Despite being an Eastern Orthodox nation, Bulgaria celebrates Christmas on December 25th, in line with Western customs. On December 20th, celebrated as the Day of Saint Ignazhden, the celebrations commence for the Virgin Mary’s alleged labor. The Orthodox Bulgarians traditionally feast on an odd number of vegetarian meals on Christmas Eve to portend a bountiful new year. It is believed that good fortune will come to whoever discovers the coin baked inside a loaf of bread. The Bulgarians have a big Christmas meal that usually includes pigs. Koledari, or carolers, begin their midnight Christmas Eve home visits at midnight to scare away ghosts and other bad spirits.
Christmas Traditions in Bulgaria
The most current census, taken in 2021, shows that 70% of the Bulgarian population identifies as Eastern Orthodox Christians. For Bulgarians, Christmas has deep religious and familial traditions:
- Advent: Advent begins on November 15th and continues for forty days in the Orthodox Church as a prelude to Christmas preparations.
- Budni Vecher (Christmas Eve) On Christmas Eve, also known as Budni Vecher, the most significant day of the year, the family gathers to have the traditional dinner. There should be an odd number of dishes served during the supper.
- Decorations for the Christmas Tree: The decorations for the Christmas tree are colorful in Bulgaria. Until the Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, the tree is left up as is usual.
- Koledari: Beginning at midnight on Christmas Eve, koledari, or Christmas carolers, make their way home to houses in Bulgarian communities to bring good fortune to the owners by singing Christmas music to them. Only boys participate in the Koleduvanes.
- Christmas Meal: Since Christmas is a fasting day in the Orthodox Church, people eat vegetarian dishes during supper. Pumpkin, walnuts, dried fruits, salads, bean or pea pottage, roasted potatoes, rice with veggies, and Christmas bread are the common foods.
- Gift-Giving: Globalization has made gift-giving a popular practice in recent years, even though Bulgarians did not historically celebrate it.
- Family Celebration: The Christmas season is a time for gathering with loved ones in Bulgaria, which is not common in every European country.
History of Christmas in Bulgaria
Christmas is also known as “Koleda,” “Bozhik,” or “Bozhich” in Bulgaria. Bulgaria adopted the Gregorian calendar as the official civil calendar on March 31, 1916. In 1968, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church established the celebration on December 25th instead of January 7th. The date regained its status as an official holiday in Bulgaria with a resolution from the IX National Assembly on March 28, 1990. According to the Bulgarian language dictionary, the term “Koleda” originates from the Latin word “calendae,” meaning “the first day of the month.” Various forms of this word include “Kolѧda” in Old Bulgarian.
Traditional Christmas Decorations
- Badnik: Bulgarian towns adorn themselves with Christmas lights and trees, a tradition that has recently grown in popularity. It is still customary for some to bring in a “badnik” or “budnik,” a traditional Yule log (usually made of an oak, elm, or pear tree), on Christmas Eve.
- Walnuts Wrapped in Tin Foil: A long-standing Bulgarian custom dates back to the Communist period and is carried out by many modern-day Bulgarians: they wrap walnuts and other items in tin foil and then hang them from the Christmas tree. Everyone in the family enjoys making these little crafts.
- Stockings: Bulgarian youngsters, influenced by American films, have also begun hanging stockings in the hopes of receiving more gifts.
- Dyado Koleda: “Dyado Koleda” (Дядо Коледa), meaning “Grandfather Christmas,” is Santa Claus’ Bulgarian name. This character is associated more with Slavic paganism mythology than Christianity.
Places to Visit at Christmas in Bulgaria
During the Christmas season, the picturesque nation of Bulgaria comes alive with decorations. To get into the holiday mood, consider visiting these locations:
Sofia
During the holiday season, visitors just must visit the capital city of Bulgaria, Sofia. At the city’s German-style Christmas Market, you will find mulled wine, German cuisine, wooden booths selling homemade goods, and charity exhibits. In the space between the National Theater and the National Art Gallery lies the market. Under snowfall, Sofia’s breathtaking architecture takes on an even more breathtaking appearance.
Plovdiv
In the heart of Plovdiv, adjacent to the city’s big Christmas tree and just in front of the Plovdiv Municipality building, you’ll find a German Christmas Market. At the market, you will hear local artists, children’s plays, and an atmosphere filled with a Christmas aura.
Veliko Tarnovo
In Veliko Tarnovo, the scenic Marno Pole Park becomes a merrymaking mecca every year as vendors set up their quaint wooden shacks and offer trinkets and mulled wine. The letters to Santa Claus can be sent to a special mailbox that is kept open here through December.
Shopping Malls
When you want to go from blah to boo in an instant, there’s no better place to visit than a shopping mall in Bulgaria. Because, traditionally, these places actually offer the most extravagant Christmas lights, decorations, workshops for kids to make crafts, and mini-handmade bazaars in the country.
Traditional Christmas Foods in Bulgaria
Bulgarians consider Christmas to be the most significant festival of the year. On the Eve and Day, the most traditional dishes are cooked. Honey cakes (mazhato), dried fruits and nuts (kavarma), salads (salata), cheese, and wine (vino) are popular Bulgarian Christmas foods and drinks, but there are many more:
Pitka: Baking soda is the secret ingredient of pitka, a circular bread that is devoid of dairy. As a lucky charm, the chef would hide a penny in the dough before baking it. Whoever discovers the coin will be blessed with good health and plenty. The oldest member of the group breaks the bread, setting aside a portion for the home and another for Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Sarmi: Stuffed grape or cabbage leaves with rice, sometimes meat, and spices—this is a classic Bulgarian dish. You can’t have Christmas Eve or Christmas Day without this meal. Traditional sarmi are prepared on December 24 with grape leaves and no meat and on December 25 with rice, beef, and cabbage leaves.
Stuffed Peppers: Another popular Christmas dish in Bulgaria is stuffed peppers. Stuffed with rice that has been prepared separately and baked, they are served hot. On the other hand, a lot of people load red peppers with beans that have been prepared separately and then baked on Christmas Eve.
Bob Chorba: Beans on Christmas Eve might also appear in another form: Bean soup, or Bob chorba, is a crowd-pleaser since it has its distinctive flavor from djodjen, or mint, and is prepared in a traditional clay pot in Bulgaria.
Kapama: On Christmas Day, many people eat kapama and the major ingredients are pork and veal, but there are also sauerkraut, rice, red wine, and spices like cumin, black pepper, and bay leaves.
Banitsa: Layers of puff pastry stuffed with cheese form a floral shape called a banitsa. Bulgarians like it as a sweet treat or appetizer during Christmas.
Zelnik: Another kind of pastry that is appropriate for Christmas is zelnik. The interior is filled with sauerkraut and has a shell that looks like an onion ring.
Tikvenik: The Christmas season is also a good time to enjoy this pastry. Inside a delicate shell that looks like an apple ring is shredded pumpkin filling.
