3. Marzanna
Where: Poland
Price: Not specified
Poland has a strong devotion to welcoming spring, and Marzanna is not a custom for the meek. Slavic goddess Marzanna is a symbol for illness, death, and winter. This is a Polish springtime custom where this terrifying figure takes center stage.
Marzanna @Pinterest/atlasobscura
Every spring, local women in Polish towns braid hay and straw into the shape of a human figure, which is subsequently dressed. This custom is known as Marzanna. After that, the goddess made of straw is burned and “drowned” in the river, so ending the life of the death-bringer and introducing Lada/Vesna, the goddess of spring.