Europäische Weihnacht – in Vielfalt geeint - Sutter GmbH & Co. KG

den. Wenn am nächsten Morgen tatsächlich der
eine oder andere Knochen blitzblank abgenagt
ist, käme nur ein dummer Stadtmensch auf den
Einfall, das könnte die Katze gewesen sein ...
Christmas and New Year’s Greeting:
„Linksmu Kaledu ir laimingu
Nauju metu!“
Christmas customs in Lithuania are century-old
traditions whose origins stray in the dark days of
early history. Supposedly, there was to have been a
decorated Christmas tree in Riga in 1510 already.
That would have been only one year after the oldest
documented Christmas tree at all, which is depicted
on a copperplate engraving by Lukas Cranach d. Ä.
(*1472 †1553).
Especially in rural areas the old customs are still
widespread to this day. That the customs of the olden
days have not been long forgotten is partially due to
the children, as many parents send their children
from the city to stay with their grand parents in the
country over the Christmas holidays, where they
become acquainted with the local customs and in
future request similarly proper celebrations.
Particularly interesting are the peculiarities around
the festive meal on Christmas Eve in Lithuania.
The food must only commence once the first star can
Litauen/Lithuania
be seen in the sky, as it represents the star of Bethlehem
and announces the arrival of the Saviour. It is,
however, okay to heap generous helpings onto one’s
plate, and similarly to jLatvia twelve foods are on
the table. However, the meal is void of meat dishes
until midnight – reminiscent of the formerly usual
fourteen days of fasting before Christmas.
Underneath the table cloth a handful of hay is hidden
which is to recall the hay in the crib. This handful
was voluntarily brought from the dark stable,
possibly by a small child who is not aware of its meaning.
After dinner, an intensive inquiry into the
future commences, and the handful of hay plays an
important role. The girls in the house of a marrying
age pull a straw while keeping their eyes closed, and
examine it carefully, as it will provide information
as to their future husband. Is he tall or short? Crooked
or strong? Rather fresh and juicy? Or slightly
rotten? Everybody is to interpret their own straw
oracle, as too much speculation tends to spoil the best
of prophecies. But one thing is certain: If the remaining
bundle of hay hides a straw which has a visible
thickening in the middle, then a baby can be expected
during the year to come.
But the night before Christmas Day promises ample
opportunity to take a look at fate. Didn’t a dog bark
there just now? Which direction did it come from?
That is from where the groom will come who will
wed the eldest daughter of the household. The youngest
daughter wants to know if she will still be
living at her parents’ in one year from now. She then
seats herself on a chair with her back facing the front
door and throws the right shoe over her shoulder. If
the shoe lands pointing toward the door, she will
soon be gone.
After so much fortune telling it is highly convenient
that the large dinner table need not be cleared before
going to bed – in fact, it must not be cleared. People
in Lithuania expect the ghosts of deceased relatives to
pass by on Christmas Eve. They have come from
afar, are hungry and will surely enjoy the remainders
of the festive dinner of the living family. Should
the occasional bone be in fact gnawed clean the next
morning, only some stupid city slicker would think
that this was the cat’s feat ...
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