Bulgarians still hang at least one new toy from their Christmas trees every year in the belief that it will bring them luck and health.
But to begin with, Bulgarians decorated the trees with apples, walnuts, popcorn and home-made paper garlands in different colours. Later, imported sets of glass toys made their way into the country. The Christmas tree became indispensable in Bulgaria after the liberation of the country in 1878, when a process of Europeanization of Christmas and New Year rituals began in the country.
European-style balls were being organized, Christmas cards sent out, and of course, there were presents for the children. Another element of the Christmas and New Year magic were the “toys of fire” in the sky, as the new-sprung fireworks were then called.
Find out how and when the first Christmas tree appeared in this country HERE.
Editor: Dessislava Semkovska
On January 6, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of the greatest Christian feasts called Epiphany, Yordanovden, or the Baptism of Lord. This is the day on which St. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. Epiphany is also..
Nowadays, as in the past, households are bustling with a festive hustle from the early morning of the day of Christmas eve (Badni vecher in Bulgarian) with preparations for the most important dinner of the year. The dinner in anticipation of Christmas..
The first modern Christmas was celebrated in Bulgaria in 1879. It followed a European model with a Christmas tree, ice skating and gifts. At that time, the young Alexander Battenberg, who had just become the Prince of Bulgaria, took it upon..
Overcast, rain
Cloudy
Scattered showers
Cloudy