THE ADVENT CALENDAR IN GERMANY

The advent calendar was initially intended to increase children’santicipation of Christmas. The calendar is originally made of cardboardand contains a Christmas motif with 24 numbered doors. From 1stDecember, every child who has an advent calendar is allowed to open asmall door every day, namely the door corresponding to the relevant dayof the month. Behind them are small pictures or sweets. Advent calendarswith different motifs can be bought everywhere. In some families, thereare self-made advent calendars with 24 small numbered parcels.

We have created an advent calendar for the Danube-Networkers where youcan find information about Christmas traditions and about some deliciousrecipes in the Danube countries made by Danube-Networkers participantsin the frame of the action “Christmas packages 2017” and some newcontributions and nice videos about Christmas traditions from 2018.

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Author: DE DN Ulm

Dear friends, we are happy to present you our traditions.

The first tradition, related to Christmas, is Steaua - traditional carol. ( the 'Star Carol'). The star, made of colored paper and often decorated with tinsel, silver foil and sometimes bells, is put on a pole. In the middle of the star is a picture of baby Jesus or a nativity scene. Carol singers take the star with them when they go carol singing. The words of the Star Carol are:

"The star has appeared on high,
Like a big secret in the sky,
The star is bright,
May all your wishes turn out right."

The tradition of going with steaua (with the star) is an old custom presented at Christian peoples. This tradition remembers the star that announced the birth of Christ and guided the three magi (wise men). Sorcova is an old tradition related to the New Year. In the first day of the year the children go from house to house and sing ‘Sorcova’. The small brooms are in fact the ‘magic wands’ that give force, health, youth and prosperity to the person who is touched by it.

In the old tradition of the Dacian people, when the New Year was celebrated in the spring, the small brooms were represented by the bloomed apple branches. Today the wands are made from a dry twig covered with tinsel. The words of Sorcova are:

Sorcova, the merry,
To live, to grow old
Like a pear tree, like an apple tree,
Like a rose, Hard like the rock,
Fast like the arrow,
Stiff like iron,
Strong like steel,
Happy New Year!

Another representative tradition is mask-dance Capra (goat) that tells the story of powerful magical practices that have the power of resurrecting the animal after it was charmed, a symbol of the death and rebirth of nature. Usually, the goat mask is made from wood, having on the head a picture of baby Jesus or a nativity scene.

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Author: MDA Tigheci Gymnasium Moldova

CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECIPES

The tradition in Croatia is to bake Christmas cookies and biscuits that are rather crispy and dry and can remain tasty for a longer period of time kept in a tin box like the ones we sent to the partner organizations from our group. Now traditionally these biscuits are loaded with sugar and margarine or butter, and calories. However since Europe House Vukovar implements the project “Food for Health” every year for many years now teaching our beneficiaries about healthy ingredients, we decided to make these healthy variants of Christmas cookies. They are a little less sweet but you can enjoy them in good conscience, especially since all ingredients are organic in origin.

 

SLADENJACI (“MALTIES”; slad = malt)

500g flour type 1300 (black)

3 tablespoons baking powder

150g margarine

160g corn malt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ of a teaspoon ground cloves

2 pinches of sea salt

50g almonds

All ingredients used in our cookies were organic.

Mix the flour with baking powder, add the margarine, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour boiling malt over the mixture. Knead a dough and roll out into a 0.5 cm thick surface. Use a mold to make round biscuits and add an almond to each biscuit. Be careful not to put them too close to each other on the baking tray because they will rise in the oven.

WHOLEMEAL GINGERBREAD

450g wholemeal flour

180g butter

150g ground walnuts

150g brown sugar

 2 Tablespoons sour cream

2 Tablespoons honey

Add spice: cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, pepper

Knead a dough, roll out into a 1-2cm thick surface, use a mold to make the biscuits, bake for 20 minutes at 180⁰C. Roll into icing sugar when baked.

ALMOND AND HAZELNUT COOKIES

60g almonds

60g hazelnuts

120g wholemeal flour

180g flour type 850

1 tablespoon baking powder (no salt added)

 50ml apple juice

100ml maple syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Some oil

Sugar free jam (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C. Roast the hazelnuts and almonds shortly in a pan stirring the whole time (2-4 minutes at low heat) until they are roasted from each side. Cool and chop.

Mix the flour with the baking powder. Add the walnuts and hazelnuts. In a blender mix the apple juice with the vanilla and the maple syrup. Pour over the flour and knead until you have a fine dough, adding some flour if necessary. On a surface powdered with flour make the dough that is 1 cm thick. Form biscuits with a mold and put them on the slightly greased baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes. If you prefer them sweeter, serve with sugar free jam.  

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Author: HR Europahaus Vukovar

 Hello!

We are members of the lasallian community who tries to follow into St. John Baptist De La Salle’s footsteps from our high school which is located in the eastern part of Romania in a village called Pildesti. Our high school houses 111 students, 17 teachers and 3 brothers and 4 members of the support staff. As you can see we are a small community but we compensate with our eagerness to help those in need. We often get the support of the lasallian families and from the Signum Fidei members who are affiliated to our community.

We are very pleased to make your acquaintance and to share with you these moments in the most magical period of the year when we open our hearts to witness the coming into the world of our savior Jesus Christ. We have the great opportunity to share with you short moments of our existence and to exchange information about us.

Romania is a country which values its traditions and the people here like many other from different countries of the world rejoice in the spirit of Christmas. It’s the best time of the year because we all get together and try to be better versions of ourselves. During the Advent period we prepare our souls and try to purify them trough good deeds. We have a special tradition in our school which consists of selling baked goods and using the money that we make to buy special treats and necessary groceries to a group of orphan boys who are in the care of our lasallian brothers from Iasi, a city situated 100 kilometers from our village. Every year around Christmas we visit them and spend a little time together enjoying the Christmas spirit.

During this period we also organize a Christmas show where our students have the opportunity to share the Christmas spirit by reenacting the nativity of Jesus, singing carols, dancing and making New Year wishes to those around them.

Romanians enjoy Christmas because it’s a time when family members get together and share stories and Christmas treats. We have special Christmas traditions such as: caroling on Christmas Eve, decorating our houses and the Christmas tree, attending the Christmas mass, exchanging gifts, drinking mulled wine (a hot drink made with red wine and various spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise seeds and orange peel,) and eating sponge cake made after a traditional recipe. Although the weather is quite cold and the streets are covered with snow and ice we feel the warmth and joy coming from our hearts.

During the New Year Eve we visit our relatives and we wish them a Happy New Year. It all starts in the morning of the New Year’s Eve when groups of children go from house to house performing “Plugusorul” (the little plow). Equipped with bells and even whips, the children recite or sing traditional lyrics, usually featuring some agrarian or historical myths, the main message being in all cases health wishes for the hosts and rich crops for the year to come. In the evening of the same day, groups of adults, dressed in traditional clothes and playing musical instruments, perform “Plugul” (the big plow), even bringing a plow with horses or bulls in more traditional villages.

The most colorful New Year’s Eve traditions are the mask-dances, magical ceremonials of death and rebirth, with a variety of representations from the animal world like goats, horses or bears. One of the most spectacular mask-dances is the “dance of the bear”, an iconic animal for the forests of Romania. Symbolizing the death and rebirth of the New Year, the dance of the bearbrings to the scene intricate costumes. The dance is usually accompanied by the music of drums that dictate the rhythm of the performance.

Another representative mask-dance is the “goat” that tells the story of powerful magical practices that have the power of resurrecting the animal after it was charmed, another symbol of the death and rebirth of nature. Usually, the goat mask is carved from wood, covered in fur, with a jaw that moves up and down and has horns from a real goat. The body of the goat is made out of a colorful carpet.

On New Year's Day, children wish people a Happy New Year while carrying around a special bouquet called a 'Sorcova'. Traditionally, the Sorcova was made of twigs from a Christmas tree or one or more fruit trees like apple, pear, cherry or plum.

 

We are very pleased that we had the opportunity to be included in this project, we appreciate and admire this great idea to exchange Christmas packages along the Danube. We included in our package our traditional Christmas sweets, our famous sponge cake and the recipe for it, Christmas cookies and also some Christmas ornaments made by members of our community: a Christmas wreath and some Christmas balls.

We hope that our little symbols of Christmas will bring you as much joy as we felt when preparing our package.

 

We wish you Craciun Fericit! (this means Happy Christmas in Romanian) and Un an nou fericit! (Happy New Year) and we hope you will spend magical moments with your loved ones.

 

With love,

the lasallian community from St. John De la Salle Highschool, Pildesti, Romania

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Author: RO La Salle Schule

Christmas in Ukraine

It’s on January 7th (but why?)

Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated on January 7 according to the Gregorian calendar as in most of other Orthodox Christian countries.

During the Soviet time it was not officially celebrated in Ukraine. Instead communist government tried to substitute Christmas with the holiday of New Year. But people did not forget their traditions. After gaining it’s independence in 1991 Ukraine started to celebrate Christmas officially as well.

There are numerous Christmas traditions here. They vary significantly at the different parts of Ukraine. Ukrainian Christmas is full of symbols of spiritual values.

Traditions. Vertep

In most parts of Ukraine on the Christmas Eve people create so-called ‘Vertep’ (means cave in ancient Greek). These are scenes from Bible of Jesus birth. They show little Jesus in manger, Mary, strangers offering their gifts and Bethlehem star in the sky. Those verteps are exhibited at public places, usually near or inside churches. At night candles are installed inside verteps for people who come to church for the night service can observe them.

Traditions. Didukh

Another tradition exists in some regions of Western Ukraine to decorate the table with ‘Didukh’ -- a sheaf of oats or wheat of special shape: with four legs and numerous little bundles. It symbolizes prosperity for the next year.

Traditions. Sviaty Vechir

Christmas Eve on January 6, or as it called 'Sviatyi Vechir' in Ukrainian ('Holy Evening') is filled with numerous customs and rituals. According to custom, all members of the family should be that night for a family reunion. The customs also include: decorating house and dinner table with special attributes (garlic, hay and others), placing didukh, performing koliadky ('carols') and others. Each ritual has its own meaning and purpose, as such a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the Christ Child manger in Bethlehem. One the most prominent customs of the night is a special supper, called Sviata Vecherya (Holy Supper).

The first star in the eastern sky announces the time for the commencement of the meal. It is the children’s duty to watch for the star. Each member of the family, dressed in holiday attire, awaits the customary ritual opening. This is done by the master of the household who brings a sheaf of what called “did” or “didukh” (grandfather), a symbol of gathering of the strong family, and greets his family with traditional salutations, expressing joy that God has favoured them with good health and general well-being. In the cities this tradition has been modified, and the sheaf is replaced with a few stalks of wheat which are placed in a vase, or they may be used as a table decoration.

Traditions. Food

The supper on Holy Night differs from other evening meals, having twelve Lenten dishes, symbolic of the twelve Apostles who gathered at the Last Supper.

The table is set according to time-honoured custom. Bread (kalach), symbolizing prosperity, constitutes the central table decoration.

The dishes are prepared with a vegetable shortening or cooking oil, omitting all animal fat, milk and milk products because Christmas is preceded by a period of fast which ends on Christmas Day after midnight or morning church service.

The first and indispensable dish is ‘Kutya’, a preparation of cooked wheat dressed with honey, ground poppy seed, raisins and chopped walnuts. This ritual dish, of a very ancient origin, has survived hundreds of generations without losing its importance in the Christmas festivity. it starts the meal in a ceremonial manner.

In Zakarpattia kutya is often neighboring or substituted by ‘Bobal’ky’ - full-flavored little Christmas biscuits, sprinkled on top with honey and decorated with poppy seeds.

Kutya may be followed with an appetizer of pickled herrings or pickled mushrooms, or with a serving of red borsch, after which comes one or more preparations of fish and various other traditional dishes.

Another traditional dish - ‘Varenyky’ (dumlings) with a wide variety of fillings (including cabbage or sauerkraut, mashed potato, mushrooms and crushed poppy seeds), are among the most popular dishes. Mushrooms, especially dried or pickled, are also one of the main ingredients used in Christmas Eve dishes. Saurkraut, beens, potatoes and wild mushrooms are also served in Ukraine for Holy Supper.

‘Uzvar’ together with ‘Kutya’ is one of two dishes central to Christmas table. ‘Uzvar’ - the spiced fruit compote is not only delicious, it has a heady perfume. It’s simple, healthy and can be varied based on what’s available in the cupboard. Dried apples, pears, apricots and dried by smoking plums.All of those are boiled in water with honey or sugar at the end.

At the Christmas Suppoer everyone must have at least a small serving of each of twelwe dishes.

Traditions. Kolyadky

At the end of the Sviata Vechera (Holy Supper) the family often sings ‘Kolyadky’ or ‘Shchedrivky’ - Ukrainian Christmas carols. In many communities the ancient Ukrainian tradition of caroling is carried on by groups of young people and members of organizations and churches calling at homes and collecting donations. The Ukrainian song 'Shchedryk' became the basis for the world famous Christmas carol, 'Carol of the Bells'.

Children in Western Ukraine go carolling from house to house. They perform Christmas carols like these:

'Radujsia zemle, radujsia. Syn Bozhyj narodyvsia.' -- Joy, Earth, Joy. The Son of God was born.

'Dobryj vechir, Sviaty vechir. Dobrym liudiam na zdorovja.' -- Good evening, Holy evening. To good people for good health.

The singers always receive gifts from the mistress or master of the house, or whoever is at home, of a sausage, or a loaf of bread, sweets or money, depending on what they have.

People mostly sing about the nativity of Christ; at the end they wish the master, mistress, their children and all the household the best of health, abundant harvest and prosperity for the next year.

Traditional Christmas greeting

Traditional Christmas greet is “Khrystos Narodyvsya” (Christ is born), to which all reply in unison: “Slavim Yoho!” (Let us glorify Him).

The most important thing about the Ukrainian Christmas is the mood. And it can only be created by hospitable and good people.

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Author: UA Ukraine

High School Jan de La Salle, Bratislava, Lubica Rompfová

Our Slovak Christmas Eve!

In the morning, we stand up very early, it is much to do. We are fasting the whole day. We start with the preparation of the festive dinner already before midday. At the same time the Christmas tree is decorated. In some families however, the tree is decorated already a few days earlier. In the afternoon, one of the family goes to the church to get the Bethlehem Light.

When setting the table, one places fish scales under the plates. The Christmas dinner starts around 18:00. But before the dinner, we pray together and read from the Bible. All family members throw nuts in the corners. One cuts also an apple, so that the whole family can see, if they will have a good year. At the table the father makes a honey-cross on the forehead. Only then, the first course can be eaten. The starter is usually wafers with garlic and honey. Then comes pickled cabbage soup with mushrooms and plums. In some families, also lentil soup or fish soup is eaten. Then one eats mashed potatoes with pearl barley and milk, or the so called „pupáky“ (cut pastry in milk, sprinkled with poppy seed). Then comes the main course - carp with potato salad. At the end one eats cookies. Then we go together to the Christmas tree, where many presents wait for us. When opening the packages, we talk together, laugh and enjoy the nice time. At midnight, we go together in the church to the midnight mass.

The whole day we listen to Christmas songs and the children watch fairy stories in the TV.

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Author: SK Slowakei

THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAYS

 

In Serbia Christmas Eve is celebrated one day before Christmas and it is the last and the strictest day of Christmas fasting. It represents great happiness because it precedes the day when Christ was born. Here is an opportunity to find out more about the tradition related to the Day before Christmas, Christmas Eve and Christmas Days.

The Day before Christmas

The Day before Christmas (Serbian Бадњи дан) was named after an oak branch – Yule log (Serbian бадњак) which is cut down, taken into the house and burnt. There are various customs related to this day, only few of which have survived to this very day. However, it is possible that in some remote parts of Serbia the head of the family takes the hunting gun and goes early in the morning to cut down a Yule log which is then kept near the house until evening when it is time to take it inside and put it on the fireplace. Nowadays the customs are adapted to the modern times, so the Yule log is usually bought at the market an evening before Christmas or on Christmas morning, taken into the house and placed beside or near the icon of the saint patron of the house.

Food on the Day before Christmas is entirely vegan (without meat, dairy products and eggs) and the dishes which are most common are fish, stewed sauerkraut and baked beans or mashed beans, served with cabbage or potato salad. In some parts of Serbia there is a custom of having a glass of red wine with a cornel seed for lunch for joy and good luck during the whole year. The middle of the table is traditionally decorated with a wicker basket full of nuts and dried fruit.

The tradition of cutting down a Yule log is related to Bethlehem shepherds. Upon seeing the Star as a sign of the birth of Christ the Savior, they cut down Yule log branches and took them into the cave to start a fire and keep Christ and His Mother warm.

 

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve the head of the house with his sons takes the Yule log, straw and ham inside. The straw is then scattered all over the house, especially on the place where the dinner will be served. The Yule log is placed on the fireplace, the candle is lit and the household members wish each other a happy holiday and read a prayer after which they start eating and enjoy family peace and quiet. It is believed that on this day or evening you should return everything that you have borrowed and make peace with everyone you have had a discord with in order to have a peaceful and harmonious following year. This tradition is a bit changed in the city, so it is not unusual to see crowds of people gathered in churchyards burning Yule logs together, rejoicing and singing Orthodox songs.

Christmas

Christmas is the merriest Orthodox holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The celebration involves three days. Christmas morning starts since dawn with bells ringing in all Orthodox churches and temples; in some parts of Serbia the head of the family shoots his gun; people wear festive clothes and go to church for Christmas liturgy; people greet each other with the words “Christ is born” (Serbian “Христос се роди”) followed by the answer “Indeed he is” (Serbian “Ваистину се роди”). In the city, however, this tradition is a bit different, so a lot of citizens watch the liturgy on TV.

The tradition implies that the first person who enters our home on Christmas is the first visitor (Serbian положајник) – a friend of the house who should provide the house and its inhabitants with health, happiness, prosperity and peace. Symbolically speaking, the first visitor represents the Three Wise Men who followed the Star in the East and who brought Christ incense, gold and scent as gifts at His birth. This occasion brings a whole series of rituals performed by the first visitor in order to make sure the abovementioned happens: the first visitor opens the door of the stove, pokes the fire saying the rhymes: “As many sparks as much luck, as many sparks as much money” (Serbian “Колико варница толико срећица, колико варница, толико парица”), thus summoning prosperity into the home the first visitor entered. After the performed duty, the first visitor receives a suitable present by the housewife.

In the early Christmas morning, the housewife bakes Christmas bread (Serbian чесница) – a kind of bread where she puts a coin, makes little holes on top with a Yule log twig and bakes. Housewives also used to put a cornel seed into Christmas bread for good health, as well as a bean seed, a corn seed, a wheat seed and parts of the Yule log. Christmas bread represents Saint Patron’s Bread on Christmas. When it is finished, it is brought to the table, turned around like Saint Patron’s Bread, poured over with wine and, finally, broken into the number of pieces as of the number of household members. It is believed that the person who gets the piece of Christmas bread with the coin will be happy during the whole year. The breaking ceremony is followed by wishing happy holidays to each other and having lunch, the first fat food meal after a long lent.

It is customary not to pay visits at Christmas, because the following two days have a purpose of gathering a family who will spend this most joyous Orthodox holiday together in cozy family surroundings.

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Author: RS Novi Sad Teach us All

Mothers’ Center “Plamen”, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Center for mothers „Plamen“ organizes the Gread Costume Party for Children and their parents every year before the New Year, where the expert jury selects the most original costume of children.

At the Costume Party Santa Claus shares the chrildren´s presents, dances and sings with various mascots.

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Author: BA Zavidovici

Kik vagyunk mi?

Angyalföldi Nagycsaládosok Egyesülete

1994-ben, a Nagycsaládosok Országos Egyesületének csoportjaként kezdtük meg tevékenységünket.

Feladataink:

— Gyermekeink egészséges életmódra, valamint környezetvédelemre való nevelése.

— Ösztönözzük az egymást követő nemzedékek harmonikus viszonyának kialakulását, a hagyományok ápolását, segítjük több nemzedék együttélési feltételeinek a megteremtését.

— Szociálisan támogatni, segíteni a rászoruló családokat.

— Javaslatokat teszünk és terjesztünk elő az önkormányzat és a társadalmi szervezeteknek a családokat (különösen a nagycsaládokat) érintő ügyekben.

Who are we?

Association of Large Families of Angyalföld

(XIII.^th district of Budapest)

We began our activity in 1994 as a group of the National Association of Large Families.

Our aims, objectives:

— Education of children for healthy way of life and for protection and preservation of environment.

— Encourage of the formation of harmonic relations between different generations, keeping of traditions, creation of the conditions for coexistance of several generations (joint families).

— Social assistance for poor families.

— Representation and protection of interest of families and children: proposals to the municipality and other social organisations for solving of problems of families.

Karácsonyi Hagyományok

Magyar Karácsonyi Hagyományok

Szenteste a szeretet ünnepe, ekkor együtt vacsorázik az egész család. Katolikus családokban halat, főleg halászlevet esznek, protestáns családoknál töltöttkáposztát, kocsonyát. Az egész Kárpát-medencében a magyarság legjelemzőbb karácsonyi süteményei a diós-mákos tekercs (beigli), a mézeskalács, a dióskalács és az egyszerű kalács. A német eredetű karácsonyfa állítás csak a XIX. század második felében, a XX. század első felében terjedt el a Kárpát-mencében. A fenyő az örök életet és az újjászületést jelképezi. A karácsonyfát szenteste diszítik fel a szülők, amíg a gyermekeket elviszik szánkázni vagy sétálni. A karácsonyfát és az ajándékokat a protestánsoknál az angyal hozza, míg a katolikusoknál, „Jézuska”. A karácsonyfát mézeskaláccsal, dióval, szaloncukorral, színes gömbökkel, almával és gyertyával díszítik. Protestáns vidékeken nemcsak falvakban, hanem városokban is fiatal férfiak újabban nők is ismerősökhöz, rokonokhoz karácsonyestén kántálni járnak. Ilyenkor karácsonyi egyházi énekeket énekelnek. A kántálókat megkínálják karácsonyi süteményekkel, borral, pálinkával, a fiatalabbaknak pénzt is adnak. Elsősorban a katolikusoknál szokás a betlehemezés: a rövid színjáték feleleveníti Jézus születését. Falvakon a betlehemesek most is házról-házra járnak. Játékuk után az előadokat süteménnyel, pálinkával, borral kínálják meg. Városi és falusi templomokban szenteste egyaránt előadnak betlehemes játékokat. Ezt éjféli mise előtt szokás eljátszani.

Christmas traditons

Hungarian Christmas traditions

Christmas Eve is the holiday of love, when the whole family have dinner together. Catholic families have for dinner fish, mostly fish soup, while protestant families stuffed cabbage and jelly. Characteristic Hungarian Christmas cakes for the entire Carpathian Basin are: walnut and poppy-seed roll (beigli), gingerbread, walnut cake and simple cake. Making Christmas tree is a German tradition, which was spread throughout the Carpathian Basin in the second half of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century. Pine symbolizes eternal life and rebirth. Christmas trees are decorated on Christmas Eve by parents, while children are taken to sleigh-ride or for a walk. The Christmas tree and the gifts are brought by angel to Protestants and by little Jesus to Catholics. The Christmas tree is decorated with gingerbread, nuts, sugar, fondant, color balls, apples and candles. Young men and - in our days - also women of Protestant areas are going to sing religious songs (kántálás) to acquaintances and relatives on Christmas Eve. People offer them Christmas cakes, wine, brandy. There is mostly a Romano Catholic tradition the revival of Jesus’ birth by presenting a short playlet (betlehemezés). Players (betlehemesek) go from house to house in villages. After their presentation people offer them Christmas presents. These kind of playlets (betlehemes játékok) are presented in many of urban and rural churches on Christmas Eve before the midnight mass.

Karácsonyi diós-mákos tekercs (diós-mákos beigli) elkészítése

Hozzávalók

A tésztához ( 3 rúd):
1 pohár tejföl ( 2 dl )
1 pohár sertés zsír
2 egész tojás
3 evőkanál cukor
1 kávéskanál só
1 csésze élesztő ( 5 dkg )

A töltelékhez ( 3 rúd):
50 dkg dióbél vagy 50 dkg mák
40 dkg cukor
tej, amennyit felvesz a dióbél vagy a mák a pépes állag kialakulásáig
2 tasak vaniliás cukor

Az elkészített tekercsek kenéséhez:
2 tojás

A tejfölt, a zsírt, a tojást a cukorral és a sóval jól összekeverjük, belemorzsoljuk az élesztőt és összegyúrjuk a liszttel. Nem túl kemény tésztát készítünk. Három részre osztjuk, három cipót készítünk. Előre elkészítjük a tölteléket: a darált mákhoz vagy dióhoz hozzáadjuk a cukrot, a vaniliás cukrot, kevés forralt tejet, összekeverjük. A keveréket hagyjuk kihülni. A tölteléket még mazsola vagy reszelt citromhéj hozzáadásáal is ízesíthetjük. Kinyútjuk a cipókat kb 1/2 cm vastag téglalap alakú lapokra, és megkenjük a töltelékkel. Feltekerés előtt a lapok rövidebb két végét kb. 1-2 cm szélesen ráhajtjuk a töltelékre, hogy a töltelék ne hulljon ki később a tekercsből. Feltekerjük az így elkészített lapokat, a tekercseket kétszer megkenjük a jól elkevert 2 tojással (az első kenés után várunk amíg a tekercsek felülete megszikkad), majd a tetejüket megszurkáljuk villával és már süthetjük is kb. 180 fokon.

Preparation of the walnut and poppy-seed roll (beigli) for Christmas

Ingredients

For the dough ( 3 rolls):
1 cup of sour cream ( 2 dl )
1 cup of lard
2 eggs
3 spoon of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of yeast ( 5 dkg )

For the filling ( 3 rolls):
50 dkg nutmeat or 50 dkg poppy-seed
40 dkg sugar
milk, enough cantity to obtain a pulpy texture
2 bags of vanilla sugar

For spreadding of rolls:
2 eggs

Mix well the sour cream, fat, sugar, salt and the eggs. Crumble the yeast into the mixture, add the flour and knead the dough (not to stiff). Divide the dough into three parts. Prepare the filling: add the sugar, vanilla sugar and some boiled milk to the ground poppy or the ground walnut, then mixed them. Let the mixture to cool down. Raisins and grated lemon peel can also be added to the filling. Roll out the dough pieces into a 1/2 cm thick rectangle and spread them with the filling. Fold back a 1-2 cm strip at the shorter sides of the sheets (prevents the filling from falling out). Roll the prepared rectangle sheets up, spread them twice with the mixture of the two eggs (wait until the rolls’ surface will be dry after the first treatment), and prick the top of the rolls with a fork, then bake them at approx. 180 degrees.

Ady Endre Endre Ady

Karácsony Christmas

Harang csendül, Bell silence,
Ének zendül, Song sounds,
Messze zsong a hálaének, The paean buzzes far,
Az én kedves kis falumban In my kind little village
Karácsonykor At the time of Christmas
Magába száll minden lélek. All souls fly into himself.

Minden ember All men
Szeretettel With love
Borul földre imádkozni, Falls onto land to pray,
Az én kedves kis falumba Into my kind little village
A Messiás The messiah
Boldogságot szokott hozni. He brings happiness.

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Ha ez a szép rege If this is the beautiful tale
Igaz hitté válna Would turn into true faith
Óh de nagy boldogság Oh but big happiness
Szállna a világra. He would be inherited by the world.

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Golgotha nem volna Golgotha would not be
Ez a földi élet, This eartly life,
Egy erő hatná át A strength would pervade it
A nagy mindenséget, The big Universe,
Nem volna más vallás, There would not be an other religion,
Nem volna csak ennyi: There would not be only this much:
Imádni az Istent To adore the god
És egymást szeretni… And each other to love…
Karácsonyi rege, Christmas tale,
Ha valóra válna, If he would come true,
Igazi boldogság Real happiness
Szállna a világra… Would fly on the earth…

Learn how 2 solve the Rubiks Cube with the layer method, learning only six algorithms.

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Author: HU Traditions Association of Large Families of Angyalföld

Dear friends, this letter has been sent to you from Ljubljana

Slovenia and Slovenian Third Age University, a netwok of 52 universities

www.utzo.si

involved in numerous interesting projects. Have a look at a featured film we recently produced in the CINAGE project. This will give you a better idea of who we are and what we do.

Ples limon.

Lemon dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4nwMGoX65I

Slovenia

is a South Central European country with a population of about two million. The capital city is Ljubljana. If you know Salzburg, you will easily picture what Ljubljana is like. There is a castle, there is a river, there is typical Austrian architecture in the centre of the town.

The Slovenian territory used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, In 1991 after a short ten-day war the new independent Slovenia was established. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have made possible Slovenia's rapid transformation towards a modern democratic state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004; it joined the euro zone and the Schengen zone in 2007.

In our baking group

there are retirees learning English.

Vera is a retired oncologist. She used to be Slovenian ambassador of knowledge. She likes studying. She‘s happy to have time enough to study something else but medicine, now.

Tatjana. She’s a retired economist who worked for LEK Bayer, a national pharmaceutical company.

Lučka is a retired engineer. She’s enthusiastic about different topics and English in general. She also works as a volunteer teaching English people with head injuries.

Vikca is a retired accountant She used to adore coffee. She used to be a coffee person, but this not the case anymore. She is very nice. Whenever I have a financial problem, I go to Vikca. She’s got grandchildren and a son who lives in Austria, and some grandchildren live in Ljubljana. She likes them a lot and we like her.

Jelka is a retired teacher of English. She’s got a grand daughter in China, A little Chinese girl.

Alojz, I do not know what to say. He’s got so many different degrees. He’s very smart, though he is not talkative.

Mateja, worked as a researcher for LEK, Now she is retired but she still teaches at a tertiary school young students of cosmetic. Her English is so good. She’s got a partner in Australia.

Jože is a mechanical engineer and he was also responsible for staff in a big oil company. Recently he has had some eye problems and we were worried, He is fine now. He is very kind.

Metka is our “Polish” girl. She speaks Polish and she is knowledgeable about Polish culture. It is not frequent that somebody speaks another Slavic language.

She used to work for a ministry and she had to travel a lot to meetings in Brussels.

Helena used to a have a high position in our national bank. She’s nice. When our group went for a study visit to New York we shared a room. She was great fun.

Franček is a retired mechanical engineer and so is Marko. They are both very sociable and they are now good friends. Franček helps me, his teacher, with all sorts of technical problems.

Miran is the philosopher of the group. He likes thinking, defining, understanding concepts. He used to be the deputy director of Slovenian Radio and Television responsible for technological matters.

Me, Dušana, a university teacher, specialised in adult education, I am also their teacher of English.

Marko, Alojz, Jože, Lučka in Freiburg

Marko, Jože……

Medenjaki. Slovenian Cinnamon Honey Cookie Recepie

 Do make sure they are 1/4” thick. These cookies are thick, cake-like and homey.

 Use the same name brand cookie sheets otherwise the baking time will vary. Opening and closing the oven door to check on cookies is not the best!!

 Always purchase two of the same baking pans/sheets.

We like to bake one pan at a time, when a sheet comes out, the other goes in. It makes for better baking. 

Recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup clover honey, or other mild honey

Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges

3 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg yolk

2 eggs

GLAZE: 1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons water

Combine the butter and honey in a large saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts. Remove saucepan from the heat. Stir in orange zest and let stand until mixture cools to room temperature.

Meanwhile, thoroughly stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.

Separate one of the eggs and set the white aside in a small bowl.

Add egg yolk and 2 eggs to the cooled honey mixture and beat with a wooden spoon. Stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours or up to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375º F. Grease baking sheets and set aside.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. If it seems too stiff to roll out, knead briefly to soften slightly. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick, dusting rolling pin frequently with flour and lifting the dough to make sure it isn’t sticking.

Using a 2 1/4 inch plain round cutter or the rim of a small drinking glass, cut out the cookies. Transfer them to greased baking sheets with a spatula, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gather and re-roll dough scraps and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. (If the dough is too soft and sticky to roll out, refrigerate it briefly.)

In a small bowl, beat together the reserved egg white and 2 teaspoons water with a fork. Using a pastry brush or a paper towel, evenly brush cookie tops with the wash.

Place cookies in the center of the oven and bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or until nicely browned all over and just slightly darker at the edges. Remove baking sheets from the oven and let cookies stand 1 minute. Immediately transfer to wire racks and let stand until cooled completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for longer storage. Makes 35 to 40 (2 3/4 inch) cookies.

Dober tek!

About Christmas in Slovenia

Slovenia is mostly a catholic country, so we celebrate Christmas. This is a family festivity. Even in the times of the socialist Yugoslavia it was celebrated in most families, though we were supposed to work the day before, some of us till 9 o’ clock p.m. There is no traditional Christmas meal, no turkey but maybe potiza, a nut cake, which is known in most countries of the Central Europe, just nicely laid table, with neat cuttlery and cristal glasses, candles etc. Of course, presents were and are distributed to each family member, nicely wrapped etc. The Christmas tree is decorated. There are Christmas balls on it, red and green and blue… When we were little children there were oranges instead of Christmas balls and candies wrapped in silk paper and hung on the Christmas tree. Over the last year the tradition of going to the midnight holy mess has come back.

The New Year Eve is more an occasion for outing. People spend several days in numerous spas, in the Alps or on the coast.

Questions we would like to ask you:

How do older people live in your country?

How do you celebrate Christmas?

Dear pen and cookie friends,

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year hoping to meet you some day.

Vera, Tatjana, Lučka, Vikca, Jelka , Alojz, Mateja, Jože, Metka,

Helena, Franček,Marko,Miran, Dušana

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Author: SVN Slovenian Third Age University

Danube-Networkers Ulm, Germany

CHRISTMAS MARKET IN ULM

Every year before the advent season begins, the famous Christmas Market of Ulm is opened. In front of the cathedral with the world’s highest church spire, lots of stalls are set up. The aroma of mulled wine and sugared almonds lies over the whole city of Ulm. The first day of the market is Monday before the first advent Sunday. It ends on 22nd December.

Traditionally, the citizens of Ulm meet their friends or colleagues on the market in the evening. There is a big offer of Christmas decorations, jewellery, toys, candles, crib figures, gifts and lots more. Of course, culinary Swabian specialties like “Krautspätzle, Schupfnudeln or “geschmälzte Maultaschen” must not be missed. The stalls with mulled wine are best visited.

In the centre of the stalls, there is a big crib with a lively donkey and sheep. This is very attractive to children.

Another attraction is the “Glashütte” of Ulm. Spectators can watch the art of glass-blowing. They can see how glass is melted and beautiful crafts are made.

The Christmas Market of Ulm is one of the most beautiful markets in Germany and each year it attracts many guests from all over Europe. The festive atmosphere and the wonderful scenery in front of the cathedral invite you to an enjoyable pre-Christmas stroll.

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Author: DE Christmas market, Danube-Networkers Ulm

English: Christmas music

Music is an important part of Christmas celebration all over Romania. There is a special genre of music, related to Christmas carols but with more traditional / Christian lyrics. Colinde are performed in all parts of Romania (including Moldova), with regional variations in terms of number of participants, exact timing of different melodies and lyrics.

In traditional Romanian rural society, preparations for colinde started well in advance (sometimes weeks) before Christmas. The village youth (usually boys) would begin to form groups in different places and designate a leader in order to practice singing in unison. These groups are called cete de colindători, and their numbers vary from region to region.

Then, starting on Christmas Eve, the groups would go to different houses and begin singing. In some villages, they go first to the mayor's house, followed by the teacher's house, whereas in other parts there is no pre-established order. The families would then invite them into the house, and give them different small gifts such as nuts, dried fruits and pretzels. There are also adaptations from international hit carols into Romanian, for example "Noapte de vis" (from "Silent Night") or "O, brad frumos!" (from "O Tannenbaum").

Examples of colinde with religious subject are "Astăzi s-a născut Hristos" (Today Christ Was Born), "O, ce veste minunată!" (Oh, What Wonderful News!), "Trei păstori" (Three Shepherds), "Trei crai de la rărărit", "Steaua" (The Star) or "Sus la poarta Raiului" (Up at Heaven's Gate). The first two ones talk about the Nativity of Jesus. The first one indicates people to pray for Jesus and thank him for being born while the other one informs us how Christ was born and praises Mary. The other ones tell the stories of the Three shepherds, Three Magi and of the Christmas star. The latter one, "Sus la poarta Raiului" is a portrait of the Manger during Jesus' nativity.

Romanian: Colindele

Muzica este o parte importantă a Crăciunului în toată România. Colindul este un gen aparte de muzică, cu mai multe versuri tradiționale / creștine. Colindele sunt prezente în toate părțile din România, cu variații regionale în ceea ce privește numărul de participanți și numărul exact al diferitelor melodii și versuri.

În societatea rurală tradițională românească, pregătirile pentru colindat încep cu mult timp înainte de Crăciun. Tineretul din sat (de obicei băieții) încep să formeze grupuri în diferite locuri și să desemneze un lider pentru a exersa cântatul la unison. Aceste grupuri sunt numite cete de colindători, iar numărul lor variază de la o regiune la alta.

Apoi, începând cu Ajunul Crăciunului, grupurile merg la case diferite și încep să cânte. În unele sate, ei merg mai întâi la casa primarului, urmat de casa profesorului, în timp ce în alte părți nu există nicio ordine prestabilită. Familiile vor invita apoi colindătorii în casă, să le dea diferite cadouri mici, cum ar fi nuci, fructe uscate și covrigi.

Exemple de colinde cu subiect religios: "Astăzi s-a născut Hristos", "O, ce veste minunată!", "Trei Pastori", "Trei Crai de la rărărit", "Steaua" sau "Sus la Poarta Raiului". Primele două vorbesc despre Nașterea lui Iisus. Prima dintre ele le spune oamenilor să se roage lui Iisus și să mulțumească pentru nașterea sa în timp ce a a treia ne informează despre modul în care s-a născut Hristos și o laudă pe Maria. Celelalte spun poveștile celor trei păstori și cum au urmărit ei steaua Nordului. Cea din urmă, "Sus la Poarta Raiului" este o descriere a ieslei în care s-a născut Iisus.

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Author: RO Timisoara Banat College

Pučko otvoreno učilište Zagreb (Public Open University Zagreb – POUZ), Croatia

On some Christmas customs in Croatia

Written by Ria Olić

In the Christmas cycle that begins with Advent, the first major feast is on 6 December, dedicated to St. Nicholas, who even today, in the form of parents, his proxies, secretly, at night fills in cleaned children's shoes placed in the window. Shoes are filled with candies and other presents and symbolically, more as a warning, he also adds a golden stick decorated with red ribbons, an elegant replacement for former branch pierced with potatoes intended for the naughty ones. In the past, at least in the Danube region, hardly anyone had the good fortune to see St. Nicholas, called Mikulas in that area, only if, say, they were lying in the high temperature sprinkled with small pox. And then he comes and somehow, for only a second, beneath that long beard of his, he sounds just like the neighbour Anuš. Krampus was never to be seen, he was too scary and his role was only to threaten the children, but nowadays St. Nicholas and Krampus are walking hand in hand in the city streets and shopping centers.

However, the most important is the night before Christmas, called Badnjak (Christmas Eve). The name Badnjak probably comes from the former custom of putting a log, in Croatian called badanj, on the fireplace. This custom in modern times is mostly lost, but the name remained. Across Croatia, in different regions, there are various nuances of these customs for Christmas Eve. But for all, this evening is a family gathering with sit-ins and expectations of the joyful event of the birth of God's son ending by going to the midnight mass, popularly called polnoćka.

There are however several customs which are still common to all, and we emphasized some customs from the Danube region and north-western Croatia, Zagreb region respectfully.

Christmas Eve is » nemrsni« day, meaning no eat, but fish. Nowadays fish completely replaced some old dishes, such as (in the Danube region) meatless potato soup and noodles with poppy seeds or nuts. At the holiday table throughout Croatia including Zagreb and its surroundings the cod with potatoes prevails, the dish originating from Dalmatia, but in the Danube region the traditional specialty is fish soup - fiš made of freshwater fish, mostly carp. In the Danube region they still prepare aspic called sulc, cooked of smoked pork legs, ears, tongue and tail that are eaten on Christmas morning, but earlier this meal was served after returning from the midnight mass.

A Christmas tree, krizbam, in north-western Croatia replaced the fresh greenery, branches decorated with nuts and apples that were attached to the beams in the ceiling called kinč. The Christmas tree is decorated on Christmas Eve. The decorations are mandatory gingerbread cookies colored in red, heart-shaped, horse-shaped, as well as apples and cherries. Original Croatian Christmas carols, some of them centuries old, are sung. Once it was obligatory to bake the ceremonial Christmas rolls, traditional bread and nuts and honey were also served that were later transformed into Christmas cakes, such as walnut or poppy seed loaves, kuglof – the round cake with cream made of nuts, gingerbread cookies and pepper biscuits and medica (brandy sweetened with honey)

Of course even today some of these delicacies can be found almost on every holiday table. The indispensable part, however, remained the Christmas wheat, sprouted young stalks that are sown on December 4, the day of St. Barbara or 13th of December, the day of St. Lucia. The blades of wheat are tied with a red or three-colour ribbon in the middle of the pot or the jar there is a place for a candle or a tiny oil lamp. This mild light that twinkles through the green blades remains a permanent memory of Christmas Eve night from the childhood!

Browse Ruwix, the portal dedicated to puzzle programs and tutorials.

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Author: HR POUZ

Christmas traditions and celebrations

“Koleduvane” in the village of Asparuhovo

In the village of Asparuhovo the “Koleduvane”Christmas tradition is also known as 'Stananik'. On St .Nicholas’ Day (the latest), the boys, also known as 'koladnici', are together and choose their leader - the 'Stananik'.He is a married man and should also be wealthy, strong and representing the community. He fasts for 40 days together with his wife, the “stananichka”, because it is believed that the fertility of the upcoming year depends on their family. The ones that have elected him as their leader are experienced “koladnici”, roughly 12 in number, and are going to be his “servants”. Once they have elected the new Stananik, his wife bakes a “pita” bread. While it is in the oven, the koladnici go and take a candle from the previous Stananik, which is lit up in the home of the new leader and has to burn off. Meanwhile, the Koladnici sing a traditional folklore song – “A king to be, on a chair he shall sit”; then the new Stananik breaks off the ready pita and gives a piece to all participants in the ritual. 

The Stananik has to provide a room in his house where the unmarried Asparuhovo lads who will be taking part in the Christmas tradition could gather every evening to learn the specific ritual songs from the old Koladnici. The “servants” have to sweep the floor and arrange wooden benches in the room; they need to provide water and make sure there is enough wood to keep warm. Once arranged, the room belongs to the Koladnici for the period between St. Nicholas and St. John’s Day.

Early on Christmas Eve (Budnivecher) the Stananik sends his “servants” in couples for “kalesvane” – going around the village with a wooden wine vessel called “buklica”, calling the newlywed lads and the old koladnici to participate in the custom. There were times when the Koladnici group in Asparuhovo was as big as a hundred men, divided in three “kudi” (groups).The leader of the most“ lichna” (representative) kuda is the Stananik himself, and the others are led by his relatives who are helping him. Allkoladnici are dressed in new festive clothes and 'iamurluci' (thick woollen overcoats) and their leaders are distinguished by carrying the buklica wine vessel decorated with a white linen cloth. At midnight, when the bells ring, they all go to the church for “konkvane” (communion). The kudas are traditionally divided in the eastern part of the village, where everyone sings “DobriDonchokalesankum da kumuva”.

The kudas start their route around the village, moving westwards. They have to perform the Koleduvane in each and every house. If the Stananik realises that a house has been missed, the whole kuda needs to go back. At the outer porch they sing “Christ Was Born Tonight”, and if there is a maiden in the house – “StaniStaniDoine le” (“Get up Doine”). When they pass the first step towards the second storey of the house, they start singing “Sveti Georgi izbavia tri sindjira, prevzetiotstarataiuda” (“St. George Saves Three Slave Chains From the Old Iuda”; iuda – an evil folklore creature). The owner of the house takes a sip from the buklica and invites the koladnici inside, where they sit and sing a song for every member of the family. It is compulsory that they sing to a lad or a maiden; to newlyweds or to a new-born – if the child is in the cradle, they sing next to it. It is also obligatory to sing a song for a soldier who is not present in the house. There are specific songs meant to sing for twins, childless women; for the priest, the pig-tender;for shepherds, farmers, girls taking care of young children, old women (babi) who are midwifes (babuvat).

The house owners give the koledari a cloth, unspun wool, money and a round Christmas bread (kravai), made by the maiden in the home. On his way out, the leader of the kuda “preskudia” (hops over) the youngest boy in the house; afterwards, holding the round bread given to him by the family with both hands high above his head, he says a blessing, mentioning the name of the young boy. If there is none in the house, it is replaced by the name of the Stananik.

On their way out, the koladnici sing “I niiottuka, a Gospodtuka” (“We are from here, and Christ is here”). If a person in the house died recently, they do not enter the home. The maiden passes them the kravai over the porch. 

When they finish their round around the houses, the koladnici get together in the upper part of the village. If one of the kudas is late, they sing a song to mock it. After everyone arrives, the Stananik, covered with his iamurluk and a buklica in hand, leads an open horo (traditional dance) called “buenec”. The koladnici hold each other’s poias (wide woollen belt spun around the waist) and go to the home of the Stananik, singing and dancing. They are welcomed at the porch by the festively-dressed stananichka with a big copper vessel (bakur), full of wine. She gives linen cloths to three of the old koladnici and kisses their hand, gives them a ladle of wine to drink from, they take a sip and throw the rest behind their back. Afterwards she joins the horo next to the Stananik.

The buenec dance is danced in a formation of three circles, and the Stananik as well as the rest after him, go under the hands of the other dancers. Sometimes they carry the Stananik and some of the koladnici to the first storey of the house.

Early in the morning on the next day, the koladnici gather in the house of the Stananik to make a “dervish” – one of them dresses up in an old iamurluk and puts a pillow under it so he looks like an old hunchback. His face is covered with ash, he has a long beard and moustache made from unspun hemp and holds a wooden dagger in his hand. He is walking around with his “bride” – a lad with no moustache, dressed in female clothes, wearing a white veil and carrying a distaff on his poias. The dervish and his bride, accompanied by „sisters-in-law“ – three lads carrying long linen cloths over their shoulders, walk around the village and whenever he meets an old person, the dervish “slays” him with his dagger, the bride kisses his hand and receives money. Before lunch the bride unveils her face at the cheshma (the common water source at the village) and the real brides eat a honey-coated kravai, specially prepared for the occasion.

A bidding for the maidens’ honey kravai starts after the “dervish” ritual. Each kravai has a distinctive mark and the lads bid for the one belonging to their crush. If they manage to buy it, they win the right to eat it together with the maiden at a certain day.

In the same day, the koladnici buy a ram with the money they have collected, calling it “bojikurban” (God’s sacrifice) and cook it in the house of the Stananik. Afterwards, they invite the elderly people in the village for a meal and buy red slippers for the Stananik, which he will receive on St John’s day. Before the meal the koladnici sing a song of blessing.

After their guests leave, the lads dance buenec in the Stananik’s yard and sing Christmas songs. They do the same every day until St John’s Day.

On St John’s Day, the newlyweds and the celibate young men gather separately early in the morning. Led by the sound of bagpipes, dancing in a horo and shouting out loud, they go to wash in the river. The group of the newlyweds crosses the river in ox carriages. The bagpipes play, the two groups go in the river, fight, fool around and run back to change clothes. Then they go to the house of the Stananik and carry him outside. They put him in a carriage - some of the men pull it, and others push it. If they meet elderly people on their way, they put them in the carriage next to the Stananik.

The carriage, led by the sound of bad pipes, is transported to the river. There the lads fill a small copper vessel with water from the river and put dry basil inside. They wash the face of the Stananik with it, as well as those of the elderly people that came with them.

Afterwards, they bring the Stananik back home, where they have lunch. Before the meal, the lads give the red slippers to the Stananik as a present, and sing the festive blessing song from the “kurban”. Then they dance buenec in the yard until the sun sets, when the Stananik goes out in the yard and leads the dance out through the front porch to end the custom.

Up until today, the full tradition with all its rituals is being performed in Asparuhovo, which helps preserve the authentic Christmas ritual songs with their ancient origins. We learned that nowadays the young koladnici save a part of the money they collect to support the Pensioner Club in the village, the gathering place of the elderly men. In that way, the tradition maintains the communication between the generations and expresses a collective willpower to deal with the struggles of everyday life.

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Author: BG Varna High School

Colindele românești

Colindele românești reprezintă cântecul nostru strămoșesc și una din cele mai vechi forme de manifestare a folclorului religios românesc.

Colindele, minunate creații populare, s-au păstrat din generație in generație si au răsunat în fiecare an, fără întrerupere, în casele creștinilor români, în sfântă a Nașterii Domnului. Ele sunt o transpunere în formă populară cântată a credinței noastre ortodoxe.

O, CE VESTE MINUNATĂ

O, ce veste minunată În Bethleem ni s-arată Astăzi s-a născut Cel făr-de început Cum au spus prorocii

Că la Betleem, Maria Săvârșind călătoria Într-un mic sălaș Lângă acel oraș A născut pe Mesia

Pe fiul în al său nume Tatăl L-a trimis în lume Să se nască și să crească Să ne mântuiască.

The Romanian Christmas Carols

The Romanian Christmas Carols represent our ancient song and one of the oldest forms of manifestation of Romanian religious folklore.

The Christmas Carols (Colindele), wonderful folk creations, have been preserved from generation to generation and have been heard every year without interruption in the houses of the Romanian Christians on the holy night of the Nativity. They are a transposition of our Orthodox faith in the popular sung form.

O, WHAT WONDERFUL NEWS

Oh, what wonderful news From Bethleem is shown to us Today was born The One without beginning As the prophets said

That in Bethlehem, Virgin Mary Ending the journey In a small dwelling Near that city Gave birth to Messiah

The Son was sent in the world By the Father- in His name To be born and to grow To save us.

Extract or delete HTML tags based on their name or whether or not they contain some attributes or content with the HTML editor pro online program.

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Author: RO The association “The Writers League” Timisoara Banat Branch

NGO “Nothing is impossible – 3N” is informal nongovernmental organization. It’s members usually work in the field of culture, education, information technologies, public services etc.

“Nothing is impossible – 3N” NGO and it’s partners actively participated in project “Testes of Danube” to enhancing the public interest to the mean of bread, to becoming acquainted with traditions and customs about bread of all Danube countries.

Members of “Nothing is impossible – 3N” NGO actively participated in project „Wanted Danube“.
Our goals are:

To enhancing the public interest and involvement of the community to the problems of education, culture, youth activities, etc.

To develop cultural, educational and informational activities and to promote cross-cultural, cross-border and cross-sector cooperation;

Communication and partnerships with national, local and international organizations;

To encourage active citizenship in socially significant issues.

The partners of NGO “Nothing is impossible – 3N” are museums, schools, community center, social institutions, pensioner’s clubs, NGO’s, local government etc.

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Author: BG NGO 'Nothing is impossible-3N' greets their friends along the Danube countries

English: Christmas in Germany

Christmas has many traditions in Germany, there are also differences between the regions in Germany. Over the last 30 years, a lot has changed. The religious significance of the feast is no longer the focus of many people, and many customs have been highly commercialized, but in essence, it is still a festival in which the families gather together. Many people travel long distances to be with their family members, exchange 24.12 gifts and eat well.

The Christmas festival starts on the 24^th of December in the afternoon. From 2 pm all shops and almost all restaurants are closed. In Germany is the 24^th of December called Holy Night. It is the evening when the Western Christian Church is celebrating the birth of Christ. On this evening, many families are still gathering in front of a decorated Christmas tree, which usually stands in their living room. Under the Christmas tree is often a crib. For the children comes the Christmas Child, he puts the Christmas presents under the Christmas tree.

In religious families the Christmas story of Christ's birth is read. When there are children, they present poems and songs. The people are singing together some Christmas songs, there are a lot of them: "Silently tickles the snow", "Oh Christmas Tree", Oh you merry, oh you blessed Christmastime”, and in of course "Silent night, holy night". If somebody can not sing or like to sing on themselves, the is a possibility to set the radio or the TV, where there are Christmas music on all channels. The gifts are exchanged. There used to be a lot of homemade products, today most gifts are bought.

On the later evening and on the 25th, called the first Christmas holiday, many people go into the Christmas church service, which is always very solemn. Often the church choir sings and there are accompanying music by an orchestra.

In any case, a feast belongs to Christmas - in one's own family or large family. In some families it takes place at the Holy Night, in many families on the first Christmas holiday. Duck, goose or turkey with potato dumplings and red cabbage is a popular Christmas dinner, but there are also regional differences.

The 26.12. is also an official holiday in Germany. Holiday. It is used to visit families and friends, the children play with the Christmas gifts.

Unfortunately, many Christmas traditions, at least in the cities, have been lost in recent decades. In October, the shops began to decorate the shops and decorate Christmas gifts for every kind of Christmas gifts. Nevertheless, the festival is for many people a feast of family and love.

Romanian: Sărbătoarea Crăciunului în Germania

De Sărbătoarea Crăciunului sunt legate în Germania foarte multe tradiții care pot varia de la o regiune la alta. Totuşi în ultimii 30 de ani, această sărbătoare s-a schimbat mult. Sensul religios al acesteia nu mai este predominant şi multe dintre obiceiuri au fost puternic comercializate. Cu toate acestea ea rămâne în esență o sărbătoare, cu prilejul căreia întreaga familie se reuneşte. Mulți oameni călătoresc pe distanțe foarte lungi ca să fie alături de familie şi ca pe 24 decembrie să schimbe cu membrii acesteia cadourile, cât şi pentru ca să se bucure de o masă gustoasă împreună.

Sărbătoarea Crăciunului începe pe 24 decembrie în cursul după-amiezii. De la ora 14:00 toate magazinele şi aproape toate restaurantele sunt închise. În Germania noaptea de 24 decembrie este numită „Noaptea cea Sfântă". Aceasta este seara în care Biserica Apuseană sărbătoreşte Naşterea Domnului Isus Christos. În această seară se adună până şi astăzi multe familii în jurul bradului împodobit, care de cele mai multe ori este aşezat în camera de zi. Sub pomul de Crăciun se găşeste adesea Ieslea cu Pruncul Isus, Maica Domnului şi Iosif. Copilul Isus le aduce în acestă seară copiilor cadourile de Crăciun şi le aşează tocmai sub bradul frumos împodobit.

În familiile religoase acum se citesc poveştile de Crăciun, despre naşterea lui Christos iar atunci când în familie sunt copii, vor spune aceştia poveştile sau vor colinda. Se colindă în general cateva colinde împreună, repertoriul din care acestea se pot culege fiind unul foarte variat. Câteva dintre colinde ar fi: „Leise rieselt der Schnee“ („Domol se aşterne zăpada“), „Oh Tannenbaum” („O brad frumos”), ,,Oh du fröhliche, oh du selige Weihnachtszeit“ („O! Crăciun fericit, O ! Crăciun binecuvântat”) şi bineînțeles cunoscutul „Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht“ („Sfânt locaş, tainic locaş”). Când membrii familiei nu pot sau nu le place să colinde, se va porni radioul sau televizorul, pe toate canalele fiind difuzate colinde şi muzică specifică Sărbătorii Crăciunului. Tot acum se face schimbul de cadouri. Mai dedemult existau multe cadouri făcute cu mâna, însâ astăzi cele mai multe sunt cumpărate. Mai spre seară, cât şi pe data de 25 decembrie, zi numită ca „Prima zi de Sărbătoare”, mulți oameni merg ca să ia parte la Slujba de Crăciun care este întotdeauna una festivă. De cele mai multe ori în cadrul acesteia cântă corul Bisericii, acompaniat de o orchestră.

O masă festivă cu propria familie sau cu familia extinsă face parte din modul de sărbătorire a Crăciunului. Acesta se serveşte la unele familii în „Noaptea cea Sfântă" iar la majoritatea în prima zi de Crăciun. Meniul constă în friptura de rață, gâscâ sau curcan cu o ganitură specială formată pe de-o parte din cartofi şi făină amestecați împreună si fierți sub formă de biluțe în apă, iar pe de altă parte din varză roşie. Acestea sunt felurile de mâncare foarte îndrăgite la Crăciun, dar există de asemenea diferențe între regiunile din Germania.

Data de 26 decembrie este în Germania tot o zi de sărbătoare oficială, aşa-numita „A doua zi de Crăciun". Acesta se petrece prin vizitarea familiei şi a prietenilor dar este destinată şi copiilor care au acum posibilitatea să se joace cu cadourile primite.

Din păcate, mai ales în oraşe, s-au pierdut multe dintre aceste obiceiuri de Crăciun. Astfel că magazinele încep înca din Octombrie să fie decorate în spiritul sărbătorii Crăciunului şi să facă reclamă la cadourile de Crăciun. Cu toate acesta sărbătoarea este pentru mulți oameni una legată în special de familie şi de dragoste.

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Author: DE Christmas in Germany, Carmen Stadelhofer

CHRISTMAS TRADITION AND CUSTOMS

VUKOVAR, CROATIA

Celebrating Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar – December 25th

On the day of the Saint Lucia, December 13th, wheat is planted.

The day before Christmas, the Christmas Eve, is a lean day. People dine fish with vegetables. Some households light candles during dinner. Before Christmas straw is brought in and put under the dining table. Some households decorate the table with wheat, corn, sweets, beans and the dinner is served with the decoration still on the table. Other households decorate the whole room with straw, throw walnuts coins and sweets in it and let the children play and sing. Late in the evening people go to the midnight mass and pray for health and prosperity. After the mass people go home and eat turkey with mlinci (which is a sort of pasta) thus ending the lent. On the first day of Christmas people go to mass, the family usually stays home and celebrates Christmas together in their own home. On the next day, St. Stephen, people visit their relatives and friends and congratulate Christmas.

Celebrating Christmas according to Julian calendar – January 7th

The day before Christmas is lent and Christmas Eve is celebrated. People eat fish, a fish soup or baked fish with vegetables. In the early morning hours men leave the house for the woods to fetch oak tree branches which is called Badnjak. They carry it home and decorate their fence, rooms, the Christmas tree. People of the orthodox religion bake pork that day preparing it for the next day, for the Christmas lunch. The housewives prepare česnica (a bread containing one hidden coin) and they cook the wheat. The day before Christmas straw is brought into the house, decorated with coins, walnuts, almonds and corn and left there for three days. The parishes also organize a walk to the woods to fetch the Badnjak (oak branches) which they bring to the church when they sing, light it up and the priest prays a prayer. After the prayer the people enter the church to get one piece of the Badnjak which they carry home as part of the Christmas tradition. The fire in front of the church remains until the next morning. Before Christmas the younger generation of the townspeople visit the households and sing of Christ's birth – that is called Vertep. The believers come to mass in the morning. After the mass they go home for Christmas lunch. It is mostly pork with sides. Some households make turkey with mlinci (see above). The bread česnica is eaten, as well as the wheat. Candles are lit during meal. On the third day St. Stephen is celebrated which according to the calendar is the patron saint of many families.

The great migration of inhabitants gave Vukovar a special note, which is its multiculturalism. Each family brings a little bit of their Christmas customs into the common Christmas celebration.

We here described the customs of Catholics and Orthodox both present in Vukovar in a significant number.

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Author: HR Vukovar Christmas Customs

Medenjaki. Slovenian Cinnamon Honey Cookie Recepie

Do make sure they are 1/4” thick. These cookies are thick, cake-like and homey.Use the same name brand cookie sheets otherwise the baking time will vary. Opening and closing the oven door to check on cookies is not the best!!Always purchase two of the same baking pans/sheets.We like to bake one pan at a time, when a sheet comes out, the other goes in. It makes for better baking.

Recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup clover honey, or other mild honey

Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges

3 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg yolk

2 eggs

GLAZE: 1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons water

Combine the butter and honey in a large saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts. Remove saucepan from the heat. Stir in orange zest and let stand until mixture cools to room temperature.

Meanwhile, thoroughly stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.

Separate one of the eggs and set the white aside in a small bowl.

Add egg yolk and 2 eggs to the cooled honey mixture and beat with a wooden spoon. Stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours or up to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375º F. Grease baking sheets and set aside.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. If it seems too stiff to roll out, knead briefly to soften slightly. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick, dusting rolling pin frequently with flour and lifting the dough to make sure it isn’t sticking.

Using a 2 1/4 inch plain round cutter or the rim of a small drinking glass, cut out the cookies. Transfer them to greased baking sheets with a spatula, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gather and re-roll dough scraps and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. (If the dough is too soft and sticky to roll out, refrigerate it briefly.)

In a small bowl, beat together the reserved egg white and 2 teaspoons water with a fork. Using a pastry brush or a paper towel, evenly brush cookie tops with the wash.

Place cookies in the center of the oven and bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or until nicely browned all over and just slightly darker at the edges. Remove baking sheets from the oven and let cookies stand 1 minute. Immediately transfer to wire racks and let stand until cooled completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for longer storage. Makes 35 to 40 (2 3/4 inch) cookies.

Dober tek!

About Christmas in Slovenia

Slovenia is mostly a catholic country, so we celebrate Christmas. This is a family festivity. Even in the times of the socialist Yugoslavia it was celebrated in most families, though we were supposed to work the day before, some of us till 9 o’ clock p.m. There is no traditional Christmas meal, no turkey but maybe potiza, a nut cake, which is known in most countries of the Central Europe, just nicely laid table, with neat cuttlery and cristal glasses, candles etc. Of course, presents were and are distributed to each family member, nicely wrapped etc. The Christmas tree is decorated. There are Christmas balls on it, red and green and blue… When we were little children there were oranges instead of Christmas balls and candies wrapped in silk paper and hung on the Christmas tree. Over the last year the tradition of going to the midnight holy mess has come back.

The New Year Eve is more an occasion for outing. People spend several days in numerous spas, in the Alps or on the coast.

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Author: SVN Third Age University

English

In many villages and towns in Germany, a wonderful Christmas tradition has been maintained for a long time: the Advent windows. For the wandering advent calendar 24 windows are needed. A plan is created on which day's turn is to open his decorated window. From First December, every day one of the lovingly decorated, with Christmas motifs, fairytale scenes or winter landscapes decorated windows will be revealed. At nightfall, the residents meet every evening at this newly opened window to a cozy get-together. On Christmas Eve, when the whole village is transformed into a huge Advent calendar, the meeting place is at the chapel in the afternoon. Christmas songs are sung and the last door of the calendar is solemnly opened. Many people from other towns and villages come to the wandering Advent calendar, to make a pilgrimage from window to window, and to marvel at all the 24 windows, all of them brightly lit. "Illuminated stars" point the way to the windows. No window is like the other.

Deutsch

In vielen Dörfern und Städten in Deutschland wird seit langem eine wunderschöne, weihnachtliche Tradition gepflegt: Die Adventsfenster. Für den wandernden Adventskalender werden 24 Fenster benötigt. Es wird ein Plan erstellt, wer an welchem Tag an der Reihe ist, sein geschmücktes Fenster zu öffnen.

Ab dem 1.Dezember wird täglich eins der liebevoll mit weihnachtlichen Motiven, Märchenszenen oder winterlichen Landschaften gestaltetes, geschmücktes Fenster enthüllt. Bei Einbruch der Dunkelheit treffen sich die Bewohner allabendlich bei diesem neu geöffneten Fenster zu einem gemütlichen Beisammensein.

Am Heiligen Abend, wenn das ganze Dorf in einen riesigen Adventskalender verwandelt ist, ist der Treffpunkt nachmittags bei der Kapelle. Es werden Weihnachtslieder gesungen und das letzte Türchen des Kalenders wird feierlich geöffnet.

Viele strömen aus anderen Städten und Dörfern zu dem wandernden Adventskalender, um bei einer Führung von Fenster zu Fenster zu pilgern und alle 24 Fenster zu bestaunen, die alle hell erleuchtet sind. „Beleuchtete Sterne“ weisen den Weg zu den Fenstern. Kein Fenster gleicht dem anderen.

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Author: DE Advent windows Elsa Koch

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Author: BG Chitalista, Vidin

We are the 9th graders of MI1 from CNB, one of the most prestigious schools from West Romania, the school that we like to call ‘our second home’, because of the warmth that it surrounds us with. We would like to spread the joy brought by Christmas in our hearts and to share our thoughts concerning this celebration. 

For us, the Christmas is more than just the smell of fir, oranges or sweet bread. It means family, because that’s what we built during these months of school. It means smiles, cheerfulness, which are never lacking from our classroom. Christmas also means the joy of giving without expecting anything in return and, when it comes to this, we do not hesitate with doing it. We could say that in our classroom there is Christmas everyday.

The only difference is that 25th December remembers us about the birth of our Savior and about the love He showed to us by coming humbly into our world, coming down in the poor manger. December is also the one that gives us the oportunity to embrace Jesus in a new manger, a warm and pure one: our heart. 

Around the fire, we could spend hours listening to our parents or grandparents telling us the story about Jesus' birth, a delightful story that fascinates us everytime we hear it. And next to the Christmas tree, we wish that our carols could be endless. So that's because we will sing the most beautiful carol in Romania: 'Oh, what great news!'. 

O what great news!
Is shown to us in Bethlehem!
Today has been born, the One without a beginning,
As the Prophets foretold!

That in Bethlehem Mary,
Having completed the trip,
In a little space, near that town,
She gave birth to Messiah.

His Son in God's Own Name,
The Father has sent into the world!
To be born and to grow,
To save us all!

Noi suntem clasa a 9-a matematica-informatica 1 a Colegiului National Banatean, una dintre cele mai prestigioase scoli din vestul Romaniei, scoala pe care noi o numim 'a doua casa', datorita caldurii cu care ne imbratiseaza de fiecare data. Am dori sa raspandim mai departe bucuria pe care Craciunul ne-o aduce in suflete si sa impartasim gandurile noastre cu privire la sarbatoarea aceasta.

Pentru noi, Craciunul inseamna mai mult decat mirosul de brad, de portocale sau de cozonaci. Craciunul inseamna familie, pentru ca, de-a lungul acestor 3 luni de scoala, asta am construit, inseamna zambete si voie buna, care sunt nelipsite din clasa noastra si mai inseamna bucuria de a darui, fara a astepta ceva in schimb, iar cand vine vorba de asta, nu ezitam sa o facem. Putem spune ca, in clasa noastra, e in fiecare zi Craciun.

Singura diferenta este ca data de 25 decembrie ne aduce aminte de nasterea Mantuitorului si de dragostea pe care el ne-a aratat-o venind umil in lume si coborandu-se in ieslea cea saraca. Tot decembrie ne ofera prilejul de a-L primi pe Iisus intr-o iesle noua, una calda si curata: inima noastra.

In jurul focului, am putea sta ore in sir ascultandu-ne bunicii sau parintii cum povestesc istoria venirii Mantuitorului in lume, o istorie plina de farmec, care ne fascineaza de fiecare data, iar langa brad ne-am dori ca toate colindele noastre sa fie nesfarsite. De aceea, vom canta cea mai frumoasa colinda!

O, ce veste minunată!
În Betleem ni se-arată.
Astăzi s-a născut cel făr' de-nceput,
Cum au spus prorocii.

Că la Betleem Maria,
Săvârşind călătoria
Într-un mic sălaş, lângă-acel oraş,
A născut pe Mesia.

Pe Fiul în al Său nume,
Tatăl L-a trimis în lume.
Să se nască, şi să crească,
Să ne mântuiască.

The Rubik's Cube is still a very popular puzzle toy. The fact is that it's even more popular than in the 80's.

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Author: RO Craciun Fericit Colegiul National Banatean's team, from the city of Timisoara

SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL Club BRASOV _ ROMANIA

We are Soroptimist International Club Brasov , Romania, part of Soroptimist International Union Romania and European Federation . Soroptimist International is an international organization for women and girls .

Soroptimists are professional and carrier oriented women engaged in the social life of their communities . They work actively in order to improve the lives of women and girls in 

 these communities. They have a global vision of the world and women' s issues. 

We are in touch with the women and girls in our community , understand their daily challenges and have a deep and true understanding of their living conditions as well as their rights . 

As an old and well known tradition , during the month of December , right before the winter holidays , in celebration of St .Nicholas and Christmas , the housewives are cooking gingerbread in different shapes and colors, with different aromas and following different recipes. 

Our dear members of our club made the gingerbread following the recipe attached below : 

Gingerbread recipe 

Ingredients : 

- To give it a nice color you can use one teaspoon (80 grams) of burned sugar or one teaspoon of cocoa 

-1/4 kg sugar, 1/4 kg honey, 1kg flour , 150 grams butter, 2 egg yolks.

- 1 teaspoon of ammonia mixed within 8/10 grams of warm milk 

- 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed within 8/10 grams of warm milk 

- few sparkles of cinnamon, anise and clove 

Beat the egg whites together with the sugar & with a drop of vinegar and lemon juice .

All the ingredients are mixed together until we have the dough. Stretch the dough into a very thin sheet and then use different patterns . 

Also we have another recipwe:

Ingredients : 

4 spoons of sugar, 1/2 kg honey , 1/2 kg of flour , 4 eggs , one teaspoon oil ,one teaspoon baking soda , cinnamon , rom, 30 grams of walnuts ( small pieces) . 

Put the honey in the pan ,add the sugar , add the eggs, add the rest of ingredients ,add the walnuts and then bake it .

We are so proud and happy to be part of this project . We will be honored to meet you and to know you all in the very near future . 

We hope that you will enjoy the gingerbread that we happily prepared for you ! 

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2017 . 

Warm regards , 

Cornelia Zara- President SI Club Brasov 

Rodica Maciuca- Program Director SI Club Brasov

Mariana Ghisoi – PR SI Club Brasov 

Brasov, December 2016

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Author: RO Kronstadt/Brasov

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Author: DE DN Ulm