New Year A – Winter joy

New Year

Children’s joy at the New Year’s Fir

In 1948 the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Slovenia decided to introduce a new end-of-year holiday called the New Year’s Fir, while at the same time gradually withdrawing public celebrations of Christmas. In the early 1950s the New Year’s Fir festivities gained a costumed gift-giver, Grandfather Frost (Dedek Mraz). An extensive propaganda campaign provided ideological support, emphasising that this was “a holiday that gives adults the important task of introducing the youngest members of society, in the best possible way, to life in a socialist community.” Alongside the creation of the new figure came public appearances and grand parades in major towns. Over the years, however, the pageantry gradually faded, chiefly because of a lack of funds. After Slovenia gained independence, Grandfather Frost survived, while Saint Nicholas and the costumed, globalised Father Christmas (aka Santa Claus) returned to the public stage. The holiday was no longer called the New Year’s Fir but was referred to simply as a “New Year celebration”, “Grandfather Frost is coming to town”, etc.

Janez Bogataj