CHRISTMAS IN SLOVENIA

CHRISTMAS IN SLOVENIA

• Time of advent

• Christmas customs

• The three December men

TIME OF ADVENT Advent is the time of

four weeks before Christmas.

We make beautiful wreaths or we buy them.

We find a nice location for them, usually on the dinner table.

Every Sunday we light one candle.

It is also the time when we think about our past and what we can do better in the future.

TRADICIONAL CAKE-potica

• This is a traditional Slovene Christmas cake.

• Its ingredients are:DOUGH: yeast, sugar,

milk, butter, egg yolks, salt, flour, vanilla extract, nutmeg

WALNUT FILLING: milk, sugar, honey, vanilla, egg whites, cinamonn, grated lemon peel, finely ground walnuts, a little rum

CHRISTMAS BISCUITS

• Before Christmas it usually smells wonderful in a Slovene kitchen.

CHRISTMAS TREE• In Slovenia we usually

decorate a pine tree and some people use plastic trees. We put on Christmas balls. On the top there is a special decoration. We usually prepare the tree on the 24th December.

• Many families also put nativity scenes next to the tree.

NATIVITY SCENES

• Nativity Scenes are figures which we put under or near the decorated Christmas tree. We can find them at homes or in church.

LIVING NATIVITY SCENES

You can also visit »living nativity scenes«. The most known »living nativity scene« in Slovenia is played in Postojna Cave.

CHRISTMAS TRADICIONS

• On 24 December some people in Slovenia visit the midnight mass. Everybody wears warm clothes because December is very cold.

• They wish each other Merry Christmas.

• People in the church enjoy singing Christmas carols.

3 DECEMBER MEN

• St Nicholas - Miklavž

• Santa Claus – Božiček

• Grandfather Frost – Dedek mraz

MIKLAVŽ – St NicholasSaint Nicholas was born in

Patara and died in Mira. He was a clergyman. Saint Nicholas is protector of mariners and fishermen, because there were fishermen in his family. He was a generous councillor.

In Slovenia he visits children on 6th December. He brings presents for children. He is accompanied by angels and devils so children are very scared when they see claws but they are also very happy because they get a presents.

Saint Nicholas was also a bishop, so he is wearing a bishop’s cloak, a hat and

he carries a bishop’s stick.

BOŽIČEK– Santa Claus• Santa gives presents only to

good children. He rewards children on 24 December. Santa drives sledge. He has reindeers. Santa has got a lot of Tom Thumbs which helps to him. He lives on the North Pole.

• Santa is fat. He has a moustache and a beard.He wears red coat,red trousers,red cap,black boots,black belt and white gloves.

• Santa comes to the house trough the chimney. He leaves presents under the christmas tree.

• Children write letters to Santa. They write down what do they wish for christmas. Usually they get toys,clothes,sweets…

DEDEK MRAZ– Grandfather Frost

• He lives under Triglav.

• Arrives by sled with a herness.

• He is slim, wears a grey leather coat, which has fur inside and is decorated outside, and a round dormouse fur cap.

• He gives present to children before New Year or on New Year‘s morning.

HAVE A MARY CHRISTMAS EVRYBODY