Customs for Christmas and New Year?s Eve
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In the county of Brasov, December starts with the celebration of Romania?s National Day and continues with a series of events organized on the occasion of Christmas and New Year?s Eve. The people from Brasov, no matter if they are Romanians, Hungarians or Transylvanian Saxons are paying special attention to winter traditional customs. They carefully choose the Christmas fir-tree which must be straight, high and with even branches and they attach a lot of importance to cutting the pig and to the preparation of traditional food. Christmas and New Year?s Eve meals must be plentiful so that next year is a good one.
"Leru-i ler?"
The School for Art and Handicraft,,Tiberiu Brediceanu" from Brasov is organizing the 5th edition of the National Festival of music, traditions, customs and handicrafts "Leru-i ler?" during December 11th-13th 2015. The event continues the National Festival of Christmas and New Year?s Eve Festival "Deschide ușa creștine!" and its purpose is to promote winter specific traditional customs. All these customs are maximum intensity moments because the characters on the stage are wearing masks, singing carols such as "Ursul", "Capra", "Turca".
Waiting for tourists
In all mountain resorts in the county of Brasov, the groups of carol singers are carefully prepared after December 1rst. Before Christmas specific meat products are being prepared. The hotel, restaurant and boarding houses network is prepared for guests. The main event is the ritual of cutting the pig and the preparation of traditional food products. The tourists in the area may participate in such events. On this occasion there is a demonstration in the mastery of cutting the pig, food preparation and food presentation on the occasion of the festive dinner for Christmas and New Year?s Eve.
Around the fir-tree
If in Tara Fagarasului the carol is considered to be a ritual practice for groups of young men, in region Rupea the carols and the carol custom comes from the old tradition when carols used to be sung in a closed circle. The custom is also preserved today, as a symbol of the roundness, of the sun. In the Hungarian community there is a custom and a dance called "Borita", harmoniously combining the elements of the Hungarian, Romanian, Turkish and Bulgarian dance, with influences from the Romanian Calus. The role of "Borita" is to protect, to chase away bad, malefic spirits, and the dance of "Borita" in the circle signifies the repetition of seasons and also plays the role of an amulet. These customs are all organized around Christmas.
