It was in the year 1510 that the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree was started by merchants in Riga. By Christmas experts this is considered the very start of today's global tradition of decorating the Christmas tree. Old Riga is well-known for its many wonderful Christmas trees. It is particularly recommended to have a look at the trees on the Dome Square and the Town Hall Square. In year 2010 Riga will celebrate the 500th anniversary of this Christmas tree tradition.
Estonia, means, literally 'my Country'. When an author first contacted the Estonian government for information about their Christmas, in 1983/4, the apologetic reply was that the country, under Soviet regime, did not have a Christmas. The most recent requests, to a school, showed that not only do they enjoy a Christmas, but have obviously done so, discreetly, for centuries, as their customs have not been lost. There are 3 main groups, the Catholic and Orthodox Christians, the Lutherans and the Atheists.
Christmas time is still the most important holiday celebrated in Estonia. For Estonians, Christmas is a mixture of the traditional, the modern, the secular, and the religious. Like in other Nordic states, Estonia's celebration of Christmas mostly falls on Christmas Eve, however Christmas season starts in Advent with people buying Advent calendars or lighting Advent candles.
In Estonian folk-tradition Christmas has a double meaning: on one hand, it is marking Christ's birth, on the other, it marks the whole period of mid-winter holidays. In Estonia Christmas with it's simple and pagan character of the festivities, the magic and mysticism combine with the sacred and spiritual.
In earlier times, the tradition of making special Christmas crowns, imitating the church chandeliers, was widespread among the Estonians. The tradition disappeared around the turn of the century and was replaced by other Christmas symbols however, there was a revival of the ancient tradition in 1970s when it became very popular to make Christmas crowns once more.
During Christmas the eating of traditional Estonian food, pork and Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) with potatoes or blood pudding and meat jelly. There are also fruit and different kinds of sweets and cakes on the table. Gingersnaps are of many different shapes - gingerbread men and women, little stars and moons, birds, cats, dogs rabbits, deer, swans and bears.
Each year on December 24 the President of Estonia declares Christmas Peace and attends a Christmas service. Declaring a Christmas Peace is a 350 year old tradition which began in the seventeenth century by order of Queen Kristina of Sweden.
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