The third day of Shrovetide: traditions of celebration
26 February 04:00
Maslenitsa in Ukraine began on Monday, February 24, and will last until March 2. This week symbolizes the meeting of winter and spring, and each day of Maslenitsa has its own traditions and prohibitions. Everything you need to know about the third day of Maslenitsa, called “Lasunka”, why it is called that way and how Ukraine celebrated this day – in the article Komersant ukrainskyi
Shrovetide is one of the oldest and most cheerful holidays, symbolizing the farewell to winter and the welcome of spring. The celebration lasts for a whole week, and each day has its own traditions and rituals.
Traditions of celebrating Shrovetide in Ukraine:
- Monday (Meeting): the beginning of the celebrations, baking the first pancakes, inviting guests.
- Tuesday (Flirting ): games and entertainment, young people take part in the fun.
- Wednesday (Sweet tooth): mothers-in-law treat their sons-in-law to delicious dishes.
- Thursday: mass festivities, sleigh rides, and folk games.
- Friday ( Mother-in-law‘s Evenings ): sons-in-law invite their mothers-in-law to a party.
- Saturday (Daughter-in-law’ s gatherings): young daughters-in-law receive relatives at their homes.
- Sunday (Forgiveness Sunday): forgiveness of offenses, burning of the effigy of winter, end of the celebrations.
The third day of Shrovetide: traditions of celebration
The third day of the holiday is called “Lasunka”. Hostesses prepare many delicious dishes and treat everyone who comes to visit.
Another name for Lasunka is Mother-in-Law’s Pancakes, because the mother-in-law was supposed to feed her future son-in-law with her pancakes, or, as was customary in Ukraine at the time, with dumplings.
On the third day of Maslenitsa, the bride’s mother would invite her son-in-law to visit. It was believed that the richer the mother-in-law’s table, the happier the young family would be. Therefore, the name Lasunka comes from the number of treats that were usually prepared for the table on this day.
During the whole week, it is forbidden to drink alcohol, meat, and experience negative emotions.
In the first three days, you can and should clean the house. Guests must be welcomed in a clean house, otherwise there will be a mess all year long.
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It is believed that the brighter and more cheerful the Shrovetide celebration, the happier the year will be. However, it is worth remembering the modern realities: it is important to honor the memory of the dead and treat those who are experiencing losses with respect.
What is forbidden to do on Shrovetide
On Shrovetide, you shouldn’t spin yarn to prevent it from spoiling, and you shouldn’t prepare meat and cheese because the food can spoil. The main thing is to avoid quarrels and conflicts, because this is a time of unity and reconciliation.
Folk signs and beliefs
If pancakes are fluffy and baked beautifully on Shrovetide, the year will be prosperous. Thick or too thin pancakes promise failures and problems. The more pancakes you bake for Shrovetide, the richer the year will be.
If you throw away old things on Shrovetide, new ones will appear.
If it is cold on Shrovetide, the summer will be warm, if it rains, there will be a lot of mushrooms in the fall.
Those who skimp on treats on Shrovetide will go broke in a year.
On Shrovetide, forgive the old and let the new into your life.
