The Customs of Christmas of the Serbian People

Christmas is preceded by three weeks which are dedicated to the family. The first Sunday of these three weeks is the Day of the Child, or Detinjci. This is followed by Mothers Day, or Materice. The third Sunday, Ocevi, is dedicated to the father.

On each of these Sundays the custom of "Ransom" is observed. The ransomed ones are tied to some object and must pay a certain fee in order to regain their freedom. First the children are ransomed to the parents, then the mother to the children, and then the father to the rest of the family. This way each member of the family in turn becomes ransomer and ransomed. This custom emphasizes and strengthens the close ties among family members in love and responsibility.

Other Christmas customs include:

Tucindan

Two days before Christmas a young pig is usually prepared for barbecue the next day, one that will serve as the main dish for the Christmas meal.

Badnji Dan

On the day before Christmas a Yule log is secured and the pecenica is cooked. The family gathers for a meal at Christmas Eve, which of course is Lenten. The meal is preceded by a prayer led by the father. Straw is spread around and gifts are exchanged.

Cesnica

Early on Christmas Day, while most of the family members attend Church services, Mother stays home to prepare the meal. One of her many tasks that day is to prepare the Cesnica, a special Christmas bread in which a coin is placed. Whoever finds the coin in his piece of Cesnica will have good fortune all through the coming year.

Mirbazenje

The Christmas meal is the most festive meal of the year and usually the richest one. When it is ready to be served, all family members gather themselves around the table (Sofra). Since this is a joyous and exciting moment Father must call everyone to attention. Once this is accomplished he lights the candle in the middle of the table. The candle is usually set in a dish of wheat grain or, as is done in some regions, young green wheat that has been grown for just that occasion. Then Father censes everyone present and says the prayer. Following the prayer the family members turn the Cesnica from left
to right while singing the Christmas hymn Rozdestvo Tvoje. Then the Cesnica is broken end each member receives a piece of it, with one piece left for the arrival of the Polozajnik (Poleznik). The breaking of bread is then followed by the Mirbozenje. Each member of the family turns to one another and kisses them, the elder one greeting the younger with the words, Mir Bozji! Hristos se Rodi! The younger member responds with: Vaistinu se Hristos se Rodi!

Rozdestvo Tvoje

Rozdestvo Tvoje, Hriste Boze nas, Vozsija mirovi sjet razuma Vnembo zvjezdam sluzasci zvjezdoju ucahusja. Tjebje klanjatisja solncu pravdi; I tebje vjedjeti svisoti vostoka, Gospodi, slava Tebje!

(Thy Nativity)
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, Raised the light of knowledge in the world; And those who worshiped the stars were thought by the stars To worship Thee, O sun of Justice, And to know Thee as the East of the heights, O Lord, glory to Thee!

Polazajnik (Poleznik)

Here I have a difficult task in finding the exact equivalent in English for the Polozajnik (Poleznik). This is the person who happens to be the first visitor to the home on Christmas Day. A special gift is prepared for this person; it is given along with a piece of Cesnica. In some villages people present the guest with a pair of wool stockings or a scarf. The term Polozajnik in the Serbian language indicates its function, poloziti, which means to set aside or reserve. In some villages one hears the word Poleznik applied to the same person. In the first instance the noun derives from the verb, but in the latter case the term Poleznik probably derives from the noun polza, which means good, or well-wishing.

The Polozajnik (or Poleznik) does not have to be a person of the Orthodox faith or even a person you may already know. No matter who that person is‹old or young, male or female the one who greets you on Christmas Day, God's Day, opens the door of your home and brings a blessing with his coming. As a creature of God like yourself, he comes in the name of God with best wishes. This of course implies that this holiday is to be celebrated with all other people, represented on that day by the Polozajnik (or Poleznik).

This custom has another important meaning, namely, to remind us that we are just travelers or sojourners in this world. Just as there are travelers and sojourners away from their homes in other countries throughout the world, so too may we be found destitute and in need of help. This is a beautiful custom which has been practiced by the Serbian people from its ancestry until today. It depicts the concrete reality of our life in this world, but above all, the Polozajnik or Poleznik symbolizes Christ and his coming into the world.