The Serb Christmas for the Christian Orthodox comes two weeks later than Christmas for Roman Catholics. Serbs don't celebrate Christmas on December 25th like most of us. Instead, they celebrate Christmas on January 7th.These differences are because the Serbs follow the Julian calendar for holidays and cultural festivities instead of the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian reformation of the calendar came into force in 1582. It made corrections to the Julian calendar. Like everybody else, Serbia fully accepted the new calendar, but all of their holidays are still celebrated according to the Julian calendar.
On January 6, the day before Christmas, the Serbs celebrate Badnje Vece. The Serbs prepare badnjak (yule log) in advance. The name for their Christmas Eve actually got its name from the badnjak tree. Badnjak trees are some kind of Oak tree. It is a custom that the father and the oldest son of a household go out in the morning on January 6 and search for the right badnjak. When it is found they return to the house and knock on the door. The mother opens the door. They enter in the house saying to the mother, "Welcome to you Badnje Vece!" They take the Badnjak to the fireplace and place it on the fire to augur good fortune. Serbs put coins, walnuts, almonds, and dry figs around the fireplace to represent the connection with earth. This could also be a gift for the children. The traditional January 6th supper for Serbs is a religious dietary meal. The meal consists of baked beans, fish, dried figs, dried plums and apples. At the end of the supper, the table with the left over food, is covered with a tablecloth until Christmas morning. It is a belief that during the night the spirits of the dead come to eat the food left for them. This way, Christmas Eve has the character of All Souls' Day. Before going to bed it is very important for the Serbs to cover the badnjak with hot ash so that it will burn slowly to the following morning.
On Christmas morning, the first person that enters the home is called polozajnik. This person should stoke the fire in the fireplace and say the following: "How many sparks, that much sheep. How many sparks, that much money. How many sparks, that much health!" After this the polozajnik is offered the black wine and zito, which is a boiled wheat Christmas specialty.
On Christmas day lunch gets underway earlier than usual, but last longer. The menu contains many foods. People don’t hand out any presents but they need to spend the whole day with their family.