WINTER HOLIDAYS IN HUNGARY

6 December, Saint Nicholas Day

The tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, usually on 6 December, is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American Santa Claus, as well as the Anglo-Canadian and British Father Christmas, derive from these legends. "Santa Claus" is itself derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas.

In Hungary children typically leave their boots on the windowsill on the evening of December 5. 

By next morning Nikolaus (commonly known as Mikulás in Hungary) leaves the boots filled with goodies (traditionally with candies, tangerines, walnuts, apples, dates and Santa shaped chocolate figurines), and small toys if they have been good. If they have been bad, Mikulás puts a bunch of golden twigs in the boot, indicating a beating is in order. (Most kids generally end up getting small gifts but also a small bunch of twigs.) There is no Mrs. Santa in Hungary, but Mikulás often comes with one or two small evil boys, called "krampusz."

24-26 December, Christmas

In Hungary the Christmas tree is decorated on Christmas Eve. In addition to the usual decorations, we also put fondant candies on and under the tree. According to the Hungarian tradition, the Christmas presents are brought by baby Jesus, although some families (who belong to other religions or atheists) follow the Santa Claus tradition, which was promoted also by the communist government that ruled until 1990.

Typical Hungarian Christmas dishes include: fish soup or bouillon, stuffed cabbage, roast turkey with stuffing, and the famous poppy seed or walnut rolls.

Beigli, the famous poppy seed or walnut rolls

The poppy seed or walnut roll is a traditional Hungarian pastry, mostly eaten during the winter holidays. It is basically a sweet bread, known as beigli in Hungary. During the last few decades other variants (such as chestnut, plum jam, prune, or even cocoa) have become popular, too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!

Summer 2012

Usually I don’t  go  to holiday in Summer , but this year was different. I don’t like hot weather. Unfortunately  this summer there was tropical heat, the temperature  was often almost 40 degrees.

I had never been on such a long vacation, but in July.  I

travelled to Transylvania for 10 days. My relatives were happy.  We looked at  a lot of nice places. 
We were in my father's native village, we visited 
former and new relatives, we talked with interesting 
and nice people, we looked at three castles. One of 
them was newly renovated and very nice.

The others were in a very bad state.

We had a trip along the bank of Maros River and to the nearby mountains.

We ate delicious, home-made foods. I found a lot of 
new information for my family tree. I managed to 
scan some old registers.

In August, we were  in Jászberény. Here was a 
Csángó festival. It was very interesting. There were 
many dance and music groups from other minorities 
too. For example, from Iran, Turkey, Slovakia, Serbia.

We met our csángó friends, who are performed 
also. From there we travelled further to Tállya 
village.

We spent here  4 days in a guest house. The house 
was very nice and comfortable with a lovely garden.
 Under the house there was a wine cellar.

We got free wine each day and there was a wine 
tasting from 8 different wines too. We got  delicious 
and rich breakfast , home-made meats and 
vegetables.

The owner was a very nice man. We had a  trip to 
the hills and walked in the village.  Here we had 
some work,  too.  I have a missing relative. He wrote 
the last letter to her sister 22 years ago and it was
his last address in Tallya. We asked questions 
about him, we talked to many people, but 
they were reluctant to speak.  We looked at the  
house where he lived. He lived  at a  gypsy family
once who did a lot of nasty things. We heard that
he's dead, but he hasn't got a tomb and death 
certificate. Maybe he’s buried in the backyard or
he died in another place. So he disappeared without 
a trace.

In late August, my brother arrived from America. 
We travelled together to the lake Balaton  for one  
day and then for 2 days to Austria, visiting an elderly 
relative. At Balaton it was a very hot day and there
was a large crowd because it was a national holiday. 
The trip was very beautiful in Austria.

My relative's house  was 1000 meters high in the 
mountains. There was  fine fresh air and a great view. 

My  relative is 85 years old, but he’s in good health. 
Maybe I can go for more days next time.

Happy Easter !

Easter eggs! Easter eggs!
Hidden all away;
Let's go find our Easter eggs,
On this Easter Day.

Easter eggs! Easter eggs!
Don't you hide from me!
Look here, I found an egg,
Underneath the tree.

Easter eggs! Easter eggs!
What a pretty sight!
Blue and pink and yellow, too,
Purple, green and white.

15. March

The Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-1849


On March 15th we commemorate the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-1849. This is also a public holiday in Hungary.

The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many revolutions that year and closely
linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas. The revolution in the Kingdom of Hungary grew into a war for independence from Habsburg rule.

Many of its leaders and participants, including Lajos Kossuth, István Széchenyi, Sándor Petőfi, József Bem, are among the most respected national figures in Hungarian history, and the anniversary of the revolution's outbreak, on March 15th , is one of Hungary's three national holidays.

The Revolution started on March 15th in 1848, with bloodless events in Pest and Buda, followed by various insurrections throughout the kingdom, which enabled Hungarian reformists to declare Hungary's new government and the first Prime Minister of Hungary, Lajos Batthyány.

The new government approved a sweeping reform package, referred to as the "April laws" (also referred to as the "March Laws"), which essentially created a democratic political system in Hungary. They also demanded that the Hungarian government receive and expend all taxes raised in Hungary, and have authority over Hungarian regiments in the Habsburg army.

In the summer of 1848, aware that they were on the path to civil war, the Hungarian government ministers attempted to gain Habsburg support against Conservative Josip Jelačić. By the end of August, the imperial government in Vienna officially ordered the Hungarian government in Pest to end plans for a Hungarian army. Jelačić then took military action against the Hungarian government without any official order. War between Austria and Hungary had officially begun.

Initially, the Hungarian forces (Honvédség) achieved several victories fighting with Austrian armies (at Pákozd in September 1848 and at Isaszeg in April 1849). The war led to the October Crisis in Vienna, when insurgents attacked a garrison on its way to Hungary to support Jelačić's forces.

After Vienna was recaptured by imperial forces, General Windischgrätz and 70,000 troops were sent to Hungary to crush the last challenge to the Austrian Empire. Julius Jacob von Haynau, the leader of the Austrian army who then became governor of Hungary for a few months of retribution, ordered the execution of 13 leaders of the Hungarian army in Arad and the Prime Minister Batthyány in Pest.


National Song

On your feet now, Hungary calls you!
Now is the moment, nothing stalls you,
Shall we be slaves or men set free
That is the question, answer me!
By all the gods of Hungary
We hereby swear,
That we the yoke of slavery
No more shall wear.

Slaves we have been to this hour,
Our forefathers who fell from power
Fell free and lived as free men will,
On land that was their own to till,
By all the gods of Hungary
We hereby swear,
That we the yoke of slavery
No more shall wear.

Whoever now his life begrudges
Deserves his death with thieves and drudges,
For setting his own worthless hide
Above his country’s need and pride.
By all the gods of Hungary
We hereby swear,
That we the yoke of slavery
No more shall wear.

The sword shines brighter than the fetters
It is the finery of our betters,
Of slaves and fetters we grow bored.
Leap to my side, ancestral sword.
By all the gods of Hungary
We hereby swear,
That we the yoke of slavery
No more shall wear.

Magyars, once more our name and story
Shall match our ancestors’ in glory
The centuries of shame and hurt
Can now be washed away like dirt.
By all the gods of Hungary
We hereby swear,
That we the yoke of slavery
No more shall wear.

And wheresoever we may perish
Grandchildren those graves shall cherish
Singing our praises in their prayers
To thank us that our names are theirs.
By all the gods of Hungary
We hereby swear,
That we the yoke of slavery
No more shall wear.

John Lennon's exhibition

The musician who played in the Beatles would be 72 years old on 9 October, in 2012. It will be 32 years ago on the same date that Mark David Chapman killed him in New York. The memorial exhibition to be held in Szeged in 2012 is to declare that Lennon's music will never be out of date.


The material borrowed from the collection of the German private collector, Michael-Andreas Wahle, is titled The Art of John Lennon. It is clear for the first sight that what the exhibition focuses on this time is not the musician, but the caricature artist. The funny drawings he did in just a matter of minutes are less known for people, even for his most faithful fans. Lennon was noticed for his illustrations and caricatures even before he became famous as a musician, though he often portrayed his teachers this way. Due to his talent, he was awarded a place at the Liverpool Academy of Arts, he attended from 1957 to 1960. He left school for becoming a Beatle. Nevertheless, his love of drawing accompanied him to the day of his death.

The exhibition in Szeged offers over 80 objects to be seen. The drawings on display by Lennon are mostly from the 1960s, but the visitors will find some of his personal belongings, as well as photos of him and his first wife, Cynthia Lennon and his second wife Yoko Ono, in addition to posters, records etc.

New Year traditions in Hungary

Another year has passed and it's time to forget the past and make a clean start. The traditions surrounding New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Hungary are all about bringing luck, fortune, health, wealth and happiness for the coming year. New Year’s Eve is called Szilveszter in Hungarian, as December 31st is Sylvester’s name day and Hungarians celebrate name days.
Though many superstitions are today just for fun, they have their roots in historic culture and recall a past when Hungarians needed ritual and magic to protect them from evil and predict the future.To destroy the old year, a straw effigy was burned or buried, and celebrants would attend church to put the old year behind them and start afresh. On this night, it was believed that animals were able to speak and that onion skins sprinkled with salt could indicate a rainy month.



Today, Hungarians get together to celebrate the New Year and may eat pork and lentils for luck. The largest public New Year's Eve party occurs in Budapest, though many people celebrate at home or attend private parties.
Kissing your significant other as the clock strikes midnight, signifying the start of a new year, is a custom practiced in Hungary, just like it is in other parts of the world.



Happy New Year to all my dear readers.