The Lighting of the Candles in Estonia During Christmas

The lighting of candles is an ancient Christmas tradition.

In Estonia, Christmas traditions are a combination of pagan and folk beliefs and modern religious practices. One distinctive Christmas Eve tradition is the lighting of candles, both in local cemeteries and in homes. The celebration of light began in ancient times as a solstice ritual and continued through the communist era and into the present day.

History

Joulud celebrates the midwinter sun.

In Estonia, people celebrated the winter solstice, Joulud, for thousands of years before the Christian era. During these celebrations, they would celebrate the lengthening day and the strengthening of the sun by lighting candles and illuminating their homes and villages. Even after Christianity came to Estonia, these practices were incorporated into the celebration of Christmas.

Pagan Roots

Estonians light Advent candles to count down to Christmas.

In Estonia, as in other Scandinavian countries, folk tradition holds that the winter solstice, celebrated between Dec. 21 and 25, is the "sun's birthday," and the lighting of candles is a way to worship the day when "the sun laid in the nest." Christmas celebrations begin before Dec. 25 by making Advent calendars and lighting candles in preparation for the holiday.

Gravestone Candles

Candles at cemeteries became a form of protest.

Christmas has always been held by the Estonians to be the most sacred time of year, when spirits are present and fortunes can be told. Ancient folk beliefs called for the lighting of candles at the gravestones of relatives in order to drive back evil spirits. During the communist era, the formal celebration of Christmas was banned in Estonia, but people continued this tradition as a form of peaceful protest.

Traditions of Light

Christmas trees, borrowed from Germany, quickly caught on.

In the mid-19th century, Estonians also adopted the German tradition of the Christmas tree, which they decorated with candles and electric fairy lights and placed in homes, schools and churches.Traditionally, Estonian homes keep a fire burning in the fireplace all Christmas night as a form of sun worship, and this celebration of light has continued.

Chandelier Crowns

Estonians bring straw indoors to make chandelier-like crowns.

Borrowed from Finland, the ancient custom of bringing straw into the home to make Christmas crowns, in imitation of the lights on church chandeliers, was an important ritual in Estonian homes. It fell out of favor in the 19th and 20th centuries in favor of more modern beliefs, but was revived in the 1970s.

References

• Christmas Customs in Estonia
• Christmas Celebrations: Christmas Candles

Resources

• EveryCulture: Culture of Estonia