So, I was walking home with Sonya, and we stopped to buy some bread. And inside the grocery store, I saw something strange to me, and I was going to just pass by, but I asked Sonya what it was and she said it was khavla! So, here's a picture of it, but it's really hard to describe what it's like. Its consistency reminds me of fudge almost, maybe a little more crumbly. When I first put a piece in my mouth, it reminds me of hazelnuts, and a little bit of chocolate. It's a sweet desert, and I like it. Sonya mentioned about a tradition they have with this food during a special holiday, Proshka (I don't really know much about this holiday yet. I'll let you know more about it when I know more). Apparently, they take white khavla and cut it into pieces, maybe large fudge size pieces. Then they tie a string onto each piece and hang them from the ceiling. Then somehow they get all the pieces swinging and the children try to catch the pieces with their mouths. It'll be a lot of fun seeing this in action. Bulgarians celebrate a lot of holidays, and each town has their own town holiday. And each holiday has it's own interesting traditions, and I'm looking forward to experiencing them all.
So, it's Christmas time here, as it is there, and the town is getting all decorated for the season. It's already dark by the time I leave work, and as I walk through the center to my home, I love looking at all the lights hung up on the trees and on the municipale building and everywhere. I've also noticed that new stores are being put up in little temporary shelters and tents. They're filled with all kinds of things; toys, clothes, food, fake Christmas trees and decorations, and everything.
My impression so far, is that Bulgarians celebrate Christmas very similarly to Americans. Most of the differences are subtle. Like in America, most Bulgarians buy trees, real or fake, and decorate them. However, I think the presents beneath the tree are fewer than most Americans. The stores in Bulgaria are generally all really small, like the size of little boutique stores. Even the big grocery store isn't much bigger than a boutique store. And even though there are more stores specially set up for Christmas, Bulgarians just don't buy as much as Americans, probably because they don't have the funds that we do. So I want to say Christmas is less comercialised here because of that. But on the other hand, I've not met many very religious Bulgarians, and I haven't seen any manger scenes or anything. So I don't get the feeling that it's a very religious holiday for them either. I think it's really just a time to celebrate and be with family, which is something I really enjoy. I'm really looking forward to visiting my host family in Kraynitsi for Christmas. The volunteer who lived with them before I did, Alison, will be there too, and lots of volunteers who lived in Kraynitsi will go back to be with their families. It should be a good time.
The Christmas characters that Bulgarians know are a little different than our traditional Rudolph, Frosty, and Jack Frost. They have a Santa, who they call Grandfather Christmas, and he has help from the traditional elves to make toys and reindeer fly his sleigh. Then they have a person whose name translates as Snow White, but she's not the Disney movie Snow White. She's Grandfather Christmas' neice. She's really pretty, dresses all in white, and I think she helps Santa pass out presents. In addition to Snow White, they have Grandmother Winter, who is not Grandfather Christmas' wife. I'm not sure who she is, but I think she helps give gifts to children too. I should mention at this point that my understanding of traditional Bulgarian Christmas characters is gathered from performing a Christmas play with the youth volunteers for the children at the orphanages. I didn't quite understand everything in the play, but I tried to ask a lot of questions. The volunteers wanted me to be in this play too, but they wanted me to speak English... I think because they thought it would be easier for me. It was fun, and the kids at the orphanage really seemed to enjoy it. Pictures from it can be seen above with Grandfather Christmas and Snow White featured in one.
The thing that I miss the most about Christmas in America is the Christmas music. They just don't play it much here. The only Christmas songs I've heard on the radio is the one that goes "Last Christmas I gave you my heart and the very next day you gave it away" and a Bulgarian song whose meaning I don't really know. But I have a Christmas music collection on my computer, and I listen to that all the time when I come home.
Well, that's all I know about Christmas so far. Next year Maybe I'll have some more information when I understand things better. In the meantime, I hope this Christmas is very merry for all of you, and have a happy New Year too!
