6th of January – Epiphany and the start of the carnival season in Hungary
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We barely recovered from the Christmas and New Year’s feasts but here comes Epiphany which marks the start of the carnival season in Hungary. According to our traditions this is the time when we drive away winter, and welcome spring on Palm Sunday. Let’s see some Hungarian customs!
In the Catholic calendar the carnival season falls between Epiphany (or twelfth-night) and Ash Wednesday. On the 6th of January, priests bless the water and incense which they later use to baptize children. Formerly, people also used to give holy water to the animals so that they would be in good health throughout the whole year. They also sprinkled holy water on themselves to avoid diseases. In some places they also sprinkled the soil to bless the house. Another typical folkway is weather forecasting, for instance: if it snows, spring will come early or if it rains, spring will also be rainy.
The carnival season is all about finding Mr./Mrs. Right at the balls and mocking the rules. This is where wearing masks comes from because it ensured anonymity and unrestrained jollity. All social classes organised their own balls. Girls gave posies to the guys they fancied and if the guy also liked the girl, then he put the posy on his hat. If someone was left without a pair, then they were teased with spinster jokes.
The days of the actual carnival are the last three days: quinquagesima Sunday, blue Monday and shrove Tuesday. These days are called “the tail” of the carnival. The Thursday after Ash Wednesday is special because they suspended the fast to eat the carnival left-overs that day. It is called gluttonous Thursday. One thing that was always on the table of Hungarians during the carnival season is doughnut.