Religious holidays, pagan holidays, and Christmas traditions are celebrated throughout the winter months in Bulgaria. Bulgaria's strong folk traditions are celebrated with a variety of winter festivals that take place from December to February.
1. Cinemania/Kinemania Film Festival in Sofia Bulgaria - November
Hosted by the National Palace of Culture, Kinemania (or Cinemania) is Bulgaria's much-anticipated international film festival that recognizes both former winners of past film festivals and new arrivals to the screen.2. St. Barbara's Day - December 4
The annual celebration of St. Barbara's Day is marked mainly by the cooking and baking of certain foods. Children eat a traditional bean soup, while women of towns and villages make honey-sweetened unleavened bread to share with neighbors and passers-by. This day, which celebrates the protection of children against illness, is also called St. Varvara's Day.3. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day - December 31 and January 1
New Year's Eve in Bulgaria is celebrated with a variety of traditions. Ladouvane has traditionally been practiced by young women seeking marriage - it includes dancing and the ritual boiling of herbs. Sourvakari, in Bulgarian tradition, are young men who travel through their village, singing songs (similar to the practice of Christmas caroling). New Year's Eve is also marked with food, dancing, and traditions that have been passed down through Bulgarian families.On New Year's Day, friends and families visit one another. Children may also go singing from house to house, in exchange for treats.
