Христо се роди!

My first post of the New Year!  I think I have failed to post much since there really has not been too much to report since 2013.

New Year’s Eve was a blast, but it was not over the top as I expected it to be.  Part of the reason for this is that the restaurant where I celebrated, Excalibur, catered to the older crowds (including me).  We all paid for a package that provided dinner and unlimited drinks for the whole night.  A live band performed, playing traditional Balkan tunes throughout dinnertime.  After midnight, a guest band of Roma played for a full hour, blasting music on their trumpets, clarinets, and drum.  It was entertaining to see the crowd get incrementally more inebriated, and thus gain confidence to sing and dance as time passed.  I was sick with a cold, so I decided to leave the party by 2AM.

From New Year’s Eve to today, I have not been in the office and worked (lightly) at home.  The Fakultet was closed, and thus I was unable to gain access to my office.  Students are currently off from school, and only those who had failed their midterms are required to come to the Fakultet to take the finals. 

The past three days were all part of Orthodox Christmas.  Since Macedonia was under a communist government for so long, much of the religious elements were lost in the years leading to independence.  The firs holiday in the trio of Orthodox Christmas is called Kolede (Коледе).  This holiday signifies the epiphany of the birth of Christ.  At night, bonfires are built around the city as men circle around them and drink incessantly.  The celebrations go late into the night, with fireworks and loud music filling the otherwise late-night silence.  The next day, Badnik (Бадник), is the Macedonian version of Christmas Eve.  Traditionally, children wake up early to go from door to door singing and asking for treats.  The usual treats are oranges, chestnuts, and walnuts, though many children returned to my homestay to receive the candy that I offered.  The meal for Бадник typically omits meat, as Orthodox Christians used to fast until the birth of Christ. Thus, my host mother and I ate a pie-like dish with beans and sarma (rice wrapped in cabbage and boiled).  Finally, yesterday was Bozhik (Божик).  This holiday recognizes the birth of Christ, as Macedonians greet each other with “Christ is born!” (Христос се роди!) and others respond “He really is born!” (Навистина се роди!) 

Flowers I purchased for my host family for Orthodox Christmas

Yet, despite all of these traditions, the religious significance has been lost.  As I mentioned before, New Year’s is a much more celebrated holiday than Macedonian Christmas.  It is not typical for families to come together on Christmas to share a big meal like they do in the States.  However, yesterday some people did gather to celebrate the именден (name day) of the Hristijans, Ristes, and Kikos in Macedonia.  Name days are celebrated on the associated saint for a person’s name.  When people gather at the house, a buffet of food, sweets, and unlimited drinks are offered.  Name days are somewhat like birthdays, but are generally more celebrated for the young, and the person celebrating the name day purchases all of the refreshments and acts as host for the guests.

Technically, yesterday was my name day as well!  So, happy name day to me!