As I’ve promised you, I’m starting to prepare for Kalanda with you from today. In my first blog, I want to tell you about Chichilaki, an integral part of Kalanda.  

The well-known Georgian new year’s symbol was first made in the village of Basileti in Guria. What surprised me the most was when I heard – that the villagers are so proud of this history that in every family, to this day, instead of a Christmas tree, they put traditional Chichilaki. 

The traditional preparation of Guruli Chichilaki is quite simple and interesting. The tradition is as follows: The preparation of Chichilaki starts two weeks before the new year, where they cut a long stick of hazelnut and soak it in water for 2 weeks. On the eve of new year, the bark is „burnt“ on the fire of hearth, and after cutting and removing the skin, the snow-white looking Chichilaki is made, which sometimes is also decorated with dried branches. 

Chichalaki is also the most outstanding tradition of Guruli Kalanda for me, because it has different symbolic meaning. For the Guruli people, the "Christmas tree" created by their own hands is a symbol of happiness, prosperity and abundance, and its bark is associated with rays of the sun. In addition, chichilaki has another important meaning - burning it on the eve of the Epiphany is a necessary tradition, according to which the troubles of the previous year are vanished by its ashes.

The representatives of my beloved region do not betray the traditions of the previous century to this day, and nowadays in Guria, with the approach of Kalanda, you will find the “Georgian Christmas Tree“ or Chichilaki in every family.