Traditions

• Meteņi - The end of winter festivities

  Celebrated in February or early March, seven weeks before Easter. The festival involves feasting and indulging in food and drink. Traditionally, parents toss gifts to their children from above, imitating the practice of the ancient goddess Laima, who is believed to distribute gifts from the heavens.

• Ķekatas - Winter trick or treating

  Participating in ‘ķekatas’, as it is known in Latvian, was a significant aspect of the entire winter season and its festivities. It involves dressing up in costumes and roaming from one neighbor’s house to the next – bursting in with loud songs and dances, demanding food and drink, and playing pranks on people. These mummers were believed to bring blessings and fertility to their hosts.

• Easter - Spring equinox

  In Latvian folklore, the spring equinox, known as Lieldienas, represents the midpoint of spring when night and day are of equal length. The sun plays a significant role in the celebration, as its return and the lengthening of days signify its triumph over darkness. Similar to the Christian Easter holiday, hard-boiled eggs are a customary food item, symbolizing the beginning of life. They are customarily dyed in natural dyes, such as onion skins or red cabbage.

• Christmas - Winter celebration

  Winter solstice (or ziemassvētki) was significant in marking important changes in nature. One notable ritual is dragging a yuletide log throughout the homestead and fields, then setting it ablaze as a symbol of the beginning of a new life cycle

• Mārtiņi - Harvest celebration

  Mārtiņi occurs in November and signifies the midpoint between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice. Mārtiņi falls after the harvest, making it a celebration of prosperity with an abundance of delicious food – traditionally, a variety of meats along with root vegetables, cabbage, bread, apples, cranberries, and grey peas.

The folk costumes currently worn have been adopted from different historical periods:

• 7-13th centuries

  The (usually) blue and brown costumes adorned with bronze jewelry are based on archaeological findings from the 7th to 13th centuries, during which the ancient Baltic and Liv tribes inhabited Latvia.

• Middle ages to 19th century

  The more commonly seen Latvian folk costumes are the colorful and patterned ethnographic costumes, which originated from the Middle Ages and through the 18th and 19th centuries.

  Each region had its own customary folk costume style, similar to Scottish tartans that can identify a clan. The more decorative costumes were reserved for special occasions, such as going to church, weddings, or christenings.

• Folk costumes today

  Latvian folk costumes are revered and maintained, and are to this day worn, mostly on special occasions. They are most typically seen at cultural performances (such as singing or dancing) and cultural celebrations (such as summer and winter solstice), but can also be seen at weddings, national days of celebration, and more.

Latvia marks important national holidays in November, which are related to significant events in its history:

• The Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia

  The Proclamation Day is celebrated annually on November 18th to mark the 1918 declaration of independence. Events throughout the country include concerts, fireworks, and torchlight processions, with the largest one in the capital city, Riga, attracting thousands of participants. A modern tradition established in 2009 is for people worldwide to sing the Latvian national anthem at the same time – 21:00 EET. The celebration also involves a parade of the Latvian National Armed Forces, held in Riga, including the navy, National Guard units, and NATO allied countries since Latvia became a member in 2004.

• Lāčplēsis Day

  Lāčplēsis Day is a memorial day for Latvian soldiers who fought for independence. Observed on November 11th, the day marks the decisive victory of the Latvian army over the West Russian Volunteer Army led by Count Pavel Bermondt-Avalov at the 1919 Battle of Riga. Lāčplēša Day is marked by services, parades, and candle lightings at Rīga Castle and other public places.

  Fun fact: the fighting spirit of the Latvian Armed Forces was compared to “Lāčplēsis”, meaning “bearslayer”. This inspiration was drawn from the epic poem “Lāčplēsis” by Latvian poet Andrejs Pumpurs. The poem tells the story of the mythical hero Lāčplēsis during the Livonian Crusades and is considered the Latvian national epic.

• Restoration of Latvian Independence

  The Day of the Restoration of Latvian Independence is an annual celebration that marks the declaration of the restored Latvian Republic. The “White Tablecloth Day” tradition invites people from different communities to come together and celebrate by gathering around a table with family and friends. The tradition of this day serves to remind people of the sacrifices made by those who fought for Latvian independence while also emphasizing the significance of community.