Easter superstitions and Christmas magic
Hi everyone around the world, here in Finland we are in the middle of the darkest period of our entire year. Toni you asked me about the darkness. I guess we are so used it that we have learned to live with the dark. It is the time, when we gather strength by reading and contemplating, but no, we do not sleep through the winter. Marianna, thank you for your recipe, I am trying to honor it.
HYOSHIL you asked about Easter witch tradition. As it often is with major Holy days, certain superstitions are part of Easter also. People used to believe that witches were especially active and the magic was powerful during Easter week. Even in modern times (say about 30 years ago) it was believed that old women practiced black magic by hurting animals in their shelters. I do remember this very well from my childhood days, a few elderly women did used to do it.
According to tales, Easter witches move about by flying around with the help of a broomstick. In the Nordic countries, witches fly between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. According to popular belief, witches were old women who had sold themselves to the devil. In some parts of Western Finland, the custom of burning bonfires on Holy Saturday for scaring witches remains.
Why my daughter Katri in my previous blog was dressed up as an Easter witch? It is part of Easter celebration that children with sooty faces and scarves tied round their heads go begging, carrying baskets, coffee pots and bunches of decorated “virpovitsa” willow twigs.
Pussy willows are ancient Easter decorations. I am sorry to say that – no matter how we tried – Katri was not able to take off and fly! The broomstick just would not fly! In Finland children began walking around villages dressed as witches as early as the 1800s and they still do so.
Nice to see you Filippo are still here also. Hania my best to you! And my warmest regards to everyone, I want to wish you all a very wonderful Christmas time from the land of Santa.
Comments
Hi Leila, you forgot to sign the blog but I realized that it was you. It seems that while I was publishing my blog your blog was published too. So I didn't have the opportunity to read it first. I want to tell you that though your traditions are quite different from ours, I found them very interesting and I wonder how it is to have a White Christmas in the dark :-) See you, Cris
Hi all, it was more or less deliberate for not signing my post, but looking back at my writ now, I decided to let you know that is was Leila from Finland who was sending her Christmas wishes to everyone from the land of Santa. Best to all… and Santa I have been as good as I have been able to. So maybe a small present is be due?
Hi Leila! How spellbinding tales they are!Thank you very very much for telling us the tales, and do you think I can get a book of the tales in English? I'd love to give it to my son whose birthday is just around corner.I wish you and your family to have a marvellous Christmas and a Happy New Year.see you againxx
Hi Leila! Yes, I came up with the idea you let it deliberaltely to feel like Santa, what marwellous he looks like in the picture! Greetings to Katri your husband and Dad!
Hi Leila,I am curious that an Easter witch and an Esater wizard, who is more powerful? If a kid decorates as a Easter wizard, could s/he speak out a charm? I hope I can be as powerful as an Easter wizard to fly to a place of snow. Best wishes, James.
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