The Night of the Witches (Walpurgis Night)
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Norse legends tell us that this is the night many horror films refer to, when the barrier between the living world and the spirit world are at their weakest… The night before May Day in nooks and crannies all over Europe, pyres are burned all night to keep the cold fingers of the dead off the living. Pagans, Roman Catholics and Satanists all agree, but it’s the Germans who take it the most seriously – they believe it’s the night of witches, when they have their annual gathering on Brocken Mountain. Whether you’re drawn to the Brocken or not there are still many villages in the vicinity who still celebrate with the traditional lighting of fires, though for the younger generation it’s got more of a Halloween ‘trick or treat’ appeal. In Sweden it’s still a public holiday, and the bonfire lighting is widespread. In Finland they take it more seriously involving more alcohol and more carnival atmosphere and it usually spills over into the political element of May Day. Estonia celebrates with a similar party plan.
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