»Freh« predgodovanjemV preteklosti so ljudje posvečalivečjo pozornost praznovanju godukot rojstnega dne. Slednje se je pojavilošele po drugi svetovni vojni.Praznovanje dneva svetnika, po kateremso dobili ime, je veliko starejšein sega že v antiko. Beseda god vstarocerkveni slovanščini pomeniuro, praznik, leto. Od tod izvirapomen godu kot obletnice ali priložnosti,ki jih najdemo v nekaterihslovanskih jezikih. Do današnjihdni se je ponekod na podeželjuohranila šega, da gredo sosedje navečer pred godom »ofirati«.Godovni zavetniki so imeli v preteklostizelo pomembno vlogo pri poimenovanjuotroka. Navadno so otrokunamenili ime svetnika, ki je godovalna dan njegovega rojstva ali pa v dnehokrog njega. Če je le bilo mogoče, soime povezali tudi s predniki in sorodniki,da se je določeno ime obdržaloiz roda v rod. Prvorojenec je dobil pravilomaime po svojem očetu, kakšnood deklet pa so navadno poimenovalipo mami ali stari mami.Zelo razširjena navada na podeželjuje bila, da so sosedje na večer predgodom pripravili »freh«, »ofreht«, »ofiranje«,»ofrah«, »tablanje« ali »rumplanje«.Beseda »ofrah« domnevnoprihaja iz nemške besede hofieren,ki pomeni dobrikati se komu, dvoriti.Poimenovanje »rumplanje« izhaja izdomače besede rumel, kar pomenihrup ali trušč.Zbrani sosedje, sorodniki ali prijatelji,mladi in stari, so se odpravili h godovniku,da bi mu pripravili freh. Že nekajdni prej so zbirali različne materiale inorodja za ropot: žlice, pokrovke, piskre,verige, žage, kose, ribežne, skodelice skamenčki, krožnike, kozarce, orglice …Po drugi svetovni vojni so na dan dogodkas seboj povabili tudi godca, najpogostejeharmonikarja, in se skupajpodali do godovnika. Na pragu vratali pod oknom so se ustavili ter muzapeli in zaigrali ljudsko pesem ali zgoljropotali. Ponekod so prišli prav potihodo vrat ali okna in šele nato počili skarbidom, spet drugje so že na dalečropotali. Trušč so zganjali, vse doklerse ni na vratih pojavil slavljenec ter jihpovabil v hišo, kjer jih je pogostil. V poletnihmesecih je pogostitev potekalapred hišo. Pogostitev je bila navadnoskromna, poudarek je bil na druženju.Pogosto sta freh in druženje trajalatudi vso noč. Ta navada se je ohranilaprav do današnjih dni, samo da jo vrazličnih krajih različno imenujejo.Danes je ta šega precej manj razširjena,predvsem zato, ker opuščamopraznovanje godov in spontanomedsosedsko druženje. Nekoč so siznali vzeti čas za takšna druženja, kiso ljudi povezovala med seboj ter jimobogatila vsakodnevno življenje nakmetiji. Ker ni bilo denarja za darila, patudi v navadi niso bila, so znali drugdrugega razveseliti na druge načine.Navadno so kakšen priboljšek (suhosadje, orehe) dobili le otroci, sicer pa seje družina na ta dan odpravila k maši,gospodinja pa je pripravila tudi maloboljše kosilo. Na veliko so godove sicerpraznovali bolj moški, ženske in otrocipa bolj v ožjem družinskem krogu.28
“Freh” on the eve of a name’sday celebration(“Freh”: supposedly from the german word hofierenmeaning to flatter, to court someone; translator’s note)In the past people paid much moreattention to the celebration of theirname’s days that their birthdays.Celebrating birthdays began onlyafter World War II. Celebrating theday of the patron saint they havebeen named after is much older;it originates in the period beforeChrist. The word god (name’s day;translator’s note) meant hour,holiday, year in the Old ChurchSlavonic. These are the roots ofthe meaning of name’s day as ananniversary or occasion which isfound in some Slavonic languages.In certain communities in the countrythe custom has been preserveduntil this day, namely the customof the neighbours going to flatter/court someone (See above: hofieren,ofirati) in the evening beforesomeone’s name’s day.In the past patron saints played a veryimportant role in naming a child. Usuallythe child was named after theparton saint whose name’s day wascelebrated on the day of the child’sbirthday or around that day. If it wasat all possible the name was also linkedwith the ancestors and relatives so thata certain name was kept in the familyfrom generation to generation. As a rulethe first-born was named after his father,one of the girls was usually namedafter her mother or grand-mother.There was a widely-spread custom inthe country that in the evening beforesomeone’s name’s day the neighboursprepared “freh”, “ofreht”, “ofiranje”,“ofrah”, “tablanje” or “rumplanje” (Seeabove). The word “ofrah” is supposed tocome from the German word hofierenwhich means to flatter, court someone.The word “rumplanje” originates in thespoken language word rumel whichmeans noise or racket.The gathered neighbours, relatives orfriends, young and old, went to theperson celebrating their name’s day inorder to prepare them freh. Already afew days before they collected variousmaterials and tools to make a noisesuch as spoons, pans, chains, saws,scythes, graters, cups with pebbles,plates, glasses, harmonicas and thelike. After World War II they also inviteda musician, usually an accordionist, toaccompany them to the person celebratingtheir name’s day. They stoppedat the threshold of the door or under awindow to sing a folk song or simplyto make a noise. In certain villages theycame to the door or window as quietlyas possible and only then they made adeafening noise by means of carbide,in other villages they were raising anoise on their way to the house. Theykicked up a tremendous racket untilthe person celebrating their name’s dayappeared at the door and invited themin where they wined and dined them. Insummer they were wined and dined infront of the house. The drink and foodwere modest, it was the socialising thatcounted. Very often freh and socialisingwent on till the next morning. Thiscustom has been preserved to this dayalthough it is called differently in differentplaces.Nowadays this custom is not so widespreadmainly because we are givingup not only the celebration of name’sdays but the spontaneous socialising ofneighbours as well. In old times peopletook their time to socialise, which madethem closer to each other and enrichedtheir everyday lives on the farms. Sincethere was no money to buy presentsthey were able to find other ways torejoice. Usually it was only the childrenwho were given something extra (driedfruit, nuts), otherwise the family went tochurch when their member celebratedtheir name’s day and the mistress of thehouse prepared a slightly better lunch.It was the men who celebrated theirname’s day in a large company whilewomen and children did so in the companyof their families.29