Editing Ziemassvētki (section)

==Latvian traditions==

===Ancient Latvian traditions===
[[File:Latviešu puzurs.JPG|thumb|''Puzuris'', a [[Latvian people|Latvian]] traditional Ziemassvētki [[Himmeli|straw art]] [[mobile (sculpture)|mobile]] decoration<ref>{{cite news |last=Lazdiņa |first=Renāte |title = Straw mobiles - an old Latvian craft being revived |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |url = https://eng.lsm.lv/article/culture/culture/straw-mobiles-an-old-latvian-craft-being-revived.a157462/ |date = December 1, 2015}}</ref>]]
Alongside Ziemassvētki, an ancient Latvian tradition is preserved in the so-called [[Yule|Yule Eve]], reminiscent of ancient ritual activities - log pulling, mimicking solar progress. In some countries, Solstice Eve is also called Ķūķu (variants - Ķoču, Kūķu, Ķūcu) Eve, suggesting an ancient ritual holiday meal choice, which promoted prosperity and welfare. It was made from shelled (crushed in a mortar) barley or wheat grains, which were boiled with a half of a pig head; the spread tended to also add peas and beans.<ref name="autogenerated1">Edīte Olupe. Latviešu gadskārtu ieražas. Riga, 1992.</ref>

Another widely known Ziemassvētki tradition was [[ķekatas]] walking or gypsies walking. [[Mummer]]s, dressed in various masks, went from one village to another, to bring them blessing and to drive away various evil spirits. Therefore, mummers everywhere were gladly welcomed and treated. Budēļi leader - father budēļi or elder budēļi, who had all mummers serve to a regimental leader, always carried along a ferrule, which was used to whip all the people in the house. This was Father Budēļi's ferrule of life, to which Latvian tradition attributed a magical power of health, fertility and carried a moral status, in tune with Europe wide distributed habit of expecting winter solstice with scalded branches, they took it along for marches and, touched with it people and beasts, transferring to them a life force, that dwells in these branches.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> In [[Courland]] and [[Semigallia]] regions, ķekatas or ķiņķēziņus (ķēmus) were called budēļi (also known as bubuļi, buduļi, buki, būzaļi, buzuļi) or dancing children, [[Vidzeme]] region calls them vecīši, maskās (maskarati), skutelnieki (suselnieki), nūjinieki (kūjinieki), preiļi, kurciemi. [[Latgale]] region ķekatas mummers were called kaļedās (kaladnieki; cf. "[[Koliada]]") or talderi.

The idea of masking is based on ancient fertility rites. Usually, maskās tried to portray themselves as spirits, who wanted to either placate or impress. One of the best known ancient mummer masks was a bear mask because it was believed a bear with his growl was able to frighten off all evil spirits. Buki's masks were made under the sheet by affixing a flexible card arcing downward, which was covered with a sheet and attached to it horns and a beard, as for cranes - they inverted the fur coat to the other side and in one sleeve put an ax with a head, with [[spoon]]s tied to both sides, which looked like ears and a beak, which could be modified.

One of the mummers' customs was also to disguise as death, when one of the mummers covered himself with a white sheet, preparing from [[turnips]] redundant teeth. One hand holds a wooden dagger, which was smudged in red color, second hand bore a plate, which was put into a combustible substance. This fire cast light on death's face to look pale, similar to a corpse.<ref>Osvalds Līdeks. Latviešu svētki. Riga, 1940.</ref>{{cnf}}

===Modern Latvian traditions===

Traditional Latvian decorations on Ziemassvētki are spruce branches and decorations, which are made from bird's feathers and eggs, straw, bentgrass, fruits, vegetables, and berries. Gifts are given, which are usually placed under the fir tree. To get a gift it is often required to recite a [[poetry|poem]] or sing a [[song]]. An adopted tradition is that gifts are brought by [[Santa Claus|Ziemassvētku vecītis]] (also known as Santa Claus or Salavecis in recent times), who is sometimes helped by [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]] or [[Snow White]].

At a children's party during Ziemassvētki, people often dress up as wild beasts and dwarfs, which is the ancient tradition of lending. Also, Father Budēļi or Elder was turned into Ziemassvētku vecītis or Salavecis because of new traditions.