Merry MAKs-mess!

Adding to the list of things MAK does better than the US must include winter holidays.  In the US, kids get out of school and max out their parents credit cards, then return to school a short while later.

In MAK, there are a LOT more moving parts.  For example, kids are out of school mid December and do not restart until late January. This allows plenty of time for the 6 events during this season to be thoroughly prosecuted. Here is the seasonal hit parade:

1.  Christmas. Santa is here too, but only as a minor retail prop. Santa here seems quite shy and frequently has smoke breaks. He is properly suspicious of children and dogs. December 25 is a non-event and not even the shy Santas get a break as they work on this day and for a week after.
2.  New Year.  On this day the shy Santa gets his time as he has delivered small presents to kids.  People that want to go out get their finest sequined clothes on and go to a bar.  It is a long night and the streets are littered with lost sequins and the remnants of fireworks.

 3. Boshik... It starts with a family meal with no meat.  Before the meal begins, everyone takes some food outside and God is invited in.  Fish, salads, bread, wine is served. The bread has a coin baked into it and whoever gets it is lucky for the year but the payback is they have to throw a party next year. This is January 5, 6 and 7.  On the 5th, you go to a bonfire and drink wine and listen to music.   There are  fireworks and singing.  The next day you return the earlier favor to God and go to his house for church service.  This is a 3 hour deal as conversations with Him are not brief.  Also, God is not in the furniture business so there are no chairs in an Orthodox church, so you stand.  It is really quite beautiful as the mass is sung.
4.  Old New Year.  This is on January 13 on the old Gregorian calendar.  On this night kids put on masks and go around to houses and sing. You then give them a couple sausages. We gave out candy as yes, we had no sausages.  People use up whatever left over fireworks they may have, fuelled apparently, by sausages.
5.  Name Day.  January 14 is a big name day. This the day when a Saint died. Apparently the 14th claimed a lot as many Saints have this day.  If you are named after a name-day Saint, this is your day too so you must think Saintly thoughts and give out candy which I think is in the Old Testament.
6.  Epiphany.  This is on January 19th.  On this day the priest blesses the river, and throws in a cross.  People must be quite taken with this as the men leap into the river to try and find it.  If you find the cross you get a lot of luck plus bragging rights.  I suspect the river bottom is riddled with crucifixes and those less lucky. The Vardar river is big, fast and cold.

Everyone is now cold, exhausted, sugared up or sick of sausages so school resumes on January 21st.  I believe this is a much better way to spend the holidays. A lot more food and far less time returning stuff you don't want. And, if you're feeling lucky, you can try the river!
Al