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The entire world is excited about coming winter holidays! Moldova isn’t an exception. So, Moldavians are also happy to Christmas and New Year. Moldova is also preparing to this great holidays!

December is crazy month as everyone goes shopping trying to find the best gifts for close people, friends and relatives. Children often make greeting cards for their parents. People decorate their houses, trees… At this time holidays are not only in the minds but also in the air. In Chisinau, the capital city, there are many Santa Clauses. In Moldova children call Santa Claus “Ded Moroz” (i.e. Grandpa Frost). These Santas greet children in the shops, theatres, and just on the streets, everywhere. So, children are the most excited! However these all is preparing… The main event still follows!

Unlike many other countries Moldova celebrates rather Christmas than New Year. So, the whole country has a great holiday in the night of 31st December. This is the night when people wait for 12 pm and right in the midnight they altogether drink sparkling wine. There’s a tradition of putting little papers with different wishes inside placinte (traditional Moldovan food. It’s something like cake with filling). When you eat placinte you read what’s written on those papers and that is what waits for you in New Year.

The Colinda caroling ceremony: “During the first hours after dark on Christmas’ Eve is the time for children to go caroling and the adults stay home to greet them. As they go caroling from house to house, the children receive treats like candy, fruit, baked treats and sometimes even money in appreciation of their performance and as a sign of holiday good will.”

Children are more excited at 1st January morning. This is the time when they find their gifts under New Year tree. They believe the gifts where left by Ded Moroz. Usually all the day they tell to everybody what a great surprise was waiting for them under New year tree! They always wonder how did Ded Moroz managed to bring gifts to all children in one single night!

Christmas is celebrated on 7th January. However, unfortunately, this holiday isn’t widely celebrated inside the country. Usually just old people celebrate it and all others just have free day. Some people this day go to their grandparents.

After Christmas winter holidays in Moldova are over and all the people start their everyday life in the New Year.