It so happened that for the mentality of Estonians their Slavic roots, traditions, heritage of the ancient Estonians and other Finnish-Baltic tribes have an extremely important role. The culture of Estonia, which emerged and frolicked in such conditions, has become the core on which the modern Republic of Estonia rests.
Traditional culture of Estonia
Located for many centuries at the very junction of various cultures - Norman-Scandinavian, Slavic, and then Russian-Orthodox, German Catholic, and Swedish-Lutheran, Estonian culture, nevertheless, it was able to preserve its originality, its national characteristics, and not become a quasi-culture, as happened in some of many larger, wealthier and famous states. This the culture in many ways, this is what attracts foreign tourists to the small Baltic republic.
Religion in Estonia
Less than a third of the republic's residents consider themselves believers and belong to religious groups. Religion in Estonia is now going through far from his best days. The majority of believers of ethnic Estonians (14.8% of the total population of the country) are Lutherans, believers in the Russian minority (13.9%) are Orthodox. There are both Baptists and Catholics in the republic.
Economy of Estonia
Since the republic is a member of the European Union, it is part of the largest economic zone in the world. Estonia industrial-agrarian country, developing high technologies. Its largest trading partners are its closest neighbors Sweden and Finland.
Estonian Science
It inherited quite significant potential from Soviet times, and today it is a rather noticeable phenomenon. The largest and oldest university in the country was founded by the outstanding king of Sweden Gustav II Adolf in Tartu (then Dieppe) back in 1632.
Estonian art
The modern is known by the names Elmo Nyukanen, Sulev Keedus, Andrus Kiviryahk, Maimu Berg.
Estonian cuisine
The traditional one does not differ in variety. There is more seafood in it than in the cuisines of Latvia or Russia. So influenced the kitchen geography of Estonia.
Estonian customs and traditions
In a modern state, they continue to store. One of the favorite national symbols of Estonians is the oak tree. Its branches adorn the Great Coat of Arms of the Republic. Estonians are committed to using their national language.
Estonian sports
Jaan Kirsipuu, Erik Salumäe, Irina Embrich, Martin Padar can be called his pride.
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National traditions and customs of Estonia and Latvia
Estonian national costumes In the Estonian folk dress, several types are clearly distinguished, which correspond to ethnic groups that have developed a long time ago. The main ones are southern, northern, western and insular.
National costume of Latvia
Traditions, culture and customs of Estonia One of the best traditions of antiquity that has survived to this day is the custom of lighting bonfires on Ivana Kupala (June 24) throughout Estonia. The party takes place at night, on the eve of this day, accompanied by songs and dances. The folk customs of walking on Martyn's Day (November 10) and November 25 - on Katherine's Day have also survived.
Traditions, culture and customs of Latvia Ligo (the main holiday of the year) is a mystical festival of the ancient pagan ancestors of Latvians, which is celebrated during the summer solstice on the night of June 23-24. a holiday associated with the solstice or equinox. Winter - Christmas, spring - Easter, summer - Ligo and Midsummer, autumn - Apyumibas
Of the most significant holidays, the seasonal harvest festival is celebrated annually. The song festival in Tartu and Tallinn annually gathers half of the country's population on the famous field. The famous choral singing is over 100 years old. Such a festival can accommodate a 30,000-strong choir on the lined stage and listeners - up to 250,000 people. Estonian traditions, culture and customs
The second most important holiday is Christmas (Ziemassvētki, December 25). This holiday has absorbed more Christian features. Many Latvians go to services on this day, and compositions with Christmas scenes are often installed on the streets of the city. Preparations for the celebration of Christmas in Latvia begins long before the holiday itself, namely from the last days of November, with the beginning of Advent, when every Sunday one candle is lit in a Christmas wreath. December 24 is a special evening when you can say goodbye to all the misfortunes of the outgoing year. According to ancient customs, the owners drag a log around the house and then burn it. It was believed that in this way they, together with him, burn all their troubles, sorrows and tears, drive away evil spirits from their home. Festively decorated Christmas trees, luminous garlands, and Christmas wreaths appear in houses and on the streets. Traditions, culture and customs of Latvia
Easter (Lieldienas) is doing about the same as in Russia. On this day, you need to paint eggs and arrange competitions in their rolling, go to visit each other. It is also advisable to ride a swing: the higher the better. This brings happiness, and in ancient times it was also considered a guarantee of a good harvest.
Estonian handicrafts are so unique that knitting and macrame are the country's hallmarks. There is an opinion that the patterns were invented for sailors who, lost in the sea, could recognize the terrain by their clothes.
In the national traditions of Latvia, the mitten symbolizes the character and destiny of a person. Now about 5500 patterns of Latvian mittens are known, none of them is completely repeated. Elements of the pattern may be repeated, but the location, color, pattern on the cuff or elastic band, the general composition of the pattern - each pair of mittens is unique.
National cuisine A distinctive feature of Estonian cuisine is the small amount of spices and seasonings. The most common spices in Estonia are salt, pepper, cumin and marjoram. Traditional Estonian dishes are blood sausages, meatballs, herring with sour cream, stuffed eggs, potato salad and liver pate. One of the most famous national desserts is bread soup, which is made from stale bread soaked in water, with the addition of raisins and whipped cream.
National cuisine The national cuisine of Latvia was formed under the influence of German, Lithuanian, Russian, Belarusian and Estonian cuisines. The local cuisine is quite simple to prepare, yet tasty and satisfying. The basis of Latvian cuisine is made up of agricultural and livestock products - peas, beans, potatoes, vegetables, flour, cereals, meat, milk and dairy products. Fish and seafood occupy an important place in the national cuisine of Latvia.
Thank you for the attention
At first glance, Estonians look a lot like Germans. This is evidenced by the similar cuisine and national costume, as well as punctuality and thoroughness in everything. However, the influence was exerted by real geographic neighbors. Estonia, together with Latvia and Lithuania, forms one cultural and historical region. Cultural features have begun to form since the time of the ancient captives that inhabited the region. In western and eastern Estonia, there are differences in the language dialect, and in many aspects of spiritual and material life, which is associated with the influence of immediate neighbors. In general, modern Estonia can be divided into northern Estonia, southern and western. Areas of residence of Swedes and quaint Russians are interesting.
Estonian ceremonies, festivals and holidays
The culture that originated in the peasantry turned out to be quite colorful, it is worth noting interesting rituals and holidays. For example, it is believed that a marriage was concluded in accordance with all the rules only after putting on the headdress of a married woman and tying it with an apron, and a wedding in a church or a painting in the registry office does not matter. The film "Prisoner of the Caucasus" could be easily filmed in Estonia. Various pranks at weddings are considered normal, such as kidnapping the bride, blocking the road on the way of the wedding cortege, checking the housekeeping skills of a young couple, and so on.
June 24 is quite active - games with bonfires on Ivana-Kupala, songs, dances and jumping over the flame of the fire. In addition, harvest festivals and singing events are celebrated all over Estonia, but especially numerous in Tallinn and Tartu. Up to 30 thousand choristers take part in this bright event at the same time, who are listened to by a quarter of a million listeners placed on the field. The program of the song festival includes performances of national folk dance groups. On such days, it is not uncommon to see ordinary citizens in bright men's and women's national costumes. Of course, most folk costumes are now made by machine, but if you visit Viru Street in Tallinn, where among old buildings and a large number of cafes you can find counters with unique hand-knitted, macramé and other national clothes or shoes, there are various wooden figurines and skillful work with leather.
Features of communication with Estonians
When communicating with Estonians, it is not worth mentioning moments of history related to the Soviet period. The Estonians themselves differ in many respects from the large number of Russians living in this republic, this concerns the mentality, outlook on life, aspirations. It is interesting that the Estonians themselves today no longer consider themselves to be the Balts and declare that they are Scandinavians, as I do not know how the fellow Lithuanians and Latvians regard such an escape.
Estonia is Scandinavia
Indeed, Tallinn is more similar in its medieval architecture to the old towns of Germany than to the cities in Lithuania and Latvia, besides, local souvenirs are no different from those sold in neighboring Scandinavian countries. A sign that you are in Scandinavia, and not in the Baltics, can be seen with the naked eye on the streets of Estonian cities, there is no devastation, cracked building facades, houses outside are covered with corrugated iron in the manner of the Scandinavian countries, old Khrushchev houses are very hard to recognize, they have been altered to not recognizability, cleanliness and order on the streets, around you can see bike paths, along which motorists do not dare to ride, in general, there are all the signs that this is Northern or Western Europe, and not the Baltic states.
Despite the early disintegration of the community, the population of almost every Estonian village retained until the middle of the 19th century, and partly even later, many traditions that had developed over the centuries. The village elected a headman for a year, and this position usually passed in turn from one courtier to another. To resolve general issues, the owners gathered "the whole village" as necessary: they discussed the issues of hiring a village shepherd, a blacksmith and a miller, pasturing a herd, mowing, raising virgin lands, providing assistance to victims of fires, and also resolving minor disputes, imposing punishments for minor offenses (for example, injury) to shame the perpetrator or to compensate the victim.
The villagers provided mutual assistance, for example, in the event of a fire. Like other peoples, the neighbors first of all helped the fire victim in the delivery of building materials for a new building, gave him straw for the roof.
According to the communal tradition, the poor and land-poor peasants, who did not have enough of their own bread, flax or roofing straw, walked around the yards during threshing, digging potatoes and flapping flax, or ashore when fishermen arrived with their catch, and, having treated the farmer or fisherman with vodka, received small amounts of grain, potatoes, straw, or fish. It was called "seeking help" ( abiajamine ).
In many villages there was a custom (transferred in some cases to the city) of mutual treating of the closest neighbors and relatives with a beer or a new dish brewed for a holiday, the first bread of the new harvest, in some places also fresh meat (when the cattle were slaughtered), etc.
A remnant of communal traditions that survived until the 20th century were the help, yali cleanup ( talgud ), - collective and voluntary assistance in case of urgent or laborious work - manure removal, haymaking, flax processing, etc. This form of mutual assistance is well known among other peoples of Eastern Europe.
Among the old social traditions, gatherings of various age groups deserve attention. For older people, gatherings sometimes had a ritual or cult nature, while for young people these were meetings where they made acquaintances and had fun.
In addition to information about the Seto secret cult brotherhoods, there is information from the islands of Muhu and Saaremaa about the autumn holidays of men who are not associated with a particular cult. After returning from the latrine work and finishing the harvesting of grain, the men of the village brewed beer from the malt that had been pooled. Beer was prepared in turn in different estates. After eating at home, they went to drink beer, chat and have fun. These holidays were called "companion beer" on the island of Muhu ( kambaolut ), on the island of Saaremaa - "party holiday" ( killapidu ).
Holidays of married women in one village are celebrated only in a narrow area - among the Setos and in the northeast. The existence of this tradition was undoubtedly associated with the preservation of the corresponding holidays among the Russians. Setus "woman's holiday" (which also adopted the Russian name paabapraasnik ) in some places he went to Shrovetide, in others - in the fall, after harvesting the grain. The women used the money collected from the men's homes to buy sweets, brew beer, and brought food from home. Men were not allowed to the party. Particular attention was paid to young married women who participated in the festival for the first time. Wishes of good health, fertility and offspring of the herd are characteristic of the songs of the woman's holiday. The holiday lasted one or two days.
In the north-eastern part of Estonia, women celebrated St. George's Day in a similar way. This holiday was called "soaking milk heaps" ("so that the milk heaps do not dry out later"). The participants performed the churning of butter to the corresponding traditional song. By these and similar ceremonies, they believed to ensure good milk yield and an abundance of oil in the coming summer.
In the past, and in some places at the beginning of our century, there were also associations that were usually called "the guys of their village" (from kiila poisid ). The company consisted of young people from one village, mostly farm laborers, the sons of the nobility often stayed away. The head of the company ( nina - rnees ) there was usually an older guy, the most powerful or resourceful. The company considered it its duty not to give offense to either the boys or, especially, the girls of their village, and also took care of the arrangement of places for entertainment. On Sundays, the guys competed on a village street or somewhere on the road in various games: rolling a wooden disc or playing in towns (different from Russians in shape).
Similar remnants of ancient male unions are known among many peoples, in particular among the Ukrainians ("parubotska community").
In each village there was a place for the entertainment of young people, in the north there is usually a central square, where swings were set. We rocked on them all summer, the girls sang at the same time. In the southern part of Estonia, young people did not have a specific gathering place; as a rule, they only swung on a swing in the spring. In winter, young people gathered for games and dances in one of the houses or in a tavern.
A different nature of the joint evening gatherings ( kildsann , ehalka - imine ) girls. They were going to spin, knit, weave belts in the autumn evenings. At the same time, they sang, talked, and made riddles. At the end of the gatherings, the guys came, they began games, dancing.
The intra-family relations of peasants, the order of inheritance, family rituals and other aspects of life had a number of features due to the specifics of the historical development and socio-economic relations in the Estonian countryside.
There is no definite information about a large family in Estonia, if we exclude occasional reports from the peripheral territories of the country (for example, from Avinurme, from the island of Hiiumaa) from the second half of the 19th century. On the whole, a small family has undoubtedly dominated Estonia in the last two or three centuries. The rural community of the Estonians disintegrated very early, apparently already by the 13th century. there was a transition to household land use. Under the conditions of feudalism, the tax unit was the peasant household ( talu ), not a community. This contributed to the establishment of a prioritized system of inheritance: the peasant farm passed entirely to the eldest son. The division between the heirs was allowed only on an exceptional basis and only in the case of large sizes of the court.
Younger sons, if they could not marry the heiress of some neighboring farm, usually became farm laborers either with their older brother or with another courtyard, or settled on the outskirts of the village as boars. In the absence of sons, the eldest daughter inherited the household, and her husband entered the family in the position of a son-in-law-primak ( koduvai ). This system of inheritance was one of the reasons for the very early emergence of a stratum of landless peasants in Estonia and its constant growth. Peasant allotments remained, on average, relatively large, and the duties imposed on the court were very large. The peasant family on its own usually could not cope with the cultivation of the land and bearing the corvee, which was the main form of duties. In this regard, in the peasant yard, in addition to the courtyard and his family, one or more farm laborers lived ( sulane ) and laborers ( tiidruk , vaim ). The total population of the yard was called "pere" (rege) - households, and the owner's family was called "pererakhvas" ( pererahvas ). The head of the family, the husband, was in charge of the family's property and resolved all family issues, usually in consultation with his wife. The wife, although she occupied a secondary place in the family compared to her husband, was not powerless. So, only she herself could dispose of her dowry. After her death, the dowry, and if she was the heiress of the farm, then the farm, passed not to her husband, but to the children, but in case of childlessness to her brothers and sisters.
Despite the fact that a certain social line passed between the owners and the farm laborers, the differences between them were somewhat mitigated by the patriarchal relations prevailing in the feudal period within the peasant household. Despite the difference in property and, to a certain extent, in legal relations, both the nobility and the farm laborers in the feudal period belonged to the same exploited class. The living conditions of both farm laborers and courtyards were similar: they lived in the same room, ate at a common table, and performed essentially the same work.
In family customs in the Estonian village until the middle of the 19th century. there were a lot of old features. Christian church rites took root extremely slowly. In family events, church rituals were primarily performed at funerals and baptisms, but even this took root only centuries after the conversion of Estonians to Christianity. As for marriage, before the beginning of the XX century. the role of the church remains here. was formal. According to a deeply rooted conviction among the people, marriage was considered concluded after a people's wedding, and not a church wedding.
With the birth of a child in the past, a number of magical procedures were associated with which it was supposed to protect the mother of the newborn from illness, misfortune and ensure a happy life for the child. Childbirth took place in a bathhouse or in a sheep shed. An experienced old woman assisted in childbirth, who knew special rituals and spells to facilitate childbirth.
A few days after giving birth, married relatives and neighbors began to visit the woman in labor. It was called "bride" ( katsikul kaimine ). From the end of the XIX-beginning of the XX century. men were also allowed to attend the bride. The woman in labor was given barley porridge as a treat.
The baby was given a name no later than two to three weeks. This was associated with church baptism and the subsequent family holiday - christening ( varrud , ristsed ), in which the closest relatives, godparents and neighbors took part. They gave the child money "for a tooth" ( hamba - raha ), drank to his health.
Putting the children to bed, they were rocked and lulled. In the old days, the cradle was suspended, fixed at the end of a springy pole, like the Eastern Slavs. In the XIX century. began to use standing cradles on runners. Educators and teachers of children were often grandfathers and grandmothers. From them, children heard folk songs, fairy tales, legends, riddles, etc. They brought up children strictly, corporal punishment was very common. To warn against misfortune, children were frightened with both real dangers (wolf, bear) and fantastic (bogeyman, water, beech, etc.). Children were taught early to work. An old saying goes: "At seven years old a swineherd, and at eight - a plow, at ten - a plowman."
An important moment in the life of young people was “their acceptance as an adult”. It did not depend on age, but on physical maturity, the ability to do some work, etc. For Lutherans, confirmation ( leer ) meant "acceptance into the ranks of adults," in Estonia and the Orthodox Church began to carry out confirmation.
Before confirmation, they arranged a three-week or more lengthy training at the church, the youth were introduced to the catechism and the psalter. In conclusion, in the church, the confirmants were solemnly "blessed" in front of the entire parish and were accepted into the number of parishioners. Those preparing for confirmation usually did various jobs for the pastor (threshing, spinning, etc.).
After confirmation, young people could participate in general entertainment and meetings, girls put on jewelry and do their hair, laborers received salaries and food like adults. The guys had the right to smoke and drink vodka, look after girls.
Young people met at collective work and amusement. When choosing a wife, her hard work was considered very important. There was a custom on the islands, according to which the bride, married in the spring, went to the groom's family in the summer to harvest rye (the so-called pruudiosumine - "harvest of the bride"), the wedding was arranged only in the fall.
In recent centuries, matchmaking usually consisted of three stages: preliminary sending of the matchmaker ( kuulamine ); matchmaking itself ( kosi - mine ) and betrothal ( kihlus ).
Get married ( kosimine ) usually traveled in the evening or at night, preferably on Thursday. The matchmaker went with the matchmaker (isamees), who was supposed to be a married and eloquent person. The matchmaker presented a proposal to the bride's parents (it was, for example, about the search for a missing bird or animal) and treated them with vodka (or beer). Accepting the treat meant that matchmaking was accepted. This was followed by a trip to the pastor for the betrothal. In the last century, the pastor tested the reading skills of the bride and groom.
The wedding was arranged in three or four weeks. The bride went around her relatives with an invitation to the wedding, treating them with vodka and receiving a return gift. The bridesmaids helped her spin wool and knit stockings and mittens. The groom invited guests from his side. The next of kin and acquaintances were called to the wedding.
Wedding ( pulmad ) was the most solemn and joyful holiday in the peasant life. She coped most often in the fall, after the end of the field work. In material terms, relatives helped to celebrate the wedding: married guests brought with them a "wedding bag" with food - bread, meat, butter, etc. In the houses of the bride and groom they brewed beer, slaughtered cattle, cooked jellied meat, etc. Duration of the wedding depended on the material capabilities of those entering into marriage. In the last century, people with prosperity usually celebrated a wedding for three days, in some places even up to a week.
According to the traditions of the wedding, on the first day, guests from the groom's side came to his house, the bride's guests gathered at her place. In the early morning, the groom went to fetch the bride. At the head of the wedding train, a friend rode on horseback ( peiupoiss ), armed with a saber. In some places, the villagers blocked the road and let the traveler through, only having received a treat. In the bride's house, the gates were closed, and only after a song contest, a comic battle and the payment of a ransom did the train enter the courtyard. The bride was hidden and the groom had to find her. Then everyone sat down to a solemn meal. After her, the bride was dressed to the appropriate songs. If the wedding took place on the same day, they went to the church, and from there to the groom's house. If the wedding took place earlier, then immediately to the groom.
The wedding train was going fast, with shouts, noise and music. The bride's face was covered from the "evil eye". On the way, various barriers were erected, a “passport” was demanded for travel, a “kidnapping” of the bride was played, etc. A blanket or fur coat was spread on the ground in front of the groom's house (to protect against the “wrath of the earth”). The young were met by the groom's parents, led to the table with ritual songs, the bride was put on the lap of a little boy to protect her from infertility. Then a solemn meal began.
In the evening of the first or the morning of the second day, the main ceremony of the wedding ceremony was performed - putting on the headdress of a married woman - a linika or a cap ( tanutamine , linutamine ). This was done by the groom's mother along with other married women. Then an apron was tied to the bride. From that moment on, she was considered a married woman. Then the rest of the guests were invited to "look at the young woman" and "patch up the apron." The guests had to put young money on the apron. The givers were treated to beer or vodka.
If the bride was brought from afar, then after putting on the cap (or the next day) she was introduced to the new house. Accompanied by her mother-in-law and the most respected relatives, the young woman went to the well, to the cage, barn, etc., making sacrifices or gifts: she threw a silver coin into the well, tied a woolen belt to one of the cows on her horns, etc. The mother-in-law took gifts for herself. ...
On the third day, the young woman performed the ceremony of distributing gifts to her husband's relatives ( veimed ). Together with the bride, they brought a chest with her dowry, as well as a box with gifts ( veimevakk ). The mother and father of the young man received "full gifts" or "a bundle of gifts" (a set of things), others - stockings, mittens, garters, belts, etc. Then money was collected from those who received the gifts. By the end of the wedding, a traditional dish (usually cabbage soup) was cooked, which meant the end of the holiday and was a sign that it was time for the guests to leave. All the most important stages of the wedding ceremony were accompanied by the corresponding traditional songs, games and jokes. On the first day of the wedding, the young were put to bed with songs, and the next morning they woke up. In the old days, the young spent the first night in a barn.
In funeral rites even in the 19th century. some traditional magic and sacrificial techniques were preserved.
Over the centuries, the church was unable to ensure that the peasants bury the dead on "consecrated ground": the peasants continued until the 17th century, and in some places even in the 18th century. to bury the dead according to a semi-lingual rite in ancestral cemeteries, traces of which can be found in almost every village. The body of the deceased was guarded until the funeral. On the occasion of the funeral, as a rule, cattle were slaughtered and food was prepared for the participants in the ceremony. In some places, the custom was preserved to eat at the grave and leave tea on it. At the funeral, the church beggars were necessarily provided with food. In southern Estonia, on the way to the cemetery, the funeral procession stopped by a traditional tree (spruce or pine) and a cross was carved into its bark so that "the deceased would not go home." During the position of the body in the coffin, wires, burial and commemoration of the deceased, special laments were performed, which lasted the longest in southeastern Estonia. The church funeral ceremony was performed in the church immediately after the service, and in the southern part of Estonia - at the grave.
Until the XVI-XVII centuries. the custom was preserved in the well-known traditional days to arrange commemorations for the dead on the graves according to the old rituals. The Setos followed this custom until recently. The people continued to believe that the dead visit their relatives during the so-called time of souls. The “time of souls” fell on October-November, that is, at the time of wilting of nature, the onset of darkness and cold weather. At this time, on a certain evening, a table was laid for the dead, and the head of the family invited souls to eat, and then kindly asked them to return to the kingdom of the dead.
From the second half of the XIX century. in the village social and family life there have been significant changes. The aggravation of class stratification has noticeably weakened fellow villagers' communication and family ties.
The remnants of communal life disappeared, the yards became more and more isolated from each other. Especially well-to-do landlords dissociated themselves from less wealthy neighbors and relatives. Public life took on new organizational forms.
Until the middle of the XIX century. the rural population did not have any associations, except for the volost community; in the middle of the century, numerous societies arose: singing choirs and orchestras, and on their basis musical and theatrical associations, further sobriety societies, etc. In the 70s, on the initiative of KR Jakobson, the organization of Estonian agricultural societies began. At the end of the century, the cooperative movement developed, peasant credit, insurance, consumer societies, etc. appeared. New societies began to emerge primarily in the more economically developed southern Estonia, but soon became widespread. The organizers of these new forms of social life were usually initiated by rural teachers. Since the 1880s, evenings with amateur drama performances and dances have become one of the favorite entertainments.
Many societies built special buildings that served as clubs along with school buildings. The fact that with the development of capitalism the connection between town and country was strengthened was especially noticeable in Estonia because during the same period the percentage of the Estonian population in cities was growing rapidly, the working class was being formed and a national intelligentsia was taking shape.
From the cities, in turn, influences in the field of public life penetrate into the countryside. So, at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries. first in cities, and since the 1920s and in villages, voluntary sports societies are organized, primarily cyclists and weightlifters, and later others.
At the beginning of the XX century. the first women's organizations arose in the cities in Tartu, etc.). Their activity was limited to the organization of courses in handicraft and cooking, as well as the protection of mothers and babies, the organization of charity bazaars, etc. The number of public and cooperative associations (dairy, marketing, etc.) grew rapidly. In the 1930s, some cooperatives numbered about 3.5 thousand. They were organized on a capitalist basis, the leading role in them was played by the large rural bourgeoisie.
Numerous voluntary women's and youth organizations have sprung up in rural areas. The bourgeoisie increasingly used these organizations to propagate nationalist sentiments. And the church, trying to revitalize its activities, sought to influence primarily the youth. However, the number of religious youth unions remained small. In opposition to the bourgeois, progressive youth organizations also emerged and operated (the Society of Young Proletarians, the Socialist Union of Estonian Youth), which had connections with underground communist organizations.
The government, especially in the 30s, embarking on a course towards a fascist dictatorship, in every possible way tried to distract the public from the political struggle. For this purpose, various organizations were created and numerous government campaigns were carried out, which served to inculcate among the masses of bourgeois ideology, the principles of "class peace and national unity."
Although bourgeois public organizations contributed to a certain extent to the dissemination of knowledge on the improvement of the home environment, the popularization of choral singing, folk dances, folk costumes, etc., on the whole they played a reactionary role and were not popular among the people.
With the development of capitalist relations in the countryside, there were sharp changes in family life. The patriarchal collective of household members of the peasant household - "pere", broke up. The need for hired labor in peasant households fell sharply. A significant number of farm laborers were forced to work in the manors, forming the poorest stratum of the rural proletariat (the so-called monacad) characteristic of Estonia. Since the landlords were nevertheless forced to resort to hired labor, they preferred to hire single people. This gave rise to an abnormal phenomenon in the Estonian village - a large number of landless people who were forced to give up the right to have their own family. This issue became especially important during the years of the bourgeois republic, when there was an acute shortage of workers in the villages. At this time, even the government was forced to agitate for the construction of special houses for workers in peasant yards, which would make it possible to hire family farm laborers. Such houses, however, were available only in the largest courtyards in southern Estonia.
The owner's family was sharply separated from their hired workers. In the South Estonian kulak farms, they often began to feed the farm laborers separately from the owner's family. On the whole, the position of farm laborers, especially in large capitalist farms, has noticeably deteriorated.
Since the time when the yards became the private property of the peasants, they have also become the most important object of inheritance. Usually the whole farm passed to one of the children, and the rest had to look for other means of livelihood, which was not easy in the conditions of bourgeois Estonia. As a rule, there were no material opportunities for creating separate households for all children. Therefore, quarrels and litigations often arose between joint heirs. In those cases when parents passed the farm on to their children during their lifetime, they usually left the yard and settled separately, on a bean allotment.
The life of a peasant family was confined to the yard. The peasants had little contact not only with their fellow villagers, but also with their relatives. It is characteristic that the number of kinship terms used in colloquial language has greatly decreased over the past hundred years. Basically, only the terms denoting the closest relatives (uncle, aunt, etc.) remained.
Traditional family rituals have also disappeared. This process went, however, unevenly: in; In some peripheral areas (on the islands, among the Setos), the old traditions were preserved longer. New customs, penetrating from the city, spread primarily among the wealthy strata of the peasantry. The rapid growth of the Estonian urban population, which retained close ties with the countryside, also played a significant role in this. Old rituals were forgotten or acquired only a humorous character. The main family holiday, the wedding, lost almost all traditional features, its celebration was reduced to one day, which also affected economic considerations. The marriage was usually sealed by a church wedding. True, during the period of the bourgeois dictatorship, civil registration of marriage, birth and death was introduced, but the influence of the church in family rituals diminished very slowly. Often, ceremonies such as baptism and weddings were performed at home. In wealthy families, they began to celebrate confirmation more solemnly, to arrange festive parties, etc. In poor families and among farm laborers, confirmation, as in the old days, was almost never celebrated. It is characteristic that during the years of the bourgeois dictatorship, the children of wealthy peasants usually went to the spring, and the poor to the autumn confirmation.
After the restoration of Soviet power, enormous changes took place in the social and family life of Estonians, reflecting fundamental changes in the structure of the economy and society, as well as the restructuring of the entire cultural life. Changes in the people's way of life, especially among the peasantry, took place gradually. The views and customs that took shape in class society, characterized by strong individualism and permeated with religiosity, were quite widespread in the countryside even in the first years of Soviet power, when individual farms remained in the countryside. The beginning of a radical change in the life of the rural population was laid by mass collectivization in 1949. It created a solid foundation for the emergence of new, socialist social relations and traditions.
After the restoration of Soviet power, all nationalist societies, both in the city and in the countryside, were liquidated.
The most important role in the social life of the urban and rural population is now played by the party and Komsomol organizations, among children - the pioneer. Sports, youth, amateur societies, unions and collectives, the same as in the other republics of the Soviet Union, were organized everywhere on the new democratic basis. At the same time, the prerequisites for the rapid development of amateur performances arose, the work of choral groups, orchestras of folk instruments, folk dance ensembles, etc. has revived and expanded. In connection with the constant growth of the material well-being of the working people, the cultural services of the rural population have significantly changed, numerous comfortable clubs have been created. with stationary cinema installations, people's houses and houses of culture, the activities of sports organizations have been expanded.
The everyday life included the celebration of new Soviet holidays: the anniversaries of the Great October Socialist Revolution, Soviet Estonia, as well as international workers' holidays - May 1, International Women's Day on March 8. These holidays are characterized by the fact that they are celebrated not only at home, in the family, but also in the collective - at enterprises, on collective and state farms. Collective and state farms also celebrate the annual harvest festival, which is held after the results of the year are summed up.
In the field of family life, transformation processes are still ongoing, as family rituals and traditions are known to change relatively slowly.
First of all, it should be noted that in Estonia the average family size is the smallest in the entire Soviet Union - 3.5 people (according to the 1959 census). To some extent, this is also a consequence of the war. The small size of families is explained, on the other hand, by the fact that young couples now do not depend on their parents financially, do not expect an inheritance from them and have the full opportunity to live separately. The economic independence of all family members eliminated the ugly phenomena that the capitalist system had engendered. Disputes between parents and children disappeared, between brothers and sisters over inheritance and dowry, unequal marriages of convenience disappeared.
A certain part of the older generation, especially in rural areas, is still influenced by the church. It happens that old people who observe church rituals tend to persuade young people to join them.
However, thanks to the consistent explanatory work carried out in the press, at school, the Komsomol, cultural and educational institutions and various other organizations, broad strata of the people realized the reactionary essence of religion. The number of members of all church communities has dropped sharply. Religion no longer plays any important role in the social and cultural life of the Estonian people.
Only some folk traditions, for example, "the bride's bridegroom", are firmly preserved both in the city and in the countryside. True, their meaning and character have changed. Now all the relatives and, as a rule, workmates come to the bride. With the penetration of urban customs into the village, the traditional barley porridge for a woman in labor was replaced by a new treat - a pretzel if a newborn is a boy, and a cake if a girl. Usually a silver spoon, as well as children's clothes, etc. are given "for a tooth".
Traditional wedding ceremonies in Estonia have already disappeared (excluding Kihnu island). Most of those who marry are limited to registration at the registry office. The refusal to conclude church marriages was facilitated by the great work of recent years to create new rites for civil registration of marriage. The wedding ceremony in the Tallinn registry office is especially beautiful and festive. People come here from the rural areas closest to the capital. Of the old wedding traditions, only a few have survived * that have a humorous nature: blocking the road for a wedding train, etc. The nature of gifts to young people has become completely different. Now they give dishes, household items, collectively make valuable gifts: televisions, radios, washing machines, etc.
Nowadays, the circle of guests invited to the wedding has greatly expanded. Now, in addition to relatives, workmates and acquaintances are coming. Komsomol weddings are often arranged.
In recent years, civil funerals have also begun to spread in the villages. In a number of places, annual days of civil commemoration of the deceased are now held in cemeteries.
Confirmation is still held annually in churches in Estonia, but the number of confirmations is decreasing every year. This was facilitated in particular by the Komsomol summer youth holidays. They have been running since 1957 and quickly became popular. Usually, in each district, several groups of 18-20-year-olds are organized, gathering for 7-10 days. The program of "summer days" - lectures and talks on social behavior, practical lessons in home economics, sports games, dancing. They end with the solemn distribution of memorable gifts and certificates of participation in the holidays, followed by a concert, a general dinner, and dances.
An essential feature of modern development is the rapid process of blurring the lines between town and country. An important role in it is played by the change in living conditions in the countryside and the rise in the cultural level of the rural population. The widespread introduction of mechanization in agriculture and the electrification of the countryside meant a decisive change in working conditions in agricultural production. The unfolding construction of urban-type settlements will smooth out the difference in the living conditions between the villagers and the townspeople. Modern means of communication, radio, television allow residents of the most distant regions to keep abreast of the latest achievements of science and art.
The transition to cash wages and the development of trade made the urban assortment of industrial, food and cultural goods available to collective farmers and state farm workers. The cadres of rural intelligentsia are constantly growing, and the professions of machine operators, tractor drivers, etc. have become common in the modern countryside.
The extensive construction of people's houses of culture, numerous rural cinema installations, rural libraries, visiting performances of the best theaters of the republic - all these are clear features of the new in the Estonian countryside, testifying to the fact that the process of blurring the lines between town and country is developing with particular force. The continuous growth of the material well-being of the working people in town and country, the general rise in the culture of the entire Estonian people determines the formation of a new man, a man of the communist era.
January 1 - New Year
Holidays in Estonia are loved, they are celebrated cheerfully and noisily. New Year can be celebrated here four times. Russians living in Estonia meet him together with Russia (an hour before Estonian), then all together according to Estonian time, then according to the old style from January 13 to 14 and Eastern - in February.
First of all, a distinctive feature of this holiday is the abundance of food on the table. The traditional drink is champagne. As a rule, glasses are filled with them to the chime of the clock, in the last seconds of the outgoing year. New Year is celebrated in a noisy company with abundant treats and alcoholic drinks on the table, and colorful fireworks on the streets of the city. Almost all nightclubs and large hotels offer interesting programs on New Year's Eve.
After 24 hours, the roar of firecrackers is heard in the street and the sky is covered with rainbow splashes of fireworks. The festival lasts most of the night, and sometimes even into the morning. Although the New Year is not an original Estonian holiday, it has taken root in Estonia and is recognized as an official day off.
January 6 - Three Kings Day
The day is a national date associated with the religious calendar. On this day, it is mandatory to hang out the national tricolor flag.
Initially, January 6 was celebrated as the birthday of Christ. After the birthday of Christ on the calendar was postponed to Christmas, then January 6 began to celebrate the day of the three kings. To this day, in many European countries, including Estonia, the Day of the Three Kings is considered the end of the Christmas festivities.
February 2 - Day of the conclusion of the Treaty of Tartu
Immediately after the declaration of independence, Estonia was forced to wage a war of independence with Soviet Russia in the east and German troops in the south. During this war, Estonia strengthened its borders and on February 2, 1920, concluded the Tartu Peace Treaty with Soviet Russia.
February 2 - Candle Day
They say that on this day, winter is broken in half. On this day, ritual food was prepared: porridge and pork. Candles were also made. Candle Day is the first major holiday for women of the year. The women went to the tavern, and the men did the female housework that day. In the calendar of works, knitting and spinning began from that day.
February 5 - Maslenitsa (Vastlapäev)
On February 5, Estonia celebrates Vastlapäev, a holiday similar to the Russian Maslenitsa. According to the lunar calendar, Maslenitsa is a holiday that should fall on the first Tuesday of the new moon, the Tuesday of the seventh week before Easter (for Russians, Maslenitsa is the eighth week before Easter). The most important meal at Vastlapäev was pork legs, cooked with peas or beans, sometimes served with sauerkraut. Maslenitsa in Estonia is celebrated for only one day. On this day, it is customary to ride on sleds from slides, on horses and on ice on the river.
The longer the slide, the higher the flax will be generated. Recently there has been a tradition of eating buns with whipped cream. Today they are a kind of symbol of Maslenitsa in Estonia and are called Vastlakukkel. They are baked especially for this day. Usually, they disappear from store shelves a week after Shrovetide, only to reappear a year later. The bun is a round ball of yeast dough with a thinly cut cap. On the cut there is whipped cream, on top is the "cap" of the bun, cut off before and everything is sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sometimes bakers try to surprise consumers by adding sour jam, such as cranberry jam, under the whipped cream.
Another indispensable attribute of cooking is pea soup. Since Shrovetide is the last chance to eat well before fasting, people cook and eat a lot. They carefully prepare for Shrovetide: they flood steep slopes for skiing, build high ice and snow mountains, fortresses, towns.
February 14 - Valentine's Day (Valentine's Day)
In the last decade, it is customary in Estonia to celebrate such a holiday as Valentine's Day, which is really called Friends' Day. Lovers give each other gifts, friends exchange heart-shaped cards (valentines) with assurances of love and friendship.
February 24 - Estonian Independence Day
The Republic of Estonia was founded on February 24, 1918, when the independence of the Republic of Estonia was proclaimed by the Salvation Committee. This day was celebrated as Independence Day until the beginning of the Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940.
As hopes of restoring national independence rose in the late 1980s, people began publicly celebrating Independence Day even before the end of the Soviet occupation. Since the independence of the Republic of Estonia was restored on August 20, 1991, Independence Day is again celebrated as a public holiday and a day of remembrance for the Estonian people.
In February, frost usually intensifies, so the celebration is limited to a daytime parade in the city center, for which they prepare a week before the event.
In the evening, it is customary to celebrate with the family with a feast and watching a live broadcast of the reception of the President of the Republic of Estonia. Members of the government, prominent people of culture and entrepreneurs are invited to the reception. In the evening, multi-colored fireworks soar into the sky over the City Hall.
March 14 - Mother Language Day
On March 14, Estonia celebrates Emakeelepaev - Mother Language Day ("mother tongue" if translated literally).
The Estonian language belongs to the Uralic languages and represents the Finno-Ugric languages, being part of the southern group of the Baltic-Finnish languages. In terms of the number of speakers, it is one of the minor languages, with about 1.1 million people spoken, of which 950 thousand live in Estonia.
The Estonian language has three dialectical groups:
North Estonian, which includes insular, western, central and eastern dialects;
South Estonian, which includes Mulk, Tartu and Võru dialects;
A northeastern coastal dialect that has many similarities with the Baltic-Finnish languages.
Estonian writing is based on the Latin alphabet. The alphabet includes 32 letters.
The main rule to remember is to read as it is written. As for the Estonian grammar, first of all we are usually amazed by the number of cases - there are 14. But there is no gender category.
March - Good Friday
Good Friday precedes Easter and commemorates the day of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. The forms of celebrating Good Friday vary widely, from a simple remembrance or special worship among Protestants to a special liturgical rite in the Eastern Churches and a complex liturgical ceremony in the Roman Catholic Church. In the Catholic Church, the services of Good Friday are timed to coincide with 3 pm, when, according to tradition, Jesus Christ died. Although this service appears to be one, it actually consists of four distinct parts, each with its own origin and history.
The first, most ancient part, the ordering of the Word, was carried out in the ancient church in those cases when the sacrament of the Eucharist was not performed. It currently includes a series of readings from the Old Testament, culminating in a solemn reading of the story of the Passion of Christ by the Evangelist John. The second part consists of several prayers (dating back to the 5th century) for the fulfillment of all kinds of spiritual needs of all people on earth. The third part is the rite of worship of the cross associated with an ancient custom practiced by Christians in Jerusalem.
The crucifixion is covered with a veil on Sunday beginning Holy Week. Then the priest and his assistants remove the veil, after which the clergy and parishioners kiss the crucifix.
The last part of the Good Friday service is the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, during which the clergy and parishioners partake of the Holy Gifts, which were consecrated the day before (hence the name).
March - Catholic Easter
Easter is celebrated on two days: the first Easter day is the Sunday following Good Friday. And on Monday, the second Easter day is celebrated. The second day is not a day off.
The Easter period lasts fifty days and begins with the celebration of the Bright Resurrection of Christ (Easter), which falls on a period from March 22 to April 25. As the most important great holiday, Easter is celebrated for 8 days (octaves). On the fortieth day of the Easter period, the Feast of the Ascension is celebrated. The Easter period ends with the holiday of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, celebrated on the 50th day after the holiday of Easter.
With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, the basic rules for calculating the day of Easter, which are guided by the Western Church, remained the same, but the calendar reform introduced some changes in the procedure for calculating Easter. Therefore, the dates of the celebration of Western and Eastern Easter coincide extremely rarely and, as a rule, have a discrepancy of one week (sometimes this discrepancy reaches 1 month).
April 30 - Walpurgis Night
Walpurgis Night has been celebrated in Estonia on the night from April 30 to May 1 since ancient times. According to legend, on this night, witches gather for a sabbath, where they dance and sing, so a terrible noise must be raised in the city in order to scare away evil forces, which the local youth is successfully doing. Although in the old Estonian traditions, witches were benevolent and treated people. If it rains on May 1, they say that "the old witches are soaring."
Walpurgis Night is the most significant of the pagan fertility festivals.
Walpurgis Night is celebrated on the night of April 30 to commemorate the blossoming of spring. The name Walpurgis Night is associated with the name of Saint Walpurgis, a Wimbourne nun (England) who came to Germany in 748 with the aim of founding a monastery. She died on February 25, 777 in Heidenheim. She was extremely popular, and very soon they began to venerate her as a saint. In the Roman list of saints, her day is May 1. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that Walpurgis Night was the night of the feast of witches.
Now, on the night of April 30 to May 1, Walpurgis Night is celebrated throughout Central and Northern Europe - this is a celebration of the welcome of spring, when huge bonfires are lit to discourage witches who flock to the Sabbath that night.
The program of the holiday has not changed for over 100 years: old games like our burners, student choirs and traditional bonfires on the eve of Walpurgis Night.
May 1 - Spring Day
In the Middle Ages (until the middle of the 16th century), a beautiful holiday was celebrated in May, symbolizing the arrival of spring. On this day, various shooting and horse racing tournaments were held. The winner of the racing and target shooting tournament became the May Count, who chose the May Countess among the girls.
An elegant cavalcade, led by them, drove into the city, and a great feast and ball were held until nightfall. This tradition has now been resumed during the Old City Days in early June.
May - Mother's Day
In Estonia, Mother's Day has been celebrated since 1992 on the second Sunday in May. This day is considered a holiday for mothers and pregnant women only. Estonians decorate houses with flags. Matinees and concerts for mothers are held in kindergartens and schools. Children give their mothers homemade gifts.
June 4 - Estonian Flag Day
The tricolor received the status of the state flag of the Republic of Estonia in 1922 and fluttered on the Long Hermann tower until 1940. In the early 1990s, on the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the Estonian people again openly carried the blue-black-white tricolor in their hands.
The flag is raised above the Long Hermann tower at sunrise, and lowered at sunset. The raising of the flag is accompanied by the melody of the Estonian anthem.
June 23 - John's Day
The second most important holiday after Christmas is Midsummer's Day. It is traditionally celebrated in villages and farmsteads and is considered a day of miracles and witchcraft. The girls wove wreaths of nine different types of flowers that day, nine flowers of each type. When the wreath was put on the head, not a word could be said. The girl went to bed with him. According to legend, in a dream, the future spouse should have come to her and remove the wreath.
A traditional important summer holiday and the day of the summer equinox. On the eve of Midsummer's Day, bonfires are burned, then all night long they dance, sing, drink beer, jump over the fire and look for a fern flower in the forest, which, according to legend, blooms only on Midsummer's night. The one who finds the flower will find great wealth and happiness. A bonfire was made on a mountain or by the sea. Swimming in rivers and lakes, like the Russians in the old days on the day of Ivan Kupala, is not common among Estonians. But on this day they love to go to the sauna. It is accepted that bath brooms should be prepared only before June 24. Since it is believed that after Midsummer's Day, the broom does not have healing power.
The main holiday that has come down to us from distant pagan times, which is still celebrated by the peoples of Europe, is timed to this sacrament. It is called differently in different countries. It was believed that on Midsummer's night one should not sleep until dawn - not only because one can hear the singing of elves, but above all for the purpose of a talisman for the whole coming year.
Celebrations in honor of the holiday began in the evening and lasted all night, ending with the meeting of the dawn - the rising sun. Until 1770, Midsummer's Day was an official holiday. Its abolition, however, did not become a reason for the people to lose interest in it - on the contrary, Midsummer's night remained a favorite national holiday. Compared to Christmas and Easter, this holiday has much less to do with church celebrations. Most of all the ancient pagan customs are associated with Midsummer night.
Perhaps the main tradition timed to coincide with Midsummer's night is bonfires. Since ancient times, people have believed that fire can protect against evil forces. Fire is the most powerful and effective purifying element: everything dirty and obsolete can burn in it, but the fire itself always remains pure. Bonfires on Midsummer's night were kindled in several ways.
The fire itself was intended to "help" the sun to overcome the top of the sky, it symbolized the victory of light over darkness. By lighting a fire and supporting it until the morning, people seemed to welcome the new sun. The peasants tried to make the fire as big as possible - it was considered a matter of honor. On this occasion, competitions were often held - who had a higher and brighter flame. As a rule, several yards or farmsteads gathered on a common bonfire, where young and old took part in preparing a large bonfire. Now, the local authorities are trying to help organize the holiday.
Each district of the city has its own largest bonfire, songs and dances. The venue for the celebration is usually chosen near water bodies (sea or lake). Local newspapers publish a summary of the events. Both before and after the celebrations, thereby comparing the size of the fire, the number of people who attended the celebrations, as well as the amount of beer drunk on these days. Since it is beer that is considered the main drink of this holiday. Beer producers long before Midsummer's Day begin their advertising campaigns timed to coincide with the holiday. Drawings of valuable prizes are held in the afternoon from 22 to 24 June.
Of course, in our day, many of the customs are either forgotten, or performed purely formally. However, the holiday is alive, and still embodies the triumph of summer, fertility, the flowering of vitality.
June 23 - Victory Day in the Battle of Võnnu in Estonia
June 23 - Victory Day (victory in the Battle of Võnnu). On June 23, 1919, Estonian troops repelled the attack of the German troops of Landeswehr and won a victory in the city of Võnnu (Cesis, Northern Latvia).
August 20 - Day of Restoration of Independence of Estonia
On August 20, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR made a decision to restore the independence of Estonia on the basis of the principle of the historical succession of the Estonian statehood.
August 24 - Partel's Day
It was believed that autumn begins from the day of Partel. They said that Pyartel "throws a cold stone into the water", that is, the reservoirs are cooled. By the day of Pyartel, the rye harvest was supposed to end, because the harvest of potatoes was coming, and the harvest of spring crops was still going on. They began washing and shearing the sheep. It was believed that a sheep sheared on Pyartel's day would give long wool.
Hops were used to make beer. The hops harvested on Pärtel's day had to be especially good because Pärtel gave the hops a final bitterness. Partel's Day is one of the hundred significant dates in the Estonian folk calendar.
October 31 - Halloween - All Saints Day (Samhain)
The holiday is marked by processions through the city in carnival costumes.
Millions of people in different parts of the world celebrate Halloween - “All Saints' Eve” every year.
Children dress up in extraordinarily scary costumes and ugly masks. With bags in hand, they go from house to house, frightening with their appearance both children and adults. According to custom, they must be given gifts, otherwise they can harm the house or the owner. Small children usually do not carry out their threats, and having received a present, they leave.
According to some reports, the Druids believed that on this evening Samhain (the god of the dead) summoned evil spirits that had dwelt in the bodies of animals over the past year. Other pagan peoples believed that on this evening all the spirits of the dead over the past year visited their homes and therefore tables were laid for them and the doors were left open for fear that if the spirits did not find food and shelter, they would cruelly avenge the living for this inattention to them. ... The making of all kinds of sacrifices was also a common occurrence that evening.
For northern peoples, the holiday began on the eve of November 1. It was believed that the souls of good people after death are carried away by good spirits to heaven, and the souls of evil people remain to wander in the skies, disturbing the living and therefore need to be appeased at least once a year.
Winter, which began with Halloween (November 1), opened the year. This is a time of mercy, selfless help to their families, the old, the sick and the dying, people begin to appreciate the experience even in a culture that honors youth, to preserve the ancient shrines and cultural heritage of the world, including the wisdom of the aborigines. On this day, the ability to clairvoyance may wake up.
The colors of this day are fiery red, brown, black - the colors of fire, the colors of torches. On Halloween night, the fire on the altar is not just a tribute to the gods - it guards your hearth, protects it with its clear, even light. Let there be a lot of candles. You can make traditional pumpkin lamps and place candles lit from the altar in them. You can create additional fixtures from orange glass vessels and place tealight candles inside. Such lamps are placed on window sills and behind the threshold. They drive away not only uninvited guests from the World of Spirits, but also protect your home from the designs of your enemies, from envy and anger that may be directed at you.
November 9 - Father's Day
The first time Father's Day was massively celebrated on June 19, 1910 in Washington, and since then many families in America have begun to congratulate fathers, but Father's Day became all-American only in 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson declared the third Sunday of June a national holiday. Traditionally, during the annual celebrations, the state and ordinary citizens rush to support low-income dads who are raising children alone.
Father's Day has been celebrated in Estonia on the second Sunday in November since 1992. On the eve, themed matinees are held in kindergartens, and concerts for dads are held in schools. Children give dads homemade cards and gifts (usually cut out of paper and painted ties or cars). On Father's Day, flags are flown.
November 10 - March day
Several holidays associated with spirits have survived to this day. March is the patron saint of grain growers. On this day, they slaughtered cattle, cooked blood sausage, brewed beer, baked barley cakes and ate their fill. Then they played games and dressed up.
Earlier on this day it was customary to distribute food to the poor. The beggars were divided into two groups: some lived by alms, others played performances, entertaining the people, living off this. Therefore, now on this day you can see the mummers singing and asking for food.
November 25 - Kadrin day
Several holidays associated with spirits have survived to this day. Kadri is the patroness of sheep, so young cattle were mated on her day. On this day, as on March day, mummers walk the streets. They go from door to door. So do not be alarmed when you open the door to the bell or knock and see three or even seven children whose faces are painted and their clothes are not quite ordinary. They just want to sing you a song and get treats in return.
December 24 - Catholic Christmas Eve
The Christmas period begins on December 24 with the eve of the Nativity of Christ and ends on the Sunday after the feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6. Even in Soviet times, the main holiday for local residents has always been Christmas, which is celebrated from December 24 to 25. On the eve of the holy feast, believers go to church for the Christmas service.
In 2005, December 24 was declared an additional day off and, therefore, December 23 is a shortened working day. The day before Christmas Eve, there is the last opportunity to decorate your home, bring a Christmas tree, and buy groceries.
Christmastide began on the day of Toomas (Thomas) - December 21. From that day, they began to prepare Christmas dishes, put on beer, and did the pre-holiday cleaning. All chores should be completed by this day.
The tradition of putting up a Christmas tree at Christmas is associated with Lutheranism and German-speaking countries. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Christmas tree was not yet widespread, straw was brought into the house and Christmas decorations were made from straw, as well as the first or last sheaf left from the harvest.
Many people weave Christmas wreaths from pine, spruce and fir branches and decorate with candles, ribbons, and wooden figurines. You can hang it over a door, on a wall, or place it on a Christmas table. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to relax with friends, to visit. Because Christmas is considered a family holiday, which is celebrated mainly in a narrow circle of the family. Previously, pork with vegetables, necessarily rye bread, was served on the table, sausage with barley grits was prepared, later - blood sausage. Roasted goose and Christmas piparkook are a twentieth-century innovation.
December 25 - Christmas
The first day of Christmas is December 25 (Esimene Jõulupüha). December 25 is the main day of the holiday and the day of the winter solstice, an increase in daylight hours begins. This holiday is especially delightful for children, because they are eagerly awaiting gifts. These are usually candies and other sweets. During the Christmas period, the delicious smell of the traditional winter food - blood sausages (verivorst) - can be heard everywhere. They are prepared from pearl barley wrapped in pork intestine with the addition of blood.
Also, during the cold winter season, there is nothing more pleasant than drinking spicy hot wine (hõõgvein), which is offered in almost all bars and cafes. This holiday is especially delightful for children, because they are eagerly awaiting gifts. These are usually candies and other sweets. December 26 is the second day of Christmas. Both days are public holidays and weekends.
