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  •   Festival  

  • This event has been completed
    Latvia Winter Solstice Celebration - December 22
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  • Ziemassvetki
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  • October 22, 2011 - December 25, 2011
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  • Latvia
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  •   Latvian Region, Latvia
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  • Introduction  
  • This is the traditional Christmas holiday. Although now it is now celebrated on the evening of December 24th and during December 25th, it appears that it used to be a three-day celebration, beginning on the winter solstice (December 22nd). Latvian "mummers" might dress up as animals (bears, horses, cranes) or as Death. They would go from house to house and were warmly greeted, as they were assumed to drive away evil spirits. They would arrive in groups in front of the house, and sing songs and dance. Then they would be invited in and fed with bacon buns butter, sausages, and given ale to drink. They made a special effort to disguise their voices and mannerisms, so that no one would be able to guess who each one was, but if a mummer was correctly identified, he or she would have to "unveil", i.e. remove the cloth which was covering their face. So come and enjoy the festival.


     
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