Fastelavn twigs: how to decorate them and arrange them in a vase

If you're about to make or decorate a fastelavn twig bundle for the children, luckily there isn't much that can go wrong. It's all about fresh branches, a bit of decoration and a good vase for when the bundle is later to be displayed. Here's an overview of branches, decorations and the process, so you can get started right away.

A fastelavn twig bundle, a little more explained

A fastelavn twig bundle comes in several varieties. Some make it as a bunch of twigs, often from fruit trees and preferably with buds, decorated with feathers, eggshells, storks and little figures of babies. Others wrap a bent willow branch with crepe paper and cut fringes with scissors. Both types can also be decorated with sweets, so the bundle is both decoration and a little gift for the children. Once fastelavn morning is over, the same bundle can be put in water and allowed to carry on as a green feature in the home.

What is a fastelavn twig bundle, and why do we have it

The fastelavn twig bundle has Danish roots in the 1700s. Back then, people began whipping each other as a fertility ritual, where the fertility of the fresh branches was meant to be transferred to whoever was whipped. People didn't just whip each other, but also the farm animals. In the 1700s and 1800s, it was common for young girls and lads to sneak in on sleeping friends and wake them with blows from the twigs, a bit of teasing between friends and family.

During the 1800s, ready-decorated fastelavn twig bundles could be bought in the larger Danish towns. They were often given as gifts and used as decoration in the home, decorated with paper flowers, small eggs, cats, storks, babies and masks. Today, the bundle is mostly used as decoration and a lovely gift for the children, not for punishment.

Which branches can you use

Birch branches are a classic choice. They're light, flexible and easy to get hold of, and they form a neat, light bundle that's good to decorate. Willow is another good option, because willow's thin branches are pliable and can be shaped, which makes them ideal for the round, bent variety, where the willow branch is wrapped with crepe paper and cut into fringes.

If you'd like a bit more spring feeling in the bundle, you can choose twigs from fruit trees, preferably with buds on. The buds mean the branches later bud with small leaves or flowers when placed in water, so the bundle carries on living a little after fastelavn.

Here's a quick overview of the branches you can choose for your fastelavn twig bundle, and what they're good for.

Decorations for the fastelavn twig bundle

You can choose between the old, traditional decorations and a more modern version, depending on what you've got at home and what the children think is fun.

• Traditional decorations: paper flowers, small eggs, cats, storks, babies, masks, cut-out figures and eggshells.
• Modern decorations: sweets, coloured feathers and gift ribbon.

Whichever decorations you choose, it's a good idea to keep it light. Heavy figures or too many sweets can make the thin branches snap, so spread the decorations out along the twigs instead of gathering it all in one place.

How to make a fastelavn twig bundle step by step

1. Gather the branches. Choose fresh birch twigs, willow or twigs with buds, and cut them to the length you want.
2. Tie the branches together at the bottom with string or ribbon, so they form a stable bundle that's easy to hold.
3. Cut out the decorations, for example paper flowers, cut-out figures or coloured feathers, and attach them along the branches with thread or glue.
4. Tie on the sweets last, ideally on Shrove Monday morning, so they're still fresh when the twigs are used.

Get the branches to bud, and choose the right vase

Once the twigs have done their job on Shrove Monday morning, the branches can be put in water indoors, so the buds eventually open and give green leaves in the living room. Keep an eye on the water level as you go, and change the water if it gets cloudy, so the branches stay fresh for as long as possible.

Choose a tall, heavy vase that can support the long branches without tipping over, for example a Large giraffe vase in stoneware from Quail or a Leopard vase in stoneware, large from Quail. If you'd rather keep an eye on the water, a glass vase like the Large gradient vase in glass from &Klevering is a great choice.

In Sweden, there's a similar tradition known as Easter twigs, where branches, often birch, are put in water so the leaves open, giving a bit of green at a time of year when there's otherwise little greenery. In public spaces, though, the twigs are often displayed without water, as the leaves coming out can cause problems for allergy sufferers.

Fastelavn Sunday morning

On the morning itself, the twigs still play a part in an old custom. The children wake their parents by gently tapping the bed with the twigs, and the traditional reward for doing so is a Shrovetide bun. At the same time, the twigs, decorated with sweets and small gifts, have themselves become a morning gift for the family's children, a cosy start to the day, before the twigs later move on to a vase as decoration in the home.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Shrovetide twig bundle?

A Shrovetide twig bundle is a bunch of fresh branches, often birch or willow, tied together and decorated with, for example, paper flowers, feathers, ribbon and sweets. It's used both as a gift for the children and as decoration in the home.

How do you make a fastelavnsris (Shrovetide birch)?

Gather fresh branches, tie them together at the base, attach the decorations along the branches, and finally tie the sweets on, ideally just before the birch is needed.

What can you decorate a fastelavnsris with?

Traditional decorations include things like paper flowers, little eggs, cats, storks, babies and masks, while modern decorations are often sweets, coloured feathers and gift ribbon. Keep the decorations light, so the branches don't snap.

Which branches are used for fastelavnsris?

Birch branches are a classic choice, while willow is used for the bent variant with crepe paper. Twigs from fruit trees with buds give the birch an extra touch of spring.

How do you get fastelavnsris to come into leaf?

Put the branches in water indoors, keep an eye on the water level, and change the water if it turns cloudy, so the buds gradually open.

Why do people give children a fastelavnsris?

The tradition dates back to a fertility ritual from the 1700s, where people would birch each other. Nowadays, the birch is mainly a cosy morning gift for children on Shrovetide Sunday, where the reward for birching the parents is a Shrovetide bun.

Summary

A fastelavnsris is easily made from fresh branches such as birch or willow, decorated to taste with everything from paper flowers to sweets. Use it on Shrovetide morning, and afterwards let it stand in a sturdy vase of water, so it can live on as spring decoration in the home.

Read also

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• DIY decorating: Projects with home accessories
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• When is Shrovetide in 2027? Date, history and customs