News Feature

Presents and incense for a Croatian Christmas

03 December 2007

Christmas is an important traditional festival for the Croatian people, joyfully celebrating family, church, national identity and food.

The different regions of the country have developed their own variations in Christmas traditions but all over Croatia the climax of the season is Christmas Eve, when everyone gathers at midnight to sing Croatian Christmas carols at midnight mass.

Visitors renting a villa in Dubrovnik will be right in the middle of an international festival from December 15th to January 6th, including artists from around the Mediterranean.

Many Croatian festivities are centred around food and the family table. Christmas dinner is likely to include a feast of roast suckling pig or turkey. Lots of delicious fruits and nuts are placed on the table and wine and brandy are the drinks of choice.

The Christmas Eve bread is the most important part of the Christmas tradition. Badnji Kruh is made with honey, nuts and dried fruit, braided into a wreath and glazed.

It is often placed in the centre of the table, decorated with wheat and candles, and left there until the Epiphany (January 6th), when it is cut and eaten.

December 13 is St Lucy's Day, when wheat grains are planted in a round dish or plate and left to germinate until Christmas Eve. The sprouted green shoots are bundled with a red, white and blue ribbon and placed on the table with a candle in the centre.

Presents are not generally given on Christmas day, which is seen as a holy day, but on St Lucy's Day in southern and northeastern Croatia and on St Nicolas (December 6th) in the north and central regions.
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