For New Years….

…we decorated sticks.

(and my counterpart decorated the kids)

Honestly, I thought my colleagues had just started running short on craft ideas until I found them for sale in the market.

сурвакници

“The sourvakars are 10 to 21 year-old boys. They gather together in groups and start visiting the houses of relatives and neighbours as they begin from their own home. Each of the boys wears a small bag as well as the compulsory sourvaknitsa. The sourvakars tap everyone from the family with the decorated cornel twig beginning with its eldest member, saying these words: 

 ”Happy, happy New Year!
Merry New Year,
Big ears of wheat in the fields,
Big bunches of grapes in vineyards,
Yellow corn in the woods/forest,
Red apples on the gardens ,
A house full of silk,
God bless you until next year,
Until next year and forever! “

  This blessing is not supposed to be sung but spoken. It is said in order to bring health in the house and to thrive and flourish. In some regions the sourvakars sing songs too. However, everywhere they are given loafs of bread, fruits, walnuts, bacon etc.” – traditions-bg.com