Wow! It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. I guess that just brings us all one year closer to being with Jesus!!!
Here are some things that I've been up to during Christmas and the New Year holidays:
A visit from a Romanian ren (reindeer) ... otherwise know as Daci!
Daci helped me make cookies for the children's Christmas parties. We had one at the Children's Home on Saturday the 22nd and one at the church in Dersida on Sunday the 23rd. The kids enjoyed hearing the Christmas story from the Bible, decorating globe ornaments with paint, decorating sugar cookies with frosting, watching a Christmas movie, nibbling chips and candy, drinks, and games (such as "Pin-The-Star-On-The-Tree). We were also prepared for other things, but ran out of time (imagine that!). Thank you to Sarah, Allison, Amber, and the preschoolers of TCCS for donating money for supplies ... we had a GREAT time!
I celebrated Christmas Eve with Adi and Delona. We had a dinner of meatball soup, rotisserie stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, pickled peppers, pickled cauliflower, pink stuff, and cookies.
We decided to do gifts that evening and I received a purple swirl fluffy rug for my room (thanks Tom and Robyn) and a frog alarm clock and snowman cookie jar (thanks Adi and Delona).
Later that night, we received a group who came to Colinda (carol). It's tradition here for people to colinda and receive goodies (such as juice and homemade cookies and cakes) in return. Children will colinda for money and can make up to $70 or more a night. Traditionally, colinda is held on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. It lasts all day and all night. This group of friends (I knew most of them) invited us to go to two more houses with them and we were out until 3am. On the way home, we saw kids who weren't finished, yet!
My first Christmas in Romania ... Craciun Fericit (Merry Christmas)! I called home and opened gifts with the family over the phone. Thanks for the finger puppets, groovy house shoes, and craft projects!!! (By the way, the finger puppets were spied early by some colinda neighbor kids and 2 flowers were quickly confiscated ... with permission, of course.)
I had dinner with Adi and Delona. We had meatball soup, schnitzel, fried cheese, paprika fried potatoes and onions, green beans, and no bake cookies.
Throughout the day, I received many calls from friends in the States and in Romania. I also called my family during their gathering and spoke with everyone. I just love modern technology!!!
Christmas is celebrated for three days here - Dec 24, 25, and 26. Stores and such close for the entire week. It is rare to find a business open between Dec. 24 and Jan. 1 - at least here in a small town. Other than that, it is mostly celebrated the same as in America. The birth of Christ, family, friends, food, decorations, lights, and trees.
Though businesses are closed, celebration is "in the air" on New Year's Eve at midnight. Fireworks fill the skies as they do on July 4 in the States. The one here in Simleu began at 11:50 and ended promptly in the new year! La Multi Ani (Happy New Year)!
Traditionally, people are then off to party the day away. I had my own party ... called home from another year (ha! ha! since I am 7 hours ahead), drank some kool-aid, and went to bed ... real party animal, I know!
Mada and Daci not only came for Christmas colinda, but for New Year's, also. A special New Year's song requires a surcova (sore-coe-vah) such as the one Daci is holding on the left. These are branches from a pine tree with garland, ribbon, and a bell.
So ... that's what's been happening on my side of the world ...!
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