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Odd Number of Lean Dishes Served on Christmas Eve

The Christmas Eve is one of the most cherished holidays in Bulgaria - it is abundant and charged with excitement. The whole family takes part in cooking an odd number of lean dishes which are a must on the Christmas table. This creates a special atmosphere. Each dish is pain-stakingly prepared and has its own symbolic meaning.
The Christmas round bread with a lucky coin is baked by the oldest woman in the family. The one who gets the slice with this coin takes care of the family's finances during the year. By tradition, the first slice of the ritual bread is for the dead relatives and the second - for the house.
The dessert prepared from boiled wheat and sugar and decorated with nuts and sweets symbolizes peoples wish for "sweet" fruitful and happy life. Beans, cooked after a traditional recipe, different for each home, is served to "keep" the family sated. The vine leafs stuffed with minced meat and rice are served "to bring" the hosts rich crop of vegetables. The stewed dried fruits symbolize the orchard.
Walnuts have always been of special significance at the festive dinner. After the meal and before going to the midnight mass each member of the family breaks three of them to foretell the future - if the nuts are good, the year will be fortunate, if they are rotten, it will be unlucky.
Apples symbolize physical and spiritual beauty of the people sitting around the table.
The dishes remain on the table till the next morning - they are ready for strangers or the Holy Virgin and Joseph if they drop over tired from the long way to Bethlehem.
Konstantin Sabchev
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This gives an other view on the dish don't you think?
Who needs turkey??
Have a nice x-mas eve
Tanjette