Many generations from year to year arrange a feast on the Old New Year and don’t even think about the history of its origin.

For many believers, it symbolizes the end of Lent and is a good reason to celebrate it from the heart.

Story

Old New Year is a holiday that is celebrated unofficially. This holiday arose as a result of a change in chronology. The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year is associated with the divergence of two calendars: the Julian - “old style” and the Gregorian - “new style”.

Almost all European countries switched to the Gregorian calendar back in the 18th century, removing a few extra days from the calendar. By the twentieth century, the Russian calendar was 13 days behind Europe, which had long ago switched to the Gregorian calendar.

To reduce this gap, in 1918, by decree of the Council of People's Commissars, the transition to the Gregorian calendar was carried out - new style. In fact, after January 31st, February 14th came immediately. As a result, January 14 - St. Basil's Day turned out to be the old New Year.

The Orthodox Church continues to celebrate everything church holidays according to the Julian calendar. The modern New Year falls on the pre-Christmas fast - the Orthodox forty-day fast in honor of Christmas.

Focusing on the Julian chronology, one can trace the natural order of the holidays - the Nativity Fast preceded the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, after which six days later people celebrated the New Year.

The discrepancy between the old and new chronology in the XX-XXI centuries is 13 days, so the New Year according to the old style is celebrated on the night of January 13-14. The difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars will gradually increase and from March 1, 2100 will be 14 days, so from 2101 the Old New Year will be celebrated a day later.

Where is it celebrated?

For many years in the countries of the post-Soviet space, including Georgia, the custom of celebrating the Old New Year has been preserved, which, as it seemed to us, was incomprehensible to the rest of the world.

In fact, the Old Style New Year is known and loved in different parts of our planet, and there are countries that also celebrate the arrival of the New Year twice a year.

This custom can be found among residents of the former Yugoslavia. The reasons are also similar - church ministers count everyone significant dates according to the Julian chronology system.

© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Somov

Serbs call this holiday "Serbian New Year" or "Little Christmas". In Montenegro, it is customary to call this holiday “Prava Nova Godina”, which means “Correct New Year”.

The inhabitants of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria have a similar custom. They live according to their own Berber calendar, similar to the Julian calendar. As a result of many deviations and errors, they celebrate the second New Year on January 12.

The night of January 14 is considered fabulous in Romania and some cantons of Sweden. In Greece, on this night people gather at the festive table to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. This Greek holiday is called St. Basil's Day, famous for his kindness.

© photo: Sputnik / Yegor Eremov

Old Style New Year is celebrated in the small Welsh community in Wales in the west of the UK, where they celebrate Hen Galan on 13 January. “Hen Galan” - a holiday of good neighborliness and “open doors”, according to the traditions of our ancestors, is greeted with songs, folk festivals and local home-made beer.

And then, two New Years are an excellent occasion to once again gather the whole family and friends at one table and have a good time.

Customs and traditions

On January 14, the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappodacia. In the popular calendar it is called Vasiliev's Day and was of decisive importance for the whole year.

© photo: Sputnik / Mikhail Kuleshov

There are many traditions and customs associated with the Old New Year in Rus'. On Vasilyev's Day, they celebrated the holiday of agriculture, which was associated with the future harvest, and performed the ritual of sowing - hence the name of the holiday "Osen" or "Avsen".

On this day, the children scattered grains of wheat, oats, and rye around the house, saying: “O God, give birth to every life according to the grain, that is according to the grain, and according to the great, and it would be a life for the whole baptized world.” The mistress of the house collected grains from the floor and stored them until sowing.

And there was also a peculiar ritual - cooking porridge. IN New Year's Eve, at about two o'clock, the eldest of the women brought cereal from the barn, and the eldest man brought water from a well or river. It was impossible to touch the cereal and water until the stove burned out - they just stood on the table.

Then everyone sat down at the table, and the eldest of the women began to stir the porridge in the pot, while pronouncing certain ritual words - the cereal was usually buckwheat. Then everyone got up from the table, and the hostess put the porridge in the oven - with a bow.

The finished porridge was taken out of the oven and examined carefully. If the pot was simply full, and the porridge was rich and crumbly, then one could expect a happy year and a rich harvest - such porridge was eaten the next morning.

© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Rodin

Icon "St. Basil of Caesarea" (XVII century)

If the porridge came out of the pot, or the pot cracked, this did not bode well for the owners of the house, and then trouble was expected, and the porridge was thrown away.

On the night of the Old New Year, the girls told fortunes about their betrothed - after all, the Christmastide period continued, the best time of year for all kinds of fortune-telling and predictions. People believed that fortune telling on the night of January 13-14 was the most truthful and it was at this time that you could see your future spouse in a dream.

To do this, girls combed their hair before going to bed, put a comb under their pillow and said magic words: “Betrothed-mummer, come comb my head.”

The ritual of going from house to house to treat yourself to pork dishes is also interesting. On the night of Vasily, guests certainly had to be fed pork pies, boiled or baked pork legs, and in general any dishes that included pork.

A pig's head was also required to be placed on the table. The fact is that Vasily was considered a “pig farmer” - the patron saint of pig farmers and pork products, and they believed that if there was a lot of pork on the table that night, then these animals would breed in abundance on the farm and bring good profits to the owners.

But the tradition of making dumplings with surprises for the Old New Year appeared not so long ago - no one remembers exactly where and when, but it is happily observed in many regions of Russia. In some cities they are made in almost every home - with family and friends, and then they have a fun feast and eat these dumplings, eagerly waiting to see who will get what kind of surprise.

Signs

On New Year's Day they did not lend money so that there would not be a shortage of it throughout the year. It was considered very lucky to receive money on this day - it foreshadowed profit in the new year.

To dress well all year round, on Vasilyev's evening to celebrate the New Year, one should wear good new clothes.

In the old days there was a belief that if you carry out old year and meet the new one as cheerfully as possible, then it will pass happily.

The clear, starry sky on Vasily's Day foreshadowed a rich harvest of berries. A fierce snowstorm on the evening of January 13 indicated a bountiful nut harvest.

Also, fluffy snow on tree branches in the morning and thick fog on Vasily’s Day indicated a bountiful harvest in the new year.

According to popular beliefs, Saint Basil protects gardens from worms and pests. On the morning of the Old New Year, you need to walk through the garden with the words of an ancient conspiracy: “As I shake off (name) the white fluffy snow, so Saint Basil will shake off every worm-reptile in the spring!”

© photo: Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich

In the old days they believed that on January 14, a man should be the first to enter the house, then the year would turn out to be prosperous; if a woman enters, it would mean trouble.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

How to celebrate the Old New Year 2019, what you can and cannot do on this day, and how such an oxymoron appeared in the holiday calendar.

read in the Pravda-TV material

For many years now, people in Russia have been celebrating the New Year twice: from December 31 to January 1 and from January 13 to 14. The latter is called Old New Year. It was at this time that our ancestors celebrated it. As a result of the calendar change, the country's residents received two wonderful holidays.

History of the Old New Year from January 13 to 14, 2019

Every year, on the night of January 13-14, Russia celebrates the “Old New Year.” The holiday, capable of twisting the brain of any foreigner with its name, owes its appearance to many people. Peter I ordered the New Year to be celebrated in Russia on January 1st.

This happened in 1699, and before that time, Russians celebrated the new year in the spring - on March 22, or in the fall - on September 1. Moreover, one volost could celebrate the holiday in the spring, and the neighboring one in the fall.

The celebration of the New Year in ancient times in the spring is associated with the solstice - the ancient Russians were pagans and worshiped the sun, more atheistically inclined, celebrated the New Year in the fall - when the bulk of the work in the field was completed and one could begin to have fun.

Actually, after the decree of Peter I, the new year would have remained in its place, only Russia at that time lived according to the Julian calendar, which, due to minor flaws, gradually shifted away from the Gregorian calendar accepted in the rest of the world. As a result, several centuries later in Russia it was January 1, and in the rest of the world it was already January 14.

Lenin, together with the Council of People's Commissars, issued a decree, due to which the country made a sharp leap into the future two weeks without the use of any time machine.

That's just Orthodox Church decided to continue living according to the old calendar, which is why they continued to celebrate the New Year two weeks after the rest of the world. In addition, Orthodox Christians cannot fully celebrate the onset of the New Year together with the rest of the world, because... its onset coincides with the Nativity Fast, during which a number of foods, including meat and alcohol, should not be consumed.

Traditions for the Old New Year from January 13 to 14, 2019

On the eve of the Old New Year, housewives clean their houses and prepare treats for the festive table. - The celebration begins on January 13, Vasiliev's evening. The owners of the house and invited guests gather at a sumptuous table.

The holiday menu includes pies with mushroom or meat filling, pancakes, dumplings, cabbage rolls, homemade pork sausages, meat aspic, cutlets, salads, croutons. Placing fish or poultry meat on the table on this day is considered bad omen: Happiness can fly or swim.

For dessert, housewives serve gingerbread, cookies, cakes and rolls with cream fillings. Among alcoholic drinks Wine and champagne are popular. In some regions, the menu includes generous kutya (sochivo) - porridge made from whole grains of wheat or rice with honey, poppy seeds, chopped walnuts, raisins and dried apricots.

At midnight, people light sparklers, set off fireworks and make a wish. - In some regions, after sunset and until midnight, it is customary to give generously (carol). The generous people go around the houses, sing ritual songs wishing happiness to the owners. For this they are given sweets and money.

In villages, it is a common tradition among young men to steal gates or wickets in girls’ yards. To get them back, the owners must pay a ransom in the form of money or alcohol.

In some houses, on the eve of the Old New Year, the owners install a sheaf of ears of grain from the previous year's harvest - didukh. After the holiday, the sheaf is burned. They believe that such a ritual cleanses the house of evil spirits and troubles.

On the morning of January 14, young guys go home to sow. They bring grains of barley, wheat, and oats in their pockets or sleeves and sprinkle them on the floor. The process is accompanied by the singing of ritual songs that glorify the owner of the house and contain wishes for his family’s health, success and prosperity.

For this they are generously presented with sweets and money. The grain that remains after sowing is not swept up, but collected with the palms of the hand and mixed with seeds for new sowing.

Folk holiday for Old New Year 2019

The folk holiday “Vasil's Day” is celebrated on January 14 (according to the old style - January 1). On this day, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Other names of the holiday: “Basily the Great”, “Old New Year”, “Pig Festival”, “The Beginning of the Terrible Evenings”. Ancient names: “Ovsen”, “Tausen”, “Bausen”.

Basil the Great is a saint, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, church writer and theologian. One of the three Cappadocian Church Fathers, along with Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory the Theologian. He is credited with the invention of the iconostasis and the composition of the Liturgy of Basil the Great. Author of the fifth prayer of the morning rule (mandatory for Orthodox Christians), numerous sermons and letters (at least three hundred have survived). A staunch supporter of Kinovia.

January 1 was the first day of the new year. The day before, peasants went from house to house with congratulations and wishes for well-being. At the same time, the ancient ritual of sowing or seeding, also known as oatmeal, was performed, walking to tausit, eusenkat, clicking oatmeal.

In some places it was the custom the day before to go from house to house (caroling, giving generously) and collecting pies, pork feet and generally edible Christmas things. The peasants making this round said under the windows of the houses: “Give out a pig and a boletus for Vasilyev’s evening,” or: “Guts and legs in the upper window.” Pork meat was the main treat during Vasiliev's evening and Christmastide. Sowing was carried out exclusively on the morning of January 1.

Early in the morning, the children, having gathered together, went from house to house before mass to sow oats, buckwheat, rye and other grains from a sleeve, mitten or bag, and at the same time sang a sowing song or said: “For happiness, for health, for a new summer, give birth, God, give birth to wheat and all arable land”, “O God, give birth to every grain according to the grain, that according to the grain and according to the great, and it would become a life for the whole baptized world.” The older woman (the big woman) tried to catch the scattered grain with her apron. All “sown” grain was collected and stored until sowing - it was added to the first seeder. On Vasily's Day, they prepared porridge with special rituals, with fortune telling on the porridge about the happiness and well-being of the coming year for the family.

On this day, many homes baked cookies reminiscent of cows, pigs, sheep and poultry. Many people had a roasted pig or pig's head on their table that day. At the same time, all the neighbors could come to the house and treat themselves to this dish, paying the owners a little money, which was handed over to the parish church the next day. St. Basil the Great was considered the patron saint of pigs. The shepherds deeply revered Saint Basil and were afraid of angering him.

In the morning, each family member tried to get up first and bring water from a well, spring or river and wash. Whoever succeeds in this will be cheerful and active all year. For New Year's washing, Belarusians put copper or gold coins in the water - in order to be “red and strong” all year long, like copper and gold; silver coins - to have a “white” (clean) face.

Vasilyev’s day in the everyday life of the Russian people was considered a period in economic time calculation, and therefore they said: “otherwise it was about Vasilyev’s day,” “he hired from Vasilyev’s day to Evdokia,” etc. In some regions of Belarus, on this day it was considered necessary to start “I’ll put in some work” so that later it will be successful all year.

Signs and sayings for the Old New Year from January 13 to 14, 2019

If to Old New the year goes by snow or fog, then the year will be fruitful. On the eve of the Old New Year, it is necessary to ask forgiveness for grievances from all loved ones and acquaintances and forgive your own.

If a man is the first to enter the house on the morning of the Old New Year, then this is considered a good omen, and if it is a woman, then it will be a misfortune.

If there are large banknotes in the house for a holiday, then the coming a year will pass in wealth.

Vasiliev's night star - summer is berry!

They expect a good harvest of peas from a clear starry sky, but they notice that if the stars darken by morning, the peas will not have time to ripen.

If the moon is on the wane, there will not be much water in the spring; if there is a profit, then in the spring there will be a lot of water.

Snow falling on New Year's Day, severe frost or fog foreshadow a good harvest.

A full hole of water and fog on New Year's Day foreshadow a large spill.

If the wind blows on this day, it promises a good harvest of nuts.

Fortune telling for the Old New Year from January 13 to 14, 2019

One of the most common girls' fortune telling was on the shoe. To do this, the girls took something from their shoes and threw it out the window. Then they immediately went out into the street and looked where the toe of the shoe was pointing, from there the narrowed one should appear. If the sock was looking at the girl’s house, then there will be no wedding in the coming year.

Also at night they went out into the street and asked the first person they met the name of their betrothed. Accordingly, whatever they call him will be his future husband’s name. In this case, it is better if it is a man, and a drunk one at that. This promised happiness in his personal life. In addition, if the first person you meet, regardless of woman or man, is very handsome, then future spouse will be the same.

And this fortune telling was often carried out by married women. To do this, it was necessary to take bread according to the number of family members and put it in water, and then stir everything with your finger, saying: “Wirl the bread and water, my whole family is here.” If there is trouble, separate bread and water.” If by morning all the pieces are together, then the year will also pass unitedly and amicably, and if someone fights back, then this family member will either leave, or worse, die.

Family members and animals often participated in fortune telling. An example is the following fortune telling. To do this, the girl entered any of the rooms first and closed the door. After her, one of the family members would run the dog. If it immediately runs up to the fortuneteller, then unearthly happiness awaits her in the future family life. It’s bad if the dog starts sniffing out something, then the husband will be jealous, cruel and angry. If the dog caresses the girl, then the future husband will be, on the contrary, very affectionate, kind and loved.

Festive table for the Old New Year is not much different from Christmas. Lent has ended and now you can cook all kinds of meat dishes. The traditions of celebrating this suggest that the whole family gets together on the night of January 13-14, 2019 and cheerfully celebrates the occasion.

What to cook for the Old New Year from January 13 to 14, 2019

It is customary to prepare many dishes for the Old New Year: it is appreciated if they are varied and satisfying, because the more dishes on the table, the more generous the next year will be. Mandatory treats on the table are dumplings, pancakes, and various sausages. There must also be pork dishes on the table.

This animal has traditionally been considered a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Cooking poultry and fish that evening was a bad omen, as it was believed that happiness would “fly away” or “swim away” from home. The hosts covered the festive tables with towels and decorated them with spikelets, and lit a candle in the center of the table to honor the memory of their ancestors.

Traditional dishes for the Old New Year from January 13 to 14, 2019

Also a traditional dish for the Old New Year, an extraordinary delicacy for gourmets. The main thing is to cook them correctly using this recipe. And you shouldn’t think that if, according to the Chinese horoscope, the Year of the Pig is coming, then in Russia you can’t eat pork, but in our country, the Year of the Soaring Eagle is coming.

Ingredients:

• pork neck – 2 kg;
• garlic – 2 heads;
• salt, pepper;
• pork intestines.

Preparation

• We soak the intestines for several hours and rinse thoroughly, but it is better to purchase already prepared ones.
• We cut the washed meat into small pieces; you should not grind it in a meat grinder, as the taste will drop sharply.
• To the chopped meat add garlic, crushed under pressure in a special garlic press, and also add salt and pepper. To determine the sufficient amount of spices, fry a small cutlet and take a sample.
• Mix the meat thoroughly and put it in the refrigerator, covered, for several hours.
• Before filling the intestines, add water or broth to the meat in small portions and knead.
• We put intestines on the attachment for a meat grinder, tie the end and fill the intestines with meat, then boil 10 - 15 in boiling water, then remove, dry and fry in internal lard.
• Serve aromatic, delicious sausages to the table.

In the festive menu for the Old New Year, in addition to traditional dishes, to maintain balance, we also include recipes for modern cooking.

Meat rolls will be an excellent dish for celebrating the Old New Year

January 13th is celebrated folk holiday Vasily, who is considered the patron saint of pigs. Therefore, you can add pork dishes to the holiday menu. For example, meatloaf with bacon.

Required Products

• Pork tenderloin - 1 kg.
• Lard with meat layer - 250 g.
• Garlic - 2 heads.
• Pickled cucumbers - 3-4 pcs.
• Dill - 1 small bunch.
• Salt, pepper - to taste.

Step-by-step meatloaf recipe

• Cut the meat into 1 cm thick slices and beat well.
• Grind the lard into cubes.
• Cut the garlic and cucumbers into large slices.
• Season each chop with salt and pepper, place lard on one side, a clove of garlic, a slice of cucumber and wrap it in a roll. Secure with a toothpick or kitchen string.
• Then fry the rolls in a frying pan on both sides until a crust appears.
• Place the rolls in a cauldron or thick-walled pan. Pour a mixture of warm water (1 liter) and 100 g of tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of salt and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

The Old New Year, which arose as a result of a change in chronology, is celebrated unofficially. The Old New Year is celebrated in connection with the divergence of calendars: the Julian - “old style” and the Gregorian - “new style”.

In this article we will tell you how to beautifully and cheerfully celebrate the Old New Year 2018 according to all traditions in order to attract money, luck and financial well-being. The main thing is not to lose sight of what you may not have thought about on the night of December 31 to January 1. In 2018, as always, we celebrate this holiday on the night of January 13-14.

Old New Year 2018: when and how to celebrate to attract money, luck and financial well-being

They say that the Russian people are very superstitious. But it’s true, we always observe traditions and customs, we believe in omens and try to adhere to them.

In this regard, signs for the Old New Year are no exception. Since there is a belief that how you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it, it is better to do it twice in order to properly consolidate the result!

On the eve of the Old New Year, the Slavs celebrate a national holiday - Generous Evening. In Russia, the evening before the old New Year is called Vasilyev, since on this day the church celebrates the memory of Vasily the Great. Another name is the rich holy evening.

On the evening of January 13, all housewives prepare a second or generous kutya, which, unlike the lean one, is seasoned with meat and lard. According to tradition, a bowl of kutia is placed in the corner where the icons stand.

For a generous evening, the housewives prepared the best and most delicious dishes for the table. The main dish on the festive table was considered a whole roasted pig - a symbol of the fertility of livestock and the fertility of the earth.

In order to comply with all the customs and signs of the Old New Year, it is believed that at dawn on January 14 it is necessary to go to sow grain with godparents, close relatives, and acquaintances so that money can be found.

By folk signs, on the old New Year, a man was supposed to be the first to enter the house - it is believed that this will bring happiness to the house for the whole next year.

According to this ritual, the sowers must congratulate everyone on the New Year and wish them wealth and abundance with special sayings and carols.

In return, the owners give pies, candies and other sweets. According to the signs for the Old New Year, it is believed that money cannot be given to sowers - with it you can give away prosperity in the house.

In addition, in popular beliefs, many other signs and beliefs are associated with the celebration and celebration of the Old New Year.

On the night of the Old New Year, according to signs, it is customary to prepare buckwheat porridge, which will symbolize prosperity and happiness if it turns out tasty and crumbly. Also on this day it is customary to bake pies, which, accordingly, should also be fluffy and tasty - for good luck.

On the night of January 14, girls can tell fortunes about the groom; moreover, this day was endowed with extraordinary magical powers; it was believed that all the fortunes of this night would come true.

According to folk superstitions, you need to cook dumplings with surprises for the Old New Year. If you get a dumpling with pepper, it means a thrill in the new year, with sugar - for a sweet life, with a button - for different new things, with a thread - for the road, with beans - for pregnancy.

You should not say the word “thirteen” on this day.

On the old New Year and on Vasilyev's evening, you cannot lend anything, otherwise you will spend the whole year in debt.

A clear sky dotted with stars on the night of January 14 (Vasil's Day) predicts a generous harvest of berries.

A fierce snowstorm on the evening before the Old New Year suggests that nuts will be harvested this year.

Read also: Old New Year 2018: congratulations in verse and prose. beautiful, funny

In the morning there is beautiful fluffy frost on the tree branches - prepare barrels for honey, the year will be rich.

It was customary for the Old New Year to bake cookies in the shape of domestic animals and birds, since it was believed that this protected livestock from misfortunes.

If you have pets in your home, then you should definitely feed them to their fullest, which will allow you to spend the entire New Year in financial well-being.

If you were thinking about what to cook for the Old New Year, then know that on this day you should not serve poultry and fish dishes, as happiness can fly away or float away from home. It is best to cook pork, which will “instill” happiness and prosperity into the house.

People born on January 14 were supposed to wear jasper around their necks; it was believed that those born on this day would be rich.

According to ancient wisdom, a person who falls ill on Old New Year will remain ill for a very long time.

If the sky on the night of January 13-14 is clear and starry, it means that the year will be successful and the harvest will be large, and bright stars can also tell about the imminent frost and hot summer.

Whether to believe in omens for the Old New Year or not is a personal matter for everyone. But the fact that they came to us after many generations suggests that it is better to listen to them, so as not to tempt fate.

The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year among the Slavs dates back to 1918, when Soviet Russia was forced to switch to life according to the Gregorian calendar in order to eliminate the frightening time difference between Europe and Russia. Subsequently, the Julian calendar was abolished, but the Orthodox Church did not obey the order of the Soviet government and continued to celebrate the holiday in the old regime, but now on January 14. That is, the old New Year is a New Year that people continue to celebrate according to the old style.

On the night of January 13-14, people again celebrated the arrival of the New Year, the eve of which was called Vasilyev's evening in honor of the patron saint of pig farmers, St. Basil. On this day, a pig was usually slaughtered, from whose meat countless hearty dishes were prepared, since the pig was a symbol of livestock fertility and family well-being among the ancestors. In addition to the above-mentioned name, this day was often called “Generous Evening” or “Autumn” among the people.

In the morning, the housewives treated the whole family to wheat porridge, which was generously seasoned with meat or honey. There was a popular saying: the tastier the porridge, the better the coming year. But if the dish failed, then the family will be haunted by failures. Then from lunch until the evening the women baked pancakes, made dumplings with various fillings and baked piglets. The men helped them with housework, and the children went caroling.

The ritual of “falling over the oats” was accompanied by dressing in national costumes and walking from house to house singing songs that were supposed to attract good luck and prosperity to the village. The owners who allowed caroling on their doorsteps always treated the children to something tasty. In the evening, a generous table was set to appease the coming year, and at night the whole family went to visit neighbors to bring peace and grace into the relationship.

On the morning of January 14, young people went out into the streets and lit fires to burn the “didukh” and jump over the New Year’s fire as a sign of purification. On this night they believed: the more stars there are in the sky, the greater the harvest.

In order for the festive table to comply with the canons of Old Slavonic traditions, it is important to serve kutya on the Old New Year holiday, which is prepared from buckwheat and barley (today we use refined rice) with the addition of a variety of dried fruits, nuts, grapes and honey. The richer the filling, the better. The thing is that each product has a sacred meaning: nuts symbolize health, raisins - longevity, grain - the beginning of a new life, honey - good news, poppy - prosperity.

By the way, our ancestors special attention also related to rituals related to fortune telling. The main tradition Every family had a special dinner with a surprise. A variety of objects were hidden in their filling - from a bay leaf to a coin. Got a cherry dumpling? To temptation. With cabbage? To the money. The ring spoke of an imminent wedding, the thread warned of a long journey, the button - of a new thing, pepper and salt - of chagrin.

The peasants were not only engaged in festivities at the festive table. Everyone, young and old, waited with special reverence for the onset of darkness to begin fortune-telling. People believed that the night from the 13th to the 14th was magical; it was during this period that dark and light forces descended onto the earth and possessed knowledge.

Popular fortune telling in the old New Year

Fortune telling "Look up your ear"

If you want to know what year lies ahead, then you just need to listen to someone else's conversation. Ask yourself a question and listen to what the people around you say: if they laugh - everything will be fine, if they cry or swear - it means that hard times await you, and if they drink, stay away from temptations.

Fortune telling "Prophetic line"

In the old days, girls especially loved to tell fortunes with books. They prepared questions in their minds and then called out the page number and line. The answer served as a prophecy.

Fortune telling "Green sprout"

To find out who would get married first, unmarried girls picked out an onion and placed it with the root in the water. The one who sprouted first will be the first to marry.

Fortune telling "Stranger"

To find out the name of their betrothed, unmarried girls often ran out of the house immediately after midnight to look for the first male they met. There was a belief: whatever name a stranger calls, that’s what the future husband will wear.

Fortune telling "Bag with a surprise"

In the house, a bag was prepared in advance with a variety of small items - pebbles, cereals, handkerchiefs. A crust of bread, a ring and a hook were also hidden there. Without looking inside, you had to take the first thing you found out of the bag. If a girl pulled out a loaf of bread - she would live in wealth, a hook - to expect troubles or a difficult fate, and a ring - to a happy marriage.