Miklavž
Trip Start
Apr 26, 2010
1
22
Trip End
Ongoing
Boč, Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia
Friday, December 3, 2010
Anyways we went shopping for snow boots so I could walk confidently along the streets and not worry about falling on my ass or on my face and also something to keep me from getting frost bites on my feet. We spent hours looking at every shoe shop in the BTC shopping complex and went home empty handed! ..... but there were a couple of boots in mind that could do the trick. So we went to the city centre which had the same shops and I tried one last time and yes bought myself a pair of 90€ warm black boots with plenty of grip! I also needed these shoes for the weekend as we were heading up to a hill called Boč for a traditional Miklavž weekend.
So off we went to this hill. We drove a couple of hours to a town where the car was parked and then we had to walk about an hour up to where the house was. I was clothed with many layers and wearing my new snow boots. It was probably about -1 outside. Anyways this walk was mainly uphill and the roads was filled with lots of snow, so glad I had these boots on and was so glad when we finally reached the house. Apparently they have this event every year for the kids. It's a night and a day of get together, eating and playing games and of course a visit from Miklavž himself and receiving gifts.
Slovenia is a very lucky country during this festive season. Children (including myself =p) receive gifts from 3, that's right not just 1 but THREE, different people. The first being Miklavž who is actually St. Nicholas. He is dressed all in white and gives presents personally to kids on the 6th December. Then there is Božiček who is Santa Claus and gives presents on Christmas Eve. And finally there is Dedek Mraz (translated as Grandpa Frost) who gives presents on New Years Eve, also in person. December is a great month!
Anyways... so I met Miklavž and received my gift (chocolates, little plastic snow sled, fruit) along with the rest of the kids. The rest of the night involved a bunch of screaming kids playing games and then the adults chilling out in the basement drinking beers.
The next day we went walking heading up to the hill, Boč (978m high), but we only got so far as there was way too much snow and with 20 kids, it would be impossible to get there and back in time. So instead we ended at a little hill where the kids enjoyed sledding down and having fun in the snow. This was actually the first time I had been in so much snow. The snow was up to my thighs at one point and yes it was quite cold. I tried to do a handstand in the deep snow but failed... it's very hard! The snow makes the landscape so beautiful and white, if I only it wasn't so cold =p
It's great to see and experience the celebrations of Christmas in another country and see the differences in the culture. It's wonderful.
Oh other gifts I received from Miklavž were more choclates and fruit, a bed sheet and thermal leggings.... just what I needed! Thank you Miklavž!
