1. Craciun Fericit!

    Today marks the third and final day of Christmas in Moldova.  All I can say is, I’m getting too old for this.  ‘Sint Americanka… nu pot ca Moldovenii!’  I’m American - I can’t do like you Moldovans do.

    I was already wiped out after the first day of masas, but here in Moldova Christmas is a three-day affair.  On the first day, you go to the homes of shina and shino, or the couples you were maid of honor/best man for.  The second day, you go to your maids of honor/best men.  And on the third, you go to your parents.  Of course, there are many detours and unexpected invitations thrown into the mix.  But when it comes down to it, it’s just a lot of masas, a lot of food, and a lot of wine.

    We woke up on Saturday and I prepared pancakes, as I have been doing every Christmas morning for the last few years at home.  Then we went to go see what Mos Craciun (Santa Claus) had brought.  It was really fun playing Santa Claus.  Talking to Colita as he waited in anticipation, watching the kids rush to open their presents… it was fun being on the giving end instead of the receiving end.

    After that, it was just a lot of the aforementioned masas.  The best was the last on Saturday - the hosts brought out some Russian karaoke and we had a little dance party. Then they discovered there were several songs in English in the mix, so I was coaxed into singing some Beatles and Cher.  All in good fun?

    It rained all day on Christmas day, resulting in tons of mud.  If not for this, another Moldovan tradition of Christmas is the caroling - children go around singing carols in exchange for candy and some money.  We finally got some carolers this afternoon, now that the mud had ‘cleared up’ and was only about four inches deep.

    But yeah, pretty different from Christmases that I am used to - much more lowkey, small family, alcohol-free.  And even though I am all masa-ed out, I still had a lovely time with my family here Christmas morning.  It was just so heart-warming to watch all of them open their gifts and see the smiles on their faces.





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