Terminology
The word is still used in modern Belarusian (Каляда, Kalada, Kalyada), Russian (Коляда, Kolyada), Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian (Коледа, Коледе) and Slovene, Bosnian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak (koleda) and Greek: Κόλιαντα (Kolianda).. One theory states that Koliada is the name of a cycle of winter rituals stemming from the ancient calendae. Others believe it derived from Kolo, "round dance".
Another speculation is that it derived from the Bulgarian/Macedonian word "коля/колам" (kolia/kolam), which means "to slaughter", possibly referring to the preparation of the Christmas feast, or to the Massacre of the Innocents. Some claim it was named after Kolyada, the Slavic god of winter or Koliada, the goddess who brings up a new sun every day.
In modern Ukrainian, Russian (koliada), Czech, Croatian (koleda), Kashubian kòlãda, Romanian (colindă) and Polish (kolęda, Old Polish kolenda) the meaning has shifted from Christmas itself to denoting the tradition of strolling, singing, and having fun on Christmas Eve, same in the Balkan Slavs. It specifically applies to children and teens who walk house to house greeting people, singing and sifting grain that denotes the best wishes and receiving candy and small money in return. The action is called kolyadovanie in Ukrainian and is now applied to similar Old East Slavic celebrations of other old significant holidays, such as Generous Eve (Belarusian: Шчодры вечар, Ukrainian: Щедрий вечiр) the evening before New Year's Day, as well as the celebration of the arrival of spring. Similarly in Bulgaria and Macedonia, in the tradition of koleduvane (коледуване) or koledarenje (коледарење) around Christmas, groups of boys visiting houses, singing carols and receiving a gift at parting. The boys are called 'koledari' or rarely 'kolezhdani' who sing kolyadka (songs).
Koleda is also celebrated across northern Greece by the Slavic speakers of Greek Macedonia, in areas from Florina to Thessaloniki, where it is called Koleda (Κόλιντα, Κόλιαντα) or Koleda Babo (Κόλιντα Μπάμπω) which means "Koleda Grandmother" in Slavic. It is celebrated before Christmas by gathering in the village square and lighting a bonfire, followed by local Macedonian music and dancing.
Croatian composer Jakov Gotovac wrote in 1925 the composition "Koleda", which he called a "folk rite in five parts", for male choir and small orchestra (3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, timpani and drum). There is also a dance from Dubrovnik called "The Dubrovnik Koleda."
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