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Péter Licskay Péter Licskay · 19/12/2021
· Special Hungary

How do Hungarians celebrate Christmas? – History and traditions

Christmas Tree Karácsonyfa

Illustration: Unsplash / Tessa Rampersad

In most English-speaking countries and many other parts of the world where Christmas is celebrated, it is believed that Santa Claus delivers presents to people – especially children – on Christmas Eve. However, Hungarians celebrate Christmas a little differently.

In Hungary, as in many European countries, Jézuska (Christkind) is the traditional gift-giver during Christmas, and in Hungary, it is usually celebrated on Christmas Eve, rather than in the morning on Christmas Day.

History

Most of you are probably somewhat familiar with some of the newer traditions of celebrating Christmas in Hungary, but there are some traditions that have transformed or entirely faded away over the centuries.

It is important to note that when Christianity became popular, it integrated several pagan customs and traditions of the time.

Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Schmidt Albin_1908
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1908 Photo: Fortepan / Schmidt Albin
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Cholnoky Tamás_1909
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1909 Photo: Fortepan / Cholnoky Tamás

Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Cholnoky Tamás_1912
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1912 Photo: Fortepan / Cholnoky Tamás
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Semmelweis Egyetem Levéltára_1910
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1910 Photo: Fortepan / Semmelweis Egyetem Levéltára

For example, bringing evergreen branches or boughs into someone’s home has long pagan roots, but the tradition of erecting a Christmas tree was only popularised in Hungary around the 19th century.

According to some sources, the first person to have a Christmas tree in Hungary was Teréz Brunszvik, the founder of the first Hungarian nursery school, who erected it in 1824.

The custom then started to catch on among wealthier people, and it really only became a general tradition for all around the 1930s.

Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Lissák Tivadar_1942
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1942 Photo: Fortepan / Lissák Tivadar
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Göcseji Múzeum_1932
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1932 Photo: Fortepan / Göcseji Múzeum
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Korbuly család_1932
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1932 Photo: Fortepan / Korbuly család

Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Kurutz Márton_1938
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1938 Photo: Fortepan / Kurutz Márton
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Lissák Tivadar_1939
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1939 Photo: Fortepan / Lissák Tivadar
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Haui Balázs_1930
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1930 Photo: Fortepan / Haui Balázs

That is when the nowadays typical tradition of decorating the tree with szaloncukor kickstarted, and now, Hungarians spend billions of forints on the tasty sweets every year.

Read also: Why does Santa arrive so early in Hungary? – History and traditions

Other traditions

The Nativity play is another important tradition that has some pagan roots. It was believed that animal fur and making a lot of noise – much like with the origins of the Busójárás – scared away evil spirits. However, it was mostly Christianised, with the play performed in or in front of churches.

A mix of pagan and Christian traditions is still present in some places in Hungary, mainly in Transdanubia. It is called regölés, when a group of people roam the streets singing and bringing fertility and luck to households in exchange for presents between 27 December and Epiphany (6 January). This might be a remnant of the shamanistic rituals of ancient Hungarian traditions.

Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Storymap.hu_1954
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1954 Photo: Fortepan / Storymap.hu
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Urbán Tamás_1976
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1976 Photo: Fortepan / Urbán Tamás
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Kriss Géza_1981
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1981 Photo: Fortepan / Kriss Géza

Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_Beyer Norbert_1966
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1966 Photo: Fortepan / Beyer Norbert
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_1979
Vörösmarty square in Budapest Hungarian Christmas Customs 1979Photo: Fortepan
Hungarian Christmas Customs_Fortepan_FŐFOTÓ_1969
Hungarian Christmas Customs 1969 Photo: Fortepan / FŐFOTÓ

Although the exact Christmas traditions are unique to each family, and families can create their own traditions, most religious Hungarians would attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, after a filling dinner.

Usually, Hungarians celebrate Christmas with close family and exchange presents on Christmas Eve. They would then visit their other family members on 25 and 26 December.

The 27 December is the day of Saint John and the consecration of wine. Many families used to bring wine to church to be consecrated by the priest. It was believed that this wine would help cure illnesses.

Read also: What is szaloncukor and why do Hungarians spend so much on it?

Christmas feast

Today, food has a very central role in celebrating Christmas in Hungary. Many families have their own typical Christmas menu that often includes well-known staples of Hungarian gastronomy, such as gulyás or halászlé (fishermen’s soup) and main dishes like the legendary töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage) and csirkepaprikás (chicken paprikash) or deep-fried fish.

However, this was not always the case. When the religious aspects of the celebration were more in focus, people would fast on this day and would not eat meat, with the exception of fish.

Halászlé Fishsoup Fishermens Soup

Photo: facebook.com/hungarikumokgyujtemenye

 

This is probably why today’s Christmas feast also often includes halászlé (fishermen’s soup) or some type of main dish using fish.

Vegetables and fruits were the most important ingredients of fasting Christmas meals, with lentils, beans, cabbage, mushrooms, dried fruits, apples, chestnuts, and pumpkins having dedicated roles.

Mákosguba (bread and butter pudding with poppy seed), briós (brioche), and zserbó (gerbaud) are all popular desserts during Christmastime, but by far the most well-known is the bejgli.

Budapest food gastronomy

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/izekutcaja

Many Hungarians spend a lot of time decorating their home, especially the Christmas tree and the dining table. A lot of families have a dedicated, ornamental or specially coloured tablecloth for Christmas. It is often red as, according to older traditions, this colour represents happiness.

Budapest Restaurants Open on Christmas
Read alsoTOP 5 Budapest restaurants open on Christmas Day – PHOTOS

Source: Daily News Hungary

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1 Comment

  1. MAGYARORSZÁG A MAGYAROKÉ says:
    20/12/2021 at 16:38

    For us, Christmas is for giving and being grateful for what we have. We believe: “segíts magadon, Isten is megsegít” is important and we also believe that it is important to help those less fortunate.
    My wife bought a meter high, plastic Christmas tree when we got married 47 years ago. It reminds us how fortunate we are and how much we can thank God for keeping us safe all these years.

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