DIY Craft Kits: Traditional Baltic Straw Garden (Sodas)

Craft your own traditional Baltic straw garden, or Sodas! The tradition of assembling the straw Sodas is a vital part of Baltic culture, passed down through generations and still practiced today. Sodas decorations are traditionally crafted for Easter, Christmas, weddings, and other significant family celebrations.

Structure and Symbolism
Traditionally, the Sodas is made from cereal (grain) or reed straw, threaded onto cotton or linen thread. The classic Sodas consists of two pyramids joined at a common base, with their apexes pointing in opposite directions. One pyramid rises towards the heavens, while the other descends towards the earth (the underworld), symbolizing the balance of human existence between the sky and the earth.

Function and Belief
Hung from the ceiling above the main table, the Sodas serves not only an aesthetic function but also creates a sacred space within the home. It is widely believed that the Sodas brings happiness and harmony to the house, granting those beneath it unity and accord.