Carpathian Winter - Christmas In The Maramures

High in the dense forests of the Carpathians, the people of the Romanian Valea Scradei prepare for Christmas. In biting cold and deep-piled snows, the scattered houses are decorated and firewood is fetched from the forests with horses and sleds. It is time to kill the pig, make bacon and sausages, time to bake and cook and distil the schnapps. The young men of the valley fetch their felted costumes from the storage chests and practice their devil battles - a ritual which is repeated every year on Christmas Eve on the snow-covered paths of the valley; a fantastic mixture of pagan rites, deep religiousness and archaic winter life. The Valea Scradei is situated somewhat apart in the North Romanian Carpathians (Maramures) close to the border with the Ukraine. A region far removed from the urban centres of Transylvania, without surfaced roads, general water supply or the other conveniences of modern life. The people here live as self-sufficient farmers, woodcutters and shepherds. Here the pagan-winter traditions and beliefs have become intertwined with the rites of the various Christian churches in a way that is nothing short of fascinating.

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