11. 11. 2025
Yesterday advent began and we prepared an article on what traditions are still observed at the founder and director of Romodrom, Marie Gailová.
The first Advent Sunday marks the beginning of Christmas for Mrs. Gail and many other Roma. It is a time of peace and tranquility, a time of great gatherings. The preparations for Christmas Eve culminate, when the whole family comes together to feast and enjoy the evening. Throughout Advent, they also light candles for the deceased, so that they may come and protect them on Christmas Eve. The experience of Advent and Christmas holidays is similar in many ways for the majority society and the Roma, however, some traditions that are passed down from parents to children still survive to this day.
The Advent period is a time when many people rush to buy gifts, do Christmas cleaning, rush at work, or stress in other ways. However, as our director also claims: "Advent is a time of peace and tranquility. People have different priorities, but for us Roma, family is the most important." They visit their relatives during Advent and always find a moment to be together. Family is the alpha and omega of the entire Christmas season. During Advent and after Christmas, no one goes anywhere (e.g. on vacation), so that families can visit each other.
"In the Christmas season, the whole family gathers and remembers those who are no longer with us."
In addition to visiting family, it is typical for Roma to light candles for the deceased throughout the entire Advent period, to show respect and hope that they will come on Christmas Eve and watch over them.
Extra plate of food
During the Christmas Eve dinner, they also set an extra plate, which is intended for the souls of the deceased. It is an ancient Roma custom that many families still observe today. "We put food on the table for them, light candles so they can see that we are all together. After dinner, the food for the deceased is taken outside for the animals. The Christmas bread is crumbled for the birds, the meat and fish are given to the dogs, and so on," described Mrs. Gail.
Visit to the cemetery
Honoring the deceased is also associated with another tradition, which is visiting cemeteries. In the morning on Christmas Eve, Roma usually gather and go to remember the deceased at their graves. "We always bring to the cemetery what the person liked. For example, a cigarette or something sweet and a little bit of other food," says the founder and director of Romodrom. "I bring a little tree to my grandfather's grave," she adds.
Hanging Laundry
Another tradition that the Roma, including Mrs. Gail's family, adhere to concerns laundry: "My father always told me that on Christmas Eve, laundry must not be hanging." It is believed that if the laundry were left hanging, someone could be killed or hanged. Therefore, if we want to ensure nothing happens to anyone, it is necessary to take down the laundry on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Kitchen
The Mother of the family is responsible for all the food on Christmas Eve and evening, as well as on the first day of Christmas. It is always the woman with the most experience. During the day, the Roma do not eat meat (lunch usually consists of mushroom kuba), which is only brought to the table at dinner.
And what does the dinner look like? The Christmas Eve feast for many Roma now includes fish and potato salad, but typically Roma specialties also appear on the table. These include, for example, marikle (wheat flatbreads of Roma cuisine), holubky (stuffed cabbage leaves), or halušky.
"In conclusion, I would like to wish everyone peaceful Christmas on behalf of our entire organization, which for me begins with Advent. People should stop and reflect a bit on themselves. We have had a demanding year of work, so let's realize why we do what we do and for whom we do it. Let's forget about quarrels and enjoy the Advent time together."
