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Discover unique Hungarian holiday customs, from Mikulás to Christmas celebrations. Learn about gift-giving traditions, special foods, and the significance of Epiphany on January 6th.
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Santa Claus In our country we have separate days for Xmas and Santa Claus. On 6th of December Santa Claus puts chocolates or little gifts into our boots, if we put them in the window. Santa Claus comes – like in other countries - with the reindeers. We have 2 words for Santa: Mikulás & Télapó. Mikulás comes from Saint Nikolas-name day and Télapó’s meaning is Winter’s Dad,who brings the winter. Kids usually get sweets, chocolate, candy and different nuts,fruit, little presents and virgács into their boots.(The virgács is a gold painted or unpainted branch from a bush, if you’ve been good this year, you’ll get gold painted virgács BUT IF YOU haven’t: ) Bad kids may also get onions, raw potatoes, unpainted virgács or a lump of coal in their boots next to their presents as a warning that next year they might get only these.
Christmas in Hungary The celebration season starts with Advent in Hungary, too. Advent wreaths can be seen in stores, schools, offices, and in almost every home. This time of the year is the preparation for Christmas. Most children get Advent calendars with a small gift or candy for every may before Christmas. Lights and decoration however stay inside the houses - streets and houses are not as spectacular there as they are in the US. Every year a sale of Advent is being organised in Budapest.Also, we never decorate a tree before the Holy night.
Celebrating Christmas at Hungary Christmas is a private, familyholiday. Everymember of thefamily is there. Giftsliearoundthetreewithsmall labelssayingthename of someone inthefamily.Family-members sing Christmassongstogether, thenopen theirgifts, theyeattogether and spend thenighttogether. Christmas is a 2-day holiday here. Duringthe 2 days of Christmas bigfamiliesmeet, oftentraveltoanother town, ormaybeveryclosefriendsvisit eachother. Butthesedaysareprivate days of ourrushlives. Wedon’t workfor 2 days and weturntoeachother, because Christmas is theholiday of love and heart. • Unlike the American children Hungarian children do not participate in decorating the Christmas tree. On Christmas Eve the children are generally sent out of the room while the elders deck up the Christmas tree. then they go into the living room wherethe Christmas tree stands all lit up!
'Epiphany In Hungary', 6thJanuary Most Hungarians associate January 6th with a quite new custom – taking down the Christmas tree decorated on December 24th (Twelfth Night tradition). However, the customs of this day root much deeper. January 6th does not only end the Christmas tide on this, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, but it also marks the beginning of the carnival season.