Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year everybody. See you next year!
A thread about Christmas traditions in Slovenia. In my mother's native Bela Krajina region, Christmas Eve is known as "badnik." The old Slavic term derives from a yule log of sorts–-actually an entire tree stump–that was kept burning through the night. (1/)
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 23, 2022
Special Christmas breads have also been eaten since pre-Christian times. Often, three types of breads were baked for Christmas: wheat, rye, and buckwheat. These days, Slovenian Christmas dinners are complete without potica, a sweet Slovenian walnut roll. (3/) pic.twitter.com/I4Sjq3Xuzq
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 23, 2022
Christmas trees of the kind we know today are a more recent phenomenon in Slovenia. Originally, they were hung upside-down from the ceiling. Even with the arrival of more modern influences, the decorations used were thoroughly traditional: paper, fruit, and walnuts. (5/)
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 23, 2022
The nativity figures are placed on moss, which is traditionally brought in from the woods before the first heavy snowfall and is then left to dry. Each year around Christmastime enthusiasts organize exhibitions of the most interesting nativity scenes from around the country. (7/)
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 23, 2022
Even Slovenia’s famous Postojna Cave hosts a living nativity scene; in all likelihood the world’s deepest: https://t.co/DqmNUW0veX (9/)
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 23, 2022
A postscript: Christmas was not a public holiday in the Communist era, and celebrating it was deemed undesirable by the authorities. In the repressive 1950s, activists would take note on which living room windows remained illuminated late on Christmas Eve. (cont'd)
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 24, 2022
St. Nicholas was replaced by Dedek Mraz—Father Frost. His new name came from Russian, but his design was, in large part, the creation of Slovenian artist Maksim Gaspari, who based the old man’s clothing—and his dormouse fur hat—on elements from Slovenian folk culture. (cont'd) pic.twitter.com/ySlWNpodhv
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 24, 2022
As a result, Smole received the good-natured nickname “Božiček” or Santa Claus. (cont'd)
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 24, 2022
Slovenia is now visited by three “Santas” during the holiday season. The website 99 Percent Invisible recently examined Slovenia’s unusual gift-giving trio: https://t.co/U6UOOQrSRb
— Jaka Bartolj (@MediaHistoryNow) December 24, 2022
