Serbia Christmas

This Orthodox adheres to the Julian calender rather than the more popular Gregorian Calender. Going by the Julian calender, the Christmas eve is celebrated in Serbia on the 6th of January each year and Christmas comes a day later on the January 7th.
The government of Serbia follows the Gregorian calender, but decides the holidays, based on the Julian calender to meet the convenience of the majority. The Christmas celebrations in Serbia has been adopted and modified to suit the culture of the native people. Along with the usual Christmas celebration, they have included many local rituals in the Christmas celebrations.

THE DIFFERENT EVENTS OF CHRISMAS IN SERBIA
Apart from the fact that Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January, the Serbian orthodox church followers believe in fasting and restricting themselves to strictly vegan diet from the 28th of November till he Christmas eve on January 6th.

On the 19th of December Serbian Orthodox Church observes the St, Nicholas Day, dedicated to Santa Claus. During the Communist rule in Serbia, the St, Nicholas Day was called the Grandfather Frost Day.

The Serbian Christmas Eve: The event has been imparted a special local flavor by including the ritual of Badnjak tree. This event is called the Badnjak Vece. The head male member and the eldest son returns with a Badnjak tree branch with leaves and follows it up by placing it on the doorway. A guest is specially invited the next day to enter their home with the Badjnak branch and wish the family good fortune. This guest is called the Polozajnik.

Though the tradition of decorating Christmas trees is not accepted by the Orthodox Church, the recent popularity of the Christmas tree in Serbia has seen a new tradition. Rather than using the Christmas trees for the actual Christmas celebrations, they are being used on the 1st of January.