Badnjak (Serbian)
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The badnjak (Cyrillic: бадњак, Serbian pronunciation: ), also called veseljak (весељак, , literally "jovial one" in Serbian), is represented by three types of objects in Serbian Christmas celebrations. The oldest type is a log brought into the house and placed on the fire on the evening of Christmas Eve, much like a yule log in other European traditions. The tree from which the log is cut, preferably a young and straight oak, is ceremonially felled early on the morning of Christmas Eve. The felling, preparation, bringing in, and laying on the fire, are surrounded by elaborate rituals, with many regional variations. The burning of the log is accompanied by prayers that the coming...