Christmas in Romania  Christmas in Romania () is a major annual celebration, celebrated on 24/25 of December, as in most countries of the Christian world. The observance of Christmas was introduced once with the Christianization of Romania but it was then interrupted during the Communist period (1948—1989), as concepts as religion, Jesus Christ or the Church were banned. In the post-communist Romania, Christmas started being celebrated again more festively. The Christmas and holiday season starts officially on November 30, on Saint Andrew's day and ends on January 7, with the celebration of Saint John. Other major holidays in this period are Great Union Day, Saint Nicholas' Day, Saint Ignatius' Day, Christmas Eve (' in Romanian), Christmas Day (' in Romanian), Saint Stephen's day, New Year's Eve ("" in Romanian), and the Epiphany. The seven-week Advent season in anticipation of Jesus Christ's birth is obligatory for all Eastern Christian Romanians. It starts on November 14 yearly and ends up on Christmas Day. November 14, the first day of advent is traditionally called "Lăsata secului" (literally "the day the abstinence begins"). Any kind of products obtained from animal sources are prohibited. Also, on Wednesdays and on Fridays, oil among other products is not to be eaten. Some special days (for example Saint Ignatius Day or Great Union Day) occur during the period when Christians are allowed to eat fish or dairy. The Christmas Eve should be a day of total abstinence to thank God for sending The Savior. All said, there are forty days of advent (seven to nine of them being exceptions), this being the second abstinence period as length during the Romanian religious year, after the Easter advent. During this season, the Christmas holiday season in Romania starts with Saint Andrew's feast day on November 30. Customs say everyone should hang plenty of garlic and a crucifix next to all doors and windows on the mansion, to keep evil spirits, geani, and spells away from their home. Strigoi or vampires (such as geani) may appear during the night between November 29 and November 30 as this night is popularly known as "Noaptea lupului" ("Night of the wolf"). The next day, December 1, is the Great Union Day ("Ziua Marii Uniri"), the National Day of Romania. It is celebrated by all Romanians. In Bucharest and Alba Iulia Romanian Armed Forces have parades, showing their Land and Air vehicles and performing the Romanian national anthem "Deșteaptă-te, române!", used for the Union back in 1918.