ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Haapsalu shawl

A Haapsalu shawl is a very special kind of shawl that comes from a small town called Haapsalu in Estonia, which is a country all the way over in Europe.

The shawl is made out of really fine and soft wool and it is known for being very delicate and beautiful. It has a lot of tiny holes in it that make it look lacy and elegant.

People have been making Haapsalu shawls for a really long time - over 200 years! It's been a big tradition in Haapsalu for generations, which means that people have been teaching each other how to make these shawls for a long time.

Making a Haapsalu shawl is very hard to do, but it's also very special. The people who make them have to be really skilled and patient, because it takes a long time to make just one. They have to be really careful not to make any mistakes, because if they do, it can mess up the whole thing!

When you wear a Haapsalu shawl, you will feel very fancy and pretty. People wear them for special occasions, like weddings or parties. They can also be passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom, which means that it's a special thing that your family has owned for a long time.

So that's what a Haapsalu shawl is in a nutshell - a beautiful, delicate shawl made out of really soft wool, that's been a tradition in a small town in Estonia for over 200 years!