The traditional way of celebrating Christmas in Croatia depends on the region however there are many similarities across the country. We would like to share these with you.
The old way was to decorate the house with greenery, tree branches in windows, on shelves and so on. Another important custom is the planting of wheat seeds in a shallow bowl on the day of Sv Lucija (St Lucy), December 13, and by Christmas Eve the wheat grass is tall enough to be tied with a red, white and blue ribbon and placed on the table or on a window ledge. Often, people will put a candle in the middle of the bowl, whereby the light is meant to signify the human soul.
And finally, the custom of spreading straw on the floor and many households also put straw under the tablecloth, represents the birth of Christ and fertility. It is traditional to light a Christmas log fire on Christmas Eve ('Badnjak' in Croatian). Christmas Eve also means attending Midnight Mass after a day of fasting from meat. Instead, it is very traditional to prepare meals of fish and in the Dalmatian region its 'bakalar', which is dried, salted cod fish.
The traditional bowl of wheat sitting on our window sill.
A uniquely Croatian Christmas decoration, the licitar heart, originated in the Zagreb region and is made of dough and decorated usually in red with intricate patterns, and is now commonly used throughout the whole of Croatia.
Presents were typically brought to children on the day of Sv Nikola (St Nicholas) on the December 6, or in some other parts of Croatia it was St Lucy (December 13). The tradition of having a Christmas tree and giving presents on Christmas Day, which in Croatia means gifts from the infant Jesus, are traditions that have been heavily influenced by America and Western Europe. However, these days this is commonly observed.
On the January 6, the day of the Epiphany in the Roman Catholic calendar, the parish priest visits to bless the home and all the Christmas decorations are taken down.
We would just like to mention that our capital city Zagreb is particularly beautiful at Christmas time. There are traditional market stalls in the main squares where you can buy fresh produce, tradtional Christmas decorations and handcrafted goods. Near the Cathedral, in the same square is a 'live' nativity scene, so with real people and animals, which is lovely for children in particular. It is also very common for snow to fall in Zagreb around Christmas time making it even more special.
Many people think of Croatia as the coastline and summer and parties, but one thing people may not realise is that it is very family-friendly and family oriented. We would suggest that for a family getaway, the best times to visit are all year round and if you wanted to avoid bustling crowds then any time apart from summer would be the best time! We find that many visitors with cultural appreciation tend to visit outside of summer also, as they have the privilege of being able to enjoy cultural and historical monuments and sites without hordes of people.
Email: info.HolidaysCroatia@gmail.com
http://holidaycroatia.blogspot.com/2010/12/celebrating-christmas-in-croatia.html
Zagreb in winter - beautiful at Christmas time.
Christmas decorations (branches and candles) being sold from a market stall.
Stall with traditional wooden hand carved gifts and other items.
Fruit and vegetable market stalls in the main square.
And this is what happens if you leave the grocery shopping too late!
