community
january25
2011
A Serbian Christmas in Vernonia
9
sings traditional, religious Christmas
“ G u e s s
carols in the old, old Slavic languages, who got the piece
meanwhile throwing walnuts and wheat with the coin?”
on the head of the household. The asks Jacimovic
throwing of the walnuts and wheat was with a big grin.
one tradition the Tierney’s and Jacimovic “Me!”
skipped.
Jacimovic
Once Badnjak is brought inside, says he does not
no one from the family is suppose to believe his family
leave the house or come into the house in Serbia has even
until the next day. Very early on the done the tradition
morning of January 7th, a special, of the Cesnica.
invited guest arrives. This person, called “My mother has
“Polazajnik,” is traditionally a relative never made it and
or close family friend, and is invited I’m not sure if I
into the home to bring good luck and ever did it with Colin Tierney, Aleksa Jacimovic, Jim Tierney and Casey Mitchell
roasting the holiday pig.
joy for the upcoming year. According my grandparents
to Jacimovic, it is a great honor to be when I was very
compromise because many Serbs were
Polazajnik for someone’s family. “Once young. It is a common tradition but at resisting conversion, so they let us keep
Polazajnik arrives, things go back to our house there is just never enough time most of our old pagan, Slavic traditions
normal,” explains Jacimovic. “Once for all the preparation.”
and just adapt them to Christian needs.
Badnjak is brought into the house the
The Tierneys and Jacimovic So almost all our Christmas traditions
night before, no one leaves and no held a large party on the afternoon of date back to those pagan times.”
one enters, because the first person January 7th that extended until around
A Serbian Christmas in Vernonia
who enters the house automatically midnight. Family friends, along with is exactly what the foreign exchange
becomes
Polazajnik,”
explains many of Aleksa’s school friends, arrived student program is all about-- a chance to
Jacimovic. “You don’t want a member to take part in the festivities. “There learn and share traditional customs and
of the household to be Polazajnik, nor were so many people here, we ate the learn about other cultures. Thank you to
do you want someone you didn’t invite whole pig all in one evening!” says Aleksa Jacimovic for sharing this story
to be your Polazajnik-- you invite Jacimovic.
about his country and his holiday with
someone in advance that you believe
Jacimovic says there are many us and to the Tierney family for taking
will bring your household good luck.” more traditions around a traditional their role as a host family seriously and
When Polazajnik arrives, he Bosnian Christmas-- he and the Tierneys helping Aleksa feel welcome in our
burns at least part of the Badnjak and is only celebrated a handful of them. community.
served breakfast and the family gives Jacimovic says his family doesn’t always
him some presents. The Tierney’s celebrate all the traditions. And with the
invited their friend, Casey Mitchell, help of the Tierneys, this ended up being
to be Polazajnik, who arrived early one of the most traditional Christmases
on January 7th, and did his duty of Jacimovic has ever celebrated. “My
Aleksa Jacimovic (center) and Colin
burning a few leaves of Badnjak host parents wanted it to be proper
Tierney (left) watch as honorary
and wanted to see all the customs and
“Polazajnik”, Casey Mitchell ceremonially before breakfast.
Christmas
day
is
very
festive
I wanted them to see how it originally
burns oak leaves during a Serbian
and
usually
includes
a
feast
at
used to be, and how it is still celebrated
Christmas celebration in Vernonia.
lunchtime and many other special in the countryside and somewhat in the
says follows the old-style Julian calendar foods, including sweets. Traditionally, cities,” explains Jacimovic.
for holidays. That calendar is two weeks a family will roast a pig on a spit over a
Jacimovic says the Serb
different from the regular calendar, so, fire, which the Tierneys did. They also tradition of bringing a tree into the home
“That’s why we celebrate Christmas on prepared Baklava, cabbage rolls and at Christmas goes back to old Slavic
January 7th,” says Jacimovic.
other traditional soups and foods. Kim times when the Eastern Europeans were
Made with fresh
Serbian Christmas has many Tierney even improvised and baked a still pagans. Jacimovic says it wasn’t
ingredients
in Vernonia
interesting customs which the Tierneys traditional bread, “Cesnica,” which has until the 13th and 14th centuries that the
Not just a salad dressing
and Jacimovic enacted during their a coin placed inside the bread. “During Serbs converted to Christianity, under
Delicious as a dip for wings & vegies
celebration. First of all, on January 6th, one of the meals, everyone is suppose to threat by the Pope and the Bishop of
Try it on chicken or steak
the day before Christmas, the head of grab the bread at the same time and break Constantinople of a Crusade. “Serbs
the household-- usually the oldest male a piece from it,” explains Jacimovic. were among the last Slavic peoples
An experience you
(but that can vary from region to region, “And the one who gets the piece with the to be converted to Christianity,”
should not miss!
according to Jacimovic), goes into the coin is considered the luckiest one.”
says Jacimovic. “But they made a
woods and cuts a branch from an oak
tree and brings it back to the house,
leaving it outside the front door until
dark. “That’s how it should traditionally
be, but in modern city conditions you
just go to the marketplace and buy an
oak branch instead of going in the woods
and cutting it,” explains Jacimovic.
That oak branch will be the “Badnjak”--
Even though our local emergency teams are equipped for the
the Christmas tree. Jim Tierney was
unexpected, severe winter weather could leave your family
stranded for days. Columbia 9-1-1 urges your family to prepare
responsible for and brought home an oak
a 72-hour kit to help you survive up to three days. Find a
branch to serve as Badnjak.
detailed list at www.redcross.org, but here are some basics:
Jacimovic says the rest of
• One gallon of water a day for each person.
January 6th is spent preparing food
• Canned and dried food for family members and pets.
• Flashlights, cell phones, portable radios and batteries.
for Christmas day. In the afternoon,
• Warm clothes, blankets and first aid.
everyone attends the church service,
Talk with your family and neighbors about what to do and
which is followed by a celebration
where to meet when disaster strikes. Columbia 9-1-1 asks for
which includes food, music, singing and
your help in keeping emergency lines clear and following
official instructions the crisis is over.
dancing. “It’s a Fair-like event, very
festive,” says Jacimovic. Jacimovic
was able to attend a Serbian Orthodox
Columbia 9-1-1
Church service in Milwaukie, Oregon,
Communications District.
Always there.
where he says he was able to meet with
other local Serbians, and celebrate the
holiday
Once back home, traditionally,
P.O. Box 998 St. Helens, OR 97051
Administrative
Office:
(503)
397-7255
Non-emergency Dispatch: (503) 397-1521 1-800-696-7795
the head of the house brings Badnyak
www.columbia911.com
into the house after dark, while everyone
Aleksa Jacimovic is a foreign
exchange student from Serbia who
is attending school at Vernonia High
School this year. One of Aleksa’s goals
as a foreign exchange student was to
make sure to share some of his culture
with his hosts and friends while visiting
the United States. On January 6th and
7 th , Jacimovic had a chance to do just
that.
Jacimovic is living with Jim
and Kim Tierney, who decided to help
Aleksa feel at home and helped him put
together a traditional Serbian Christmas
celebration, complete with a “Badnyak”
and “Polazajnik.”
Jacimovic attends a Serbian
Orthodox Church in Serbia which, along
with other Slavic Orthodox churches, he
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The longest
72 hours you’ll ever
spend at home.
Are you prepared?
