Particularly to foreigners, one of the most fascinating elements that make Romania what it is, is the seductive blend of old and new, the ancestral character of traditions that are still practiced on these lands.
Today, we talk about the most famous, but also the most interesting Romanian New Year’s Eve traditions. Though today Romania is a modern country and the free-spirited Romanians draw no clear clines when it comes to celebrating winter holidays, ‘Plugusorul’ and the procession of ‘The Bear’ during the first day of the year are known to us all. Let’s look at the origin of these ancestral traditions and superstitions.
Plugusorul is the last “stage” of caroling. In the countryside (but not only), children begin to carol ever since the 31st of December, singing and jingling.
The Bear is a tradition that comes from Bucovina. A symbol of force and of the triumph of the animal over winter, the bear brings the hope that spring will come soon and that it will be sunny and happy. Unfortunately, animals are sometimes exploited in the process, which makes the tradition fairly unpopular among animal lovers. The good news is that the “bear” mustn’t necessarily be a real one for this dance: it can always be replaced by a man in disguise.
Lovers know that, before New Year’s Eve, they must kiss under a branch of mistletoe to enjoy love and luck in the new year. It is also said that you are going to spend the coming year beside the person you kiss on New Year’s Eve, so choose carefully and with love!
There are other interesting superstitions as well: for instance, it seems we should spend no money during the last day of the year, nor should we throw anything (not even the garbage!), because we risk throwing away the good luck from the house.
In Moldova and Transylvania, there is an old tale that says animals are gifted with speech on New Year’s Eve.