From here to beyond the donut: Frenetic carnival folk customs and traditions

The first part of the formula is very simple: carnival starts on the day of the Epiphany. It lasts until ‘Meatless Tuesday’, which is the 47th day before Easter Sunday each year. Calculation-phobes might be alarmed at this point, but there is no need to worry: we have already done the maths and tell you that in 2024, you can carnival from 6 January to 13 February. During this period, there are three special days – according to some insights – which are mainly about partying, eating and chasing love.

We started celebrating carnival in Hungary with an Italian influence, so it is not surprising that Cupid plays an important role in the celebrations.  Carnival is also an important time for couples to choose a husband and wife, and the first Sunday after the Epiphany is also known as Wedding Sunday. Many weddings are held at this time. The next important date is the bridegrooms’ Sunday, when – the gentlemen will love this! – tradition has it that the new bridegroom can indulge in culinary delights at the father-in-law’s expese.

No real carnival season is complete without a ball and dancing. According to folk tradition, girls used to give a bouquet of flowers to boys at this time. And if the young man pinned a few flowers from the bouquet on his hat on the Carnival Sunday, it was a clear sign that Cupid had shot his arrows with skill.

Yes, that’s what they call the peak of carnival, i.e. the last three days until Meatless Tuesday. The whole carnival extravaganza is at its peak, with masquerade balls, carnivals (such as in Rio and Venice) and the Carnival of the Buso in Mohács.

The middle day of the tail of farsang is traditionally the women’s day: on this day, women could drink (not water...), have fun, dance and sing without limits. Since no further celebration or toasting was allowed afterwards until Easter, and no weddings were allowed, it is no wonder that the fairer sex could fully enjoy the celebration on Carnival.

And the last day of the carnival tail is the carnival funeral, also known as Meatless Tuesday, carnival Tuesday or Stringless Tuesday: this is when the so-called “carnival burning of a straw puppet known as the Pust (in Hungarian: ‘kiszebáb’)” is held, in the hope that the frost, frightened by fire and bizarre puppets, will run away and give way to spring.

Getting to know people was a cardinal issue even before you could simply ‘like’ potential acquaintances with a wave of the hand. Most of the customs associated with the carnival mating, such as the tests of strength of the lads or the exchange of pledges with kisses and hugs, originated in Transylvania.

Carnival balls held in villages and towns also helped people to get to know each other. The same could not be left out from the life of the aristocracy either, but they gave a little more to luxury, toasting with champagne glasses, and instead of ordinary masks, they held very luxurious carnivals.

At least according to superstition, which promises that the more donuts you eat, the better the harvest. Or, as we understand it today, the greater the abundance that awaits us.

Baked in deep fat in the frying pan, you can eat them sprinkled with sugar, stuffed with all kinds of fillings or dipped in jam, or even filled with savoury toppings. And if you're ever asked in a quiz what a ‘pánkó’, ‘siska’ or ‘pampuska’ is, it’s good to know that they are all synonymous with donuts.

There are also many superstitions associated with donuts, for example, some people eat them to prevent the storm from blowing the roof off the house. Once it takes the form of a giant ring, this type of food also has a lovely custom for lovers: if a couple break a doughnut in two together, they will soon be married.

Meatless Tuesday probably needs no introduction: it is the start of Lent. However, on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, it is still safe to have feasts. We can also visit gastro-carnivals, such as the one in Balatonlelle, to be organized 6th time in 2024. To sum up: if it's carnival time, let’s eat, drink, dance, dress up in costumes and whether or not there is cold outside: let’s enjoy the New Year!