CHRISTMAS TRADICIONS IN LITHUNIA

CHRISTMAS WAITING

One week before Christmas everyone stars wait this celebration. People decorate Christmas tree with lights and put wreaths on the front door of their house.

CHRISTMAS EVE24 of DECEMBER

Christmas Eve dinner is more important in Lithuania than Christmas dinner. Preparation for Christmas Eve take all day. The house is cleaned and food is prepared not only for the special supper but also for the first day of Christmas. People abstain from meat.

For the Christmas Eve dinner, the table is prepared special too. A handfull of fine hay is spread on the table. The table is covered with a pure white tablecloth, set with plates and decorated with candles and fir boughs.

Twelve different dishes are served on the table because Jesus had twelve apostles.

All the dishes are meatless: fish, herring, a dried fruit soup or compote, a salad of winter and dried vegetables, mushrooms, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut and bread.

All family members make an effort to come home for the Christmas Eve supper, even from a distance. Not so much for the meal as for the sacred family ritual which draws family members closer. If a family member has died, an empty place is left at the table. A plate is still placed on the table and a chair is drawn up, but no spoons, knives or forks are set.

The meal is eaten solemnly, there is little conversation. After the meal no one hurries to leave the table. The family remains seated, the mood lightness, predictions and forecasts are done about next year health, happiness, love and etc.

SPELLSWho first to rise after the meal while

another is still eating will die first.A steam of hay is pulled from under the

table cloth. It shows how long you will live.Drip several drops of wax from a blessed

candle into a cold glass of water and place the glass by your bed. That night you will dream about your future spouse.

The simplest spell is to count in two. Matches, peas, candy or anything else can be counted. If it comes out in pairs, you will find you spouse next year.

CHIRSTMAS EVE MAGIC

At exactly midnight all animals were able to speak like humans. But listen to their conversation is dangerous because you could know the day of death. At the precisely midnight all water turns into wine. If the sky is clear on Christmas night full of stars, the year will be good.

After supper people go to church.

CHRISTMAS DAY25 of DECEMBER Christmas day a lot of people visit

relatives. Everyone changes presents. People spend day plying board games, talking and everybody is happy.

Christmas is a joyous and warm family holiday.