The importance of Christmas means the time spent with loved ones. Customs and traditions that have been passed from generation to generation create the feeling of Christmas. During the Soviet period, Christmas was taboo as a church holiday, and it was replaced by the New Year’s fir tree celebrations. In the work collectives, New Year’s fir tree celebration parties were organised, where gifts were distributed by the Grandfather Frost. Despite the official policy, for many people Christmas became an event for keeping their identity, and therefore they tried to celebrate these holidays at all costs.

Vabamu invites those interested to a Christmas tour of Tallinn’s Old town in English, where personal memories tell the stories about keeping the Christmas spirit and celebrations alive in the Estonian SSR.

On the tour, we will find out with what messages Christmas cards were sent in the 70s and 80s and how people obtained the cards whose pictures might not have pleased the authorities. We also talk about the New Year’s fir tree in the Town Hall Square, which has not always been decorated during the Christmas times, and how the tradition of going to church on Christmas evening was kept alive even during the Soviet occupation. We will look for answers to the question of how the Christmas feeling was preserved, what role did schools play in Christmas traditions, did all schools disobey the rules or were there exceptions? Of course, we also hear stories about the official New Year’s fir tree parties, the Grandfather Frost and his helper granddaughter Snowflake.

Before the excursion, participants can take a warm drink (included) of their choice from the Vabamu cafe.

The excursion starts at Vabamu (Toompea 8b) and ends at Gustav Adolf Grammar School (Suur-Kloostri 16).