Christmas is already
over and New Year is soon on our threshold. Homes and stores are beautifully
decorated . To Romanians, in general , - Christmas and New Year’s traditions
and customs are very important!
Diverse, colorful and
rich in symbols and meanings, these customs bring to the present glimpses of
pre-Christian rituals and underline the predominant agrarian lifestyle from the
past.
While traditionally in
Romania Christmas is a day spent together with the family, New Year’s Eve is
celebrated with friends or just staying at home and watching TV.
Romanians see New Year
as a time when they should be passing on their ancient traditions, cultures,
customs, and heritage to the future generation. This defines the rigorous
following of traditions. New Year’s Eve is attributed a great importance. It is
reflected in the saying “Do not let the year find you… because this is how your
next year will be !”
For example, if the New
Year catches you with a dirty home this is how your home will be for the entire
next year.
It brings bad luck to enter
into the New Year without any money in your pocket; it's good to have money (especially new
bills) in each wallet so on New Year’s Eve everybody is stuffing their pockets
with money to ensure a prosperous new year.
If you have debts when
entering the new year, you'll have debts all that year.
Be as noisy as possible
at midnight on New Year's Eve to ward off the evil spirits (bells,
firecrackers, etc.).
It's advised to dress in
red on New Year's Eve.
Don't cry on the first
day of the New Year. Wear something new on January 1st and do not break
anything on the first day of the new year.
If you have the patience to watch the three youtube videos of some ancient customs here at New Year
The most colorful New
Year’s Eve traditions are the mask-dances, magical ceremonials of death and
rebirth, with a variety of representations from the animal world like goats,
horses or bears, and fictional characters like the devil.
May it be better than 2016!
Happy Writing and Reading!
Hope you have a wonderful new year.
ReplyDeleteThank you! From your mouth to God's ears!
DeleteThe same wishes to you, too!
I wish you a prosperous new year with new opportunities to succeed.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kayelle! The same for you and family!
DeleteI try not to be superstitious, but I do avoid washing clothes on New Year's Day. Legend says doing so will "wash away" one of your relatives (they'll die). But as I was saying to my mom last night, she has SO many siblings and nieces and nephews, chances are someone in the family did laundry yesterday!
ReplyDeleteThank you for checking my post, Stephanie!
DeleteThe funny thing is that all these superstitions have a bit of explanation. As they say "There's no smoke without a fire".
Anyway, thanks for sharing with me and followers another belief/tradition on New Year!
Carmen, I love the Romanian customs associated with New Year's. You have described them so colorfully. The mask dances are so interesting too. We always take care to set a good example on New Year's for the coming year, as you said, including eating our lucky black eyed peas and hog jowl and cabbage boiled with a dime. New Year blessings to you, prosperity, good health, happiness, and all other wonderful tidings.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Flossie, for the wishes and blessings!
DeleteI really, really need God's hand over me right now. I'm frightened as i experience some health issues.
Wishing you a joyful, prosperous and full of health 2017, too!
Carmen, I loved this look at Romanian New Year's customs. I'm late in replying, but I wish you joy, prosperity and health in 2017, my friend. May your New Year be blessed!
ReplyDeleteThank you for checking the post, Mae! Yes, they are old traditions but mostly now only in the villages.
Delete