ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Name days in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, people celebrate their name day in addition to their birthday. Your name day is like a special day to honor and celebrate the saint you were named after. Every day of the year is associated with a different saint, so if your name is Dimitar and your name day falls on October 26th, that's your special day!

On your name day, friends and family will call or visit you to wish you a happy holiday. You might also receive small gifts, like flowers or chocolates, and your loved ones might even prepare a special meal or cake for you. On some occasions, there may even be a party or celebration, depending on how important your name day is in your family or culture.

In Bulgaria, name days are often given equal importance to birthdays, or even more importance, because they have a long history in Orthodox Christianity. This tradition is also present in other countries, like Greece and Russia, where it is also a popular way of celebrating the saints and preserving traditions related to them.