILDREN ON DECEMBER 24, THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. HOWEVER IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES CHILDREN RECEIVE THEIR PRESENTS ON ST. NICHOLAS' DAY, DECEMBER 6. THE MODERN FIGURE OF SANTA CLAUS IS DERIVED FROM THE DUTCH FIGURE OF SINTERKLAAS, WHICH, IN TURN, HAS PART OF ITS BASIS IN HAGIOGRAPHICAL TALES CONCERNING THE HISTORICAL FIGURE OF CHRISTIAN BISHOP AND GIFT-GIVER SAINT NICHOLAS. DURING THE CHRISTIANIZATION OF GERMANIC EUROPE, THIS FIGURE MAY HAVE ABSORBED ELEMENTS OF THE GOD ODIN, WHO WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GERMANIC PAGAN MIDWINTER EVENT OF YULE AND LED THE WILD HUNT, A GHOSTLY PROCESSION THROUGH THE SKY. OVER TIME, TRAITS OF THIS CHARACTER AND THE BRITISH FOLKLORE CHARACTER FATHER CHRISTMAS MERGED TO FORM THE MODERN SANTA CLAUS KNOWN TODAY.

CUTTING PIGPig cutting Ignat on

December 20, before

Christmas is usually

purely Romanian. In

this day and prepared

pork chop households.

It is said that the night

before Ignatius hog

knife dreams and

compassionate people

are not allowed to

participate in cutting

the pig, because it will

die hard and the meat

will taste bad.

BIRTH OF JESUS• DOMNULUI.CA BIRTH EACH YEAR, ENLIGHTENED

FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST FILL YOUR SOUL WITH AN INEXPRESSIBLE SPIRITUAL JOY, BECAUSE THIS DAY IS PROMISES AND HOPES THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO MEN FROM THE BEGINNING, THE URGE TO GUIDE THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO SALVATION. LISTENING TO WONDERFUL STORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GOSPEL OF THE NATIVITY HOLY NIGHT, WE FEEL IN OUR HEARTS A MYSTERIOUS CALL TO TURN THE MIND IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MAGI FROM THE EAST, WITH EYES FIXED ON THE GUIDING STAR TO BETHLEHEM, WHERE CHRIST WAS BORN.

THE END