In  the history of straw customs one of the most universal is the need for Winter to end.  The seemingly long cold season soon gives way to a new season of warmth and growth.  Part of many rural places in the world have their own customs for hurrying that along. Some places like Germany, have a straw bear that they parade out of town. This is in hopes that Winter will follow and leave. Probably the hibernating bear seemed a fitting symbol of Winter. Yet, many of these customs have survived in the straw customs of rural towns associated in the last few centuries with Carnival. The last day of feasting before Lent is a time when a great deal of these customs can be seen. In Germany it is know as Fastnacht (sometimes also referred to as Germany’s Fifth Season. In Slovakia it is known as Fasiangy and in Lithuanian as Užgav?n?s.

These three costumes can be seen in the following pictures. The straw coat and cap from Germany is called a Stohglonki suit and is mainly used by the dancers of the event.  The costume of the Slovak people is a wonderful bishop like straw costume. Made of rye is seldom seen except in very rural parts of the country. The women’s costume for the Lithuanian carnival known as Užgavenes is worn by a young women in the village who runs through the fields to banish evil spirits before the planting can commence. Each of these costume are a part of the agricultural rural costumes in the American Museum of Straw Art.