The hanging of a wooden dove – the Holy Spirit – over the table in a farmhouse was widespread throughout northern Slovenia in the 19th century.
It was hung over the table in the central living area (the so-called »house«), and on some farms the string on which it was hung was also connected to the front door. When the door was opened and closed, the ghost would rise and fall, greeting those who entered and bringing good luck and prosperity to the household.
The holy ghost was sometimes a carving, but most often a home-made product, as the skill of carving spirit by hand was usually passed down from generation to generation. The most richly carved ghosts were found in Gorenjska, while in Dolenjska there were also spirits made of cloth and paper. Beggars also carved ghosts and gave them to the master of the house as a token of their gratitude for the food and lodging he provided. Today, spirits are mainly decorative of decorative importance and represent a synthesis of handicraft knowledge and artistic tradition.