Christmas in Bulgaria is a vitally important celebration that involves all family members, old and young alike. Work is halted in the fields and everyone puts their efforts towards cleaning, cooking and preparing for Christmas Eve. It is believed that if the Christmas Eve celebrations go well, all will go well throughout the whole year. Many customs are seeped in rich traditions and charming superstitions complete with elaborate costumes and festive songs. The women of the family arise before daybreak to prepare 12 vegetarian dishes, all representing a month of the year. A holiday round bread is baked and decorated with symbols of all the living creatures in the house. Special walnuts are handed out and everyone cracks them open and reads their fortunes inside. In some regions of Bulgaria, only one gift is given on Christmas Eve and that is from the parents. Father Christmas comes on January 1st. The Bulgarian Santa symbolizes some of his country’s Christmas traditions with the goodies in his sack: a doll dressed in goat costume, goat bells and brightly wrapped packages and toys. He wishes all “Vasela Koleda”, Merry Christmas!