Christmas Day in Bulgaria

A public holiday under Bulgarian law

Article 154 of Bulgaria’s Labour Code names 25 and 26 December as public holidays and lists Christmas Eve, 24 December, separately. The Council of Ministers publishes the same dates. Work on public holidays is permitted, but the Labour Code requires workers to be paid at least double for that work.[1][2]

The Labour Code says that when a public holiday, other than Easter, coincides with a Saturday and/or Sunday, the first or first two working days afterward become non-working days, as applicable. This rule can affect the Christmas holiday period when a listed holiday falls on a weekend.[1]

The religious meaning and the name Koleda

The Regional Historical Museum in Burgas describes Christmas as the Orthodox Church’s celebration of the Birth of Christ and gives Koleda as one Bulgarian name for 25 December. It also records other names, including Bozhik and Golyama Koleda, or “Great Christmas.”[3]

Family customs and festive food

Museum accounts describe Christmas Eve as a family gathering with ritual bread and a meal of meatless dishes. Examples recorded by the Burgas museum include sarmi, beans, dried fruit, boiled wheat, and pumpkin or greens pie. These are documented traditions, not a rule that every household follows.[3]

The museum also records koleduvane, in which groups of young men called koledari visit homes, sing songs and offer blessings. Hosts traditionally give them food or special breads. On Christmas Day, the museum notes family visits and guests, and lists festive foods such as fresh bread, meat pie, pork with leek, baked liver, and roast chicken.[3]

What to expect on the day

Because Christmas is a public holiday, public offices are closed. The law designates additional non-working days when its weekend rule applies. Shops, restaurants and transport providers set their own hours, so check with them before making plans.[1][2]