April 30th is Walpurgis Night
What ? You Never Heard of It ?
Then Read On....
What ? You Never Heard of It ?
Then Read On....
Ancient legends say that Walpurgis night was the last wintery night for witches and their minions to make trouble and pull pranks, before the start of Spring. It is said that the evil creatures would gather on Brocken, the highest peak of the Harz Mountains in central Germany, to celebrate.
It is said that Walpurgis was the one night of the year when evil magic was strongest and the line between the real world and the underworld was at it's weakest. This allowed the witches and their minions to cast spells and play tricks on humans much more easily and that is why they are always out looking on Walpurgis night for humans gullible enough to fall for their tricks.
It is said that Walpurgis was the one night of the year when evil magic was strongest and the line between the real world and the underworld was at it's weakest. This allowed the witches and their minions to cast spells and play tricks on humans much more easily and that is why they are always out looking on Walpurgis night for humans gullible enough to fall for their tricks.
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To ward off the pranks and mischief, townfolks would make large bonfires, sprinkle holy water around their land and decorate their houses with tied bunches of herbs and flowers. It was often thought that noise was helpful in warding off evil, so the people also beat drums, rang bells and hit large sticks together during the celebration to keep the evil at bay. They were often vigilant all night and into the next day of Beltane, a holiday about health and fertility celebrated on May first.
Walpurgis Night is not widely celebrated in the United States, yet, it is much more popular in Europe and Scandinavia. It shares many of the same traditions with Halloween and it is directly opposite of Halloween on the calendar. Spooky ! |
How Walpurgis is Celebrated Today ? - All Countries Have Different Ways
Walpurgis Night is mostly celebrated in Germany, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, and the Czech Republic . Each culture has its own way of celebrating it.
- In Germany Walpurgis Night is a time of celebration for the whole family. Children and adults alike dress up as witches and spirits and walk around town, in some places they even have trick or treating, and at midnight there is usually a large fireworks display to drive away the evil spirits and to welcome in Spring
- In Sweden, Walpurgis is one of their main holidays and is celebrated with a carnival parade called The Cortège, which has been held since 1909. Another big activity for this holiday is the singing of traditional spring folk songs and the lighting of large bonfines and drinking.
- In Finland, where they call the holiday Vappu, the normally reserved Finnish people dress up in costumes and have large carnivals, running through the streets screaming and drinking sima, a type of mead.
- In Bavaria, where the celebration is known as a Freinacht or Drudennacht, children prowl the neighborhoods pulling mischievous pranks, such as wrapping cars in toilet paper and smearing doorknobs with toothpaste.
- In the Czech Republic they have huge bonfires and straw dolls made to resemble witches are thrown info the fires. Old brooms are also tossed in, and there is vivacious partying throughout the night.
Crafts To Celebrate Walpurgis NightFor Adults or Kids
An excellent way to celebrate Walpurgis is the making of crafts. Both children and adults can enjoy these easy and creative items that are a great way to have fun and show off your personal style.
An excellent way to celebrate Walpurgis is the making of crafts. Both children and adults can enjoy these easy and creative items that are a great way to have fun and show off your personal style.
Smudge Sticks - You will need a small bundle of herbs; any kind will do, though white sage, lavendar, or rosemary are very popular. Gather the bundle together and cut the bottom off evenly. Take string or twine, the more colorful the better, and wind it around the base, binding them together. Make a loop with the string to hang it from. Hang them in your house for a month before Walpurgis to let them soak up all the bad spirits. On Walpurgis Night, take your smudge stick and toss it into the fire. The evil spirits are carried away on the smoke
Witch Bags - Witch bags are made to carry with you at all times. In it you carry all the items important to you for luck, forecasting, and protection. The bag is usually small usually 3" x 4" and has a drawstring top. It can be made of anything you like such as cotton, velvet, or leather. The outside of the bag is decorated with small personal items such as beads, ribbons, amulets or charms. Usually the bag is either tied to the belt and worn that way, or carried in a larger bag. The high energy of Walpurgis Night is the perfect time to bless and begin to use a new witch's bag. They are also fun to make ! For kids they make an excellent place to keep jewelry and small treasures.
Witch Boxes - A witch box is used for charging amulets, runes, stones and anything else that you carry for luck or protection. The box can be any size you want, and made of any material you like, cardboard, wood, or metal. The outside should be decorated with items that you personally find to be beautiful and uplifting. For example you could cover it in fabric and trim it with braid or ribbon. You could also paint it or stain it and draw your favorite symbols and pictures on the outside. Placing the items that you want charged into a brand new witches box on Walpurgis Night gives you an edge and makes your box more powerful. For kids this makes an excellent keepsake box for them to keep their "secret treasures" in
Have a Walpurgis Night Party - Be the First to Have One!
A Walpurgis Night party is very much like a Halloween party. The major difference is that most of the decorations and costumes are centered around witches and spirits, instead of vampires, Frankensteins and the like. The theme should be *creepy but fun.* You should also take the time in advance to set up some practical jokes for your guests. Old jokes or new ideas, everything goes at a Walpurgis party. Playing tricks, practical jokes and scaring people are what the night is all about. Add festive decorations and fun costumes and you have got a recipe for a great party !
Be the first among your friends and co-workers to have a Walpugis Night party and show how innovative you are !
Be the first among your friends and co-workers to have a Walpugis Night party and show how innovative you are !
Harmless Pranks for Walpurgis Night Fun - Choose Your Victims Wisely
- Sprinkle rubber bands all over someone's driveway. They will have to pick them up one by one because you cannot sweep them.
- Get some large black garbage bags and masking tape. Tape the garbage bags to the doorway of someone's door. Ring the doorbell and hide somewhere that you can watch.
- Leave a note on someone's car saying "Sorry I dented your car, but I don't have insurance, so I left." Then watch them run around looking for the damage.
- Buy a couple of packages of the small round stickers people use to price garage sale stuff and stick them all over the windshield of someone's car. (Do not stick on the paint)
- Leave a note on someone's front door, that says "I borrowed your toilet because mine broke, I promise to bring it back tomorrow." Then see if they go into the bathroom to check.
Great Book About Walpurgis Night !
Includes Crafts and Recipes
Includes Crafts and Recipes
This book was a pleasure to read. Not at all dry or boring, the author is talented enough to entertain you and make you smile at the same time she is imparting a myriad of interesting information about the subject. In addition to interesting lore, she also includes crafts to make and recipes to cook. This book really does triple duty and all with grace and humor. If you have ever been curious about Walpurgis, witch folklore, and the history of both, this is one book you don't want to miss.
I hope you have enjoyed this trip to the Other Halloween! I found it to be really interesting. It is always good to learn things about other places and times, and this is a great season to learn about Walpurgis Night, since it is so much like Halloween!
Jade :)
Jade :)
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