Sorcova
In the morning of St. Vasile' s day, groups of little boys and girls (about 3-5 persons per group) go visiting their relatives and neighbours with the Sorcova and the Sowing wishing them health and richness in the new year. Children wear in their hands the symbol of the celebration: the bouquet used for New Year's wishes - Sorcova, usually made of blossom fertile tree branches (the ones put to bud since St. Andrew's day) adorned with red tassels. Nowadays,Sorcova is made of artificial flowers tied on a little branch. Just like our ancestors-the Latin, who wished themselves health and richness on 1st January too with green laurel or olive tree branches picked from Ops' goddess garden (the Sowing goddess, little contemporary "wishers" come into people's houses and they pat them on their backs with the Sorcova, singing:
May you look with merry eyes
at that little bunch I rise ,
tiny flowers may they bring
you an everlasting spring !
All the fragrance, all the bloom,
shall a fairy on her loom
weave for you, and smile, and wait
to open the golden gate !
May your steps be quick and strong,
always right and never wrong !
May you always find the 'clue',
see your dearest dreams come true,
have it always as you like,
and each time a lucky strike !
Healthy,
wealthy,
spick-and-span,
and as merry as you can !
To you and to all your dears many, bright,
Happy New Years !
The name sorcova comes from the Bulgarian word “surov” (fresh green) , allusion to the branch broken from a tree. Inclined towards someone , the Sorcova plays in some way the role of a magic wand, which is meant to bring vigour and youth to that person. The text of the wising is meant to reinforce the movement of the Sorcova.
When the Sorcova "wishers" finish saying their cheers, the Sowings (the children who keep in their little bags wheat, corn, rice beans) start throwing the tribes in people's houses in faith that those will assure the copiousness of the future crops.