Christmas in Serbia

Some Serbian Christmas traditions are universal for Eastern Orthodox Christians, such as observing the Nativity fast, attending the Midnight Mass, and getting gifts from Grandfather Frost.

However, many customs are peculiar to the Balkan region, like burning the Badnjak, decorating the table with straw, and caroling in scary masks.

Christmas in Serbia isn’t as commercialized as in many countries, and tourists may not find the celebrations particularly entertaining.

However, Serbia is worth visiting at Christmas time for anyone interested in Balkan cultural heritage.

When is Christmas Celebrated in Serbia?

Most Serbs don’t celebrate Christmas on December 25 but on January 7 because the nation is prevalently Orthodox Christians (nearly 85%). Only 5% of Serbs are Catholics and 1% Protestants.

Serbian Orthodox Church belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate, which follows the Julian calendar for religious holidays.

Until Pope Gregory Xlll introduced calendar reform in the 16th century, Catholic Church also followed the Julian calendar.

But while the Catholic Church accepted the reform, the Orthodox didn’t. Later, some branches of the Orthodox Church also switched to the new calendar.

So, December 24 and December 25 in Serbia are regular days. Though some people may celebrate at home, you won’t encounter any festivities on the streets. Major celebrations always take place from January 6 to January 19, Orthodox Epiphany day.

Christmas Decorations

Christmas decorations in Serbia are very traditional, often featuring folk motifs mixed with universal holiday symbols. Serbs decorate Christmas trees in late December, before New Year’s, despite celebrating Christmas on January 7.

They adorn the trees with traditional baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights but also with wooden, felt, and glass ornaments handmade by local artisans and sold at Christmas fairs across the country.

Many people decorate their homes with oak branches and pinecone wreaths. Poinsettias and Christmas stockings familiar to Americans aren’t very common in Serbia.

Wandering Serbian town streets at Christmas time is always amusing.

Town municipalities go all out with creativity, setting up elaborate holiday displays with Santas, reindeer, angels, doves, gift boxes, and other Christmas symbols made from fairy lights.

Serbians traditionally use white tablecloths for Christmas dinner because the liturgical color white represents the purity of Christ.

Nativity Fast

Like most Orthodox Christians, Serbs observe the Nativity Fast, 40 days of penance and almsgiving preceding Christmas. For 40 days, Serbs refrain from meat, dairy, oil, alcohol, and other bodily temptations.

Most importantly, they should pray and free their minds from negative thoughts. Nativity Fast requires Orthodox Christians to attend church services and participate in the Holy Communion.

Originally, Nativity Fast and Catholic Advent traditions were the same. Before Catholics started lighting candles in an Advent wreath on Sundays, they also used to fast before Christmas.

The custom originated in the early centuries and was initially only observed by monks.

On some days, Serbs are allowed to eat fish fried in oil and drink some wine, but they pretty much become vegans for 40 days.

Christmas Eve is the strictest day of the period when people should not eat anything solid until the first star appears in the sky. The star represents the Star of Bethlehem, which arose when Jesus was born.

The Nativity Fast tradition isn’t as widespread among the young generation, but even people who don’t fast for the entire 40 days strive to follow the custom on Christmas Eve.

Traditional Food

Serbian Christmas dinner usually doesn’t contain meat because it may be too heavy for the stomach after 40 days of fasting. Serbs traditionally eat carp cooked in the oven, served with mashed potatoes or sauerkraut.

Meatless soups, whether vegetable or fish, are also common at the Serbian Christmas feast, perfect for cold winter evenings. While not everyone eats meat on Christmas Eve, some people cook sarma.

Sarma, cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice and topped with sour cream or tomato sauce, are a staple of Balkan cuisine.

Suvo voce, dried fruit compote, is traditionally served as an appetizer but sometimes as a dessert. Česnica is a must on the Serbian Christmas table. This round bread with braided ornaments can only be eaten on Christmas morning.

Serbs don’t cut česnica but tear it apart with hands. Inside the bread is hidden a coin or bean, and whoever finds it is believed to have a lucky year.

This tradition is similar to that of hiding a figure of baby Jesus in the Kings’ Cake on Epiphany. For dessert, Serbs prefer walnut cream rolls, vanilla cookies topped with sugar powder, or layered walnut cake with chocolate filling.

Mulled wine is popular in Serbia, but more common is vruca rakija, a hot drink made with whiskey, sugar, and water, sometimes spiced.

Church Services

Christmas Eve in Serbia is usually quiet and solemn. The town streets become empty as locals get ready for the Midnight Mass. Because Serbs should not eat anything or drink alcohol before Jesus is born, you won’t encounter any street parties.

Around 10 p.m., everyone gathers at church to listen to biblical passage readings, sing hymns, and pray. At midnight, when the Midnight Mass ends, the high priest proclaims, “Christ is born!” and everyone replies with “Truly is born!”.

Overall, Orthodox Midnight Mass isn’t much different from Catholic Christmas church services. Like Catholics, many Orthodox attend the morning mass on Christmas Day, though most spend the day preparing for the feast.

Gift Exchange

Some Serbs exchange gifts with immediate family on Christmas Day, but Christmas gifts aren’t as important in the Balkans as in the U.S.

Orthodox Christians consider gift exchange optional and usually leave it for New Year’s or Epiphany, commemorating the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to baby Jesus.

However, most Serbian children get at least small gifts like treats or crayons from Serbian Santa Claus named Grandpa Frost. Unlike Santa, who originated from Saint Nicholas, Grandpa Frost is an ancient Slavic mythological figure.

Grandfather Frost is a winter god who was initially cruel yet fair but acquired a kinder personality with the establishment of Christianity. He wears a long ornate robe in blue or red colors and a fur hat.

Grandfather frost doesn’t ride a sleigh pulled by reindeer but walks with a scepter which helps him cast magic. He visits the homes of Serbian children with his granddaughter Snow Maiden and asks kids to recite him a poem.

Badnjak Burning

Badnjak burning is an ancient Christmas tradition widespread in the Balkan region. Even the Serbian word for Christmas Eve, Badnji Dan, refers to this custom.

Interestingly, Scandinavians and Balts had a similar custom in pagan times, later adapted to Christmas celebrations. Norse pagans would burn an entire tree trunk throughout the winter solstice festival Yule to ward off evil spirits.

Balkan Badnjak tradition, too, has pre-Christian roots. Perhaps, ancient Serbs burned a log to scare away witches and ghosts and welcome spring.

Nowadays, the male head of the household goes to the woods on Christmas Eve morning to chop branches off an oak tree and brings them home. Then, each family member gets a branch to burn in the evening.

Some families don’t distribute branches but burn them together. Either way, the most important part of the tradition is burning the branches after Midnight Mass. Some do it at home, whereas others in front of cathedrals.

Since the 1990s, Serbian towns have been hosting public Badnjak burning ceremonies, where the ritual is accompanied by religious recitals and songs. Many Serbs find this tradition both sacramental and fun because they can meet with friends and neighbors.

The tradition is prevalent in the countryside because not all Serbs living in the city have fireplaces to burn Badnjak in. Serbs in cities typically use oak branches for decorating the festive table.

Straw on The Table

Serbs customarily decorate their Christmas table with straw, referring to the humble conditions Jesus was born in – he was born in a stable rather than a warm home and slept in a manger instead of a crib.

However, straw isn’t solely decoration. Serbs also have superstitions related to the custom. For example, if someone pulls out a long straw, they are believed to have a long and happy life, but if the straw is short, they will have many challenges.

Christmas Markets

When we hear about Christmas in Europe, Christmas markets are one of the first things that come to mind. Like any European country, Serbia has numerous atmospheric Christmas fairs that attract thousands of visitors every year.

However, the Christmas market tradition isn’t as huge in Serbia as in Germany, Austria, or France. Most Christmas fairs open in late December and last until New Year’s because they are more oriented toward tourists rather than locals.

Belgrade’s Christmas market is the largest in the country. There, you can find arts, crafts, gifts, decorations, traditional food, and hot drinks in cozy wooden stalls. Other Christmas markets in Serbia take place in Novi Sad and Pancevo.

Sources