The birth of Jesus Christ is the celebration of the family, the celebration of the community as a whole, and the celebration of humans. Christmas is the most important Christian holiday and is celebrated all over Moldova. Christmas is the time when all family members gather around the Christmas tree.
At the same time, Christmas is the holiday for which old traditions, sacredly preserved by our ancestors, are revived and brought up to date.
Before Christmas, a 6-week fast is held, between November 15 – December 24, for those who celebrate in a new style. Christmas Eve is the last day of fasting.
On the Christmas tables in Moldova, cozonac (sweet bread), sarmale (cabbage dumplings), piftia (chill), pork sausages, and red wine are indispensable. There is also the custom of eating polenta at Christmas, a custom with magical connotations. The day after Christmas, the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated.
A Christmas custom is caroling, practiced especially in villages.