What is Dyngus Day?

Dyngus Day, also known as Smingus-Dyngus, is a Polish holiday held on Easter Monday that celebrates the end of Lent. On this day, it is customary for people in Poland to douse one another with water, whip each other with pussy willow branches, give painted eggs, and hold door-to-door processions.

Records show that people have celebrated Dyngus Day since the 15th century, but the holiday originated from Slavic pagan traditions. Variations of the holiday exist in many Slavic countries, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Polish immigrant communities in the United States and Canada, particularly in Buffalo, N.Y., celebrate the holiday.