So today the 8th of January, is the day my family celebrate their version of Christmas.
My family on my moms side live in Serbia, in a small gypsy village. More information about them will be in another blog post I’m posting after this post
They are all orthodox Catholics
How do we celebrate Christmas?
Today early in the morning I got a stick from the mailbox, that my mom had bought from the orthodox catholic church.
I held it in my hand and knocked on the door. I said a sentence in gypsy 3 times, and waited for my mom to reply 3 times, and then she opened the door.
When I entered, she threw some rice at me, and kissed my cheek 3 times, on each side. From left, to right, to left.
Then at noon we sat down for dinner, a big feast of Serbian specialties, that has some origin from Turkish and Greek food.
She had also made some freshly baked break, and as tradition says put a coin inside of it, for us to find.
The lucky finder of the coin would get some money for it, as a little gift.
As Tradition says in my family everything, we do today we will do all year. The more food we have on the table the richer we will get this year, it’s a plus if there is money on the table as well, so my mom decorated the table with notes of money, and put it on the little branch she got from church.
We aren’t aloud to fight, because if we do so, we will do so all year, everything that happens today will make the foundation of what’s to come this year.
In gypsy culture everything is about superstition. They strongly believe in bad and good omens.
I remember when I was growing up, I had to have a bracelet made of red yawn around my wrist, to avoid evil eyes from people around me. If someone gives you the evil eye it’s basically a curse, they put on you, and to avoid it, the parents give their children and young youth a red bracelet.
To protect their kids they give them nicknames, that’s either a flaw in their appearance or another bad trait.
I had a nickname that basically was the word teeth in gipsy. Zuba, I was called growing up, my nephews nick name was shit.
It sounds weird but it’s said in a loving way. I think we get those names in order of a protection from evil eyes, or other bad events happening.
When it comes to how they celebrate anything in life, they go big, Big parties, that lasts days.
Some weddings take 7 days, and they all have a set of different traditions to them.
Most of my family live in Serbia, so today it was only me, my mom and my daughter.
But in my gypsy village I know they will go big today, with a big feast with a lot of presents to go around and money for everyone. Later tonight they will play gypsy music and dance most of the night, maybe even throw a few plates on the floor.
Throwing plates is something that happens almost every time they party, and its not a rare thing to see people dancing on the table as well. I’ve seen my grandmother on the table dancing and throwing plates.
And every visitor you meet today you kiss 3 times on the cheek.
Today its important you look your best too.
That you have showered and put on your finest clothes.
Both woman and the men, will wear jewelry, all made from gold. Even the kids will wear it.
Its important the house is clean.
Again, its all part of what will happen this year.
So, a clean home means the year will be pure. Hygiene will be at its top and you will be healthy all year.
The gold symbolizes riches, so it means you will have a rich year.
The more you laugh and smile the more you will do so this year, so today is not just a celebration of Jesus birth its also a future prediction of what’s to come.
I don’t share the same religion as my mom, but I still honor my family’s traditions and do my best to follow them.
This is how my family celebrates Christmas, so merry gypsy Christmas everyone.
May everything good that happens today follow you through out the year.
Ill post some screenshots of the food we had today
Missfaylyn 