Part pagan, part Christian — 100% symbolic. Amy unpacks Serbia’s burning of the Badnjak, where sparks predict blessings, and ashes become protective charms.
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🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgotten scandals, and history’s most unhinged moments?
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Follow The Strange History Podcast wherever you listen and never miss an episode. 🔗 Listen & Subscribe:
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New episodes regularly. History gets weird here.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome back to the Strange History Podcast and
day twenty two of our Victorian Christmas countdown the twenty
five Strangest days of Christmas. Almost there only three days
till Santa makes all your dreams come true. Maybe today
we travel to Serbia. In Serbia, Christmas Eve means chopping
(00:21):
down a young oak tree called a baden jock, bringing
it home, and burning it in the fireplace. The crackling
wood symbolizes health, prosperity, and apparently excellent fire safety insurance.
The ritual predates Christianity and honors pagan fire gods. Priests
now bless badenjock branches at churches across the country, and
(00:44):
families collect the ashes afterward as good luck charms. It's
the only time of year when setting a tree on
fire in your living room is not only acceptable but encouraged.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Bad jock firewood burn safely, blessed deeply, and smell well
like spiritual success. Pick up yours now wherever Serbian Christmas
rituals are sold.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Tomorrow is Day twenty three. TikTok Christmas lovers, hope you
got all your gifts wrapped unless you're like me. Last
minute Lizzie. There you go, a fun nickname my mom
gave me when I was almost on time for everything.
Don't forget to subscribe. Missus Closs would approve.
Hello, and welcome back to the Strange History Podcast and
day twenty two of our Victorian Christmas countdown the twenty
five Strangest days of Christmas. Almost there only three days
till Santa makes all your dreams come true. Maybe today
we travel to Serbia. In Serbia, Christmas Eve means chopping
(00:21):
down a young oak tree called a baden jock, bringing
it home, and burning it in the fireplace. The crackling
wood symbolizes health, prosperity, and apparently excellent fire safety insurance.
The ritual predates Christianity and honors pagan fire gods. Priests
now bless badenjock branches at churches across the country, and
(00:44):
families collect the ashes afterward as good luck charms. It's
the only time of year when setting a tree on
fire in your living room is not only acceptable but encouraged.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Bad jock firewood burn safely, blessed deeply, and smell well
like spiritual success. Pick up yours now wherever Serbian Christmas
rituals are sold.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Tomorrow is Day twenty three. TikTok Christmas lovers, hope you
got all your gifts wrapped unless you're like me. Last
minute Lizzie. There you go, a fun nickname my mom
gave me when I was almost on time for everything.
Don't forget to subscribe. Missus Closs would approve.
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