Did you know that there are plenty of Serbian celebrations?
Serbs like to party a lot. It is in our roots!
Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is also famous for its nightlife.
But, we have to mention that there are different types of celebrations.
For Krštenje (= Baptism) or Serbian slava we can say that they belong to celebrations that don’t have to include music and dancing.
On the other hand, there are Serbian weddings or celebrations of 18th birthdays, where music and dancing are a must!
Let me introduce you to Serbian celebrations, so if you ever attend any of them, you will be prepared to party like a real Serb!
#1 Serbian Celebrations: Serbian Weddings
Serbian weddings are most often huge celebrations with more than a hundred guests. They can last for several days!
The preparation for a Serbian wedding begins months in advance. Actually, nowadays newlyweds often book a wedding hall a whole year in advance!
The wedding ceremony is an important religious event, usually held in an Orthodox church. A priest blesses the couple, and then the bride and groom exchange rings. However, for a couple to be legally married, a wedding officiant from a local municipality must come to the wedding venue later, where the newlyweds sign the papers.
One of the main traditions at Serbian weddings is the kolo. Kolo is a traditional circle dance that brings together all the guests to celebrate the newlyweds.
What else can you expect at a Serbian wedding? Lots of toasts, hugs, and food, of course!
After the ceremony, the celebration continues with a large reception, where guests are treated to a feast of traditional Serbian food, including roast lamb, sarma (cabbage rolls), and various desserts such as baklava.
The party continues late into the night, with music, dancing, and merriment.
If you want to prepare for a Serbian wedding, make sure to check out our detailed article about it.
#2 Serbian Celebration: Serbian Slava
Slava is a celebration of the family patron saint. Each family in Serbia has its own patron Saint, but the most common ones are Sveti Nikola, Sveti Đorđe or Đurđevdan, Sveti Jovan and Sveti Arhanđel Mihailo or Aranđelovdan.
Slava is a family holiday, as it gathers family members and closest friends. It doesn’t have to include music and dancing, Slava is more like a sitting-and-chatting celebration.
However, don’t be surprised if it includes; just enjoy it. 🙂
Do you want to find out more about Serbian Slava? Here are the 11 most important things you should know!
Fun fact: Serbian Slava is part of the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
#3 Serbian Celebrations: Babine
Joy overwhelms all members when a new baby arrives in a Serbian family.
Besides them, extended family, godparents, and close friends are also happy, and everyone can’t wait to come and see the baby for the first time!
However, there is an unwritten rule that for the first 40 days, no one except the parents and the closest people who help them should come to visit. During this period, both the baby and the mother should get stronger, and after these 40 days, known as Babine, guests can come to visit.
Of course, there are certain rules, such as avoiding a crowd, the baby not going from hand to hand a lot, and guests must respect the baby’s feeding and sleeping time.
On this occasion, guests give the baby gifts, most often useful items such as clothes, cosmetics, bottles, pacifiers, and similar. However, you can always consult with the family about what they need.
#4 Serbian Celebrations: Krštenje
Krštenje (= Baptism) is one of the most important religious celebrations in Serbia. It represents the initiation into Christianity.
Most Serbs are Orthodox Christians, so Krštenje is highly important for Serbian families.
Usually, people organize Baptism when the baby is 40 days old or when the child turns 1 year old, so they merge celebrations of Krštenje and 1st birthday.
The ceremony is held in an Orthodox church. The child is anointed with holy oil, and the priest pours water over the child’s head, signifying purification and entry into the Christian community.
Parents choose the godfather (kum in Serbian) or godmother (kuma in Serbian) to stand by the child during the ceremony or hold the baby. It’s an honor to be chosen as a godparent.
After the ceremony, the family hosts a gathering where friends and relatives celebrate the child’s spiritual life.
The event is often festive, with food, music, and gifts.
#5 Serbian Celebrations: The First Birthday
Back in the day, the first birthday party was often a more intimate celebration, typically attended by close family and friends.
Today’s first birthdays remind of Serbian weddings. 😀 There is decoration, music, cake, gifts, and plenty of guests.
The hosts usually include toys or animators for children so they have a good time also.
In most cases, parents choose the day of the first birthday to be the day when Krštenje happens, so they have two huge reasons to celebrate!
#6 Serbian Celebrations: The 18th Birthday
When a child in Serbia turns 18, they are considered to have reached adulthood or punoletstvo in Serbian.
Many Serbian families organize large parties to celebrate this milestone with family members and friends.
It’s not rare that these birthdays also remind of Serbian weddings, as well as 1st birthday parties. They also can count more than a hundred guests, a huge cake, a lot of music, dancing, and elegant clothes.
Still, having these big birthday celebrations isn’t a must. Some people rather choose to celebrate their birthday with just a couple of closest friends without much ado.
More significant than the type of party they choose is that after the 18th birthday, the young person gets more involved in the responsibilities of the adults.
For example, with 18 years you can drive a car in Serbia, vote or order alcohol in bars!
#7 Serbian Celebrations: 1st of May
The 1st of May, or Prvi maj is also known as International Workers’ Day, Labor Day or May Day. It is an important public holiday in Serbia.
Although it is primarily a celebration of workers’ rights and labor, it also signifies the arrival of spring. That’s why many people in Serbia take the day to relax, enjoy nature, and spend time with family and friends.
Preparations for the holiday start days ahead. There must be roštilj (= barbeque), juices and beers, a dessert and music played from the radio or YouTube.
The celebration of the 1st of May is actually a next-level picnic in the park with lots of fun and laughter.
Most Serbs live in cities, so they can’t wait to grab the chance to go to the countryside, or into the woods and enjoy being outside.
If you need more detailed information on how we celebrate Labor Day in Serbia, and what you can do on this day, check out this article.
Conclusion
Serbs really like celebrations so there can be even more parties than these mentioned here. Anniversaries, any other birthdays besides the 1st and 18th, job raises, promotions, engagement parties, and so on.
As you can see, friends and family are really important for any Serb, so if you want to find out more about heartwarming Serbian family traditions, don’t hesitate to read this article as well!
To enjoy more Serbian culture and learn the Serbian language, try Serbian lessons for foreigners. So, when you come to Serbia you can enjoy Serbian celebrations like the locals do!
