The celebration of the winter solstice day - traditionally the shortest day of the year - takes place on the territory of a huge ethnographic museum in the open air to the east from Riga in the end of December. Ziemassvetki is a winter party that celebrates the birth of Dievs, the most important god in Latvian mythology.
The day marks the culmination of Velu LAIKS ("Ghost Season"), when candles are placed for petty gods and fire until the end of the feast, because in this way burned all the misfortunes of last year. Also, by tradition, at the end of the holiday, the main specter should appear to the people on the sleigh. In the Middle Ages Latvia adopted Christianity, and therefore the festival subsequently acquired many features of Christmas.