The Orthodox Christmas season starts on January 5 with a bonfire celebration called Kolede. It is a an old pagan festival for the return of the sun. The celebration at this point involves lighting a bon fire.
This year I attended the bonfire at the local church. Yes, the Orthodox church took over this celebration, probably sometime in the middle ages. However, different from the Catholic church taking over solstice celebrations in western Europe, the Orthodox church needed to give this celebration some other religious meaning. They already had Christmas. So, in a strange shift of chronology, they decided that Kolede would commemorate Herod killing of the infant boys in Bethlehem. The celebration at church included the selling of oak leaf branches, candles to burn in remembrance of deceased persons and the opportunity to kiss a particular icon. Then the priests came out, clad in bright colored robes. They read a short liturgy and lit the fire.
Bon fires are also lit in neighborhoods. I attended one of these fires last year. No religion here. just a neighborhood party with plenty of food, conversation and rekia, the local moonshine. If I am going to acknowledge pagan activities, I would rather do it without the sheen of religion. For one thing it was a more convivial time.
The next day is given over to the Macedonian answer to Halloween minus the costumes and at a different time of day. Starting at about 8:00 in the morning, kids come around and sing songs of good fortune to the house or laments of the poor murdered children of Bethlehem probably depending on what songs their parents sang.. The children are then given a treat or money. I saw a couple of children stop to assess their take. They had two huge shopping bags bulging and they also were counting out a significant amount of money. I'm glad the kids at least have an opportunity to get some goodies.
That evening, Christmas Eve, is traditionally the family time. My church arranged for me to share dinner with a family from the church. We had bean soup and fish. Very good and I was even able to converse a little in Macedonian. Fun.
The next day was Christmas. My church invited one and all to come to the service that night. They had over 200 in attendance. The agenda included presentation by the youth of the church. This group sang a song. Another group gave a rendition of the Nativity, with a beautiful young woman as Mary and one young man doing double duty as the Angel Gabriel and the donkey. A very enjoyable time.
Then they distributed Christmas boxes from a charity organized by Billy Graham's son. The kids did enjoy getting these gifts. The boxes include small toys, candy and perhaps a pair of gloves or so. Not quite the tearing into gifts on Christmas morning around the tree, but a lovely memory none the less.
Of course this is not the end of celebration for me. My birthday is January 8, the day after Orthodox Christmas. This year I decided to give rather than receive, though I did receive many Facebook good wished and several cards and even one or two snail mail cards. Thank you to all who brightened my day. Anyway, in the evening, I arranged to have dinner at the Dublin with the two young people who translate for me at church. Sara graduated from high school last year and is taking a gap year as she arranges to go to college next year. Stephan was an exchange student in Wisconsin last year and is finishing up his high school. We had a very nice dinner.
Another week of activities. Now I am trying to get back into a more mundane routine preparing for the new semester next month.
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