Traditions

Christmas

Christmas Eve, December 24th, is surrounded by very important holiday traditions in Lithuania. The oldest scholarly first-hand accounts for some of these traditions I have found is 1946, but these Lithuanian Christmas Eve traditions are much older. They are still in practice today, with some differences taking into consideration modern cultural practicalities, region, and individual family practices.

As the majority of Lithuanians practice Roman Catholicism, Christmas Eve and Christmas are celebrated according to the Western calendar (Eastern Orthodoxy celebrates Christmas in January). Christmas Eve, while not necessarily a religious holiday, is still observed as a solemn occasion and one for preparation for the Christmas.

Cleanliness is an important aspect of Christmas Eve in Lithuania. The house is cleaned thoroughly and clean clothes are worn for the special evening meal. During this preparation, food for the next two days is also prepared.

Setting the Table
Hay is distributed upon the dinner tabletop, then a clean tablecloth is placed upon the hay. This signifies Christ’s bed of hay. A plate with a candle marks the place setting of a family member recently deceased, or a glass of beer or kvas may be put in this place.

Food
Kucios are the special meatless dishes prepared for Christmas Eve. Twelve dishes represent the 12 Apostles. Winter dishes are typically served, including dried or cooked fish, pickled vegetables, and grains. Alcohol may or may not be served.

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Užgavėnės - Shrove Tuesday

Užgavėnės' is a Lithuanian festival that takes place during the seventh week before Easter. Its name in English means ''"the time before Lent"''. The celebration corresponds to Roman Catholic holiday traditions in other parts of the world, such as Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and Carnaval.
Užgavėnės begins on the night before Ash Wednesday, when an effigy of winter (usually named ''Morė'') is burnt. A major element of the holiday, meant to symbolize the defeat of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, is a staged battle between ''Lašininis'' ("porker"), personifying winter, and ''Kanapinis'' ("hempen man"), who personifies spring. Devils, witches, goats, the grim reaper, gypsies, and other joyful and frightening characters appear in costume during the celebrations. The participants and masqueraders dance and eat the traditional dish of the holiday - pancakes with a variety of toppings, since round pancakes are a symbol of the returning sun. In the capitol city of Vilnius, the celebration takes place on Gediminas Avenue, as well as at many youth organizations. The festival is a major event at Rumšiškės park.