Going to celebrations in Lithuania

Hi everyone! 

In this post I will share my knowledge with you about what to expect when you go to Lithuanian celebrations, and hopefully help you find something that you can't find somewhere else on the web. 

If you are interested in Lithuanian public holidays 

you can read about their meanings and traditions on various

websites about Lithuania (f.e. http://goo.gl/peuB7G ). 

Yes!!! Christmas season is approaching and all the Erasmus students, and travelling foreigners might be interested in what to expect from this FREEZING winter celebration. Of course not every Christmas we get the pleasure of seeing some snow, but believe me, those kids in the movies that wake up in the morning and run to the window to see if it's white outside are so much alike every Lithuanian, no matter how old you are. And there's no need to say that Christmas is a family celebration, as it is quite clear I believe for everyone, but there are at least three days to celebrate here and you can spend it with your friends as well. 

Sadly, Christmas in Lithuania has become quite westernized, and much more importance is put on gift-giving, but I believe that there are still some families left that do decorate Christmas trees (at least fake ones if not real) and prepare  12 dishes, from which very importantly you must have "Kūčiukai" and "Kisielius". (Recipe link: http://goo.gl/zUQgnb and http://goo.gl/AdptmZ).    

               

If you are unable to visit your families at home and you are staying here for Christmas, don't worry, you are not alone. Firstly, there will be a lot of nice Christmas fairs and markets where you can go lift your spirit, and try to find some fellow students staying here for the holidays as well, you can have your own little Christmas, or someone from a Lithuanian family can actually invite you to their house, as Lithuanians are quite welcoming and warm especially around the holidays. 

If someone does invite you to visit them during one of these three days of Christmas, don't forget to bring something with you (depends on who you will be visiting). Some suggestions?

• A nice dish (but don't experiment, better to make something that you have made and liked before); 
• If you are from a culture that usually has eggnog during the celebrations, make some of that, Lithuanians will be surprised as it is not traditional for our culture; 
• Bake ginger cookies or gingerbread, smells and tastes delicious; 
• Some people bring Christmas tree decorations, especially cute if it's hand made!; 
• Winter socks or gloves! even if it seems weird, in the end the receivers will wear them when the cold winter days come and they will be saying how thankful they are for those; 
• And lastly if you really have no creativity or cooking skills, just buy a bottle of whisky or vine, a box of chocolates will also be just fine. 

Exciting! The Lithuanian superstition says "The way you'll meet the new year is the way you will spend it". Some take it more seriously than others, but believe me, especially among the youth it is (at least subconsciously) very important to look your best, drink the best drinks, eat the best food, have the best fireworks, and be at the best party. Of course not everyone has the opportunity to do so, especially after the usually expensive, costly Christmas celebration.  

As I mentioned, you can find a link where to read 

about traditional New years in Lithuania, but I will put it in a more

 simplistic and more current way of celebrating for students.

If you go to a New years party in Lithuania, which is not a club event or some New Years Mascaraed ball (usually happens annually in one of the cities in Lithuania), you will have to dress appropriately, formal shirts, dresses, chic outfits, party tops and so on. Do not forget to bring your alcohol, some even ask you to participate on chipping in for the commonly bought food for everyone, as this is purely treated as a get together and just drinking the night away with fun and dancing. 

And remember DON'T fall asleep before midnight so be a responsible drinker! Not only will you miss amazing fireworks and the most fun part of the night, but also, it is said that it is bad luck to do so, because you will be tired and lazy all year. It is also believed that you have to return all borrowed money and things before the new year, and start the year fresh, with no debt or hard feelings. 

B-days are celebrated here the Western way - with parties and presents. However some, primarily people past their 30's, avoid this, as getting older brings them negative feelings, so try not to make jokes about the age older people approach. 

If you are invited to a birthday party in Lithuania, usually the details are given quite clearly about the dress code, place, drinks, gifts and food. If not, make sure you are aware of the surrounding that you are going to. Some parties are really low-key and chill, where you can wear casual clothes, bring a simple symbolic gift and eat some food and have some drinks. But most parties are actually quite the opposite, that is why I tell you to be aware. Some people go to the extreme and rent out a club and invite up to 50 people to their birthdays. Make sure you don't do much damage if you get super drunk, you might be asked to pay the next morning for the damage you've caused. And remember mind the neighbors, you don't want the police to arrive. Also, think about a sleepover, will there be one?, should you bring something to sleep in to be more comfortable? is an extra blow-up mattress needed, for you not to end up sleeping in a bathtub? 

An advice for a birthday gift from me would be: if you don't know the person very well, try to chip in on a gift that the closer friends are buying. :) 

Not much to say here... Like New Year parties, bring your own booze, chip in on food, or bring snacks, and prepare to have fun and dance. NOT ALL HOUSE PARTIES END UP AT HOME. You might be asked to join going to a club after midnight. Usual student parties don;t have much normal cooked food, unless it's a pizza, and don't bother bringing any, eat something at home and just bring snacks. There will be no time to eat with all that dancing and drinking going on. Also, ask the fellow Lithuanians to teach you some fun drinking games!