5+ Best Slovenian Christmas Greetings

Celebrating traditional festivals and holidays is fun while you’re back at home. But, what is it like celebrating Christmas in Slovenia?

With Christmas always just around the corner, you must want to learn some most common Christmas greetings, right? Well, you are in luck as we will walk you through some unique and important traditions, as well as different Slovenian Christmas greetings used by the locals.

Common Slovenian Christmas Greetings

Apart from learning Slovenian daily life vocabulary, there are exclusive words that you can only use for certain holidays, like the Christmas season. There are different ways of wishing someone a merry Christmas.

The most common is saying vesel božič! This literally translates to ”Happy Christmas” in English.

Slovenians have different ways of using the word happy. Right around the corner from Christmas is New Year’s for example, and to wish someone a Happy New Year in Slovenian, you would say srečno novo leto!

Vesel and srečno are both positive words. Vesel means happy, or merry, while srečno can mean happy, or also good luck. So if you say to someone vso srečo you’re wishing them good luck in Slovenian!

But in this post, we will be focusing on Christmas greetings. We’ve learned the main ones, but here are some other that you may hear in use or read in a Christmas card:

Slovenian Christmas Traditions

Christmas in Slovenia is a very cold, but magical part of the year. Despite the cold weather, Slovenian have many rich traditions, festive decorations and a sense of community during this time. Let’s learn about the most common Slovenian Christmas traditions.

Decorations On Christmas

When it comes to Christmas, decorations are important. In Slovenia the decorations are everywhere, from homes to offices and even the main squares.

In November, the people start adorning the streets with twinkly lights and other Christmas essentials. But all of the lights and decorations come into action around December 1st. That is when Slovenians officially begins their Christmas celebrations. From the first of December, there are different traditions in Slovenia which take place as a mini celebration for Christmas.

On Christmas eve, people sit down with their families and set up the Christmas tree. They hang shiny ornaments, sparkly garlands, and twinkling lights on the tree. They also add special decorations like homemade cookies and candies. At the very top of the tree, they place a star or an angel. It’s like making a beautiful Christmas wonderland right in your living room!

Christmas Fair

In Christmas time, you can walk through any square in Slovenia, and there will be wooden stalls, where people will be selling all kinds of things. You can buy cozy woolen socks, handmade decorations, keychains, jewelry, food, and warm drinks. It’s a fun place to walk around and buy some gifts or treats for yourself or your loved ones.

Drinking Mulled Wine

A popular drink prepared in Slovenia during Christmas is the mulled wine. Imagine a warm drink like tea, but made out of wine – It is prepared by heating wine and adding in ingredients like a cinnamon stick and a slice of tangerine.

Mulled wine is liked by people all over Slovenia. On Christmas, almost everyone seems to hold a cup in their hands. Slovenians make it from both red and white wine. By now, you must know one thing about Slovenian: they love homemade drinks like schnapps. Mulled wine is also like that. It is even better if made at home. Learn how to say cheers in Slovenian before you try it out.

St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, And Father Frost

Did you know that three different good men bring presents to children in Slovenia? It’s true!

First, Saint Nicholas comes on the night between December 5th and 6th, with angels and Krampuses who scare naughty kids. Then, Santa Claus arrives on Christmas, and Father Frost brings gifts on New Year’s Eve. These three good men can be found all over Slovenia during the holiday season, especially in big towns and cities where there are lively celebrations.

Giving Modest Gifts

In Slovenia, people tend to like modest gifts over expensive gifts. Hand-made items are preferred. For example, giving someone cookies in Slovenia is always appreciated, especially when they are homemade. Don’t forget to say thanks in Slovenian. Oranges are always a nice gift. Giving and receiving tangerines as presents is also very common in Slovenia.

The presents are usually put under the Christmas tree and opened on Christmas Eve, which is December 24th.

Tepežni Dan

Have you ever heard of a tradition in which the children can go whipping adults and even their own parents with sticks? Well, welcome to Slovenia. It’s not what you think, though. As a part of Christmas-related traditions, Tepežni dan or ”hitting day” is one of the most common and fun ones.

Tepežni dan takes place on 28th December. It is a day on which the adults and children wake up early in the morning and get to hit adults gently with small sticks.

It’s a very old tradition that is starting to die out. Since a long time ago children would use a stick, symbolizing nature’s energy, to lightly touch adults, passing on blessings. It was thought to bring good health to older people, happiness in marriage for girls, and prosperity to livestock and trees. Not participating was believed to bring bad luck for the year.

Nativity Scenes

Nativity scenes, showing the birth of Jesus, are central to Slovenia during Christmas. Usually, they’re set up in churches and homes, featuring little figures made of plastic or wood on mossy bases. But in Slovenia, they go big – they have live nativity scenes too! A famous one is in Postojna Cave, where actors act out the story deep inside the cave, surrounded by beautiful decorations. People take a train ride into the cave and then walk around to see all the scenes, making it a special family outing during the holidays.

How Do You Say Christmas In Slovenian?

The word for Christmas in Slovenian is božič. Holidays in Slovenia are not capitalized in written text.

To say Christmas greeting, you can say božično voščilo.

Christmas Vocabulary In Slovenian

If you’re planning on spending Christmas in Slovenia this year, then it’s only fitting that you learn other words related to this magical time. That’s why I’ve prepared you some other essential vocabulary that you can use. For more topics and interesting lessons, think about downloading the Ling app for a fun language-learning adventure!

Common Questions Related To Slovenian Christmas

What Do Slovenians Eat At Christmas?

Slovenian food at is very important during any holiday, especially in December. In this time, Slovenians prepare traditional and special dishes, that are usually flour-based or meat-based. These includes sweet breads, rolled dumplings, layered cakes, and various meat dishes. The food is prepared in the hopes of bringing joy and warmth to their tables.

Is Slovenia Worth Visiting In December?

If you’re not fond of the cold, Slovenia might be a bit uncomfortable for you. But just imagine the Christmas atmosphere with markets, twinkly lights, sipping on hot mulled wine. It can be quite cozy in this sense. So, while the cold may not be for everyone, the Christmas spirit might just make it worth your while. It’s also great if you enjoy winter sports.

Where Is The Best Place For Christmas In Slovenia?

Any city and town with a square in Slovenia will do, however, you will see Ljubljana, the capital city, truly come alive during Christmas time, making it one of the best places to experience the holiday spirit in Slovenia.

The city center is known for its amazing light decorations, and bustling Christmas markets where you can find everything from traditional crafts to delicious seasonal treats. The festive atmosphere, together with the backdrop of Ljubljana Castle overlooking the city, creates a magical ambiance that’s hard to resist. So, if you’re looking for the ultimate Christmas experience in Slovenia, Ljubljana should definitely be at the top of your list.

Christmas Wonderland In Slovenia

Slovenia truly transforms during Christmas time, making the cold winter at least a little more bearable. Now that you know how to wish everyone a merry Christmas like a local, it’s about time you start saving up for the amazing Slovenian Christmas markets and the delicious mulled wine.