St. Knuth's Day in Sweden (13/01)

On January 13, Sweden celebrates St. Knut's Day (Tjugondag Knut). In Russian-language literature there is a use of the name Kanut, probably derived from the English St. Canute.

St. Whip's Day is traditionally celebrated twenty days after the Nativity of Christ among Western Christians. Hence the first part of the name of the holiday: tjugondag, which translates literally «twentieth day».

This day is considered in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries to be the end day of Christmas, as indicated by the well-known saying: Tjugondag Knut kor julen ut (Christmas is driven out on Knut's Day), as well as its numerous variations: Tjugondag Knut kastas julen ut (Christmas is thrown out on Knut's Day), Tjugondag Knut sopas julen ut (Christmas is swept away on Knut's Day) and finally: Tjugondag Knut dansas julen ut (Christmas is danced on the day of Knut).

The last two proverbs are related to the custom of throwing away Christmas trees on this day and organizing folk festivals.

In different regions of Sweden, the feast of St. Knut is celebrated in different ways. The most interesting action takes place in the regions of southern Sweden. There they build a life-size effigy of man (knutgubbe) from straw, put clothes on it, quietly lean a neighbor against the door and make noise on the street. When an unsuspecting neighbor opens the door, the effigy falls into his arms. They usually attach a note to the effigy with the words: «The whip has come, he drove away Christmas, don’t let him stand, throw it back to your neighbor».

The prankster should be caught and put on blows or stripped and dressed in the effigy's laceration. If this succeeds, then it is believed that it will not be easy for the joker all next year — no girl will agree to dance with him. If you can’t catch the joker, you should throw the effigy to another neighbor. Left with a stuffed animal by the end of the night, « remains with its nose», and then the whole village laughs at it.

The celebration of St. Whip's Day usually ends with a perky song:

Slut på julen och slut på ljusen Och slut pa brännvinet I alla husen!

(No Christmas or fire in candles, no more schnapps in all houses!).

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