As the New Year approaches, Bulgarians embrace the ancient tradition of "survakane," crafting magical dogwood sticks known as "survachki" to usher in health and prosperity on Basil's Day.

In an age-old custom, families gather on New Year's Eve to prepare these enchanting survachki, a blend of dogwood, wool, oshav, coins, pretzels, and popcorn. The next day, children reverently wield these survachki, bestowing wishes for well-being upon elders, chanting: "Surva, surva year, merry year!"

The municipality of Veliko Tarnovo recently hosted a competition, "From Christmas to St. Basil's Day," where children, parents, and teachers crafted 57 traditional dogwood survachki. Anelia Peycheva, the director of the Municipal Children's Complex, highlighted the event's aim to revive folk traditions and nurture children's creative talents.

"The heart of this cherished tradition lies in the family, with mothers, grandmothers, children, and teachers uniting to fashion their dogwood survachki. Each piece is adorned with symbolic elements like white, green, and red threads—representing Bulgaria's flag—alongside popcorn, dried fruits, and coins for blessings," said Peycheva.

For the participants, creating these survachki is not just a tradition but a testament to hard work and the preservation of Bulgaria's rich cultural heritage. They believe that understanding the past is key to shaping a prosperous future.

According to ethnologist Miglena Petkova of the Regional History Museum in Veliko Tarnovo, the survakane celebrates evergreen branches, endowing the survachka with mystical powers. Legend has it that on January 1st, the survachka becomes a conduit for divine grace, spreading health, fertility, and blessings through "contact magic."

As the young survakars recite traditional verses, they amplify this mystical effect, chanting for a golden harvest, orchard fruits, forest blooms, and abundant blessings for a joyous new year. Here is a rough translation of what they recite:

"Surva, surva year, merry year,

golden crop in fields, red apple in garden,

yellow mullein in the forest, a large bunch on the vine,

hives full of honey, little chickens everywhere.

Have a happy new year!

Till next year, amen!"