Christmas Tradition in

Macedonia and Britain

 Key points of the differences between Macedonia
and Great Britain's Christmas holidays

 What day is Christmas celebrated in the Great Britain?

 What do Britain's do at Christmas?
 What do people in great Britain eat?
 Holidays in the Great Britain
 What day is Christmas celebrated in Macedonia?
 Holidays in Macedonia
 What do people in Macedonia eat?
 What type of traditional food does Macedonia eat?

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 What day is Christmas
celebrated in the Great Britain?

Christmas Day is celebrated in the

United Kingdom on December 25. It
traditionally celebrates Jesus Christ's birth,
but many aspects of this holiday have pagan
origins. Christmas is a time for many people
to give and receive gifts and prepare special
festive meals.
 What do Britain's do at Christmas?
In the UK (or Great Britain), families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each
other open their presents!
Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas. The
decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first
popularized in the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German and
thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in England.
Holly, Ivy, and Mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes on other buildings.
Most villages, towns, and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. Typically, a
famous person switches them on. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in
London. Every year they get bigger and better. Thousands of people go to watch the big 'switch on'
around the beginning of November.
 What do Britain's do at Christmas?
Nativity Plays and Carol Services are also very popular at Christmastime. The
church that Britain's go to is Carol by Candlelight. Service. Where the only light is from
candles.
The most famous UK Carol service is the Service of Nine Lessons and
Carols which is broadcast on Christmas Eve at 3.00 pm from the chapel of King's
College, Cambridge.
Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings or
pillowcases. These are normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on
Christmas Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince pies and brandy for Father
Christmas to eat and drink when he visits them. Now, it's often a non-alcoholic drink
that's left because Santa has to drive his sleigh.
Children write letters to Father Christmas/Santa listing their requests, but sometimes
instead of putting them in the post, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught
carries the letters up the chimney, and Father Christmas/Santa reads the smoke
 What do people in great Britain eat?
Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince
In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is pies and lots of chocolates are typically eaten
usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on as well!
Christmas Day. It's normally roast turkey, roast Trifle is also a popular dessert at
vegetables, and 'all the trimmings' which means Christmas. It's made in a large bowl and
vegetables like carrots & peas, stuffing, and consists of a layer of sponge cake (or sponge
sometimes bacon and sausages. It's often served fingers) at the bottom of the bowl (which is
with cranberry sauce and bread sauce. typically soaked in sherry or brandy) then
Traditionally, and before the turkey was available, there's a layer of fruit (normally suspended in a
roast beef or goose was the main Christmas meal. fruit-flavored jelly) and it's topped with a layer of
One vegetable that is typically at Christmas in the custard and whipped cream. The table is also
UK is Brussels sprouts. I love them, but lots of decorated with Christmas Crackers and also in
people don't! the UK is famous the Christmas Cake.
 Holidays in the Great Britain
In the UK, it doesn't snow very often, but
people always want to know if it will be a 'White
Christmas'. The British definition, used by the UK
Meteorological Office (who say if it has been a
White Christmas in the UK or not!), is that a single
snowflake has been seen falling in the 24 hours of
Christmas Day! This doesn't happen a lot in the
UK!!!
Statistics show that in the UK, they get an official
White Christmas about every 4 or 5 years and
have real snow at Christmas about 1 in 10 years
(but often this is only normal in Scotland!).
There are some customs that only take place, or
were started, in the UK. Wassailing is an old Anglo-Saxon
custom that doesn't take place much today. Boxing Day is
a very old custom that started in the UK and now is taken
as a holiday in many countries around the world.
 What day is Christmas celebrated in Macedonia?

On Christmas Day (7th January) most Christians go to a Church service and

then come home to eat a large Christmas feast! The traditional Christmas Day
greeting is "Hristos se rodi" or "Христос се роди!" (Christ is born) to which you
reply "Navistina se rodi" (He truly is born!).
 Holidays in Macedonia
Most Christians in North Macedonia belong to the Orthodox Church, and so Christmas
is celebrated on January 7th (The Orthodox Church uses the 'Julian' Calendar for their
festivals).
Christmas celebrations really start on 5th January, which is called 'Kolede'. On this day
people, especially children, like to go to carols singing around their neighbors. They are given
fruits, nuts, and coins.
When the singing has finished, people gather around big bonfires. They are sometimes
held in parks where hundreds of people can go to see them. Others like smaller events where
the local community comes together. Lots of traditional food is eaten.
 Holidays in Macedonia

Christmas Eve is also when the traditional oak yule log, called a 'badnik', is brought
into the house and is lit (the Christmas Eve meal is also sometimes called 'badnik
dinner'). Houses are also often decorated with oak branches and Christmas Trees.
There's sometimes straw either on the floor or under the tablecloth.

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 What do people in Macedonia eat?
At the end of the night, a special Christmas bread which has a coin baked in it is
passed around (The holiday is also called Badnik). Everyone takes a piece and if you find
the coin you'll get lucky for the next year (and you might also have to host the bonfire the
next year!).
On Christmas Eve (6th January) people look forward to the special Christmas meal
that will be eaten in the evening. The meal is called 'posna' and traditionally contains no
dairy, meat, or animal products. Dishes might include nuts, fresh and dried fruits, baked
cod or trout, bread, kidney bean soup, potato salad, Ajvar (red-pepper dip), Sarma
(cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and spices), and pickled vegetables. Coin bread or
Christmas Cake with a coin in it is eaten at the end of the meal.
The big Christmas Day meal might include different roasted meats, cheese pies, salads, and
lots of bread, cakes, and sweets. Christmas celebrations often last for another three days after
Christmas Day.

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 MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Made by: Лука Георгиески, Божица Mentor: Панде Грабулоска Танеска

Радеска, Андреј Зојчески, Бојана
Тодороска, Михаил Шопески

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