Badnjak

For Christians in the Balkans, one of the most important festival holidays is Badnji dan (the day before Christmas). At the center of the holiday is the badnjak tree, similar to the Yule log in the Western tradition of Christmas. Etymologically, badnjak may originate from the noun badanj/panj (log) and the verb bъdeti, bdjeti, meaning to guard or be awake. This holiday brings with it many of the traditions related to Christmas in the West, such as preparing food, arranging homes and other spaces, decorating, and so on. The badnjak tree and the ritual of burning it play a major role, and is a tradition that has been observed in some form in ancient Rome, England, France, Portugal, Germany, and among South Slavic peoples. In the Balkans, the branch used is generally oak with its leaves still attached, to symbolize God’s eternity (see Dragić 2008).
There are various specific traditions, but the general rule is that the badnjak tree is lit on the evening before Christmas Day in church courtyards, and on Christmas morning another is lit in the fireplaces of homes. While lighting the badnjak tree in the fireplace, the oldest male in the house says the following as a prayer to ask for blessings and wishes for the coming year: “Koliko varnica, toliko novca/sreće/zdravlja…” (Let our money/happiness/health be as plentiful as these sparks…).
Fire is considered a source of magic and power in both folk cultures and Christianity, and the burning badnjak tree symbolizes regeneration and the sun, that is, the victory of light over darkness. The practice of burning trees probably dates back to prehistory, to pre-Christian folk beliefs and culture (see Dragić 2008).