Fani is obviously quite SUPERSTITIOUS – VRAŽEVERNA. Dave won’t eat POULTRY – PERUTNINA on NEW YEAR’S DAY – na NOVOLETNI DAN. But he will wear something NEW – NOVO, OLD – STARO and BORROWED – SPOSOJENO, FOR GOOD LUCK – ZA SREČO in 2022.

There are still some traditions unknown to our Irish friend, but he is a quick learner… Today he learned that they celebrate three good men in Slovenia. Next to SAINT NICHOLAS – SVETI MIKLAVŽ and SANTA CLAUS – BOŽIČEK, they also know DEDEK MRAZ – GRANDPA FROST. Dedek Mraz wears a SIVA KUČMA – GREY FUR HAT and has a BELA BRADA – WHITE BEARD. He also wears a TOPEL KOŽUH – WARM COAT. He comes in a KOČIJA - CARRIAGE and has a ZVRHAN KOŠ DARIL – BASKET FULL OF GIFTS… That’s according to a CHILDREN’S SONG - PESMICA... Happy holidays everyone!

We are not used to this kind of Dave:) Some new words, also in the Carinthian dialect that Dave learned today: MLADA DAMA means YOUNG LADY, PRIPOROČATI – TO RECOMEND, SPLAVAR is a RAFTER, STAREJŠI BRAT is OLDER BROTHER, PLESATI – TO DANCE, GIBLJIVI means MOVABLE, POSKOČNI – BOUNCY, GLEDALIŠČE is THEATRE, KNJIŽNICA – LIBRARY and REŠI ME – SAVE ME!

Today our Irish friend learned about yet another tradition as two voluntary firemen came to BRING BEST HOLIDAY WISHES – ZAŽELETI LEPE PRAZNIKE and also brought a CALENDAR – KOLEDAR of their FIRE DEPARTMENT – GASILSKO DRUŠTVO. But our Dave is a quick learner and from now on he will know, that if firefighters stand at your door and your house is not burning, then you invite them in and offer a drink, as well as a CONTRIBUTION – PRISPEVEK.

I know what you are thinking…Slovenes and their strange traditions. The 28th of December is the Day of the Holy Innocents. In Slovenia they also call it "tepežnica" or "pametva". On this day kids, or also KIDS AT HEART – OTROCI PO DUŠI, can beat the adult with a ŠIBA - ROD and receive DENAR - MONEY. There’s also this kind of a tradition in Ireland, but the roles there are reversed, so children there called it the UNLUCKIEST DAY OF THE YEAR - NAJBOLJ NESREČEN DAN V LETU… Either way, it should only be observed on the 28th and not the day after...

No matter what OBČINA – MUNICIPALITY you live in, you're bound to find people with interesting last names. So, don't be surprised if you ever run into someone with the last name MEDVED – BEAR, VOLK – WOLF, MAČEK – a MALE CAT, PIŠČANEC – CHICKEN, ZVER – BEAST, MRAVLJA – ANT, JUHA – SOUP, LONEC – POT, HREN – HORSERADISH, or KLOBASA – SAUSAGE.

CHRISTMAS or BOŽIČ. For some Slovenes, including Fani, this means drinking KUHANČEK or MULLED WINE and smelling the scent of CINNAMON – CIMET and CLOVES – KLINČKI in the air, while strolling through the CHRISTMAS/ADVENT MARKET or BOŽIČNI SEJEM and admiring the LUČKE – LIGHTS and BOŽIČNA RAZSVETLJAVA – CHRISTMAS LIGHTING. On Christmas Eve traditionally Slovenes also visit the POLNOČNICA – MIDNIGHT MASS.

Dave got SAD NEWS– ŽALOSTNE NOVICE from Ireland. His favourite aunt Nessa PASSED AWAY – JE UMRLA and he’s pretty SAD – ŽALOSTEN. Anyway, there is something good even in bad things. Dave and his brother are aunt Nessa’s HEIRS – DEDIČA. Aunt Nessa was pretty RICH – BOGATA.

Today Dave learned that three important guys come to Slovenia in December… MIKLAVŽ – ST. NICHOLAS at the start… BOŽIČEK – SANTA CLAUS at CHRISTMAS – BOŽIČ, and Dedek Mraz – GRANDFATHER FROST at the end of the year… Oh, and a JABOLKO - APPLE isn't always for eating!

While Dave puts his back into cutting down his and Fani's first CHRISTMAS TREE - BOŽIČNA JELKA, let's look at some of the words he's learned today. GOZD or GOŠA is WOODS. SVEŽI ZRAK is FRESH AIR. MRZLO is COLD, BOR is a PINE TREE, HRAST is an OAK TREE, STORŽ is an ACORN and SMREKA is a SPRUCE TREE. MAH is MOSS. JASLICE is a CRIB or NATIVITY SCENE. SEKIRA is an AXE and SEKATI is TO CUT DOWN a tree. I think that Dave has definitely earned a KUHANO VINO – MULLED WINE or two today.