LL-L 'Tradtions' 2006.12.30 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L - 30 December 2006 - Volume 04
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From: jonny <jonny.meibohm at arcor.de>
Subject: LL-L 'Customs'

Beste Lowlanners,

tonight we have the last night of the old year, 'Silvester' after a holy
pope, and G: 'Altjahrs-Abend'.

Some interesting customs, spread over greater parts of the old
Lowlandic-areas I know carried on this evening.

1. Everything- maybe a ladder, forgotten in a fruit-tree, a box or a net for
fish or even the skirts on a string have to be brought to the place they
normally should be kept. Otherwise- so I was told by my superstitious
ancestors- the 'Wild Ghosts of the Wind' (G: auch 'Wilde Reiter') could get
caught, and that's dangerous for the house and family.

2. Maybe depending on this you're allowed to go to your neighbours and steal
all these things not tied up at the correct place- even bikes (as our Piet
told me) or unclosed doors from a stable, a pushkart or or...

3. Then you also may disguise yourself and terrify next-door children or
dogs ;-)!

As far as I know it's spread widely over the LS-area though it seems to me
comparable with the customs people having in the (more catholic) south- with
all their masques and strange outfit during the days of carneval.

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Traditions

Thanks, Jonny.

In the big cities of the north, kids used to dress up and go from door to
door "begging," which involves serenading. Grown-ups still have fancy-dress
party on New Years Eve.  It's much like Halloween and like the Scottish
Hogmanay guising that Sandy talked about.

As far as I know, it all goes back to pre-Christian cleansing rituals in
which guisers, dressed as scary trolls and things, go around driving out
evil demons before the coming of the new year at the winter solstice.  Some
Christmas traditions are related to that, too, such as the burning tree or
wheel (hj*ól*) enticing out the sun, also the Scandinavian Christmas custom
of dancing and stomping around throughout the house singing loudly (e.g.,
"Nu är det jul igen").

'n Gouden rutsch!

And don't scare the dogs!

Reinhard/Ron
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