During the Christmas and New Year holidays pine spruces and pine trees are in high demand. With them we bring comfort to our homes, while their decoration is the source of a fascinating festive mood. In the recent years though, more customers have been looking for Christmas trees with roots to plant them in a nearby park or barnyard after the holidays. The cornel-tree is also in high esteem during this season.

No one can have all sorts of trees in their garden. However, our ancestors tried to compensate for that and always kept at home objects with various purposes – useful, protective and magic, writes journalist Stefan Yanakiev in his survey. In the Bulgarian traditions the cornel-tree is seen as a tree of magic that brings hope of good health, a long life and good luck. It is a symbol of longevity for its tough and durable wood core. Cornel-tree was most often used to make the hard and gorgeous handgun grips, the sweetest-voiced shepherd’s flutes and the wooden components of bagpipes. The tough wood was polished to the point of shining, and only then various silver incrustations were made to adorn the grip. The stick used by the polaznik (the first guest entering the house on St. Ignatius Feast) to ritually poke the fire is made of cornel-tree. The same blessed material is used to make the crooks of Xmas carol-singers and survaknitsa decorated twigs for back tapping meant to bring sound health during the winter holidays. On Christmas Eve cornel-tree buds are present on the table and together with the food they are incensed for the sake of sound health and luck. There is hardly a market in Bulgaria that won’t sell cornel-tree twigs for Christmas.

Bulgarians also have a soft spot for the ash-tree. It is said to bring happiness. In some Christmas carols it is hymned as a heavenly or world tree able to banish demons. Maple is another tree with a high reputation in Bulgaria. Under it one can sit or sleep without even a trace of fear from evil spirits or black magic. The shepherd playing a maple flute feels protected to go to most dangerous places where presumably evil wood-nymphs live. It was believed that the most important objects in the house – the brandy and wine flask and the bucket – if made of maple, would have a protective effect against all things bad. A rocker arm used to carry water had to be made of either ash-tree or maple.

When it came to socializing we have to mention another venerated tree – the plane tree that was often planted to decorate village squares. Its rich shadow was most preferred when people gathered for a chat. Today this species is common in many Bulgarian towns and villages. And here is the story of one of them. We go on a trip to the village of Djigurovo, near the town of Sandanski, Southwestern Bulgaria. The semi-mountainous village is perched on a hill in Mount Pirin. An eight-century-old plane tree is its key natural site. The secretary of the local community center Snezhana Dimitrova tells us more about the ancient tree shrouded in legends.

“In the public library we have a chronicle in which the following legend is recounted. There were two churches in the village – St. Nedelya and Virgin Mary. Once upon a time, on a festive day, the priest came to pray, carrying a plane tree branch with him. He stuck it into the ground to tie his horse. After the liturgy he untied the horse and left, and a tree grew out of the branch. This is today’s ancient plane tree. The tree is supposed to be more than 800 years of age. Over time the village grew around the plane tree and its location emerged as its central square. There is a public fountain built there attracting many strangers who come to draw water. Our water is pure and very tasty. The plane tree has a branched trunk and a large hollow has formed in the trunk. Old people remember that there was a bread oven in this hollow. They came over to buy fresh bread and to have a chat. For us it is the favorite point in the village. The bus station is there and the tree is a landmark. We often say, “When you reach the plane tree – go right”.

Last year the plane tree of Djigurovo joined the prestigious chart of Bulgaria’s ancient trees. It was among the ten finalists in the fifth edition of the chart for Bulgaria’s best-loved tree “A Tree with A Root 2014”. Another finalist from the region of Blagoevgrad included a tree from the Municipality of Sandanski – in the category "Ancient Trees Speak Up" the jury elected the oriental plane that has for 13 centuries now been casting its shadow on the courtyard of St. George the Victory-Bringer Monastery in the village of Zlatolist, not far from Djigurovo.

English version Daniela Konstantinova