FOLKLORE CALENDAR OF THE BULGARIANS - 2006

Author: Nikolai Nikov

January
January 1 SOURVA (Vassil's Day) A cornel "sourvaknitza" (a cornel-tree twig) - in mythology the cornel-tree stands for the live power of the good forces. On this day people in masks - "sourvakari", "camilari", "babougeri", "startzi" and "djamali", visit peoples' homes and give blessings for health and fertility. A nameday of Vassil, Vassilka, Vesselin, Vesselina ("Vassiliy" means "regal").
January 2 MOUKO'S DAY In some places they also call it "Rinachov". On this day the single men give a sign to their sweethearts - a pledge that by St. Demetrius's Day they will send matchmakers to the girl's house.
January 2 A nameday of Silvia, "silva" means "forest" - strength and freshness.
January 4 A nameday of Tikhomir (silent). Silence is a prelude to revelation, it gives things grandeur and kingliness. "Tikhon" means "a happy person".
January 6 VODITZI (Jordanovden, St. Jordan's Day) Consecration of the holy cross. It is the holiday of those who bear the name of Jordan, Jordanka (after the holy river of Jordan), Bogomil (dear to God) and Bogdan (God's gift).
January 7 IVAN'S DAY Holiday of Ivan, Ivanka, Ivailo, Vanyo, Vanya, Yonko, Yonka, Yoto, whose names mean "God's blessing". On this day the men perform the so-called "Ivanovstvo" rite - become fellow brothers and as a vow they step in the glowing embers with their right bare foot. From this day on their wives become fellow sisters.
January 8 MIDWIVES' DAY With a fresh round loaf of bread and a gift for the woman who assists in giving birth to a new life.
January 12 A nameday of Tatyana, Tanya (from Latin "she who arranges").
January 14 Holiday of those bearing the name Nina (from Greek "Ivanina").
January 17 ANTON'S DAY The nameday of Anton (from Latin "priceless"), Antonia, Doncho, Donka. Round loaves of bread are kneaded and coated with honey. Pulses, sewing and knitting are forbidden to give health and banish the plaque.
January 18 ATANASIUS'S DAY St. Atanasius is the patron of blacksmiths and symbolises immortality. The women bake bread and slaughter a black hen for health. They keep the feathers as a remedy against evil eyes.
January 20 Nameday of Euthim. The name comes from the Sanscrit "en", which designates infinity, the hidden god. Some people interpret the name as "kindliness".
January 25 Nameday of Grigor, which means "be on the alert, stay awake".

February
February 1 TRIPHON ZAREZAN The holiday is also called "the noseless" as a folk legend says that the Virgin Mary cursed Triphon to cut his nose because he made fun of her. On this day people elect "TsarTriphon" and in spirits they carry him home from the vineyards.
February 2 ROOSTER'S DAY This day has been honoured since the time King Irod killed all the newborns in search of the new king and a mother painted all her neighbours' doors with the blood of a young rooster so as to save her baby, thus mistaking the signs and saving it. In the pre-Christian cultures the rooster is a symbol of the ever-resurrecting life.
February 3 SEEDS' DAY Also called "Holy Mother". On this day if a woman wants to give birth to a child, she stands at a crossroads and hands out "a pinched bread".
February 10 PLAGUE DAY (St. Haralampius) In Greek "Haralampios" means "glowing with happiness". Women bake bread, which they coat in honey, tear it into four pieces and hand them out to neighbours in the four directions of the world so they could be healthy and light-hearted throughout the year. In some places the day is celebrated as the nameday of Valentin, Valentina (from Latin "Valentius" - healthy, strong).
February 11 VLASS'S DAY People celebrate this day in honour of the draught animals so the animals do not ail.
February 25 ZADOUSHNITZA (All Souls' Day) (first in the year)
February 26 MESNI ZAGOVEZNI (The second Sunday before Lent) There are only meat dishes on the festive table.

March
March 1 MARTOUVANE (Martenitzas) Small coins, cloves of dried garlic, blue beads, iron loops, hairs from a horse's tail, snail shells, pieces of cornel-tree, etc. are entwined into the traditional Bulgarian "martenitza". That is why the martenitza is considered a charm, which chases away evil forces.
March 5 SIRNI ZAGOVEZNI (The First Sunday Before Lent) also called Sirnitza, Maslenitza. Many rituals are performed on this day to provide future fertility, prosperity, health and rich crops. In the evening the young ask the elder in the family for forgiveness. And the children "hamkat" - they catch with their mouths a boiled egg as a symbol of luck, a small piece of coal - longevity and a piece of cheese - health.
March 6-8 TRIMIRO That is a full lent - no food, not even water. The "Trimiro" is done on the Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays after the first Sunday before Lent. On Wednesday morning the fasting person goes to church, receives Holy Communion and takes Holy Communion on Eucharist, then goes home, where he gathers relatives and neighbours and gives a feast. Nameday of Galya, Galyo, which means "black, tawny".
March 9 MLADENTZI (St. 40 Martyrs) People believe that on this day God drives 40 hot spits in the soil to warm it and the sun "turns to the summer", so it is time to sow and plant. Young men look for a snake to kill and plant basil seeds in its head and the plant that grows out of it will secure them the love of the woman they want.
March 11 TODOR'S DAY (Horse's Easter) "Todoritza" celebrates the health of horses and those young women who have married recently in the winter. "Teodoros" comes from old Greek and means "a gift from God". Nameday of Teodor, Teodora, Todor, Todorka, Bozhidar.
March 23 Nameday of Lydia, "lada" according to people's beliefs means "a spoiled girl".
March 24 Nameday of Zahari, Zaharina. Comes from Hebrew and means "God remembers".
March 25 BLAGOVESHTENIE (Annunciation) On this day people see storks and swallows. That is why it is a festive day for the children as well, who joyously shout to the sky "You bright and long-legged stork, give me health with hellebore!" when they see a bird. And the girls who are going to get married, when they see a swallow they hurriedly make three knots on their head-scarf, saying with hope: "You swallow, my fellow sister, whoever takes me, such a sign you give me!" They put the scarf on the top of the oven to stay there for three days and three nights, after which they take it into their hands and predict the future: if they see mud on the cloth, the bridegroom will be a mason, if they find a piece of paper, the bride groom will be a teacher. On this day, before they hear a cuckoo's song, everyone makes sure they are all fed, have money in their pockets and good mood in their hearts so they would be fed, well-off and mirthful throughout the year. Nameday of Blagoy.

April
April 2 Nameday of Zhivko, Zhivka.
April 15 LAZAR'S DAY (St. Lazar's Day) The Saturday before Palm Sunday, a week before Easter, is St. Lazar's Day. Old people believe that Lazar is the master of woods and forests and helps people clean them and make fallow land. That is why people believe that Lazar is carrying an axe. The name "Lazar" comes from Eleazar - "God helps".
April 16 TZVETWITZA / VRABNITZA (Palm Sunday) On this day young girls make wreaths, flower decorations, sing songs and dance to the accompaniment of St. Lazar's Day songs in each house for health and fertility and the hosts give them white eggs, flour, stewed dried fruit and coins, All who are named after flowers and trees celebrate - Kalina (mountain ash), Violeta (violet), Varban (willow), Tzvetan, Tzvetana, Kamelia (camellia), Nevena (marigold), Margarita (daisy), Liliana (lily), Yavor (sycamore), Yassen (ash-tree), etc.
April 23-25 EASTER (Passover) One of the biggest Christian holidays dedicated to the resurrection of the living nature. On this day the people who have kept lent, break their fast with crumbles of the last year's first red egg. ''Easter without a red egg is no Easter," people say. The tradition to paint eggs for Easter is as old as the holiday itself. In folk beliefs the egg is a symbol of life, of the regenerative processes in nature, of rebirth and resurrection. That is why, all ancient mythologies reflect the belief that "all the world" originated from an egg.
April 23 Nameday of Velichko, Velichka.

May
May 1 EREMIA (Snake's Day) Old people believe that if someone is working in the field on this day, they will be bitten by a snake in the summer. On Snake's Day young women go in the fields, pick wild garlic and bring it home to protect them from evil magic and evil eyes and the young unmarried men "chase dragons". People in the lands along the lower current of the river Toundja plant the cabbage and believe the way snakes coil up that same way the cabbage heads will coil to become tight and firm.
May 2 Nameday of Boris, Borislav, Borislava (pine). In mythology the pine is a symbol of immortality as it is perceived as the body of the dead and resurrected god who changes the seasons.
May 5 Nameday of Irin, Irina, which means "peace".
May 6 GERGYOVDEW (St. George's Day) This holiday originated from an ancient pagan rite associated with the pasture breeding of sheep and goats and with their first milking. "Georgius" comes from old Greek and means "farmer". In Eastern Bulgaria the evening before the holiday the young people go around the fields to chase away the corn pests, "bathe in dew" for health, pick pear branches and nettle with which they decorate the doors of their homes, barns, cattle-sheds and pens, light candles and drink three sips of "silent water" as a remedy. Then they swing so as to prevent the dragons and the she-dragons from falling in love with them. Nameday of George, Gergana, Gancho, Ganka.
May 21 ST. CONSTANTINE AND ELENA'S DAY On this day in the region of the Strandzha Mountains fire-dancers celebrate by walking on glowing embers with bare feet. After the fire dance a ring dance starts and everyone should join it so as to have health and rich crops. Nameday of Kostadin, Kostadinka.
May 24 Nameday of Cyril (from Greek "lordly") and Methodius (also from Greek - "one who studies, follows a method").
May 30 Nameday of Emil, Emilia (from Latin "do idle talk").

June
June 1 SPASS'S DAY (Ascension Day) On the morning of "Spass's Day" people greet one another with "Christ has arisen!" and they answer "He has truly arisen!". They paint eggs in red and give them to neighbours. They also go to the graveyard. There, on the grave, they put a red egg and walnut leaves so they could make a shade for the deceased. Then they decant, using water however, plain water for they believe that on this day the planks of the dead are burning and thus they put them out with water, After that they make a memorial feast. And in the evening those ones bearing the name of Spas, Spaska, celebrate.
June 7 Nameday of Valeri, Valeria (from old Latin generic name "Valerius" - "being strong").
June 10 ZADOUSHNITZA (All Souls' Day) In Thrace they call it "Spassovska Zadoushnitza" and in North Bulgaria "Petdesetnishka" (Pentecost's) because it is on Sunday before Pentecost. On this day people go to the graveyard and besides decanting, lighting candles, handing out and holding memorial feasts, they leave walnut leaves as they do on "Spass's Day". Nameday of Teodossy, Teodossia (the name means "God given").
June 11 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY People honour St. Bartholomew as the second of the four hailstorm masters - the brothers Gernam, Bartholomew, Lisse and Vido. People honour this day to prevent hailstorms in the summer and severe blizzards in the winter. They make ritual breads, which they give out to their neighbours.
June 12 SPIRITS' DAY Bulgarians believe that from Holy Thursday until the Holy Ghost the souls of all dead people are free here on Earth. They usually walk on the flowers and trees and they are lured with walnut leaves to gather together on this day. On Spirits' Day they go back and appear not until next year. As a farewell gift to the souls people make votive offerings, lay tables, sing and have fun.
June 14 LISSE'S DAY According to folk beliefs, Lisse is the third brother, master of hailstorms, who governs dark hail-clouds in the summer and blizzards in the winter. Old people celebrate this day also in honour of the "lisso" disease, which makes people become bald - their hair and beards and moustache fall out. That is why on this day the squirts make special "lissi (bald) breads".
June 15 VIDO'S DAY On this day Bulgarians honour the last of the brothers, the hailstorm master Vido, but only those who have already honoured the other three do it. People believe that the evil Vido punishes the sinners. That is why there is an old folk saying "Vido's Day will come!".
June 24 ENYO'S DAY (Yany's Day) (Midsummer Day) The day of herbs. For Christians herbs are curative for they were first found on the Crucifixion hill, they are God's gift to the people. In the morning people get up early so they could see the sun "turn three times" and those who manage to "bathe" in the dew will be healthy until the next Midsummer Day. Then the girls make "Enyova bulya (Enyo's bride)" and they "sing" the rings to see which young man will fall in love with them and there is no end to the songs and dance on this day since it is also the nameday of Yanko and Yanka.
June 26 ROUSSALSKA NEDELIA (Midsummer Week) It is the week from Spirits' Day until Sunday, when healers called "kaloushari" visit people's homes. People believe that after their visit there will be only health.
June 29 ST. PETER'S DAY Peter's lent ends with meat dishes - a black Peter's chicken is slaughtered at the doorstep of the house for health and strength, for Peter also means "a stone". In the evening Peter, Petrana and Kamen celebrate their nameday,
June 30 PAUL'S DAY On this day people do not work in case there are fires. They do not light fire, nor do they bake bread, so the corn in the field is not burned. A wise saying instructs: "On Peter's Day you reap, so it will not be swept away and on Paul's Day you just lie idle, so it will not burn" because "Malak Pavlyo (Little Paul) plays great mischief" ("Paulus" means "little").
BUTTERFLY Butterfly is a custom which does not have a fixed date. It is usually performed during "Peter's month", when the weather becomes dry: by girls decorated in greenery (usually elder, ivy or willow branches). A little girl (8-12 years of age), an orphan or the baby of the family, is chosen to be "the butterfly" and she is adorned in greenery from top to bottom to be bestowed health and fertility from God.

July
July 1 ST. VRACH The day of the Christian saints Kozma and Damyan is considered a "grave" holiday and no work should be done on this day so that people don't ail. Homage is paid to popular healers - clairvoyants, sorceresses and spinning-wheel men. Sacrificial animals are slaughtered for good health and sick people visit curative springs, leaving a sign from their clothes on the nearby "trick-out" for the sickness to remain there forever.
July 7 Nameday of Nedyalko, Nedyalka. Legend has it that the seventh day, Sunday, is under the sign of the Sun, which is "God's eye" -blessing and bestowing health and fertility on people.
July 8 PROKOPIUS THE BEE-KEEPER On this day every woman makes a "truvna round loaf" (a ritual loaf with the depiction of a beehive). The hive gathers together the bee family so this round loaf is given out only to kins for good health and longevity.
July 15,16,17 DOG-DAYS In the week after the summer St. Atanasius's Day. come the three black days popularly known as "the Dog-days". The first one. July 15th, is Chourouta, the second, July 16th, is Parliga, and the third, July 17th, is Marina the Fiery. People believe that if during the Dog-days they do not observe the traditional interdictions not to work in the field, in the garden or at home, fire will descend from heaven and burn their fields and houses. Most frightful are Chourouta and Marina the Fiery.
July 15 Nameday of Vladimir, Vladimira whose names are derived from the ancient word "great ruler".
July 16 Nameday of Julian, Julia - after the name of Emperor Guy Julius Caesar.
July 17 Nameday of Marin, which is the masculine form of Maria "firm, constant", and Marina.
July 20 ST. ELIJAH'S DAY This holiday is related to Peroun, the god of thunder and lightning worshipped by the Slavs.
Folk tradition demands that in honour of Elijah the Thunderer the oldest rooster is slaughtered - roosters at the household get rejuvenated. People go to the consecrated ground and sit down to a feast. It is the Nameday of Iliya, Iliyana, Ilko, Ilka.
July 27 ST. PANTHALEIMON'S DAY Popularly Saint Panthaleimon is called Panthaley the Traveller or Water Panthaley. Panthaleimon in old Greek means "the all-merciful". People honour him so there would not be torrents and floods on earth. On this day homage is paid also to clairvoyants, sorceresses and spinning-wheel men, as Saint Panthaleimon was a great healer of all diseases. The Bulgarians believe that on St. Panthaleimon's Day the swallows and storks gather together to fly away to winter quarters or, as old people say “The storks are heading for snow".
July 31 VIRGIN MARY'S SHROVETIDE A table is arranged with a ritual "shrovetide round loaf", which is broken and not cut into slices, as well as meat dishes. In some settlements people eat nothing for three days afterwards to purify their body and soul.

August
August 1 – 12 MAKAVEYAN DAYS The cycle of folk holidays "Makaveyan Days" lasts for 12 days - from August 1 to August 12. The old Bulgarians named these days after the months of the year, the first day being September, the second October, the third November, and so on to the twelfth, which is again August but ... next year, Observing the weather day by day they knew what the weather would be all year ahead.
August 15 VIRGIN MARY'S DAY The Assumption is a great popular holiday. Votive offerings are made and sick people spend the night a! "holy places" to gain health. A ritual bread of "stored leaven" and of the first picked and church consecrated fruits of the season - water melons, grapes, honey - are given out for good health and richer harvest. "By Virgin Mary's Day straw becomes wheat, and after Virgin Mary's Day wheat becomes straw!" the proverb says, so good husbands should complete the threshing by Virgin Mary's Day. Nameday of Maria.
August 26 Celebrated by those named Adrian, Adriana (after the name of the Roman Commander) and Natalia ("natal, native").
August 27 On this day in Thrace a summer herald goes around the homes to bless the toil of the farmers having garnered the crops and give them hope for even richer crops next year.
August 29 EQUINOX People honour this day because it is "even", i.e. the length of the day equals the length of the night as popular belief goes, Water also gets colder and people should not bathe in waters in the open. On this day people do not eat black grapes, and to chase away sickness they eat white grapes and drink white wine.

September
September 1 SIMEON'S DAY This is the beginning of the church New Year. On this day the autumn sowing starts in the Bulgarian lands. Early in the morning the housewife cleans the house, scrubs the wooden floor with wood ashes, airs the clothes, sweeps the wheat in the barn. Then she kneads a ritual round loaf, as the cloth through which the water is strained is soaked in St. George's Day dew. With this bread she will feed the oxen and the husband. The name "Simeon" comes from the Hebrew "Simon" meaning "hearing of the wish".
September 8 VIRGIN MARY'S DAY On the eve of the holiday, ailing people make a vow before a ritual loaf, variegated with a bride's bracelet onto which an Easter "doll" is stuck and spread with honey. The first bite is thrown out of the chimney, and the second is eaten by the sick person vowing, for example, "As long as I live I will not taste goat's meat, for the sickness - honey cake for me - cure and health!”. Old people believe that sickness goes away but they know that "vows should not be broken till death”.
September 14 HOLY CROSS DAY According to the popular calendar from the Holy Cross Day on old Bulgarians get ready for vintage time. They hoop the casks, the cart to carry the grapes and the tub it will be crushed in. Small and big baskets are woven for the gatherers. Therefore in some settlements the Holy Cross Day is also called Grape-Harvest Day.
September 16 Nameday of Lyudmil, Lyudmila (meaning "dear, loved by people"). September 17 FAITH, HOPE, LOVE The Bulgarians honour this day as the day of love. Fresh flowers are given to beloved people, candles are lit in the church for faith, hope and love to reign supreme in any home. Nameday of Lyuben. Lyubomir, Lyuba, Sofia, Nadezhda, Viara.

October
October 11 Nameday of Philip - "admirer of horses" in old Greek.
October 14 ST. PETKA'S DAY On St. Petkas Day it is forbidden to spin or knit. According to folk mythology, Petka is an aunt of Saint Demetrius. On her day children should not be bathed, and it is believed that if you do not fast on the Friday before the holiday may drown. Nameday of Petkana, Petrana, Penka, Petko.
October 18 Nameday of Zlatko, Zlatka. Gold jewellery is polished to bring health and luck to their owners.
October 26 ST. DEMETRIUS'S DAY (Dismissal Day) Legend has it that Saint Demetrius is patron of the winter and the cold and is an elder brother of Saint George. He rides a red horse and has a long white beard from which snow falls. In Northern Bulgaria this holiday is also called Dismissal Day because on this day local and foreign farmhands are dismissed and arrangements are made for next year. Nameday of Dimiter, Dimitrina, Dimo, Dima, Mitko, Mitra.
October 27 MOUSE DAY Women honour it, They do not do household work so that mice do not harm the home and crops. They sew up the front and back of their skirts as a symbolical "sewing up" of the mice's eyes.

November
November 4 ALL SOULS' DAY The great, or Michaelmas All Souls' Day is not only the last for the year but also the greatest because at the memorial table in the graveyard park seven dishes are laid for the blessing of the dead "to be heard" in the forthcoming advent.
November 8 MICHAELMAS According to Bulgarian popular mythology, Ranghel is one of the six brave brothers who shared the world among them, Ranghel's share was the world of the dead, That is why he is popularly known as Ranghel the Soul Reaper. The folk image of Archangel Michael endowed him with justice and compassion, the sole advocate before God for the soul of the deceased. When a dying man is smiling that means Archangel Michael is handing him a gold apple to take away his soul, old people say. Nameday of Angel, Angelina, Raina, Raicho.
November 11 Nameday of Viktor Viktoria (meaning "victor"), Mincho, Minka (after the name of Saint Mina).
November 14 CHRISTMAS SHROVETIDE After the Great All Souls1 Day and Michaelmas comes Christmas Shrovetide, the day before fasting begins, when meat is eaten for the last time.
November 14 – 21 WOLVES' DAYS (Mratintsi) Once the Thracians worshipped the wolf as the chieftain of a war band, but he degenerated into the kind of warrior who violated the traditions and became a commander, a chief of brigands, That is why something sunny and royal has remained in him, be it even with a negative sign. The name is born by and the week is honoured by people, areas and settlements. The Bulgarians believe that these are evil nights when one may catch any disease. An ugly old lady writes down the names of the sinners in a register and kills them with a touch of her stick. "In the still of the night people do not leave their house."
November 21 KOUTSOULAN This day is celebrated in honour of the most frightful lame wolf, who was supposed to eat people. On this day no comb is held in hand, men do not wear new shirts, women do not do the washing, sewing and knitting, even the bread is not cut by a knife but is broken instead.
November 24 ST. CATHERINE'S DAY The Day of Saint Martyr Catherine is called Catherine's Day by the Bulgarians. People honour the saint for her healing abilities in curing rabies and measles. Early in the morning the housewife bakes 5, 7 or 9 wheat round loaves and patterns them with her spindle. Then she spreads molasses, treacle or honey and gives them out at a crossroads, letting each passer-by to break a piece with the words, "Have some for Saint Catherine's sake, to be near our homes and protect us from Measles and Rabies!". Everyone has to have a piece, cross oneself three times and say, "Thanks, good lady, for the sweet morsel. May health stick on your children as my fingers stick together!". "Amen! God grant!" replies the lady of the house and looks out for the loaves to finish at an odd number of passers-by so that the diseases are banished.
November 30 ANDREY'S DAY (Edrey) It is also called Bear's Day, With the first rays of the sun the oldest woman in the household picks up cooked corn in a wooden spoon, throws the corns up the chimney and says, "Here, Bear, take cooked corn and don't eat raw corn!”. And it is believed that "bears will not tramp the fields and do harm to people". Nameday of Adriana, Andrey ("virile").

December
December 4 ST. VARVARA'S DAY On Varvara's Day the lady of the house bakes small ring-shaped buns, cooks wheat, corn and beans and gives it away to neighbours tor good health and mercy from Granny Smallpox so the children would not ail. Nameday of Varvara.
December 5 SAVA'S DAY On this day childless women rise before dawn and sift flour through a new sieve turned upside down. The oldest woman in the house chants, "Turn the sieve, child, for your belly to turn." And it is believed that after the baked ritual bread is given out at a crossroads the woman will bear a child next year. "Sava" in old Greek means "Saturday" (provident) - Nameday of Slavka, Slav, Sava.
December 6 ST. NICHOLAS'S DAY Saint Nicholas rules over the seas, rivers, lakes and the whole underwater world - fishes, storm-demons, mermaids. In the imagination of the people he is a white-bearded old man, who helps sailors in trouble. A legend tells of St. Nicholas saving a sailing boat from drowning by stopping the hole with a live carp, Therefore a carp is an obligatory sacrifice at the table on St. Nicholas's Day, besides vegetable dishes - stuffed cabbage or vine leaves, peppers and pulses. The old Greek "Nike" means "victory, victorious, victor".
December 9 ST. ANNA'S DAY "Anna" in old Hebrew means "blessing". According to tradition, Saint Anna is the mother of Virgin Mary and is the patron of marriage, the family, virginity, pregnant women and widows, Nameday for all women called Anna.
December 12 SPIRIDQN'S DAY In some settlements this holiday is called "Conception", It is celebrated by women and in particular the mothers to be. Professional day of all shoemakers.
December 17 DANIIL'S DAY According to Christian legends, Daniil was dropped into the pit where the lion, instead of tearing him to pieces, humbly licked him with its tongue. He symbolises the personality of Jesus, who defeated death and the temptation from sin,
December 20 IGNAZHDEN (Ignat's Day) This day marks the beginning of the popular New Year. People try not to take out anything from home, everyone should bring things home for it to be full during the year. Nameday of Ignat, "Ignat" in Latin means "fire".
December 22 ANASTASIA'S DAY On this day the Bulgarians honour Nastasia the Dead - a mythological symbol of death. Old people say that if Nastasia gets angry "she will plunge all houses in mourning". So on this day women try not to make her angry. They knead wheat round loaves with honey on top and give them away in the neighbourhood to commemorate the dead and to protect the living from plague.
December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE The festive table is laid with 12 pulse dishes, When the whole family gathers, the lady of the house censes everywhere in the house, the oldest man breaks up the "Bogovitza" over the head of a little child, On this eve the eagerly expected visitors in every home are the carol-singers with their blessing. Nameday of Eugeni, Eugenia (from old Hebrew "decent, decorous").
December 25, 26, 27 CHRISTMAS The Bulgarians celebrate Christmas for three days. In the past, on the first day of Christmas, after church, the bidding for maiden ring-shaped buns on Christmas Eve took place at the central square. It was a point of honour for a lad in love with a lassie to buy off her bun from someone else, no matter how much money it cost him.
December 25 In the evening all the people whose name starts with the letter "R" celebrate: Radka, Radko, Radostin, Radostina, Roussi, Roumen.
December 26 The second day is a Nameday for those called Christo, Christina, and Joseph.
December 27 Nameday of Stefan and Stoyan. People celebrating their nameday are bathed, songs are sung, ring-dances are danced.