"townfolk" - 1 õppematerjal

Estonian holidays, festivals, cultural events

HOLIDAYS People's cultural activities are mostly based upon ancient traditions.The costums of the Estonians are those of the countryfolk, because rites usually sprang up in rular communities. They were passed on from generation to generation and quite often the actions were later performed without any thought being given to the original. As time passed, rural costums penetrated towns, where they were adapted to modern living conditions. The townfolk also introduced customs with an international character. Those new traditions included, for exmaple April Fool's Day, the Christmas tree and Santa Claus at the beginning of the 20th century. According to research, the Estonian folk calendar contains about a hundred memorable days(some observed only locally) St. Martin's Day and St. Catherine's Day (both in november) are still considered quite popular entertainment for young people.