In the Christian world we celebrate the name of the wise king Nicholas, the Patriarch of Antionia, sanctified in the first ages of Christianity. A Romanian legend says that on the 6th of December Nicholas (form the Greek Nicholaos, the winner) used to share gifts to children, to the poor and to the faithful.
From that day on, the Christian world has the tradition of giving presents to friends, children, to the ones in need. Today, t he meaning of this tradition is that 'giving a gift makes you richer, not poorer'.
But what about the little rod we use to give to our friends? Undoubtedly, this custom is a town-man's element. It was either 'borrowed' or it was 'home made', but it never belonged to the countryside life. We think that we witness a translation of customs from the village to the city. These customs suffer some changes due to the event or the frame in which they are used.
In our sacred rites the little willow rods are used to make bouquets for New Year's wishes. But why willow rods and not some other tree? In almost all the world's cultures the willow and its regenerating powers is the symbol of the 'Divine haw'. In the Romanian traditions the willow was planted near houses and graveyards. From its evergreen rods were made bride coronets in order to pass the regenerating power of the nature to the human.
'St Nicholas Little Rods' can be placed together with an old custom of carol singing in the Christmas Eve. In that sacred moment when the Birth of Christ is celebrated, the children that went carol singing used to carry filbert rods. In each house they would go near the fireplace and rummage the ember and sing 'Abundance in the house, on the table, in the grain-field, in the bread'.
The purity of the children, the light and the filberts sacred power of regeneration were the three elements needed for the wealth of the family.
From that day on, the Christian world has the tradition of giving presents to friends, children, to the ones in need. Today, t he meaning of this tradition is that 'giving a gift makes you richer, not poorer'.
In our sacred rites the little willow rods are used to make bouquets for New Year's wishes. But why willow rods and not some other tree? In almost all the world's cultures the willow and its regenerating powers is the symbol of the 'Divine haw'. In the Romanian traditions the willow was planted near houses and graveyards. From its evergreen rods were made bride coronets in order to pass the regenerating power of the nature to the human.
