Children’s Page

Children’s Day (Detinjci), Mother’s Day (Materice), and Father’s Day (Očevi), are our national holidays which occur in the weeks leading up to Christmas (Božić). A few days before Children’s Day, which this year falls on the 20^th of December, children prepare small gifts which they will use to “buy” trinkets and sweets from their parents, who like it best when their children take this as an opportunity to make or draw something unique. Early on the morning of Children’s Day, fathers and mothers “tie” their children up. The children must then “buy” their freedom with gifts, after which the parents release them, and return any edible gifts so that the children can treat themselves.

            On Mother’s Day, which this year falls on the 27^th of December, children get up early in the morning so that they might “tie” their mother up while she is still sleeping, or they “stalk” her when she wakes up, so that they might tie up her legs. The mother usually pretends she doesn’t know why she is tied up, and begs her children to release her. The children then wish her a happy Mother’s Day, after which she doles out their gifts, so that she would be “released.”

            Fathers are the last family members to have a holiday in this cycle leading up to Božić, and this year it falls on the 3^rd of January. The custom is the same as with Mother’s Day, except the father is “tied” up in place of the mother. Don’t forget to prepare your gifts for Children’s Day and some kind of restraints for Mother’s and Father’s Day.

Novak, a bound Dad on Father’s Day.

I Sing by Day, I Sing by Night

This poem was written by the 19^th century Serbian poet, Branko Radičević, who belonged to the Romantic era. The poem became very famous when it was adapted into a song by the former Yugoslavia’s most famous pop singer, Zdravko Čolič.

I sing by day, I sing by night

O my dear, I sing what I like.

And what I like that’s what I do,

There’s one thing alone I cannot do:

To sing clearly,

Clearly, forcefully

Enough to lift you from the earth

And place you among the stars.

When, o my dear, you become a star yourself,

You will be among the stars,

Among your own kind, o my dear,

Among your sisters.

Your Art: Ema Marković (9.5) Toronto

Happy New Year!

Over the hills and over the knolls,

And over thickly laid snow,

A strange sleigh rushes,

All silver and thin.

Santa Claus, Santa Claus,

Do not waver from your path,

Do not hesitate, do not sleep,

But prepare your presents.

They fall, they fall,

White stars from the sky,

As Santa Clause’s sleigh

rides down the hills.

Let them fall, let them fall,

Snowier and whiter,

Santa Clause is arriving at our celebrations!