67 | Why Traditions Matter
Hey Friends,
The formal holiday season finished but I keep thinking it brings a sense of excitement and magic is truly in the air.
In our fast paced and multitasking life, traditions are more important than ever before. They offer discipline, stability and predictability. They comfort us, give us a sense of belonging, and make us feel safe and secure.
Last Christmas I spent time in Lithuania and realised how important the traditions are. Five traditions in Lithuania:
🥛 Kūčiukai With Poppy Milk
Kūčiukai are very tiny biscuits served with freshly made poppy milk that are only eaten during the Christmas season. You'd never see Lithuanians having this dish any other period. So, if you want to try it, few weeks before Christmas is your best chance.
🐖 Animals can talk at night?
Pulling straws from beneath the table is fun but the message is that whoever gets the bigger one, will live a longer life. Also, Lithuanians believe that animals start talking at midnight on Kūčios (Christmas Eve).
🎅🏻 Santa Claus
Santa has a lot of kids to visit around the world, so he doesn't always have time to visit all the countries, so this is exactly why Lithuanians came to an agreement with Santa and dress up as him to surprise their kids on Kūčios. That is how Lithuanian kids grow up believing in Santa Claus.
⛪ Going to Church
Lithuania is largely a Catholic society, so many visit the local church on Christmas. However, there seems to be something about this holiday that inspires even those who aren’t particularly religious to go to Mass. So, yes, many people in Lithuania only go to church for weddings, funerals and Christmas.
❄️ Snow
Lithuanians always prefer to have some snow during the Christmas holiday. Last year it was not an exception. I had never seen a Lithuania that white before. And yet, Christmas is always associated with snow in Lithuania.
What are the traditions in your country?
Have a great week!
Alejandro
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In episode four of our first travel series The NORTH Call -Christmas, we stay in Lithuania with the main objective of understanding the traditions of the country most people know nothing about. Here's the video.
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