Staffan ride was an old folk tradition that belonged to Boxing Day, with probable roots in pre-Christian horse rites associated with jul/christmascelebration. Staffan´s day, (Saint Stephen) the horses patron saints of the Christian faith and the day (or night) was spent racing with different variations, such as the priest blessed the horses or they rode up to a well that was believed to have magical properties, where the horses were watered to give them health and strength in the coming year.
Sorry, i mixed it with another comment on Lucia, trying to do too many comments in a few minutes. An older name on lucia celebration is 'lusse' or 'stora lusse'. It probably comes from the old word for light, 'liós. And before that 'liohts'(gothic). The original meaning is probably "lightfestival", a pagan ceremony to keep bad spirits away and pleade the sun to come back at the longest night of the year. It got approval from the church when they added Sankta Lucia worship to festivities..
Staffan ride was an old folk tradition that belonged to Boxing Day, with probable roots in pre-Christian horse rites associated with jul/christmascelebration. Staffan´s day, (Saint Stephen) the horses patron saints of the Christian faith and the day (or night) was spent racing with different variations, such as the priest blessed the horses or they rode up to a well that was believed to have magical properties, where the horses were watered to give them health and strength in the coming year.
Sorry, i mixed it with another comment on Lucia, trying to do too many comments in a few minutes. An older name on lucia celebration is 'lusse' or 'stora lusse'. It probably comes from the old word for light, 'liós. And before that 'liohts'(gothic). The original meaning is probably "lightfestival", a pagan ceremony to keep bad spirits away and pleade the sun to come back at the longest night of the year. It got approval from the church when they added Sankta Lucia worship to festivities..
alarik36 Ä.ö.
Skumt, men min 2åriga son älskar denna video :P
underbart *=)
Nalle puh