Christmas Caroling

Singing Christmas songs is a big part of the Christmas season here in Romania.  Carols are sung in churches, community halls and even outside.  Last Friday we went to the main square in downtown Gherla to watch several of the evangelical churches in town lead in Christmas carols.

 It was quite foggy, but many people gathered around the stage next to City Hall to hear the music

 Pastor Simi Hosu and his wife and sons led a couple of songs, a pastor from another church gave a very short message (the weather was cold), and an orchestra of young people from all the churches involved played some carols. 

 The concert started at four in the afternoon, but it quickly got dark enough so that the Christmas lights came on.

Santa Claus, rather, Father Christmas passed out candy to the children in the crowd.  We saw him later talking to someone at the kürtős kalács (chimney cake) stand.  Maybe he was hungry for a traditional Transylvanian treat!
Merry Christmas from Romania!