The flicker of the candle on an Advent wreath signals the start of the Christmas season in Croatia. The candles represent hope, peace, joy, and love, all feelings that are so prevalent during the holiday season. It's the first of many traditions that Croatian families hold dear, all of which make the holiday enchanting regardless of age.
Katarina Plumtree, a sophomore on the tennis team, enjoys all of those traditions plus others that may not be part of a Croatian Christmas holiday.
"My mom is Croatian and my dad is English so we mix in all the traditions of Christmas," Plumtree said. "We start the season with the Advent wreath and the lighting of the first candle on the first Sunday of Advent. We light one each Sunday until the final candle is lit on the Sunday before Christmas."
There are other celebratory days that are observed by the country that fall during the four weeks of Advent. The first comes on December 6 when the country comes together for Saint Nicholas Day, a date where children find out what side of the ledger they fall.
"On Saint Nicholas Day, kids get candy in their stockings if you were good or you get a stick if you were bad," Plumtree said. "If you were bad a Christmas demon named Krampus would bring you a stick with a ribbon on it. I never received a stick because I was always a good kid for Christmas."
Croatia also celebrates Saint Lucia Day on December 13 but the theme is more about being thankful for what you have than it is for receiving gifts or candy.
"On Saint Lucia Day, we show our thankfulness for the harvest as a country rather than Saint Nicholas who comes and gives us presents," Plumtree said. "I remember in kindergarten when we put some beans in a pot and allowed the plants to grow. It symbolizes the harvest for our country and how thankful we are."
With each lighting of a candle, the country moves closer to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And when those days arrive, families come together to enjoy time together and renew traditions that have been carried through for many generations. Each day has its own ways for celebration beginning with mass on Christmas Eve.
"On Christmas Eve, a lot of people go to Midnight Mass," Plumtree said. "After celebrating Mass, everyone celebrates by going out at night. A lot of places are open until 6 am. So, you spent up until midnight with your family watching movies or eating traditional snacks. Most people try to not eat a lot on Christmas Eve, just a lot of treats and snacks, so you can go all out on Christmas Day."
On Christmas Day, families return home and begin their own celebration and open gifts including the ones that were left for the children by Djeda Mraz. While Father Christmas has a role for the day, the importance of day remains in the true meaning of Christmas.
"In Croatia, the focus is more on the religious meaning of Christmas than leaving presents under the tree," Plumtree said. "Parents don't really emphasize someone bringing presents because they emphasize Jesus being born. We have Djeda Mraz but he is not the focus of Christmas Day."
Plumtree calls the city of Split her home which sits on the coast. One of the focal points of the city is the Riva, a waterfront promenade that is lined with cafes and seating areas where residents and tourists spend a great deal of time watching boats come and go as well as delight in the delicacies offered by local merchants. On Christmas Day, many flock to the Riva with the hope of landing a prime spot to watch people and enjoy the cuisine and drink offered by many establishments.
"Riva is the center of town by the sea," Plumtree said. "We have a port with all our boats and yachts coming inside the port. Around 11 am, you go to the Riva and try and get a seat in one of the cafes or small houses and you drink coffee or wine and you watch all the people. Towns are small in Croatia so there is a good chance you are going to see someone you know while you are at the Riva. When it starts getting dark, people go home and spend more time with family."
The day after Christmas is also an important day of celebration for Plumtree and her family as they observe Boxing Day on December 26, a holiday that draws from English tradition.
"My family also celebrated Boxing Day because my family also is English," Plumtree said. "Friends and family will come over for a big lunch on the day after Christmas and we would enjoy the day with everyone."
Plumtree has been a key contributor to the Fairfield University women's tennis program since her arrival last season. She posted five wins in singles competition and added three more as a member of a doubles team as a freshman, including a win in the ITA Regional.
With the Fall semester behind her, the sophomore looks forward to the Christmas holiday and celebrating all of the traditions of the season with her family.
