We asked community leaders of various ethnic heritages to share some holiday traditions of their culture. South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo and Cleveland International Hall of Fame inductee Alex Machaskee graciously shared with us. 
Serbian Nativity Icon
My mom would spend the day cooking for the evening and the great holiday the next day. Smelt, Serbian Coleslaw, Shrimp, apple pita, etc. Nothing from a mammal is served on Christmas Eve when we would celebrate with our friends the Gells and at the same time we would smell the baking of the "Cesnica," our Christmas Day bread in which a coin is put in it.
Serbian Orthodox Christmas Bread
Each year my grandmother and then my mother would place the sliced cesnica in the basket and I would peer into it hoping to pull out the piece with the lucky coin as it is believed that the one who finds a coin in his or her piece will have plenty of money all the year long. Even today, as my entire family gathers to celebrate Christmas there is great anticipation on who will find the coin!"
 Past St Sava (Cleveland) Christmas Eve Service
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A Serbian Orthodox priest places the badnjak on a fire during a Christmas Eve celebration at the Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade
Burning of the badnjak outside of St Sava Cathedral in Cleveland
St Sava Cathedral Choir on a past Christmas Eve
Following our Christmas Eve Vigil each family receives cut oak branches (badnjak) which are gathered by the men in our parish and decorated by our Sunday School Students with ribbons, crape paper, candies and walnuts. Watching with great anticipation like many I secretly always hope our parish priest hands me one tied with candy and ribbons.....all the while listening to the choir singing Christmas Carols and people greeting each other, "Hristos se Rodi" (Christ is Born) and "Voistinu se rodi"(Indeed he is born.") Before heading back to our homes we gather together in our church hall and celebrate with drinking "hot rakija" (hot totties) and eating holiday sweets wishing each other the merriest of Christmas! "Hristos se Rodi"
Alex Machaskee added, "Usually on the Serbian Christmas Eve, Jan. 6, there is the burning of the yule log or tree at both Serbian churches in Greater Cleveland. Children are treated to sweets and adults drink hot Serbian plum brandy." 
An illustration of people collecting a Yule log
from the Chambers Book of Days 1864Hristos se Rodi
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