2008Christmas and New Year - First Day Cover

To the holiday of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ – Christmas, which Christians celebrate on December 25th, is related a variety of Christmas customs, congratulations and gifting. Through four pre-Christmas weeks – Advent, Christians prepare for one of their greatest holidays – Christmas. Inevitable symbols of Christmas are Christmas mangers – the display of Jesus’ birth and the Christmas tree that was decorated in earlier times with fruit, most commonly apples and various sweets and decorations. The joyous holiday of the Christ’s birth is fulfilled with old customs and gathers the whole family. A large Christmas meal is traditionally prepared, and around the abundance of the holiday table the whole family gathers, with presents below the Christmas tree that family members await for. Alongside traditional meals on the table you can always find all kinds of fruit, vegetables and meat, and Christmas pastries, bread and cakes are especially liked. The New Year up until the 16th and 17th century was celebrated on December 25th and even today in some small Croatian regions, it is called Little Christmas or Young Christmas. The family celebration of the New Year is very similar to Christmas, having in mind that Christmas is celebrated more with immediate family members whereas the New Year is with relatives and friends. Today, New Year celebrations have lost their characteristic of a family holiday. Neither the old customs of Christmas messages that intertwine with New Year good wishes to family members and their good fortune have been preserved. The modern celebration of the New Year is universal, belongs to everyone, not only Christians.