A couple weeks ago, I started noticing these buckets of sticks with colored feathers attached to the top sitting outside all the flower shops. "Must be another Norwegian custom I need to find out about," I thought.
I think you will agree that these are quite pretty, but also a bit strange if you don't know what they are all about. Well, goodie for you, I have been informed of the meaning behind these twigs with feathers. In Norwegian they are called 'fastelavnsris'. I'm not sure how this translates, but 'faste' is fast. 'Lavn' is breaking, I think. So probably 'fast breaking sticks', maybe. I'm not quite sure if they have to do with the time before lent, or breaking the fast at Easter. Everything I have found tells me that Norwegians don't really celebreate lent anymore, but still like to carry on the lenten traditions.
At any rate, during lent and the dead of winter, there is not much color around or outdoor life 
(trees, grass, etc). So these sticks symoblize the deadness of winter, but then feathers are put on top to bring some color. I'm told, though, that as time goes by and we get closer to spring, these sticks will bear leaves or flowers. Or, for you churchies, as we celebrate Christ raising from the dead on Easter. (New life from the dead sticks!) I think these fastelavnsris are a type of willow or birch branch.
I was reading in the ELCA worship helps book that they recommend using branches instead of flowers near the altar. These Norwegian sticks with feathers that will eventually gain life seem like a good visual of this recommendation. Hey, maybe this Norwegian tradition is where the ELCA got their idea. So liturginerds, now you have a picture of a new worship observance.
P.S. I still can't decide if the feathers are tacky or not. What do you think?
1 comment:
tacky. for sure.
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