New Year’s Day in Bulgaria
New Year’s Day is observed in Bulgaria on 1 January and is listed as a public holiday in the Labour Code. The date also coincides with the feast of St. Basil the Great in Bulgarian Orthodox tradition, and family customs include banitsa and survakane.[1][3]
A public holiday under Bulgarian law
Article 154 of Bulgaria’s Labour Code names 1 January as New Year and a public holiday. The law provides that when a public holiday other than Easter falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first one or two working days afterward, as applicable, are non-working days. The Council of Ministers lists the same date and weekend rule on its official holidays page.[1][2]
These rules establish a non-working day and any applicable substitute days; they do not set opening hours for each private business or transport service. The holiday’s legal designation does not mean every workplace or service stops operating, so check directly with the provider for its schedule.[1]
A civil new year and a religious feast
The holiday marks the beginning of the civil year. A Bulgarian government tourism publication also identifies 1 January as the feast of St. Basil the Great, giving the date a place in the Orthodox festive calendar as well as in the national list of public holidays.[2][3]
The Labour Code establishes the holiday but does not describe its historical origin. The date is also associated with New Year and the feast of St. Basil.[1][3]
Family customs and festive food
The government tourism publication describes a New Year’s feast meal that includes banitsa with lucky charms. Banitsa is a layered pastry, and families may prepare or share it in different ways.[3]
It also describes survakane: children lightly tap adults on the back with decorated cornel sticks while offering wishes for health, long life and a good harvest. The custom links the new year with hopes for wellbeing and prosperity.[3]
Regional traditions and practical plans
New Year observances are not limited to 1 January. UNESCO describes the Surova folk feast in Bulgaria’s Pernik region, held on 13 and 14 January to mark the New Year according to the old calendar. Its masquerade groups visit homes, and hosts provide a ritual meal and gifts; this is a regional tradition on different dates, not the nationwide public holiday on 1 January.[4]
Since the law makes 1 January a non-working day, travelers should check in advance whether a particular shop or transport operator is open and whether it uses a holiday schedule. Government offices are closed, and banks are closed as part of the non-working day.[1][2]
Frequently asked questions
When is New Year’s Day in Bulgaria?
Is New Year’s Day a day off?
Yes. It is a statutory public holiday and a non-working day. If it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the law provides one or two following working days as non-working days, as applicable.[1]
Are shops, banks and public transport open?
Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go. Shops and transport operators set their own hours, so check with them before you travel.[1]
What is survakane?
It is a custom described in a Bulgarian government tourism publication in which children lightly tap adults with decorated cornel sticks and wish them health, long life and a good harvest.[3]
Is the Surova masquerade feast held on 1 January?
UNESCO describes Surova in the Pernik region as taking place on 13 and 14 January according to the old calendar. It is a regional observance distinct from the public holiday on 1 January.[4]
Sources and references
Sources used for New Year's Day in Bulgaria:
- Labour Code- Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria
- Bulgarian official holidays- Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria
- Bulgaria: Pilgrimage Tourism- National Tourist Information Centre, Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism of Bulgaria
- Surova folk feast in Pernik region- UNESCO