INTERNACIONALNI UNIVERZITET BRKO

FAKULTET ZA INFORMATIKU
PROFESOR INFORMATIKE I MATEMATIKE
ZAVRNI SEMINARSKI RAD
PREDMET: POSLOVNI ENGLESKI IV

Tema: My favourite time of the year (Christmas)

Mentor: Mr.sci Kristina Varcakovic

Student: Sinia Davidovi

Broj Indeksa:OI 321/13
Brko,2015.godine.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................1
2. CHRISTMAS EVE.......................................................................2
3. CHRISTMAS...............................................................................4
3.1. Christmas dinner......................................................................5
3.1.1. Roast (peenica).......................................................................6
3.2. Second and third day of Christmas..........................................7
4. CONCLUSION........................................................................... 8
REFERENCES

1.INTRODUCTION

My favorite day of the year is Christmas and Christmas Eve. It was the happiest day of
year.Because I dedicated this day in this essay that stands out just once a year. Dedicate to
this topic significance of Christmas, celebrating, and history itself, and as we celebrate today.
On that day he was born the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, born of the father before all
the ages.
Who spoke : But I tell you: Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for those who insult and gone, that you may be sons of your Father
who is in heaven; because he his sun rise on the evil and the good; and gives rain on the just
and on the unjust.

2.CHRISTMAS EVE

The Serbian name for Christmas Eve during the day is (Badnji dan). After sunset it becomes
(Badnje vee). On this day, the family makes preparations for the oncoming celebration. The
dinner on this day is festive, copious and diverse in foods, although it is prepared in
accordance with the rules of fasting.
The Christmas Eve (badnjak) is an oak log or branch brought into the house and placed on
the fire on the evening of Christmas Eve, much like a yule log in other European traditions.
There are many regional variations surrounding the customs and practices connected with the
Christmas eve.
Early in the morning the head of each family, usually accompanied by several male relatives,
selects and fells the tree from which the log will be cut for their household. The group
announces its departure by firing guns or small celebratory mortars called (prangija).The
Turkey oak is the most popular species of tree selected in most regions, but other oaks, or less
frequently other kinds of tree, are also chosen.Generally, each household prepares one
badnjak, although more are cut in some regions.
When the head of household finds a suitable tree, he stands in front of it facing east. After
throwing grain at the tree, he greets it with the words "Good morning and happy Christmas
Eve to you", makes the Sign of the Cross, says a prayer, and kisses the tree.
He then cuts it slantwise on its eastern side, using an axe. The tree should fall to the east,
unhindered by surrounding trees. Its top is removed, leaving the badnjak of such a length that
allows it to be carried on a man's shoulder, up to about 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) long.Once in the
home, each Christmas eve is leaned vertically against the house beside the entrance door. In
some areas, the Christmas eve is cut into three logs.
In the evening, a man of the family brings their Christmas eve into the house. If there is more
than one (badnjak), the thickest of them is regarded as the main one, and is brought in first.
Stepping across the threshold, right foot first, the man greets his gathered family with the
words "Good evening and happy Christmas Eve to you." The woman of the house greets him
back, saying "May God give you well-being, and may you have good luck", or "Good luck to

you, and together with you for many years to come [may we be]", or similar, before throwing
grain from a sieve at the man and the badnjak he carries.
Upon entering the house the man approaches the fireplace, called (ognjite) the hearth of an
(ognjite) is similar to a campfire, in that it has no vertical surround. He lays the Christmas
eve down on the fire and moves it a little forward, to summon prosperity for the household.
Any other logs are brought in by other males and laid on the fire parallel or perpendicular to
the first. The head of the household takes a jug of wine and pours some on the Christmas eve
(badnjak); in some regions, he may strew wheat grains over the logs. He then proposes a
toast: "Grant, O God, that there be health and joy in this home, that our grain and grapevines
yield well, that children be born healthy to us, that our property increase in the field, pen, and
barn!" or similar.The head drinks a draught of wine from the jug, after which it is passed to
other members of household.When the log has burnt through, some families let the fire go
out, while in others the men keep watch in shifts during the night to keep the Christmas eve
burning.

Picture 01 : An Orthodox priest places the badnjak on the fire during Christmas Eve
celebration at the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Badnjak-Beograd.jpg/300pxBadnjak-Beograd.jpg)
Another type of the Christmas evethat has developed among the Serbs has mostly replaced
the traditional log, whose burning is usually unfeasible in modern homes. It is a cluster of oak
twigs with their brown leaves still attached, with which the home is decorated on the Eve.
This cluster is also called the Christmas eve , and it is usually kept in the home until next
3

Christmas Eve. For the convenience of those living in towns and cities, such little C. eves can
be bought at marketplaces or distributed in churches. In a common arrangement, the cluster
of oak twigs is bound together with twigs of European Cornel and several stalks of straw.
Since the early 1990s the Serbian Orthodox Church has, together with local communities,
organized public celebrations on Christmas Eve. There are typically three elements to such
celebrations: the preparation, the ritual, and the festivity. The preparation consists of cutting
down the tree to be used as the C. eve , taking it to the church yard, and preparing drink and
food for the assembled parishioners. The ritual includes Vespers, placing the Christmas eve
(badnjak) on the open fire built in the church yard, blessing or consecrating the c.eve, and an
appropriate program with songs and recitals. In some parishes they build the fire on which to
burn the c.eve not in the church yard but at some other suitable location in their town or
village. The festivity consists of gathering around the fire and socializing. Each particular
celebration has its own specific traits however, reflecting the traditions of the local
community.

3.CHRISTMAS

Serbian Christmas traditions are customs and

practices of the Serbs associated with Christmas and
a period encompassing it, between the third Sunday
before Christmas Day and Epiphany. There are
many, complex traditions connected with this period.
They vary from face to face, and in many areas have
been updated or watered down to suit modern living.
The Serbian name for Christmas is (Boi) ,which is
the diminutive form of the word bog ("god"), and
can be translated as "young god".
Picture 02: Nativity of Jesus
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/MCB-icon12.jpg/250px-MCBicon12.jpg

Christmas is celebrated for three consecutive days, starting with Christmas Day, which the
Serbs call the first day of Christmas.
On these days, one is to greet another person by saying "Christ is Born," which should be
responded to with "Truly He is Born," or in Serbian: Hristos se rodi-Vaistinu se rodi.
On Christmas Day, the celebration is announced at dawn by church bells, and by shooting
from guns and mortars. The head of household and some of the family go to church to attend
the Morning Liturgy.
No one is to eat anything before tasting the prosphora, which the head of household brings
from church for those who stay at home to do domestic tasks for this morning.

3.1. Christmas dinner

An indispensable part of Christmas dinner is the honorable cake (esnica), a round loaf of
bread. The preparation of this bread may be accompanied by various rules and rituals. The
dough for it is sometimes prepared with the strong water.
A widespread custom is to put a coin into the dough; regionally, little objects made of cornel
wood may be inserted, representing chickens, oxen, cows, swine, bees, etc.
In addition to the honorable cake (esnica), other kinds of Christmas loaves may be baked,
each with its specific name and purpose within the celebration. The Christmas cake is a
round loaf with a Christogram impressed with a wooden seal on its upper surface.
For each male member of the family a round loaf may be prepared the biggest one for the
head, and the smallest one for the youngest boy. For each female member a braid may be
baked, a loaf shaped like a three-strand braid.

Picture 03 : Christmas dinner

http://www.crkvenikalendar.com/tradicija/bozic_en_clip_image009.jpg

3.1.1.

Roast (peenica)

In the morning of Christmas Day, or more often Eve, men build a fire in the house yard, and
roast a pig, or more rarely a sheep (peenica) on a long wooden spit. People who raise their
own swine dedicate one for the roast a month or two before, and feed it with better fodder.
It used to be killed on Tucin day, the day before Christmas Eve, by hitting on the head with a
lump of salt. Its throat was then cut, the blood being collected and mixed with fodder.
Feeding cattle with this mixture was believed to make them thrive.
The name Tucin day is derived from the verb tui, meaning 'to beat'. The pig is now usually
slaughtered on the same day when it will be cooked.
Those who roast the peenica on Christmas Eve, bring it after the roasting into the house with
the ritual similar to that of bringing in the Christmas eve.

Picture 04: Roast http://www.crkvenikalendar.com/tradicija/bozic_en_clip_image005_0000.jpg

3.2. Second and third day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas, families visit each other at their homes. On the third day,
Christmas straw is taken out of houses. Little bundles are made with it, and hung on fruit
trees to make the fruit better. A bigger bundle of it is stored in a dry place: it will be burned
on St. George's Day, as a protection of fields against hail. Another bundle is taken away
across the nearest stream a symbolic elimination of all the vermin that may be present in the
house.
Men make crosses from the remnant of the thicker side of badnjak, and stick them under
eaves, on fields, meadows, vineyards, and apiaries. It is believed this will help that the
ensuing year be happy and fruitful. A good sign that this will be the case is when there is a lot
of snow on Christmas Day.
The third day of Christmas coincides with St. Stephen's Day, which is the glory of many
Serbian families. It is also the glory of Republika Srpska. In this way, many Serbs celebrate
two important holidays, Christmas and glory, within three days.

4. CONCLUSION

Christmas is the most joyous holiday of all the holidays with the Serbs. Celebrate three days.
Christmas Day is always on January 7. by the Julian calendar on the 25th December, new
style. On Christmas morning, before dawn, ringing all the bells in the Orthodox temples, shot
from guns and mortars and announce the arrival of Christmas and the Christmas celebration.
It is customary for the host and all the folks most festive dress suit, and go to church on
Christmas morning and liturgy. After the church service are receiving wafer and the first it
takes at Christmas. People are welcome words: "Christ is born" and of welcome: "Indeed he
is born".
Keeping traditions and their customs is most important for all the people. For centuries it has
been passed, and I hope it will be passed and still, the damage would be to forget it.
This essay is written primarily on the subject of my favorite day of the year and I am
particularly singled out as the Christmas holiday.

REFERENCES
1. www.translate.google.com 01.05.2015.
2. www.wikipedia.org -01.05.2015.
3. www.crkvenikalendari.com 01.05.2015.

APPENDIX

Accordance-saglasnost
Surrounding koji okruuje
Accompanied u pratnji
Mortars-prangija
Suitable - pogodan
Thickset-zdepast
Unfeasible- neostvariv
Stalks- stabljike
Gathering- skup
Domestic domai
Fodder- krmno bilje
Hail - doziv