Christmas in Romania

Romanian folklores abound with Christmas carols. They are not just simple songs but a type of invocation in verse. Lads and children sing it in the evening of Winters Holidays. They have religions origin but are believed to be the medium in snow through which we can go to the evergreen Heaven once a year and catch the glimpse of God for an instant so that we have enough power and courage to surpass the life's obstacles. Christmas carols lend a religious mood to the festival and carol singers and children walk in the snow-bound Romanian streets of villages and towns holding a board and paper Star with biblical scenes or Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus painted in water colors.

Five days before Christmas, on 20th of December, a very sharp knife is used to cut the pig in the honor of Saint Ignatius and this ritual is known as 'Ignatius' too after him. It is washed nicely and covered with a piece of cloth for 10 minutes. Then, the housewife puts the straws in the pig's snout and covers it with burning straws and singes it. Then, the husband makes the sign of the cross on the pig's head and announces to the family - "Let's eat the pig!". Then, a feast is held known as the pig's funeral feast or alms and all the family, friends and neighbors are invited to the feast. Besides bacon, people also eat small pieces of fried pork and drink wine or plum brandy.