Language/Georgian/Culture/New-Year's-and-Christmas
As a Georgian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I can confidently say that the holidays and celebrations in Georgia are unique and full of cultural significance. In this lesson, we will dive into the traditional celebrations of New Year's and Christmas in Georgia.
New Year's Eve
In Georgia, New Year's Eve is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. It is a time for families to gather together, decorate the tree, and prepare a festive meal. The traditional Georgian Christmas tree, "Chichilaki," is made from dried hazelnut or walnut branches and is adorned with sweets and ornaments. Another popular decoration is the "Alilo," a candle-lit procession through the streets of Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia.
On New Year's Eve, it is customary to have a large feast with traditional Georgian dishes such as Khachapuri (cheese-filled bread), Satsivi (chicken with walnut sauce), and Mtsvadi (kebab). Georgian wine and Georgian sparkling wine are also an essential part of the celebration.
At midnight, people usually light fireworks and make a toast to the New Year with Champagne or Georgian wine. It is a common practice to make wishes for the New Year while eating a raisin and drinking wine. The belief is that if you make a wish while eating a raisin and drinking wine as the clock strikes midnight, your wish will come true.
Christmas in Georgia
Christmas celebrations in Georgia differ from those in Western countries. In Georgia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, following the Julian calendar.
Georgian families usually attend church services on Christmas Eve, and it is a common practice to fast until the first star appears in the sky. Once the first star appears, people return home to have a festive Christmas meal. Popular traditional Georgian dishes include Gozinaki (caramelized nut candy) and Puri (Georgian bread).
Similar to New Year's Eve, Georgian families also light candles and make wishes for the New Year on Christmas Eve. They believe that by making wishes on both New Year's Eve and Christmas Eve, their chances of having their wishes come true are doubled.
Vocabulary
Here are some essential vocabulary words and phrases related to New Year's and Christmas in Georgia:
| Georgian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| შობა | shoba | holiday |
| ახალი წელი | akhali tseli | New Year |
| საზღვაო | sazghvao | Christmas |
| საქართველოს ხიჩილაკი | sakartvelos khichilaki | Georgian Christmas tree |
| ალილო | alilo | candle-lit procession |
| ხაჭაპური | khachapuri | cheese-filled bread |
| საცივი | satsivi | chicken with walnut sauce |
| მწვადი | mtsvadi | kebab |
| გოზინაყი | gozinaki | caramelized nut candy |
| პური | puri | Georgian bread |
I hope this lesson has provided you with valuable insight into the traditional Georgian celebrations of New Year's and Christmas. In the next lesson, we will explore the Easter traditions in Georgia.
Related Lessons
- Ancient Kingdoms
- Georgia Timeline
- Table Manners
- Theater and Film
- Independence Day
- Literature and Poetry
- Geographic Regions
- Recent History
- Traditional Dishes
- Music and Dance
Sources
- Eight Surprising Georgian Traditions
- How Georgians Celebrate the New Year
- Georgian Christmas & New Year – The Cultural Traditions – Lokal ...