CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE FOLKLORE STUDY OF CROATS

Badnja noć najbajkovitija je u godini, a karakteriziraju je: unošenje badnjaka, posipanje žitom badnjaka i onoga koji ga unosi, slama, svijeće, molitva, večera, bor, jaslice, čekanje polnoćke, zdravice, čestitarski ophodi: koledanje, betlehemari, betlemašice, kabanari, posjete prijatelja i susjeda; odlazak na polnoćku. Spominjanje drveta (badnjaka) u Hrvata seže u 1272. godinu, ali o Badnjem danu i Badnjoj noći u hrvatskoj znanstvenoj literaturi do polovice devetnaestoga stoljeća nema značajnijih stručnih i znanstvenih radova. Međutim, u narodnome pamćenju tradicijom se do naših dana sačuvao velik broj negdanjih običaja, obreda i ophoda koji su se odvijali u Badnjoj noći. Takvih je u ovom radu sto dvadeset dva izvorno zapisanih primjera u raznim krajevima Hrvatske, Bosne i Hercegovine i Crne Gore. Navode se i interpretiraju i primjeri iz Srbije i Austrije. U običajima, obredima i ophodima u Badnjoj noći opažaju se drevni pretkršćanski motivi, a glavna im je značajka apotropejska i panspermijska. Badnju noć svečano su obilježavali i bosanski muslimani, primjerice u prozorsko-ramskom kraju. Velik je broj običaja prekrio zaborav, neki od njih su modificirani, a neki se revitaliziraju u naše vrijeme.Christmas Eve is the most magical night of the year, and is characterized by: bringing in a Yule-log, sprinkling with grain the log and the person who is carrying it; straw; candles; prayer; dinner; Christmas tree; creche\u27; waiting for Christmas Eve Mass; toast, congratulatory processions: Christmas carols, congratulators who receive gifts, kabanari, visiting friends and neighbours; going to Christmas Eve Mass. References of the Yule-log in Croatia go back to 1272, but there was no significant technical and scientific work about Christmas Eve in the Croatian scientific literature until the mid-nineteenth century. However, in the folk memory, tradition has preserved to this day many former customs, rituals and processions which took place on Christmas Eve. In this study there are one hundred twenty-two originally written examples from different parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. In addition, examples from Serbia and Austria are quoted and interpreted. Ancient pre-Christian motifs are observed in the customs, rituals, and processions on Christmas Eve, and their main feature is apotropeic and panspermic. Christmas Eve was celebrated by Bosnian Muslims, for example in the area of Prozor and Rama. A large number of these customs are forgotten, some of them are modified, and some are revitalized in our time