The tradition of putting up a ‘moj’ has survived in Orawa to this day. This custom probably dates back to the pagan times, it related to the coming of the spring and rituals characteristic for this time of the year. The evergreen tree is a symbol of life, energy, libido and fertility that were supposed to pass on to man from the world of nature. The custom reached Upper Orawa from Austria and Slovakia. The mojs are put up on the night of St. Philip and St. Jacob, i.e. 30 April to 1 May. An appropriate tree – a spruce, pine or fir – was cut and debarked with the green crown left on top of the long pole and decorated with tissue paper and ribbons among other things. A bachelor put a moj thus prepared by a cottage where his chosen girl lived (and, of course, there were disputes between men interested in the same girl). If his courtship was accepted the moj remained in place till the second day of the Green Week when the girl was obliged to prepare refreshments for her bachelor. Then there was what was known as ‘ogrywanie moja’: in the evening, boys and girls gathered and, while music played, the tree was cut down, chopped into small pieces, piled up and set on fire. It was the beginning of an all-night party by the bonfire.