The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-01-05
bian staff explained the Serbian

Il Viah DSoAA VAkt0AAASo VIZ ><SAks<ssz
Christmas customs as follows:
Before dawn on the morning
Of Christmas eve two people 60
from every house with an ox-cart
to cut and fetch from the forest
the Christmas tree which 10 called
the 'Badnyak" or "Veselyak. q"
Arrived at the tree chosen for the
"Badnyak," they cross themselves
three or four times before cutting
1t. The first splinter Is taken
home for the women to put und or
their milk Jugs, so that the milk
shall produce cream, thick as the
splinter. When the "Badnyak'
is being felled the men try to ar
range 1t SO that it falls towards
the east, and ii is deemed unlucky
II the tree in its fall should turn
in some other direction. II Is
then taken home and divided
into six equal parts, three of
which are put aside to light fire
on the eve of Little Christ
mas" or New Year" The other
three are placed against the
house, and a woman comes out
bearing the "Bogotacha" (cake) 4,
which she breaks against the
"Badnyak."
In the evening all the inmates
of the house gather together and
one Of the men puts on a glove,
takes the "Badnyak" and brings
1t into the house.
Coming in he says. Good eve
ming" and "A Happy Christina"
and the household replies: God
help tree and grant tree a holy
Christmas. The housewife then
anoints him with wheat in which
the first splinters from the BAD
nyak" have reposed during the
day.
After the Christmas tree has
been brought in, one of the men
takes some straw and scatters it
on the floor, at the same time
initiating the clucking OF a hen,
"Cluck! cluck! cluck!" and the
children follow him cheeping like
chickens "Cheep! cheep, cheep"
This is to insure during the COM
ing summer large brood Of
chickens.
In some parts of Serbia 1t is
the housewife who spreads the
straw and the children follow
her.
After the ceremony follows
prayers. Forward steps the head
of the house and after him, ac-
cording to age, all the male and
female members of the family,
and when all have lighted can
dies they join in silent prayer.
After the prayer they plant the
candles in a dish filled with oats,
where they are left to burn.
OF course the customs vary
slightly in different parts of the
country. often depending upon
what special branch of the farm
ing industry is the most impor-
tant. For instance, where there
is much sheep farming, it is the
custom on Christmas eve for the
shepherds to keep a small piece
of gravel under their tongues, to
prevent wolves killing their sheep,
the popular superstition being
that II wolves attacked, their
jaws would be turned to stone.
In another cattle raising dis
trict on Christmas morning the
head of the family lights two wax
candles and all the cattle are
driven between them, after which
the candles are placed together
and blown out. This charm is
supposed to insure a successful
breeding season for the follow
ing year.
The simple Serbian soldier rs
instinctively devout and good
hearted rather than religious
minded" in the western sense. His
religion and his customs reflect
the plain peasant life that he is
accustomed to and it is in a large
measure these homely, natural
virtues which render him such an
excellent soldier.
His fine military qualities and
his sunny nature have been deep
ly appreciated by all allied troops
who have come into contact with
him. Before the war they were
a race of people but little known
to the rank and file of the allies,
and there was a popular concep-
ton of them as a nation of wild