WHAT IT MEANS WHEN IT SNOWS ON CHRISTMAS

This year, most citizens of Republika Srpska welcomed Christmas surrounded by snow.

PHOTO: ilustracija

Christmas is considered the most joyful Christian holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and many folk beliefs connect the weather during the holiday with the year ahead. 

Old traditions, formed long before meteorologists and modern forecasts, used church feast days to “predict” what the coming year would be like based on the weather.

According to widespread folk beliefs, if snow falls on Christmas, the year will be fruitful. A similar belief exists for January 7 when rain falls — in that case, everything that is cultivated with a hoe will grow well.

On the other hand, warm and sunny Christmas weather is often interpreted as a sign of a less bountiful year.