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Page 1: Christmas eve

Christmas Eve is a celebrations, which is held on 24th December. It is one of the oldest Lithuanian festivals celebrated according the solar calendar. This solar transition point is called solstice. Nowadays on this day it is usual that the whole family gathers and has dinner together.

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It is usual to make 12 or 13 meals for the Christmas

Eve dinner. This is probably symbolizing 13 or 13

months of the year calculated according the Moon.

Kūčioms nuo seno gamindavo 12 ar 13 patiekalų. Tai

turbūt simbolizavo 13-os ar 12-os mėnesių metus,

skaičiuojamus pagal Mėnulį. When the years started to

count according the Sun, then it was usual to have 12

meals on the table at the dinner. In any case not all

follow this tradition nowadays.

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„Kūčia“ – is made of ceeals (wheat, barley, peas,

beans, rye, ect...), mixed with „miešimas” (water with

honey). Kūčia was used to entertain the elders’ sirits.

The fist bite and sips were sacrificed to the spirits and

harvest deities. Kūčia was also given to bees and

animals, believing that a better livestock will be for the

next year.

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Oat-juice jelly – was sacrificed to the gods and

natural elements, it was also served for the spirits.

Making the oat-juice jelly, magic and tricks were used

too.

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Oat Balls – made of steamed and ground oat

flour dough. Later they were replaced by flats and balls

(„šližikai“ or „kūčiukai“). Round wholemeals and others

symbolized the coming back sun.

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Beetroot soup with meat and mushrooms.

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Meat – was usual on the Christmas Eve table, but

later affected by Catholic religion it eventually

disappeared from list of 12-13 meals.

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Fish replaced the meat. The biggest attention

was given to pike as according to folklore, it was a

symbol of fertility.

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“Grucės” mash – a barley mash which was eaten

with the poppy seed milk. It is agrarian and family

holidays traditional ritual meal. Poppy, hemp and

cranberry symbolized the fertility and profusion of

crops.

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Christmas Eve was a big celebration at the ritual table,

accompanied by rituals, magic and sacrifices. People were trying

to complete all the work before Christmas Eve. It a was forbidden

to grind, thresh and do other works as the noise could cause

clouds with hail for the upcoming summer. People were not

patching fur and other clothes as lambs and other animals could

born mottled. Women were not spinning as the sheep could got

dizziness and were not making slips of wood as it was believed

that animals could hurt claws.

.

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Ready for the celebration, people were having a wash

according the rites. Firstly, housewives or girls were washing men

undressed to the waist, then women were having a wash. Later

hot tubs and saunas appeared. The need to wash was interpreted

variously: “washing the sins of the year and then clean waiting for

the other”; “Clean body – pure soul”; “The one who will have a

wash will be the first who finishes the ground work”. At the

beginning of this century on the Christmas Eve men after the

sauna used to dress up in white linen shirt and women – their best

clothes, and used to say: “Throughout the year will be clean”.

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The beginning of the Christmas Eve dinner was when the evening

star arose. Some hay was laid on and under the table. Tablecloth

was laid on the hay and meals set on the table. It was usual to put

some candles, sometimes – sheaf of rye, and put a stone under the

pot. Invited the closest mercenaries and lonely neighbors. Before

eating all stood up. The oldest was praying aloud after what

everybody wished to each other health and happiness. Firstly ate

“Kūčia“. Some food was dedicated and sacrificed to spirits and

gods. On Christmas Eve also stoke a fire, burnt straws or chump.

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At the table were acting like in a church: quietly, calmly,

respectfully and if during the last year there was no major

disaster, had fun. The first who were talking, were father and

mother. They remembered the dead. Remembered those who were

in exile, military or emigrated and could not be together at the

Christmas Eve table. Father or grandfather told stories about the

birth of baby Jesus, upcoming festivals, their meaning, sometimes

about the first humans. All the thing in the family were

remembered since the last Christmas.

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With the hope were talking about the upcoming year. Stories about

the youth were favorite by grandfathers. At the table it was

discussed, who will go to church and who will stay and look after

the animals, prepare the Christmas meals. While older was

talking, children remained silent. They usually started only after

the sweets or when parents asked anything.

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Hay is the most important part during the Christmas Eve. It was laid

under the table, tablecloth or on the dirt floor. It probably was

associated with people’s belief that the souls of the dead rest on

the straw. It was also used for the fortune telling. Widely known

custom during or after the eating to pull hay from the tablecloth.

The longer stipe you pull put, the better and longer your life will

be. The housekeeper looked for the cereal under the hay and

planted that kind which found more, hoping for the better harvest.

It was also usual to pull straw from the roof and if it was a stipe

with ear, wealthy harvest was hoping to be. The trees were

wrapped in hay believing that this will make them produce more

fruits and bloom better

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Lots of attention deserves Christmas Eve spells. Starry sky,

piles of stars in a sky meant fertile year, layer chickens and a lot

of mushrooms. Strong wind mean a lot of nuts and wild apples.

Lots of rain – nice barley harvest. Trees tried to wrap in hay as it

was believed that it help to get better harvest in autumn. At this

evening fed the animals better .

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Widely known marriage spells: expect for the

matchmakers from the side where dogs bark; how

many wood can take in one go – even number means

the girl will wed. measuring the fence with the bag a

girl spoke: “bread will have from the bag, bread will

have from the garner”. If the measure had the last

word “bread will have from the garner”, then

expected marry a rich men. Three girls hid a rue, a

ring and a rosary under the pot. The one who found a

rue meant she will stay unmarried for one more year,

a ring – will marry, a rosary – will be churchy this ear.

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People believed, that animals speak at Christmas

Eve night. They foretold the future and especially the

term of living. Usually was believed speak horses. At

Christmas Eve evening people fed animas better.

Forage was brought at the evening as it was believed

that spirits work in barn and may hurt with forks if

disturb them. Hay from the table was allowed to give

only cows and sheep, it was forbidden to give to horse.

If anyone intentionally listened to animals – he died.

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It was believed that the water in the wells at the

midnight of the Christmas Eve for one second turns

into wine and a man who tastes this water becomes

smarter and can even understand what animals say.

However, to drink this water intentionally or wait for

this miracle was forbiden as it treatened with death.

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It is hard to say how old is the divination with the mirror, which should show the husband of the one who is divining. For example, a girl or a young men wanting to know who will be their husband or wife, should take two candles, a towel, mirror, go to a lonely house, lit the candles and put the mirror. Wipe the dew from the mirror with a towel and will see husband or wife.

Another magic rite is: a girl burns her hair and says the name of a men, if that men lives close to her, he will come on the same night, if far away – the next morning. When he comes, he asks who called him.

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On the Christmas Eve, after the sunset, the air is full of evil spirits, then the witches are especially powerful. Those who wanted to ward off the evil spirits had to have scones. With the same aim they had to decorate their house corners with crosses. On Christmas Eve nobody was visiting the neighbors, the ones who came were considered to be witches, as it was believed that spirits are wandering this evening.

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Pranė Dundulienė “Lietuvių šventės: tradicijos,papročiai,apeigos” www.vikipedija.lt

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Thank You for Your Attention! Viktorija Klastaitytė 8d 2011 metai


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