The period of Advent (four weeks before Xmas) is full of customs related to Xmas. These customs are full of supersititions and prophecies for the next year. They are mostly ancient traditions but in several families many of them are becoming customary lately.
Of course some of them are dying - but we think that as long as people (and the youth) know about them, they won't die forever. It's worth knowing about them because they are very interesting. People make - or buy - Advent's wreath with 4 candels and every Sunday till Xmas they light one more of them. But every year more and more other kinds of decorations are used too in the Advent and Xmas period in Hungary.
The really 1st prophesying day is the last day of November (30th), name-day of Andrew. Those girls who are able to fast that whole day (eat nothing) will dream about their future husband. The 2nd prophesying day is 4th of December - the name-day of Barbara in Hungary. Young not married girls and women cut some branches of fruit-trees and put them into a vase in the flat. If they begin to blossom till Xmas Eve, it means that the girl will surely get married during the next year.
Santa Claus comes to Hungarian children on 6th in the morning. Basically he looks like your Santa Claus in America. He comes from the North Pole on his sledge dragged by reindeers. There are always 2 little devils (dressed in black with red horns and tail) with him to punish bad children. On 5th in the evening little children clean their boots and put them on the window for the night as Santa Claus in Hungary puts his presents into boots. Children can hardly sleep that night and always wake up early in the morning. But bad children get not only presents but also birch (a bunch of branches painted gold to swish them with if they were bad - children are so afraid of getting it!). Of course on 6th you can meet many Santa Clauses in the streets, in the stores - and also in the schools. If children (but also teachers in the schools!) sing him a song or recite a poem about Santa Claus they can get some chocolate.
By the way it's common in Hungary that little children write - or draw - a list of their wishes to Santa Claus and Little Child Jesus a few weeks before 6th and 24th of December. They put the letter on the window in the evening and the letter disappears till the morning! It means they can start waiting for their wishes to come true.
Many superstitions and customs are related to 13th of December - the day of Lucia. Traditionally it's said to be the night of the bad spirits - as it is the longest night of the year.
Information:
Author:
Zsuzsa Tubakos and her students, Bela 3rd Grammar School, Baja
The really 1st prophesying day is the last day of November (30th), name-day of Andrew. Those girls who are able to fast that whole day (eat nothing) will dream about their future husband. The 2nd prophesying day is 4th of December - the name-day of Barbara in Hungary. Young not married girls and women cut some branches of fruit-trees and put them into a vase in the flat. If they begin to blossom till Xmas Eve, it means that the girl will surely get married during the next year.
