A Christmas of warmth and cheer

Noel, Weihnachten, Natale, Navidad, Christmas, Koleda. Many names, yet only one emotion: an emotion of everlasting warmth and kindness. Still, an emotion that annually reaches out to millions of hearts worldwide occurs in never-repetitive forms: the customs of Africa, the celebrations in Asia or the fireworks in Paris. At home in Bulgaria, the feeling of cheerful togetherness at Christmas is achieved through the

A Christmas story, set in Sofia, in modern times, so that the uninitiated get a better sense of what it is like to celebrate Christmas in a Bulgarian family

Three morning sunrays crept into the room with excitement. They slid along the surface of the wooden chairs very slowly and upon a single touch, charged the room with almost palpable trepidation. Three bright starts instantly sparkled and fell on the cheeks of the sleeping boy, kissing him good morning. It was December 24, the brightest day of all. The child was still sleepy when he came down the stairs, drawn by an

Three generations of Christmas

We're decorating the Christmas tree: "How could we know we were missing something when we were not aware of its existence in the first place?" my mom tells me. I am curious about her memories of Christmas, 50 years ago when she was a child. Fifty years ago when socialism was just beginning to flourish and Christmas traditions were starting to lose their colour in Bulgaria's memory. The change with the political ideology

MANAGER PROFILE: Bulgaria selects Brand Manager of the Year

The final round of the competition Brand Manager of the Year 2006 was held on November 14 2006, in Sofia's Kempinski Hotel Zografski. A total of six participants had made it to the third and last round. The competition itself started in August. Thirty-five companies applied in five different categories. Milena Staykova, senior brand manager of Devin Spring Water, a division of Devin AD, participated in the group

READING ROOM: Alternative medicine and its followers

Perhaps while not common in Bulgaria, alternative sources of healing have a dedicated following.

"Homeopathic medicine uses miniscule quantities of diluted animal or plant substances to cure illnesses," says Gergana in her introduction to a tradition-tested, alternative method of healing. The main idea, coined centuries ago by Hippocrates, is that a substance that has caused an illness can also cure it; the key to the success of the methodology is that a miniscule amount is applied. There is nothing accidental here: it

STREET TALK: Taxi driving as a style of living

At 9am, it is already the peak hour for traffic on Sofian roads. Stuck in a jam, hundreds of cars roar, engines are steaming and querulous drivers shout at each other. Among the varigated sea of multicoloured machines, however, a yellow one catches your attention every now and then - the costly, friendly or simply convenient taxi. Although similar on the outside, they are all driven by a unique power - the taxi

Full circle of peaceful artistry

Vivid colours. Unbearable noise. Luminous surfaces. Pungent aromas. A low-class disco? Not quite. Only your sensual experience while strolling along the streets of Sofia. Mentally tired and exhausted, you glimpse into the surrounding venues in search of a quiet spot. Yet your saviour is neither near the luxurious beauty salon nor next to the expensive designer boutique. It is situated on the unpretentious, unobtrusive,

EXPAT OF THE WEEK: This is where I want to be

What does it take to leave your native land and build a new home some place else? Or could it be that a home is signified by more than just the physical place: by something one can acquire anywhere in the world? A short interview with English literature teacher Allen Stevens elucidates the pondery. Born in Lancashire in the UK, Stevens has spent the past eight years in Bulgaria. And that is not too long. He adds