Quarter days

The thrill of the Christmas celebration has already grasped locals in Turkey's western Burdur province but in a different way. Some 300 women have started working hard to prepare at least 650,000 Christmas wreaths which will be exported to countries such as Britain, Germany, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and probably the United States until December.

As season's greetings are just around the corner, some housewives in Turkey's southern province of Antalya are busy making a large number of wreaths for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Bosnia says it will tighten controls over illegal logging ahead of the Christmas holiday, when the hunt for free yule logs and Christmas trees poses a threat to the country's woodlands.

Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria mark on Wednesday Ignazhden, the day of St. Ignatius, which inaugurates all the Christmas and New Year festivities.

It was from this day to Christmas Eve that Virgin Mary's labours continued.

BELGRADE - Orthodox believers in Serbia today celebrate Christmas Eve, when in temples and homes they burn Yule logs and have services on the eve of the Christian holiday - Christmas.

On the third day after Christmas Eve, the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Stephan's day. Saint Stephan is the first martyr for the Christian faith.

He is the creator of the first Christian community which is why he was tried and stoned to death by Jewish authorities in 37 AD.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an issued a statement on Dec. 23 to celebrate the Christmas addressing Christian citizens in Turkey, Do?an News Agency reported.

BELGRADE - Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church headed the consecration ceremony and the burning of the Yule log at the plateau in front of the Saint Sava Cathedral in Belgrade downtown late on Tuesday.