Hungary: main holidays and traditions. Public holidays in Hungary All Saints' Day in Hungary

Hungary is a European country with an interesting culture. Various holiday traditions have a special flavor. At this time, people are having fun and having a great time. How are Hungarian public holidays celebrated, and how do Hungarians please each other on holidays? The answer to this question is below.

New Year

New Year in Hungary takes place on January 1st. They begin to celebrate this winter holiday the night before - December 31, St. Sylvester's Day. Residents have fun on the street, play various musical instruments and perform folk dances. On this night, horns and pipes are sold in street retail outlets and shops.

People give each other various gifts, usually some decorative items or unusual souvenirs. In a word, you can give anything you want.

Instead of the usual Olivier salad and other popular salads, Hungarians eat pork sausages: this dish is very popular here. Also on the tables of those celebrating the New Year is roasted pig. According to tradition, he needs to twirl his tail: it is believed that this way you can become happier in the coming year.

St. Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is one of the most beloved Hungarian holidays. It has been celebrated in this country since 1989. Streets and houses are decorated with huge red hearts, cupids and cupids, creating an incredible atmosphere of fun and romance. On Valentine's Day, lovers give each other chocolate hearts and other souvenirs.

Hungarian Revolution Day

The history of this holiday began on March 15, 1848, when the revolution broke out in Hungary. The inhabitants of this state defended their independence from Austrian rule. The main goals for which the Hungarians fought were freedom of the press, the creation of a government in Pest and a parliament. The revolutionaries also fought for the abolition of serfdom, for freedom of religion and much more.

This holiday has been celebrated in Hungary since 1918. On March 15, tricolors are displayed throughout the state. On this day it is customary to congratulate each other. You can give souvenirs if you wish. Usually, mini-flags of Hungary, magnets with revolutionaries depicted on them, etc. are used as gifts.

Catholic Easter

Catholic Easter is the country's most important religious holiday. It is celebrated on April 4th. The day before, it is customary to paint chicken eggs in different colors. Late in the evening, when the children are already asleep, adults put gifts in their beds, and the next morning the children wake up and find gifts.

Hungarians have breakfast:

Easter eggs;
ham;
hot chocolate;
braided pie.

At lunchtime, many Hungarians go to church, where they pray and bless the holiday food. After this comes the turn of gifts. It is customary to present colored eggs, various religious figurines, and chocolate bunnies.

Labor Day

May 1st has been celebrated by the people of Hungary for a long time. At first this day was considered a holiday, then it became a labor holiday. Despite the fact that Hungarians have abandoned communist teachings, May 1 is still one of their favorite celebrations.

Mothers Day

The next significant date in the Hungarian calendar is Mother's Day, which is celebrated on May 9. It is marked by a special attitude - reverence and respect for elders. Children traditionally give gifts and flowers to their mothers. The gifts are mainly various handmade crafts.

St. Stephen's Day

The main national holiday is celebrated on August 20. It is believed that it was on this day that the Hungarian state was founded by Stephen I. The solemn date is marked by parades, performances, and orchestras, organized with great style. The holiday ends with fireworks, which are launched from Mount Gellert.

Remembrance Day of the Uprising

This holiday is of a national character. In 1956, Hungary rebelled against the excessive influence of the Soviet Union. The people were not happy with the political repressions and improper management of economic affairs conducted by the Hungarian henchmen of the USSR leadership. True, during the tragic events of November 1956, the uprising was suppressed, and Soviet influence in Hungary remained very strong until 1991.

Halloween

Halloween is the night before All Saints' Day. It is celebrated on October 31st. Masquerades are held on the streets, parties are held in clubs. Everyone wears an unusual costume. No gifts will be given on Halloween.

Catholic St. Nicholas Day

On the eve of December 6, Hungarian children place their clean shoes on the windowsill. Adults secretly put sweets, fruits and small toys in them. When the kids wake up, they discover the presents and are very happy about them.

Catholic Christmas

How can you imagine the official holidays of Hungary without Catholic Christmas? On the eve of the holiday (December 24), residents of this country organize celebrations and present each other with various souvenirs. Christmas trees are installed in houses, where gifts are prepared for children. There are fairs and fun events on the streets. On December 26, believers go to church.

Let's summarize

Now you know what official holidays and weekends are celebrated in Hungary. Would you like to become a participant and have fun with the residents of this country? Or maybe you are interested in other information about Hungary? Then subscribe to our newsletter and receive useful materials from the blog.

Hungarians have always treated traditions with care. Modernity defines its own rules: some ancient rituals remain in the past, others “adjust” to real life. In Hungary today, folk culture plays an important role. There are still differences in customs and national costumes between regions of the country.

Christmas

People in Hungary prepare in advance for the main holiday - Christmas. This period is called Advent, and its duration is about four weeks. On December 13th, Luke's Day, girls and women were not allowed to work, but love fortune-telling could be performed. The most common is “Luka’s ball”: after writing men’s names on pieces of paper, the girls crumpled them into a ball and threw them into boiling water. Nothing was written on one piece of paper. The name of the future groom was written on the first balloon that popped up. An empty ball meant that the fortune-telling girl would not get married this year.

From December 13 until Christmas they made “Luke’s chairs.” According to legend, it was believed that whoever climbs onto a chair made with their own hands at midnight will see witches. And to prevent evil spirits from settling in the house, the chair was burned.

The time for Christmas dinner comes on December 24th with the appearance of the first stars. All prepared dishes are placed on the table, since no one gets up until the end of the ceremonial meal. Before starting dinner, everyone reads a prayer. The Christmas table in Hungary traditionally includes fresh fish dishes, bagels with poppy seeds and nuts, garlic in honey, and apples are a symbol of family unity. The hostess cuts the best juicy, beautiful fruit for all the guests, saying words about a close-knit family.

The Christmas tree in Hungary was decorated with homemade toys. According to ancient custom, Jesus brought the tree and gifts to the house, so they tried not to show the decorated tree to the children.

An ancient Christmas custom - Bethlehem games– the depiction of the story of the birth of Christ exists to this day. Dressed in a priest's outfit, the participants of the game go from house to house with feeding troughs or a betlem: a mobile puppet theater in a box. They perform a mini-performance about the events of the birth of Christ with holy songs and humorous conversations.

IN St. Janos Day, On December 27, wine was blessed in the church. They believed that such wine was given magical powers, it was used to heal people and animals, and it was added to barrels to better preserve the wine.

Christmas in Hungary is considered a family holiday; ancient traditions are usually observed. The New Year is celebrated much more modestly, as an occasion to get together and chat with friends.

Spring holidays and customs

Farshang (Maslenitsa). Since the Middle Ages, Hungarians have had a tradition of celebrating the end of cold weather and the arrival of spring. The Farshang holiday originates from Germany; among the Slavs it corresponds to Maslenitsa. Everyone celebrated farshang: peasants, townspeople, and representatives of the royal court. Magnificent holidays at the court of Matthias, for which masks were brought from Italy, marked the beginning of masquerade balls in Hungary.

Over time, Maslenitsa balls were held by the nobles, the bourgeoisie, and then representatives of various strata and professions began to organize them. In the twentieth century, in the nineties, the tradition of organizing balls for doctors, lawyers, noble families, etc. returned. The most prestigious and luxurious farshang ball takes place in Budapest at the Opera House. Guests of the ball are local and foreign celebrities and prominent political figures.

Farshang is very popular among the common people, as it party provides an opportunity to indulge and have fun. The festival featured dramatic and puppet shows, symbolizing the farewell to winter. There were many signs and spells affecting nature: in order for hemp to grow tall, you had to jump higher, cook long noodles.

A fun and interesting farshang celebration took place in Sharkese. In these parts, farshang begins to be celebrated on the sixth of January, on Epiphany, then the holiday continues until Lent. On the eve of Lent, young people in “scary” masks wandered through the villages, sang comic songs, and forced angry fellow villagers to participate in their pranks. The ancient rituals of expelling evil spirits on Good Friday have not survived to this day: someone from the family brought water from the Danube, and everyone washed themselves. It was believed that bathing would get rid of freckles and promote beauty.

Farshang is celebrated in an unusual and colorful way in the town Mohács. A week of festivities - seeing off winter - ends with a carnival Bushoyarash. The men are dressed in frightening costumes (sheep skins turned inside out) and devilish masks. A monster arrives on a boat from an island on the Danube and tries to scare the people with the rattling of a mallet. The meaning of these actions is explained by the rich history of Hungary. Turkish troops invaded the state in the 16th century, capturing most of the major cities. In 1526, the Battle of Mohács took place, after which the Turks occupied the entire country without hindrance.

According to legend, Mohacs Island served as a refuge for the bravest and most desperate of the people. Neither day nor night the Turks dared to penetrate the overgrown swampy surroundings of the island. An old man who appeared on the island one evening advised the people sitting by the fire to cut out masks and clubs, prepare for battle and wait for a sign. During a terrible storm, a horseman appeared on the island with a call to follow him. Bad weather in Mohács sent the Turks home. A terrible roar, grinding, knocking forced them to run out into the street. Seeing terrible monsters there, the enemy immediately fled. From that moment on, the Turks no longer showed up in Mohács. This ritual mixed historical legends with folk traditions of the changing seasons.

And now busho (mummers) sailing by boat from the island to Mohács, after a cannon shot, they solemnly parade through the city, crowded with locals and tourists. Spectators try to touch the busho outfits. The owners open the doors of their houses to invite the bushos into the house and treat them to a glass of Hungarian palinka - fruit brandy. Busho is allowed to lightly hit the unwary tourists at random.

The symbol of the “dead” winter - the busho poklad (coffin) is carried on a horse-drawn cart. In the main city square, a bag and a straw doll are burned at the stake. Here, on the square, there is a fair where they sell interesting Hungarian souvenirs, made by hand, full of all sorts of goodies (sweet braids sprinkled with cinnamon, sausages, salty rolls) and, of course, wonderfully warming mulled wine.

Khushveit (Easter). For Catholics, Easter is a very ancient and significant holiday. In Hungary, as throughout Europe, Easter is celebrated on a grand scale. Easter rituals and traditions are associated with the awakening and revival of nature after winter. To this day, Hungarians have preserved the customs of ancient times.

In cities and villages, people of different ages and social status observe the most popular traditions - painting eggs and dousing girls with water. Over time, the last custom changed a little: a bucket of water was replaced by spraying women with fragrant perfumes so that they would not wither. Previously, as now, it was a favorite pastime among young people. In the cheerful bustle of the village, the boys dragged the girls to wells, streams or rivers and doused them with water from a bucket. It was believed that water, having healing properties, improves female fertility.

Khushveit literally means eating meat, i.e. After fasting you can relax. On this day, Hungarians must have boiled ham on their table. She, along with a painted egg in a basket covered with a festive scarf or towel, is taken to the temple to be blessed. If the church is far away, the basket is placed outside before sunrise so that Easter dew can fall on it.

Breakfast for Easter- This is a bonding custom that unites the family. On this day, children are given gifts. On the eve of Saturday, children weave a nest from grass and flowers and place it on the porch, balcony or in the garden. In the morning, the Easter bunny will put gifts there: an orange, a colored egg or chocolate lamb, a bunny, an egg.

To make a painted egg, they are painted with a brush, covered with wax, and engraved. According to popular beliefs, the brightness of the colors is compared to the color of the wounds on the body of Christ. On Sunday afternoon, gifts are given to the godchildren. Previously, in many regions, people went to the field on Easter to protect it from bad weather, frost, and locusts. Along the outskirts, the youth walked around the entire village and danced in circles in the meadow.

On Easter Monday, the ritual of dousing takes place throughout Hungary. The male population traditionally pays visits to relatives and friends in the early morning, greeting women with a poem, after which they spray perfume on them. They carefully prepare for this day: they clean and decorate the home, prepare treats. Young girls “compete” to see who gets doused the most; by evening the abundance of different smells turns into a cacophony. In return, women give men painted Easter eggs. Often ordinary eggs are replaced with chocolate or decorative, souvenir, made of wood or clay.

St. Stephen's Day

On August 20, Hungary celebrates the main public holiday - St. Stephen's Day. On this day, the first king of Hungary, Stephen the Saint, was crowned, who introduced Christianity to the country. In 1083, Pope Gregory canonized the king, and this holiday has been celebrated since then. All major celebrations take place in St. Stephen's Cathedral, the main temple of Budapest, which houses the relics of the king's right hand. The celebration ends with fireworks on Mount Gellert.

The national character and way of life of the people are best determined by the traditions and holidays of the country. They reflect historical events, religious beliefs, moral and ethical ideals. Customs connect the past and the present; they characterize the self-awareness of the people. It’s always interesting to take part in a folk festival, admire the bright national costumes, jump together to exciting live music, and buy a souvenir at the fair.

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In Hungary, like here, the New Year is celebrated on January 1, but they begin to celebrate it the evening before. According to Catholic January, December 31st is St. Sylvester's Day, which is why you can often hear Hungarians simply calling the New Year "Sylvester's Day."

On New Year's Eve, people celebrate and have fun, most often on the streets and squares of their colorful cities, so shops and restaurants are usually open until the morning.

Those celebrating the New Year at home always have a lot of treats on the table, but the main dish of the festive dinner is roasted pig. According to Hungarian tradition, you need to twirl a pig's tail for good luck. It is not customary for Hungarians to serve fish or poultry on the New Year's table - it is believed that this is unlucky.

On March 15, 1848, in Pest (today part of Budapest), the so-called “Hungarian Spring” began - the revolution of the bourgeoisie, the liberation movement for the independence of Hungary from the Habsburgs, which over time from a peaceful movement grew into a bloody war against Austria.

Easter - celebrated according to the Catholic calendar

Like many peoples, among Hungarians Easter is one of the main holidays. It is customary to paint eggs, bake Easter cakes and give gifts to little children. People go to church after breakfast to pray for the resurrection of Christ and to bless Easter baskets with food.

The next day, Monday, the youth amuse themselves with “sprinkling,” an ancient tradition. In the old days, it was customary to wet yourself from head to toe, but modern youth have a different kind of fun - they spray themselves with perfume and ask for a painted egg or a kiss for it.

In this, the Hungarians are very similar to us. They also celebrate All Workers' Day and Spring Day on the first of May. Although Hungary has already abandoned communist ideas, the holiday still remains and even acquired an even greater festive atmosphere.

Trinity Day – 52nd day after Easter

One of the main religious holidays in Hungary along with Christmas and Easter. In addition to church events, on Trinity Sunday the Hungarians host folk festivals with dancing, concerts and fairs.

The main holiday of Hungary is celebrated at the state level. It is believed that on this day the Hungarian state was founded by King Stephen I. Hungarians greatly honor this day, but they began to celebrate it regularly only in 1991.

This is a memorable date for Hungarians. On October 23, 1956, a national uprising against the Soviets occurred. Hungary celebrates Republic Day with concerts, memorial processions, and memorial ceremonies. And in the Hungarian Parliament, October 23 is an open day.

One of the most respected days in Catholicism. Is an official holiday in Hungary. Today in Hungary this holiday has acquired a modern character and is celebrated as the well-known Halloween - a holiday adored by children.

At Christmas, Hungarians visit relatives, visit fun fairs and decorate the New Year tree. On this day, it is customary to serve only lenten dishes on the table, and only in odd quantities. The signature Christmas dish of the Hungarians is baked carp.