November 30th is Andreevden (St Andrew’s Day), also known as the Bears’ Day (Mechkinden) in Bulgaria. It marks the start of the winter cycle. In Bulgaria, St Andrew is traditionally the master of the bears.
In Bulgarian folklore the bear has the power to heal, protect from illness and bring fertility but it is also a symbol of great physical strength. So to ward off attack, on Andreevden, people symbolically feed the bear by throwing a little boiled grain up the chimney, ...saying “Here you are, bear. Here’s some boiled corn so you don’t need to eat raw grain or people or animals.” (From Bulgarian Folk Customs by Mercia MacDermott)
In Bulgarian folklore the bear has the power to heal, protect from illness and bring fertility but it is also a symbol of great physical strength. So to ward off attack, on Andreevden, people symbolically feed the bear by throwing a little boiled grain up the chimney, ...saying “Here you are, bear. Here’s some boiled corn so you don’t need to eat raw grain or people or animals.” (From Bulgarian Folk Customs by Mercia MacDermott)
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