Romania – Animal Dances to Ward Off Evil Spirits
I had heard about this tradition while I was in Romania during the summer of 2004. Full disclosure: I was there for a mission trip and the tradition was disclosed to me like it was some evil Satanic ritual. I know better now. I actually had to do a little digging to find more information. This tradition is so fascinating! This isn’t the only tradition that Romanians do for New Year’s Eve, but it is certainly the most interesting. Romania has so much rich tradition that pre-dates Christianity. This tradition involves animal masks, bears, and dancing. People wear animal masks like goats, horses, and bears, and dance in their houses to ward off evil spirits, many going house to house. The “Dance of the Bear” is the most popular. These animal dances symbolize death, rebirth, and prosperity.
Ireland – Open Doors
A few days ago, I saw a meme floating around Facebook that said that according to Irish tradition, you open your door at midnight. Upon further investigating, there’s actually much more to this tradition. You have to open your front door and your back door! Just before midnight, you open your back door to let the “Olde year out.” Then, you open the front door to let the “new year in.” While doing this, you would also greet your neighbors (since they have their doors open too) and wish them a happy new year! I have a feeling people are going to open every door and cupboard in their house to show 2020 its way out.
Ալեքս Ստեփանյանի ուսումնական բլոգ 