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Romanian Christmas is not only about delicious food or inebriating drinks. Romanian people are very religious and they care about the core of the holiday – Jesus Christ’s birth. So, early in the morning, they go to church for the Christmas blessing.
Carols are an important part of the Romanian folklore. Although they seem simple, they have very deep meanings that make people surmount difficulties and give them hope to go on.
Traditionally, children go caroling very early in the morning on Christmas’ Eve while adults stay home to greet them. So they go from home to home and they get treats like fruit, candy, walnuts, crackers and, sometimes, even money for their performance and for good will. Even grown ups go caroling. The waits gather in groups and they choose a leader and when they reach the front yard of the house, they start singing and dancing to the host. After they finish all their repertory, the hosts invites them in the house for food, drinks and presents. After a while, they hardly can hold their bags that are too heavy of so much food. There are a few Christmas carols that you can find in almost every traditional part of Romania: the Star carol (“Steaua”), the Bear dance (“Ursul”) and the Goat dance (“Capra”).
The Star carol is about the waits that walk in the streets holding a star made of paper with biblical scenes in different colors, sometimes, even with shiny tinsel. While holding the star in their hands, children sing:
“The star has appeared on high,
Like a big secret in the sky,
The star in bright,
May all your wishes turn out right…”
“Steaua sus rasare,
Ca o taina mare,
Steaua straluceste,
Si lumii vesteste…”
The Bear carol is usually met in Moldavia and it involves wearing the costume of a bear embellished with red tassels on its head, ears and shoulders. That person that wears such a costume is usually accompanied by fiddlers and surrounded by many characters including a child that is supposed to be the bear’s cub. They usually sing:
“Dance well, you old bear,
And I will give you bread or olives.”
Originally, the Goat dance was a serious and grave ceremony. In old times, that animal was considered to have had amazing powers and to have foretold if the weather was good or bad. In time, this tradition has turned into a ritual meant to bring prosperity in the year to come. Now, the Goat tradition consists of a very noisy young person wearing the very colorful costume of a goat. The entire group that follows this person, dances from home to home being accompanied by flute music. The goat makes many funny movements, jerks, jumps and clatters the wooden jaws.
Carols create an atmosphere full of optimism when men make wishes and foster secret desires. This is something you don’t want to miss.
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