BBC School News Reporters Practice Day - 10th December 2015

Romanian Christmas(Maramures)             

 There are a lot of traditions in Romania Modern Romanians only keep a few of them, but many of the old traditions can be discovered in the countryside, in remote areas of the country.

 In Romania, Christmas and mid-winter celebrations last from 20th December to 7th

January. The 20th is when people celebrate St. Ignatius's Day. The Lenten is a period of religious preparations for the great feast of Christmas. Religious people don’t eat meat, nor other animal products during this period before Christmas. It is not the only Lent period during the year. Religious Romanians usually keep the Lenten tradition during Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, while longer periods of Lent are set before more important Orthodox holidays during the year. It is traditional that if the family keep pigs, one is killed on this day. The meat from the pig is used in the Christmas meals.

The Christmas celebrations really begin on Christmas Eve, 24th, when it's time to decorate the Christmas Tree. This is done in the evening of Christmas Eve. In Romanian, Christmas Eve is called 'Ajunul Craciunului'.

 Carol singing (known as 'Colindatul') is also a very popular part of Christmas in Romania. On Christmas Eve, children go out carol singing from house to house performing to the adults in the houses. The children get sweets, fruit, traditional cakes called 'cozonaci' and sometimes money for singing well. Adults go carol singing on Christmas Day evening and night.

Viflaimul is the climax .

After the end of Mass on December 25 , men should play Viflaimul . It's a play that represents the early days of Jesus' life . In front of the church , everyone should know their role well . It is only made from boys even if they have to dress up as a woman. Even after hundreds of years, this is usually enforced for Maramures . Viflaimul is the highlight of Christmas.
Here some links to a small part of the play.-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCPco09MLsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEi8Hi8MAgo


Traditional Romanian Christmas foods include Roast Gammon and Pork Chops , 'Ciorba de perisoare' which is a slightly sour vegetable soup made with fermented bran and pork meatballs; 'Sarmale' cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork and served with polenta; 'Cozonac' a rich fruit bread; Romanian doughnuts called 'gogosi' and cheesecakes.
In Romanian, Merry Christmas is "'Crặciun Fericit'
By Maria -Year 10