Christmas is here again! And you can feel the excitement in the air already. Shop windows are decorated, Christmas trees illuminated and frantic search for a perfect gift has already begun. And if you are visiting Vilnius at this time of year, you might be wondering what Lithuanian Christmas traditions locals are the most excited about? In this blog post we are going to introduce to you some local Christmas foods, games and peculiarities Lithuanians can’t live without. Who knows, maybe you will decide to recreate some of these in your Christmas party?
Christmas Eve Dinner in Lithuania
Christmas Eve or Kūčios is the most significant day of the holiday season in Lithuania. Since 2011, it has been a public holiday, along with December 25th and 26th. Families gather from near and far to share a special Christmas Eve dinner with close relatives. Tradition calls for twelve, meat-free dishes to be prepared, and everyone is encouraged to taste each one. So in a way it’s like a tasting menu. Why twelve and not eleven or even fifteen? In Lithuania, a predominantly Catholic country, the twelve dishes are said to symbolize the twelve apostles of Jesus. However, some people say that the tradition of serving twelve dishes predates Christianity, with each dish representing one of the twelve months of the year. Sampling every dish was believed to ensure good fortune for the coming year.
Traditional Kūčios table with twelve dishes. Photo taken by our guide Tadas!
Back in the day, people would cover the entire Christmas Eve table with hay from the barn and lay a white tablecloth on top to symbolize Jesus’ birth in a stable. Today, this tradition is rarely followed because it is hard to get enough hay, so families often place a small handful of it on a separate plate as a symbolic gesture instead. Speaking of plates, it is customary to leave one empty plate on the table for those who passed away during the year. It is believed that on Christmas Eve, the spirits of departed family members can return to visit.
The meal traditionally begins when the first star appears in the evening sky. Family members start by sharing communion wafers, which we bring from the churches before Christmas, as a symbol of unity and blessing. The feast then commences with a variety of dishes, including herring prepared in different ways, kūčiukai (small pastries with poppy seeds), poppy seed milk, grains, nuts, dried fruits, kissel, kūčia (a dish made from mixed grains), potato salad, and more.
Future-telling games
After dinner, Lithuanians don’t rush off immediately. It is said that Christmas Eve night is magical—animals begin to speak, the water in the well turns to wine for just one minute at midnight, and you can try to predict your future. This is when the fortune-telling games begin! Each family may have its own rituals and games, making it hard to summarize them all. However, our guide Ieva has kindly agreed to share her favorites.
Draw a straw: if there is hay on the table, family members each take one straw. It is said that pulling a long straw means you will have a long life, while pulling a short straw means your life may not be as long.
Throw a shoe: facing away from a door, a shoe is thrown over one’s shoulder – if the pointy end is facing the door, you will either move or get married. But in Ieva's family it also means that you will travel a lot.
Pick kūčiukai: If you are single that year, take a handful of Kūčiukai and count them. If you get an even number, you will find love. If not, you will remain single for another year.
What is Kūčiukai?
You will always find kūčiukai on Christmas Eve Dinner table in Lithuania. Photo by Aistė Jūrė
Never heard of kūčiukai before? Kūčiukai (also called šližikai), or Christmas cakes, are a traditional Lithuanian dish served on Kūčios, the Christmas Eve dinner. These small pastries are made from leavened dough and poppy seeds, and while they vary in sweetness, they are usually eaten dry but you can soak them in poppy seed milk or cranberry kissel. As Christmas approaches, Lithuanians eagerly search for them in stores or make them at home, as we can't imagine our Christmas Eve dinner without them. So check the nearest grocery store and pick a bag for yourself. However, once Christmas is over they’re forgotten immediately until the next December.
Lithuanian Christmas trees
Christmas trees are a key part of the Christmas season in Lithuania, and some even call it the "Christmas tree Olympics!" Every city, big or small, has its own Christmas tree in the main square, and many of them are truly impressive. Larger cities like Vilnius and Kaunas often feature the biggest trees, aiming to impress not only Lithuanians but the whole world. However, even small towns recognize the importance of this competition. A great example this year is Radviliškis, a town with a population of 15,000, located about 190 km from Vilnius. They surprised the country with an impressive Christmas tree, attracting tourists from nearby towns to admire it.
The main Radviliškis Christmas tree in 2024 photo from Lrt.lt
By the way, you might have heard that Latvians & Estonians argue to this day who had the first ever decorated Christmas tree. We are not involved in this competition, because for many years now, the Lithuanian capital’s Christmas tree has been recognised as one of the most beautiful in the world. It even dictates fashion trends globally. Don't believe us? Check this article about The Mystery of Vilnius’ Christmas Tree.
Vilnius Christmas tree instalation in the main Cathedral square in Vilnius 2024. Photo by Go Vilnius
White Christmas in Lithuania - will there be snow?
A white Christmas is very important to Lithuanians. One of the common questions we ask in December is whether snow will fall during the holidays. After all, a Christmas without snow doesn’t feel quite like Christmas.
Let’s see what do professionals say. According to Lithuanian Hydro meteorological Service (LHMT) since 1961 there were only 11 years when Lithuania was covered with snow for three full days from 24th to 26th of December. The last year like this was 2012. During other years, we had snow in some parts of Lithuania or snow just for one day. It depends a lot on the region you live in. Meteorologists say that probability to have snow for at least one day of Christmas in Vilnius is over 70% according to the statistics since 1961. That sounds quite fine. However Christmas without snow is more and more common since 2013… So the probabilities might change in upcoming years. So let's keep our hopes up!
Vilnius streets covered in snow in December. Photo by Vilnius with Locals
Other Christmas traditions in Lithuania
Going to church with your family on Christmas morning is one of our Christmas traditions. Lithuania is a Catholic country, however most of Lithuanians do not attend church every Sunday. Only Christmas and Easter are the celebrations that bring more people to church than usual. And when do we exchange the gifts? Or course on Christmas morning before breakfast is served. Usually the first day of Christmas is spent with your closest family members, and the second one is for visiting other relatives or friends. So do not expect to see much going on from 24th to 26th of December. Most of the shops are closed and most of the locals are out of Vilnius visiting their relatives all over the country. Still not everything is closed. We have a separate article explaining things you might need to know about Christmas in Vilnius in 2025.
We hope this article helped you to get a better picture of Christmas in Lithuania or compare the way Lithuanians celebrate to your own country. Every year Christmas season is magical in Lithuania.