Christmas Eve in Serbia
By LowRiderX
@LowRiderX (22903)
Serbia
January 6, 2021 12:50pm CST
In Serbia, the main Church is the Orthodox Church and we still use the old 'Julian' Calendar, which means that Christmas Eve is on 6th January and Christmas Day is on the 7th January!
On Christmas Eve, which is now (called 'Badnji dan' during the day and 'Badnje vece' after sunset), families gather and many people fast and don't eat food that comes from animals. It is the last day of the Christmas fast. Christmas is a very religious holiday and most people go to the Christmas Services.
On Christmas Day the dawn is greeted with church bells ringing and people firing guns into the air! The first person to enter a house on Christmas Day is called a položajnik and it's thought to bring luck to the house and family.
In Serbian Happy/Merry Christmas is Hristos se rodi- Christ is born Vaistinu se rodi
- truly born (reply).
Traditional Serbian customs have also mixed with western customs. For example people also have Christmas Trees but they are decorated on New Year's Eve, not at Christmas!
Photo is borrowed from novosti.rs
22 people like this
23 responses
@paigea (36315)
• Canada
6 Jan 21
@LowRiderX Thank-you for the lesson. I will change it!
4 people like this
@MistyckMoon (935)
• United States
6 Jan 21
I love learning about the traditions in other countries. Thank you for sharing it. My mom was from the Dominican Republic and in that country, they celebrate Three Kings Day on January 6. That to them is the same as Christmas Eve.The kids put hey in their shoes for the camels of the three kings to eat and in return, the three kings leave them with small gifts and candy. But they also celebrate Traditional Christmas as in the states.
8 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@MistyckMoon You are welcome 
I am the same as you, I like to know about other customs and traditions. Thank you for the reading!
I am the same as you, I like to know about other customs and traditions. Thank you for the reading!3 people like this
@GreatMartin (23671)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
6 Jan 21
How does Santa fit into all this?? I am curious!
4 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@GreatMartin In our country, Santa Claus is associated with the New Year and not with Christmas, the same is with the New Year's tree
2 people like this
@Giannna (1040)
• Novi Sad, Serbia
6 Jan 21
@LowRiderX yes,the christmas is more spiritual thing
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@thelme55 Thank you so much, ohh that is so nice..
3 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@CarolDM This is not a bad idea, apart from the everyday adventures we all go through, I will try to present my country, customs ...
3 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@CarolDM You are welcome, glad that you like it
4 people like this
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
6 Jan 21
thank you for sharing that tradition, it is always good to learn something!
6 people like this
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
6 Jan 21
@LowRiderX i always love to learn about new things
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@DocAndersen That's what I think too ..thanks for reading 
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (185079)
• United States
6 Jan 21
Thanks, for that informative post. I had no idea about any of that.
3 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
6 Jan 21
@snowy22315 You are welcome! I'm glad you read something new
2 people like this
@allknowing (140561)
• India
7 Jan 21
That is interesting Here 6th January is the feast of Epiphany where the 3 kings arrive.
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
7 Jan 21
@allknowing Interestingly, each part of the world has its own custom
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (92004)
• Arvada, Colorado
7 Jan 21
Thank you for sharing about your traditions I like to read of it. Happy New Year to you
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
7 Jan 21
@JudyEv Yes and I like to read about other customs, you are welcome
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (92004)
• Arvada, Colorado
12 Jan 21
I wish it were Christmas again
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (92004)
• Arvada, Colorado
14 Jan 21
@LowRiderX Wonderful yes I do
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
8 Jan 21
@marlina You are welcome Marlina Thanks for reading
Thanks for reading1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472476)
• Switzerland
7 Jan 21
@LowRiderX Do you mean if I understood your post, of course I did.. of course I do not speak your language, but I liked to read the way you wish Merry Christmas.
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
7 Jan 21
@LadyDuck No, I meant this part 'yes I knew you knew' it sounded to me like I hadn’t written it well
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (82412)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Jan 21
That sounds wonderful and Merry Christmas! My mother in law in Latvia was Orthodox so every year we had 2 Christmases and 2 New Years she loved celebrating them all
1 person likes this
@sol_cee (38219)
• Philippines
8 Jan 21
@LowRiderX lol sorry we live near the beach and during earthquakes, the church bell (and some sirens) start ringing to alert the people to go to higher grounds in case a tsunami follows
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
8 Jan 21
@sol_cee Which higher place? I'm afraid I didn't understand. Church bells make me nostalgic too
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
8 Jan 21
@sol_cee Omg, i thought about it but i wasn't sure to write, actually, i thought about volcano 
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
7 Jan 21
@DianneN Vaistinu se rodi Thank you so much, and it is unusual and nice when someone like you tries to wish me a Merry Christmas in my language, thank you very much !!
Thank you so much, and it is unusual and nice when someone like you tries to wish me a Merry Christmas in my language, thank you very much !! 1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
7 Jan 21
@DianneN Yes, I'm home with my family, the atmosphere is relaxed, we will soon have Christmas dinner, the weather outside is changeable so we won't go out and nothing is working here today because it's a holiday
1 person likes this
