Posts and articles about traditions, cultural heritage, holidays.
If you visit a Hungarian-inhabited area anywhere in the world in the beginning of February, you are most likely to see some form of Farsang celebration. Farsang is basically the Hungarian Carnival, a time of parties, get-togethers, culminating in a masked ball or parade. The origins of Farsang go back to the Hungarian pagan days, […]
Farsang, The Hungarian Carnival, The Holiday Where Everything Is Possible Read More »
Spring traditions and celebrations are common around the world, in every culture. Many of these celebrations have their roots in ancient times, and kept the traditions in one way or another throughout centuries. Most people of today don’t celebrate the equinox the way the ancient cultures did. However, almost everyone celebrates the beginning of spring,
10 Spring Traditions and Celebrations Around the World Read More »
The vernal or spring equinox marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, where I live. What does this actually mean? The day marks the moment when the sun crosses the equator line, heading north. While above the equator, it assures that day and night are of equal lengths. Almost. At least for
Spring Equinox Celebrated Since Ancient Times Around the World Read More »
New Year traditions mark the turning of another year. As we just celebrated the turn of another year, I thought it would be a good time to look at several traditions associated with this time. We know that time is relative, and the dates somewhat arbitrary. However, all societies feel the need to break down
Autumn brings a change all over the world, in all regions. In the desert it brings cooler weather, allowing us to enjoy a bit of outdoor time. However, changes are more obvious in other parts of the world. In Hungary and the surrounding Hungarian-speaking regions, the changing season brings rain and wind, and colorful fall
Autumn in Hungarian-Speaking Regions: Sayings and Customs Read More »
Different cultures around the world celebrate winter traditions in some form, regardless of religion. Some date back thousands of years, others are relatively new. Some starts as early as November, others after New Year’s Day. But what they have in common is the sense of community, music, dance, and often light shows. We don’t usually
Like in other parts of the world, many of the Hungarian Holiday traditions are celebrated in December. Though these days Christmas is the major Hungarian holiday this time of the year, it is not the only one. And even this wide-celebrated Holiday has a few Hungarian-specific additions. Though I am celebrating the Holidays in the
A few of the Hungarian Holiday Traditions celebrated in December Read More »
The Winter Holidays are the best in the Sonoran Desert. We don’t get the white winter wonderland we tend to associate with this time of the year, but we are surrounded by an environment where we can spend time outdoors without freezing. This is the time of the year when we keep saying: “I remember
I don’t always need to get on a plane or drive to travel the world. I can easily travel virtually through the books I read. And it is such an enjoyable way to travel! Books can transport me to faraway lands, past or present, real or imaginary. I can’t think of a better way to
