Christmas wishes for in-laws USA families love to send at the holidays carry warmth, gratitude, and a little American cheer. Whether you are writing to your mother-in-law in Texas, your father-in-law in Ohio, or your brother-in-law and sister-in-law across the country, the right words can make the family dinner feel even closer. This list brings together heartfelt, funny, and short messages made for American homes, snowy mornings, and long drives home for Christmas. In-laws become family in the truest sense at Christmas. They welcome you to the table, share treasured recipes, cheer for the same football team, and help trim the tree. A thoughtful wish thanks them for that welcome and tells them how much their love means through the year. Use these 45 wishes in a card, a text, a holiday letter, or a toast at the table. Pick one that fits your family, add a personal line about a shared memory, and send it early so it arrives before the turkey is carved and the eggnog is poured. Last up...
Best Christmas Traditions in Croatia (2026)
Christmas traditions in Croatia blend deep Catholic faith, Adriatic food culture, and centuries-old folk customs into one of Europe's richest holiday seasons. From the first Advent candle to Epiphany on January 6th, Croatians celebrate with their whole hearts — and visitors are welcomed into it.
The Croatian Christmas is not a two-day event but a six-week festive season: four weeks of Advent customs, the sowing of Christmas wheat, St. Nicholas' Day, and a peak on Badnjak (Christmas Eve) with a solemn meatless feast and midnight mass. This guide covers the customs Croatians love most — the badnjak log ceremony, the pšenica wheat tradition, the holiday table with fritule and bakalar, Advent in Zagreb, and the coastal celebrations of Dubrovnik and Split.
Last updated: September 18, 2026
Jump to: Christmas in Croatia: An Overview | Badnjak & Christmas Eve Customs | Croatian Christmas Foods | Advent in Zagreb & Christmas Markets | Christmas Day & Adriatic Coastal Traditions | FAQ
Christmas in Croatia: An Overview
The season unfolds through feast days, each with its own customs:
- First Sunday of Advent (late November): the four-candle Advent wreath is made and lit; markets open nationwide.
- December 6 — Sveti Nikola: children polish their boots and leave them in the window; the good wake to gifts, the naughty risk Krampus.
- December 13 — Sveta Lucija: wheat is sown in a dish — the beloved pšenica tradition predicting next year's fortune.
- December 24 — Badnjak: the sacred family day: meatless feast, the badnjak log, and midnight mass (polnoćka).
- December 25 — Božić: the grand family lunch — turkey with mlinci, sarma, and rich sweets.
- December 26 — Sveti Stjepan: a state holiday for visiting relatives and neighbors.
- January 6 — Sveta Tri Kralja: priests bless homes with holy water; the season ends.
Badnjak & Christmas Eve Customs
Christmas Eve is called Badnjak — the emotional heart of the season, in many homes an even bigger day than Christmas Day itself.
The Badnjak Log
In rural regions like Gorski Kotar, Lika, and Slavonia, Christmas Eve begins with bringing the badnjak — a thick oak, beech, or hornbeam log — into the home. The head of the household enters with the ancient blessing "Dobar vam večer, Badnjak vam došao!" ("Good evening to you, may the Badnjak come to you!"), answered with "I s tobom Bog da" ("And with you may God be"). The log is sprinkled with holy water and wheat, and burns through the holiday as a symbol of Christ's light.
Pšenica and Polnoćka
Two more customs frame the day. Pšenica — wheat sown on St. Lucy's Day in a shallow dish, grown into a lush green tuft tied with a red-white-blue ribbon — symbolizes new life; dense, tall growth promises a prosperous new year. After the evening feast, families attend polnoćka, the midnight mass, greeting neighbors with "Sretan Božić!" on the walk home.
Croatian Christmas Foods
The Croatian Christmas table changes character completely between the meatless Christmas Eve feast and the rich Christmas Day banquet.
Christmas Eve: Bakalar and Fritule
Out of religious observance, Christmas Eve is meatless. The star is bakalar — dried salt cod. In Dalmatia it is served na bijelo (creamed with potatoes, olive oil, and garlic); Zagreb families often fry it. Alongside: fish stew, squid, seafood risotto, and salads.
After the meal come fritule — small golden doughnuts with rum and lemon zest, deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar. They are the aroma of every Advent market, and no Croatian Christmas is complete without a heaping plate of them.
Christmas Day: Roasts and Sweets
Christmas lunch is the year's biggest meal. In Zagreb and central Croatia the centerpiece is roast turkey with mlinci — thin flatbreads that soak up the roasting juices. Slavonia favors roast pork or suckling pig; Dalmatia celebrates with pašticada, slow-cooked beef in a sweet-and-sour sauce; and sarma — cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice — appears nationwide in the days after Christmas.
Holiday sweets include kroštule (ribbon-like fried pastries of Istria and Dalmatia), walnut roll (orahnjača), poppy seed roll (makovnjača), and the yeast-based kuglof cake.
Advent in Zagreb & Croatian Christmas Markets
Advent in Zagreb has been voted Europe's Best Christmas Market multiple times. From late November the capital turns into a storybook: Ban Jelačić Square's giant tree, Zrinjevac Park glittering with lights, the Ice Park rink, and wooden stalls selling fritule, mulled wine (kuhano vino), and licitar hearts.
Beyond Zagreb, Rijeka's Trsat Castle glows with more than 10,000 lights above the bay, Split's markets fill Diocletian's ancient peristyle, and Istria and Varaždin run their own beloved Advent programs — a longstanding Central European tradition and a wonderful way to feel the season.
Christmas Day & Adriatic Coastal Traditions
Christmas on the coast has its own charm. In Dubrovnik, the walled Old Town hosts concerts and markets along the Stradun while families attend mass at the baroque cathedral. In Split, Advent centers on the Pjaca, Riva, and Prokurative squares, where grilled sardines and roasted chestnuts scent the sea air.
On the island of Korčula, the ancient koleda caroling tradition survives: singers go door to door on Christmas Eve, rewarded with figs, carob, and homemade sweets. And on New Year's Day, swimmers in Opatija, Split, and Dubrovnik plunge into the Adriatic at noon — many wearing Santa hats.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Merry Christmas in Croatian?
Sretan Božić! ("SREH-tan BOH-zhich") — literally "Happy Christmas," heard everywhere from December 24th onward.
What is the Badnjak tradition?
Badnjak is Christmas Eve in Croatia, named after the badnjak log burned in the fireplace. The head of the household blesses the family, the log is sprinkled with holy water and wheat, and it burns as a symbol of Christ's light.
What do Croatians eat on Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve is traditionally meatless: salt cod (bakalar) — creamed na bijelo in Dalmatia or fried in Zagreb — plus fish stew, seafood risotto, and salads, followed by golden fritule doughnuts.
What is pšenica?
Pšenica is Christmas wheat sown on St. Lucy's Day (December 13th) and grown until Christmas. The lush green tuft, often tied with a tricolor ribbon, symbolizes new life — and vigorous growth is said to predict a prosperous year.
Is Zagreb's Christmas market worth visiting?
Yes — Advent in Zagreb has repeatedly been named Europe's best Christmas market, running late November through early January with concerts, ice skating, and food stalls.
Do Croatians celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
Yes — Catholic Croatians celebrate Božić on December 25th, with Christmas Eve (Badnjak) as the more ritual-rich family day. The season runs from the first Advent Sunday until Epiphany on January 6th.
More Christmas Inspiration
If you enjoyed Croatian Christmas customs, explore more European holiday traditions:
Comments
Post a Comment