Bedoba in Georgia
Bedoba is marked in Georgia on January 2, the second day of the New Year period. Georgian tradition treats the way a person spends the day as a sign of how the year ahead will go, and the mekvle, a first visitor to a home, is a familiar part of the observance.[1]
A New Year holiday in law
Georgia’s Labour Code lists January 1 and 2 as New Year holidays. If an employee works on a holiday listed in the Code, that work is treated as overtime; employees may request other rest days instead, with the arrangement determined by their employment agreement.[2]
The Code does not name Bedoba separately: it is the traditional name associated with January 2. The law also does not describe an automatic substitute day when the date falls on a weekend. It provides for an employee to request a different rest day through an employment agreement.[2]
A day thought to set the year’s tone
In Georgian tradition, Bedoba is linked to the belief that the day’s events and mood foreshadow the year ahead. The custom encourages people to spend January 2 in a positive way; it is a folk observance, rather than a separate religious holiday in the Labour Code.[1][2]
The mekvle and family visits
A notable Bedoba custom is the mekvle: the first person to enter a family’s home that day, bringing sweets and happiness. Families traditionally choose someone regarded as happy and successful for the role. The mekvle is then welcomed and treated to food.[1]
New Year food and regional traditions
Bedoba falls within Georgia’s New Year festive period, when families share a supra, or feast. New Year foods include satsivi, churchkhela and gozinaki, and dishes differ by region. These foods are part of the broader New Year table, rather than a menu specific only to Bedoba.[1]
Regional examples include fate cakes in Kartli, Bachulis in Racha, and Samekvleos pastries in Khevsureti. New Year dishes also differ in Samegrelo and Upper Ajara, reflecting the variety of food traditions across Georgia.[1]
What visitors can plan for
The Labour Code establishes January 2 as a holiday and sets out how work performed on that date is treated. Check the schedule with each bank, shop, restaurant or transport provider when planning your visit.[2]
Bedoba FAQs
When is Bedoba?
Is Bedoba a public holiday in Georgia?
Yes. The Labour Code lists January 2 as a New Year holiday. Work performed on a listed holiday is treated as overtime under the Code.[2]
Is there an automatic substitute day if January 2 is on a weekend?
The Labour Code does not set an automatic substitute day in its holiday provisions. It allows employees to request another rest day, to be determined by their employment agreement.[2]
Are shops and transport open on Bedoba?
Check opening hours with the specific business or transport provider before you travel.
Sources and references
Sources used for Bedoba in Georgia:
- New Year’s Supra- Georgian National Tourism Administration
- ORGANIC LAW OF GEORGIA – LABOUR CODE OF GEORGIA- Legislative Herald of Georgia (Matsne)