Each country has it’s own traditions and customs. Some of them are the same in many countries.
About ten years ago, Lithuania had many celebrations, which came from Russia, but now Lithuanians celebrate New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas and some other. What do Lithuanians do at these special times?
Let’s begin with the New Year’s Day. At this day people meet with their friends, congratulate them with the New Year. At midnight many people go to the main Christmas tree in their city. People make promises for the New Year: “I don’t want to smoke anymore, I don’t want to drink, I don’t want to be so sad, etc.”
Few years ago people in Lithuania began to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. I think this tradition came with young people from their friends in foreign countries. On this day teenagers write cards with hearts on them and send to their boyfriends and girlfriends, or to person they admire. Adults buy presents, sweets for their partners. Some people don’t sign their cards because they want their name to be a secret.
On the sixteenth of February we celebrate the Independence Day. On that day people put up flags. Every town and city has parades, game and sports with prizes.
On the first of April we celebrate the Liar’s Day. On this day people play tricks on each other. So you have to watch and listen very carefully, because you maybe foul.
On the end of March or at the beginning of April Lithuanian people celebrate Easter. It’s a Christian holiday, so for many families Easter Sunday begins in the church. After that they go to friends, relatives to have dinner. Children have to go to their gag-mothers and get beautiful collared eggs. At this period children have holidays. At this day children play with eggs different games: they brake them into each other and watch which egg is stronger, then they role eggs and later find whose eggs were the strongest.