Carols form an important part of the Romanian folklore.
Romanian carols are not simple songs (a sort of invocation in verse sung by
children and lads, on the evening of Winters Holidays) with religions
origin, but wide windows through which we are allowed once in a year to go
by the immaculate snow-towards the evergreen Heaven and to eye-touch God at
least for an instant , in order to give us the power to surpass the life's
obstacles. Carols put people in the mood for a perfect communion with the
simple and healing greatness of Jesus' Birth. The carol singers walk in the
streets of the villages and towns holding in their hands a star made of
board and paper with biblical scenes painted in water colors and they sing:
"Do you receive the pretty star,
Pretty and so very bright?
It Haseko we did in the sky
Just like God thought it would be right,
Stand it could be seen on high,
Just like we did in the sky"
On the first Christmas day, children walk in the streets
of snow covered towns and villages, when holding in their hands a star made
of board and paper with a biblical scenes painted in water colors or an icon
showing Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, they sing somewhat of a question:
"Do you receive the pretty star,
Pretty and so bright?
It has appeared on the earth
Just like God through it would be right
And it could be seen on high,
Just like we did, in the sky.
Five days before Christmas with a very sharp knife the pig
is cut.
This custom is called "Ignatius" from Saint Ignatius
(celebrated on December the 20th). Straws are put in his snout and then it
is covered with burning straws and then is it singed. The pig is nicely
washed and covered with a piece of cloth for ten minutes. The housewife
comes and incense the pig and then the husband comes and makes the sign of
the cross on the pig's head saying to the family gathered around: "Let's eat
the pig!" After the pig is cut there is a feast called the pig's funeral
feast or alms. At the feast the whole family friends and neighbors take
part. All eat the rid or the skin of the bacon and they also eat small
pieces of fried pork they drink wine or plum brandy.
