Christmas Goes Romanian

So, here we are in December and I am planning for Christmas. It breaks my heart to know that the man I love has not had a traditional Romanian Christmas in almost two decades. I have decided that since last year we celebrated my way (for the most part since he refused to spend Christmas day with my family but we had Christmas Eve with them and did our thing Christmas night), we should honor his traditions this year. I have spent countless hours researching what recipes should be made but I can’t find any real information. I am hoping that a few Romanians will stumble across my little blog and give me some advice so I can make this Christmas wonderful for D. I have recipes for sarmale, bors cu perisoare, mamaliga balls, mamliga, and of course cozonac. These links seem to be the best recipes I can find as there is not a lot of information on Romanian tradition on the web. If anyone has any advice for other things I can do or prepare or better recipes than what I have found, I would be so grateful if you would help me out. I really want to make this a special year as it might be the last one we spend together if I stay when he moves back to Romania. Also if there are any cd’s of traditional Romanian Christmas music that would be helpful as well. He tells me it’s too much work and I shouldn’t bother (which from him translates to an American girl can’t handle it) and my Romanian is extremely limited (to say the least) or I would find a way to write and ask his mother. I’ll be sure to let you know how it all turns out. Please, please leave me comments on anything that might help me out. Thanks in advance. :)

Update:

12/13/20008

Christmas will not be going Romanian this year or any other. Given the events of the last couple of days I have come to realize that I can not stand to be around D any longer. He will be moving out before Christmas so I will be spending the holiday with my family, following our traditions. I guess all is as it should be. I still feel sorry for him that he will be alone on Christmas, but my mother keeps reminding me that he made his bed and now he gets to lie in it…alone. She is very excited that he will be moving out and I will be moving on.

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3 Responses to “Christmas Goes Romanian”

Barb Rolek Says:

Hi! I have a picture of a Romanian Christmas tree and closeup of ornaments on my site with a little description of traditions.
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/christmaseve...
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/christmaseve...
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/christmaseve...

Also this recipe for Romanian mititei sausages.
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/romanianmain...

December 2nd, 2008 at 3:22 am

calyso Says:

Thank you so much, Barb!!!

December 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 am

Delia Says:

Hi! Sorry, but I don't have very good news for you.

I'll start with this: "He tells me it’s too much work and I shouldn’t bother (which from him translates to an American girl can’t handle it)". He could be right. And what's between the brackets it's only partial right, but not in the meaning you think. Why? For many reasons:
1. Romanian Christmas is first about family and friends, caroling together and going from one house to another with best wishes for the new year. It's about lots of people together and lot of joy. If you don't have his relatives around, or, at least some Romanian friends, your work it's almost vain.
2. Romanian Christmas decorations are pretty much the same as in the whole world, except those at countryside. They still use dolls confectioned by themselves in the evenings before Christmas, when they get together to tell stories and learn Christmas songs. You wont find this dolls in US and confectioning them isn't a simple work.
3. Every member of the family participate in Christmas preparation.
4. The preparation of Christmas food starts long before the Christmas (too much work!) with the pig sacrifice and all products derived. You won't find all ingredients you need for those products in US. Also, Christmas at countryside could differ from a region to another (customs as well as the food). Where is he from? Which part of Romania?
5. We prepare for Christmas lots of pork dishes but also at least 5 kinds of desserts for the many guests expected. Sweet bread is a must. The others differ from a house to another.

I don't want to discourage you. So, I came with some advices, too:
1. I really think that talking with him about this (how is a Romanian Christmas, what are his favorites Christmas dishes/desserts?, what he'd like to be a Romanian Christmas in US? what can you do and what are the limits? etc) can give you much more information then the Internet. Also, try to co-opt him in the labor.
2. Don't worry too much about decorations. Except he specifies something .
3. About the food you can cook. Please go to my Christmas food page and make an idea about the food we use to eat on Christmas, then just write me. BTW, mititei sausages is a traditional Romanian dish, but not a Christmas dish.
4. You can find Romanian carols here. I know it's in Romanian, but the website is written by a Romanian priest who lives in US. Who knows, maybe he'll gives you some help.
5. Any question you have, I'll gladly help you. Please go to my contact page for this.
I wish you luck!
Delia

December 4th, 2008 at 12:55 pm

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