Fireworks began weeks ago to mark ‘Western Christmas’ and ‘Western New Year’, but most Eastern Orthodox Churches follow the old Julian calendar, so today is Christmas in Serbia!

For the last month, our market has displayed crates of walnuts, dried plums, figs, and sticky sweet dates for sale. Last week they added plastic pots sprouting wheatgrass with a short taper stuck in the center. Yesterday, the street vendors had heaps of oak branches bundled into small bouquets. Cars drove past with oak branches piled on the roofs, sticking out of the trunks, or neatly tied onto the front grille.

And today, as we walked our dogs through the park, we exchanged greetings with folks on the trail, “Srečan Bozić,” or “Hristos se rodi / Vaistinu se rodi!” (“Merry Christmas,” or “Christ is born / Indeed he is born!”)

We’re not very familiar with Serbian customs, but I do see the bundles of oak branches everywhere. And those exquisite dried fruits are only displayed this time of year. An American friend who has lived here for years described her Serbian Christmas experience of sitting around a small living room with their host’s extended family, drinking many toasts with shots of rakija, and singing karaoke for hours.

Belgrade Language School describes it in a more sentimental way. I like the part about parents cackling like chickens!

I’ll have to read these over with my family and put a few into practice next year, and I’ll need to improve my čestnica-making skills in the time between.

In the meantime, Hristos se rodi, srečan božić!