Iași around Christmas time

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Iași preserves some memories from the 19th and 20th centuries, but today's traditions seem to carve their own way, different from the past.

 

The winter holidays began to intensify in the spirit of amusement after the second half of the nineteenth century when the hills of Iasi were travelled by merchants, puppeteers, carolers, fiddlers or boyars prepared for the happiest and most open to parties period of the year. The costume of the carolers consisted of a national dress with a white shirt and thongs, a bun, red belts and turquoise hats on their heads.

 

Right from the beginning of December, on the streets of the city, to the satisfaction of everyone, puppeteers or fiddlers made an appearance, eager to find houses for entertainment. The puppet shows were comic scenes, full of humor, while the fiddlers roamed the streets to different musical rhythms and entered the homes of party-loving people, at their invitation.

 

Also during this period, towards the end of the 19th century, the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree reached the Romanian lands, mainly in the wealthy families of the time. The custom, a concept in rich, Christian families in Germany, had become a worldwide tradition, including in the United States.

 

Rudolf Șuțu, a journalist, publicist and writer of the time, remembers how in Kogălniceanu's house, where his sister also lived, under the Christmas tree, children had arranged toys, ornaments with different candles, golden and silvered nuts, boxes of candies and other goodies of the time. Suțu also tells how Didița Macrovordat held balls, she was very hospitable and regardless of social status, people were treated with love and goodwill by the lady boyar.

 

The most interesting parties were offered by the Roznovanu boyars, in the palace with the same name, by Pașcanu, Sturdza or Ghica together with the bourgeois of that period. Masked balls and carnivals gathered nobles from all families and united the high society of Iași.

 

The information about the old Iași was gathered by our friend, Ion Mitican, a lover of local history and with the help of which we will always remember warmly about what the Romanian city of the 7 hills once was like.