Submitted by Triinu
on
This blog post was written by our student ambassador Ana, who is a student of the semiotics programme at the University of Tartu.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year once again! Christmas is coming, and the streets, shops, restaurants, and university buildings in Estonia are decorated with Christmas trees, lights, and other festive decorations. Ever wondered what the Christmas traditions of Estonia are? How do Estonians celebrate Christmas? What are the most important customs of preparing for and celebrating Christmas in Estonia? In this blog, I will present the most popular Christmas traditions observed annually in Estonian households, as well as folk traditions associated with Christmas celebrations. I will also share my own stories and adventures of spending Christmas in Estonia, away from my home country and family. For those of you foreign students who are staying in Estonia during the Christmas holidays, I hope you will find this blog interesting and maybe even get inspired to try out some Estonian Christmas traditions yourselves.
Estonian Christmas Traditions
First, the Estonian word for Christmas is jõul or jõulud in the plural. It comes from the Nordic jul (derived from jól), an ancient Nordic winter feast celebrating the winter solstice. This indicates that the roots of Estonian Christmas celebrations are connected to the winter solstice. If you want to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Estonian, you say: Häid jõule! (“Good Christmases” when translated literally, since the word Christmas is plural in Estonian). Estonians celebrate Christmas Eve (Jõululaupäev), and on that day they have Christmas dinner, visit their relatives, and open presents. Christmas Day is not as important to them as Christmas Eve. In Estonia, the Christmas period begins on St. Thomas’s Day (Toomasepäev) on the 21st of December and lasts until the 6th of January (Epiphany). In Estonian folk traditions, Christmas or jõulud represented “the birthday of the sun.” It was believed that the sun lay in its nest, symbolizing the shortest day of the year. After that, the days would become longer and the light would return. On the winter solstice, St. Thomas’s Day, families in rural areas of Estonia would brew ale, slaughter pigs, and complete household chores, while noisy activities such as spinning or grinding were not allowed, as it was believed they disturbed spirits. During Christmas Eve (Jõululaupäev), families would leave food on the table overnight as an offering to their ancestors, who were believed to visit households during the winter solstice. Fires also burned throughout the night, symbolizing the return of light and longer days. After all the preparations, families would go to the sauna to purify their souls, ensuring a fresh and pure start to the new year. People would also bring straw or hay into their homes, as straw represents fertility, and children would play on it. The most popular and beloved figures of Estonian Christmas traditions are Jõuluvana and päkapikk. Jõuluvana (“Old Man Jul”) is the Estonian version of Santa Claus, who brings presents on Christmas Eve. From the 1st of December until Christmas Eve (the 24th of December), children leave socks or boots on their windows so that päkapikk can visit them. Päkapikk (a dwarf) is a small, fairy-like creature who lives in the forest and brings small gifts such as candy or fruit to good children. He places the gifts into socks or boots on the window and visits every night from the 1st to the 24th of December, leaving small surprises and making children happy and excited for Christmas. The most popular Christmas food in Estonia is pork with sauerkraut (hapukapsas) and blood sausages (verivorstid) served with cranberry sauce. This food is still commonly eaten on Christmas Eve in Estonian families today.
My Christmases in Estonia Over the Years
I have spent four Christmases in Estonia. This Christmas, I am finally going home to spend it with my family. Even though nothing beats spending the holidays at home with loved ones, my Christmases in Estonia have been quite beautiful and memorable as well. For my first Christmas in Estonia, I went to Otepää, also known as the winter capital of Estonia, with my flatmates at the time and their friends. We visited the Winter Village, a place with snow tubing and reindeer mascots. We didn’t go snow tubing, but we did take pictures with a reindeer mascot. Since it was 2 degrees and snow was everywhere, my flatmates and their friends felt cold and stayed in the car, while I went for a walk to explore Otepää. The town truly took my breath away, with its parish church, bear statues, Christmas decorations, and colorful wooden houses, which gave the winter capital a rustic, fairy-tale charm. It was a true white Christmas experience and an inspiring walk. The next Christmas, I went to Tallinn with a friend from Spain. We visited the Tallinn Christmas Market, which becomes more beautiful and majestic every year. We enjoyed the smells of sausages, sauerkraut, gingerbread cookies, and hot chocolate while strolling through the colorful stands, carousels, and the giant jõulukuusk (Christmas tree). After that, we walked through the streets of the Old Town and had lunch at one of its restaurants. We also visited Kadriorg Park, which was stunning under the snow, and went to the seaside to see the Russalka (Mermaid) monument. It was the best Christmas ever, and my personal favorite Christmas in Estonia. The last two Christmases, I spent walking through the snowy streets of Tartu, visiting the Tartu Christmas Market, and eating lots of cakes and sweets.
My Suggestions for Foreign Students
My suggestion to all foreign students spending the Christmas holidays in Estonia is to visit Otepää and explore the Winter Village, which is fun and full of great adventures. You can also go on a hike in a bog or along a hiking trail—Taevaskoja and Endla are breathtaking in every season. If you prefer something warm and relaxing, saunas and winter cottages are always a great option. Visiting Christmas markets and going for winter walks are also wonderful ways to enjoy the season. In any case, have a wonderful Christmas and an inspiring New Year. May the upcoming holidays bring you lots of joy, amazing adventures, and success! Häid jõule ja Head uut aastat!
Find out which international degree programmes are available for you in Estonia.
Read more blog posts: