Without holidays, life is boring and monotonous. Holidays are created so that we can feel the fullness of life, have fun and take a break from routine worries. Winter would be especially dreary without the holidays - because of the frost and darkness you won’t be able to get out much in the evenings, and you’re already tired of TV! That’s why there are so many happy holidays in winter: and New Year and the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord.

New Year's changes or when does the New Year come?

The most beloved and long-awaited winter holiday for everyone has been and will be the New Year. Children are eagerly counting down the days until New Year's Eve in the hope of receiving gifts, and adults are rushing to get rid of the accumulated last year a load of problems. Celebrating the New Year on the night of December 31st, many of us don’t even think that this wonderful holiday rescheduled several times. But in pagan times, the onset of the New Year was symbolically associated with the spring equinox and was celebrated old year March 22. Since 998, the year began on March 1, and this was due to the introduction of a new chronology (in connection with the Baptism of Rus') and the adoption of the Julian calendar. Over time, the New Year began to be celebrated on September 1. The idea was that by September the harvest had been harvested, which meant that the results of the past year could be summed up. In 1699 Peter I approved new date– January 1st and founded the tradition of awaiting the arrival of the New Year noisily and cheerfully.

Traditions of the festive feast for the New Year

To celebrate the New Year, it is customary to invite close friends and beloved relatives to visit you. Traditional New Year's festivities continue until the morning. On New Year's Day, gifts are placed under the Christmas tree for everyone without exception - both children and adults.

A mandatory attribute of the New Year celebration is a decorated Christmas tree. The forest guest is decorated not only with glass balls and garlands, but also with various “goodies” wrapped in foil - tangerines, candies, apples, nuts. Fir branches or wreaths are hung on the doors. Candles lit everywhere create a festive atmosphere.

The obligatory guests of New Year's Eve should be Father Frost and Snow Maiden. By the way, it is advisable to place symbolic images of these fairy-tale characters under the Christmas tree.

According to traditions, 12 different dishes should be presented on the New Year's table. However, the Soviet period of history made its own adjustments and now it is impossible to imagine New Year's table without Olivier salad, Soviet champagne and tangerine.

IN New Year's Eve It is customary to arrange it with dressing up or putting on masquerade masks. To avoid getting bored, you can come up with fun competitions and games at the New Year's table.

The New Year comes into law at midnight on December 31st with the deafening chimes. In the last moments of the outgoing year, it is customary to accept congratulations from the current president. And while the glasses of champagne are clinking, you need to try to make a wish - if you have time, then it will definitely come true.

It is impossible to miss the onset of the New Year - fireworks and exploding firecrackers illuminating everything around will notify everyone about the event.

A little about Christmas celebrations

While the New Year is a magnificent and noisy holiday that does not provide for absolutely no restrictions on food or games, it is a quiet and modest holiday. On Christmas Eve, that is. On January 6, the fast ends, and the meal begins no earlier than the rising of the first star. For the meal on Holy Evening, you need to prepare 12 dishes, necessarily lenten, and, of course, kutya. Kutya was always cooked from wheat, rice, barley or peas and seasoned with sweet uzvar with honey, dried fruits, poppy seeds, etc.

But on Christmas (January 7) they were already preparing a festive dinner and the whole family sat down at the table. According to tradition, an armful of hay is symbolically placed on the table as a reminder that Jesus was born in a cattle shed. Meat and fish dishes are already prepared for the meal, but kutia should be the central dish of the evening. Traditionally, the celebration begins with kutia, because according to popular belief, anyone who eats at least one spoon of kutia on Christmas will be healthy and successful in the coming year.

It is very difficult for modern people to observe the age-old traditions of organizing this particular holiday. Constant employment, stress and haste do not allow us to allocate enough time to prepare the required 12 dishes or the same kutia. However, holidays are precisely designed to stop your running for a moment, give your loved ones your love and feel involved in the traditions of your people.

Celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord

The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on the night of January 18-19. Due to the fact that church baptism was a very important and significant event for true Christians, the baptism of the Savior Jesus Christ in the Jordan River acquired a special magnitude. Therefore, Epiphany is the main church holiday on which all Christians try to repent of the sins they have committed during the year.

Purification of the soul occurs through swimming in a winter ice hole. First, a service dedicated to the Baptism of Christ is held in the church, and then all the priests and people who come to the church make a religious procession to a nearby reservoir. A hole is cut and the priest blesses the water according to all church canons. After consecration, the water becomes healing and plunging into ice water three times helps cleanse the soul and heal from illnesses. It is recommended to collect holy water and sprinkle it around the house, give it as medicine to sick people, or use it as a remedy for various love spells, the evil eye, etc.

On Epiphany Eve it is customary to cook lean porridge and vegetables for dinner. The evening before Epiphany has long been famous for folk festivities, fortune telling and other sacraments. For example, on Epiphany it was customary to choose a bride, baptize children and enter into marriages.

Epiphany ends the cycle of winter holidays, and winter begins to gradually lose ground. Despite the fact that the Epiphany frosts are the most severe, the people knew that winter was finally falling.

Christmastide

Christmastide was and is the longest holiday period in Russian life. They begin on December 19 (Nikolin's Day) and end on January 19 (Epiphany). Christmastide was predominantly a youth holiday, since it was youth games, songs and fortune telling that set the tone for all these days, but adults did not stand aside and supported the festive atmosphere in their own way.

But most of the worries at this time fell on the girls: various fortune-telling was supposed to determine the girl’s future husband and predict her future life with him. There was some devilry here too! (I’ll talk about what kind of fortune telling was done and how, later.) During such an exciting period of life, mothers, as a rule, freed the girls from the spinning wheel and needle. Bands of guys walked along the streets and sang songs, and with the onset of darkness in the “fat” hut at gatherings, an accordion was played or balalaikas were ringing. Gatherings were undoubtedly the center of social life during this period. We prepared for them in advance, almost a month in advance! The girls sewed outfits, and the guys prepared fancy dress costumes. The question of choosing a hut for gatherings, the so-called “fat” hut, was very important. Usually some single woman provided her hut for a small sum of money and allowed her to take out all the household furnishings and clean the hut at the discretion of the youth. The money for the hut was paid in cash: everything was added up, and the girls were not exempt from the contribution. In rare cases, the contribution was allowed to be worked off.

Christmas gatherings differed from ordinary ones in that both boys and girls dressed up as if they were going to a masquerade ball. In the first days of Christmastide, this dressing up was of a simple nature: girls dressed up in other people’s sundresses so as not to be recognized by their clothes, and covered their faces with scarves, and guys either painted their faces or put on different masks and disguises, but they could have done without it. A little later, a few days later, usually on Christmas night and later, the festive dressing began: the guys put on women's clothing, and girls - men's. It is believed that this custom came to Rus' from Byzantium. Usually guests from other villages or the most desperate fellow villagers dressed up like this. Such disguises made it possible to fool the most simple-minded and amorous boys and girls. And often the performance of courtship was simply played out, accompanied by indecent jokes and gestures. To prevent young people from getting too wild, in the “fat” huts there were usually many children ready to report to adults about all the tricks of the boys and girls, as well as several older people keeping order. They were often given treats, and when they fell asleep, the little ones were driven out of the hut with brooms and, at least for a while, complete and boundless fun ensued. Nobody told what happened there at such hours!

Dressing up pranks often ended with a guy disguised as a girl managing to fool some dupe into promising to marry him (or whatever) and allowing himself to be hugged. Then this couple was surrounded by a crowd of laughing young people, and the loser's pants were filled with snow (to cool down). Sometimes some girl or soldier, disguised as a guy, managed to deceive the girl, persuade her to marry her and ask her for a scarf, ring, comb or something else as collateral. There was no end to the jokes about this later. However, the victim was often not amused! If one of the mummers allowed himself a completely indecent joke, then he or she was stripped almost naked and dumped in the snow.

The presence of guests from other villages could also serve as a deterrent in the behavior of young people. If everything went as usual (i.e., the guests came with drinks and did not allow themselves to be insolent), then the hosts were polite, gave the guests places of honor on the benches, made sure that the girls who came were not left without gentlemen during the dances, and the guys could dance with the most beautiful girls. However, the presence of guests often caused quarrels and violent fights. If a guest began to openly court a girl from a foreign village, but did not provide vodka (compensation) for the guys, then he could be severely beaten for this, and sometimes even mutilated. The offended person returned home, gathered the guys, gave them vodka, and they went to the village to the offenders. A massive fight usually broke out there, during which the girls ran screaming to their homes, and the guys could take firewood and stakes (in the hut they usually fought with their fists). Such fights could occur several times during Christmas time. It ended with the winners “ripping off” vodka from the vanquished, which they drank at gatherings.

Favorite entertainment at gatherings included dancing, singing songs and ditties, fortune telling, as well as various performances (games), which were often cynical and indecent in nature. The Church has always condemned these games and fought against them, but they have never been able to eradicate them from the life of the Russian people. In addition to complex performances, the characters of which were various kings, emperors, merchants, landowners, robbers (most often Stepan Razin), etc., young people also played simpler games. I will point out some of these simple games.

Game of mares. The guys lined up the girls in pairs, told them to pretend to be mares and sang some song about horses, steeds or mares. Then the “herd owner” shouted:

“Mares, glorious mares! Guys, buy it!”

The guys approached the “herd” one by one, chose a “mare” and trading began, accompanied by many indecent gestures, jokes and songs. I give free rein to your imagination. The game continued until all the mares were sold.

Pancake game. This is a very simple game. One of the guys was given a bread shovel, with which he was supposed to hit the girls below the back. There were different versions of this game: from the simplest, when the girls were taken in turn to the middle of the hut, to the most complex, when there was dancing in the hut, and the driver had to bake all the girls. For every successful hit he could receive a reward, but for a mistake (hitting a guy) he could be fined.

Bull game. The guy portraying a bull (sometimes he was dressed up as a bull) held in his hands a large clay pot to which horns were attached, and this whole simple structure was covered with a scarf or blanket. The task of the “bull” was to butt as many girls as possible, but in such a way that they were not so much hurt, but offended, that is, again, below the back. The girls ran around the hut squealing and screaming, and the guys either protected the girls or pushed them out to the “bull.” To end the game, one of the guys had to kill the “bull”: to do this, it was necessary to break the pot with a log, the “bull” would fall, and the game would end.

Goose game. A blanket is thrown over the guy who has been chosen as the “goose”, and a goose neck with a head and beak is given to him. It is with this beak that the “goose” should hit everyone present, preferably on the head. Most often, of course, it was the girls who got it. In many areas, the role of the goose's head and neck was performed with great success by the guy's hand, which was much more convenient and pleasant for pinching girls.

The game of horse (not to be confused with the game of mares!). The guys had to work a little harder with this game, since its obligatory attribute was a horse's head, which they had to make with their own hands. A horse (horse) was most often depicted by one or two guys covered with a veil (sometimes there could be more), and a horse’s head was put on the leader’s head. The horse's job is to kick everyone, especially girls.

Blacksmith game. This is a more complex game and has many variations, but the basic features are always the same. The main character of this game, of course, is the blacksmith. He is portrayed by a guy dressed only in large trousers and a tied beard. His upper body and face are smeared with soot. He holds a large wooden hammer in his hands. The “blacksmith” can be accompanied by a company of the same grimy apprentices, but better dressed. The blacksmith boasts that he can make anything. The “blacksmith” asks each girl a question: what should she forge? He pretends to be working, then takes out a pre-prepared item and demands a ransom. Usually the girl must kiss the “blacksmith”, and he tries to smear her with soot as much as possible. When a blacksmith forges gifts, his trousers fall off with almost every blow of the hammer, which causes everyone to laugh.

In another version of the game, the blacksmith offers to reforge old people into young ones (that’s when reforging, glorified by the Bolsheviks, already took place!). To do this, several boys and girls hide under a wide bench covered with a blanket, which represents an anvil. The “blacksmith” addresses old men and women, offering to make them young. We’ve already agreed with some of them in advance, probably for a drink. The old man hides behind the curtain, the “blacksmith” hits the bench several times with a hammer, and some boy jumps out from under the bench. After two or three reforgings, general fun begins, and all the old men and women are reforged in a row. Very often these game options are combined.

The game of master was very popular in the 19th century, which often grew into a whole satirical performance, and the number of its variants is beyond description.

Who doesn't make it

Togo for the hair-s-s-s!..."

And everyone began to draw out this “y” ad infinitum, and the children, elderly people and guests tried to make those participating in the game laugh with various jokes and jokes and thus make them stop pulling the sound. The first one to laugh and interrupt the sound, a whole crowd piled on him and began to pull him by the ears, nose, hair, etc. At the same time, they quietly squeezed the girls.

The game of silence is very similar to the game of voice, but you just had to make someone laugh and thereby break the general silence. In this game, the offender could, by prior agreement, be subjected to punishment like forfeits: they could be forced to eat coals or ash from the stove, allow themselves to be doused with water or rolled in the snow, kiss some old man or woman, etc. If anyone refused to carry out the agreed punishment, they could ride them on sticks. To do this, several round and smooth logs were laid on the floor, the culprit was thrown down on these logs, grabbed by the arms and legs and began to roll his back over these logs - the operation was quite painful.

But these were all fun games and did not cause condemnation. There was, however, one fairly common game that was strongly condemned by the clergy, and most adults also condemned it. This is a dead man game, which in some places was also called the game of death or umrun. Some man or guy is persuaded (for money or drinks, or even both) to play the role of a dead man. They dress him in all white, smear flour on his face, insert long rutabaga teeth into his mouth to make him appear more terrifying, and place him on a bench or in a long box, or even in a coffin, tying him tightly so that he does not fall out, and he does not resist if , suddenly, changes his mind. Then they conduct a “funeral service” with choice abuse, and the girls are forced to kiss the deceased. Often the “dead man” was carried around the huts and asked if the dead man was yours? Girls and small children were often frightened of the “dead man” to the point of nervous attacks. So not all yuletide games were all that fun for everyone!

An obligatory part of the Christmas holidays were Christmas songs, which were accompanied by round dances or girls walking in rows or circles. The songs could be festive (glorifying), dialogues, questions and answers, as well as traditional round dance songs. These chants were often accompanied by accompanying games.

When the gatherings ended, and often it was well after midnight, the youth dispersed in groups around the village, and the guys could wander around until the morning and scare and wake up the peacefully sleeping inhabitants. They knocked on walls and windows, they could drag sleighs or carts into the field, they could block the doors with some junk or pour a bucket of water down the pipe. They could throw diluted manure at a passerby or the owner of the hut. The men knew about these tricks of the youth and often united to fight back. The caught mischievous people could be treated with batogs: don’t spoil them!

Adults go to visit on Christmas Eve, treat themselves there, and then play dice, cards or other games of chance, but this is after the end of the Nativity Fast. Moreover, the games were of such a gambling nature that the losers could return home naked, having lost all their clothes. Often it came to fights. In general, everyone had as much fun as they could!

Nativity. Carols. New Year. Epiphany

As stated in the previous issue, Christmastide began long before Christmas, but until the holiday they had a calm and decorous character. Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, was the quietest day of Christmastide. It was held in strict fasting, and people sat down to eat only after the first star. Before sunset, the whole family stood for prayer, then lit a special candle and attached it to the bread lying on the table. The owner brought an armful of hay or straw and laid it out in the front corner. Then, under the images in the prepared place, usually a bench covered with a towel or tablecloth, they placed an unthreshed sheaf of rye (oats, wheat) and kutya (now they began to make kutya from rice, but previously they made it from millet). Now all preparations for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ were considered complete. The whole family stood again for prayer, after which they began the meal, which usually took place in complete silence. Towards the end of the evening, a slight revival began: first they pulled straws from the sheaf and used them to guess about the future harvest, and then they forced small children to crawl under the table and pretend to be chickens so that the chickens would lay eggs well. The time for unbridled fun was approaching. The remains of the kutya and meal were distributed to the poor huts so that they too could celebrate, and then carols and other entertainment began.

Adults had more fun in terms of drinking, and since the second half of the 19th century there has been almost unbridled drunkenness throughout the country and among all classes. The youth and children began to carol and have fun. It should be noted that they caroled three times during Christmas time: there were Christmas carols (the richest and most generous), Vasilievsky carols (on the night of the New Year) and Epiphany carols (on Epiphany Christmas Eve). The name of the holiday, carols, is derived from the Roman Kalends: in Rome, the January Kalends were also a holiday that came to Russia through Byzantium. Christmas Eve was often called Kolyada, and, in addition, this was the name of the songs performed on this holiday. Karamzin claimed that Kolyada was the Slavic god of feasts and peace, but this statement is not confirmed by the data of the chronicles.

In the Moscow province on Christmas night they carried a girl in a sleigh who warm clothes wore a white embroidered shirt. It was her, the girl, that is, who was called Kolyada. In the Novgorod and Vologda provinces, Christmastide was also called okrutniks after the guys who walked around the city or village as mummers and entertained the owners by playing various instruments, songs, dances and jokes. In Tikhvin, a whole train was assembled from sleighs, on which they placed a large boat decorated with flags and ribbons. Okrutniki sat both in the boat and on the horses pulling the boat. The mummers were often accompanied by crowds of people, and wealthier people treated the mummers to food, drink (yes, booze!), and sometimes money.

Kolyads, as I already said, were also called various songs with which the owners of houses and families were glorified, congratulated on the holidays and wished them wealth and prosperity. The children were organized into special groups, led by an older boy carrying a star with a flashlight, dressed up in different clothes and masks (hari) and went from house to house. Mandatory elements of their performances were holiday prayers and chants, which turned into holiday sayings. Then began the glorification of the owner of the house and all his household members, wishing them health, wealth, harvest, a girl - a groom, a warrior - a glorious war, etc. Not accepting or treating such “Christoslavs” was considered a sin. Caroling did not necessarily take place on the street and under the windows: wealthy residents often invited carolers into the house (especially on Christmas night), gave money, gifts, and sometimes brought vodka to those who were older. The youngest was seated in the front corner on a fur coat (so that the hens would lay eggs well and hatch a lot of chicks). I’m repeating myself, but what can you do, since there were more types of caroling than ways of gratitude.

In some areas, “gypsy singing” was in use. The girls dressed up in colorful clothes, preferably not in size, threw on colored scarves and went for a walk. In their hands they had accordions, balalaikas and, of course, baskets. They walked in a cheerful crowd, played, danced and sang gypsy songs. They begged the owners for everything they saw, and if they refused, they could steal whatever was in bad shape. However, stolen items were usually returned to their owners for a small reward. With the money raised, the girls bought themselves treats for the entire holiday, and the money earned in this way could not be spent on anything else.

In some areas, Saturdays were also dedicated to these holidays. This was the name of the evenings when unmarried girls gathered in the hut for gatherings, dressed in their best outfits. Moreover, both the poor and the rich gathered; no exceptions were made for anyone. The hut was decorated with colored ribbons, candles, paper decorations and fir branches. If there were a lot of girls, then benches were placed in an amphitheater, and the girls were placed in rows on them. Benches were placed on the sides for single men and boys, who were admitted when all the girls were gathered. The arrival of each guest was accompanied by songs. For this honor, each guest had to pay with money that went to the mistress of the hut. Married people were not allowed to attend Saturdays.

In some areas, rural clergy also took part in caroling. However, his participation was limited to collecting alms in money and kind.

Adults, both men and women, meanwhile were pumped up with vodka, and fights often broke out and died out just as quickly. In many places, and especially in Siberia, on Christmas night any passerby could enter any hut and drink whatever he wanted and as much as he wanted.

With Christmas began the most fun part of Christmas time, as well as one of the most important elements of Christmas time - fortune telling. But now, with some exceptions, I will not talk about fortune telling, since I am devoting a separate issue to this topic (don’t worry, please, it will be published tomorrow, if I have time).

New Year in Russia in the middle of the 19th century was not considered any special holiday. A popular legend said that on the night of the New Year, in honor of the birth of the baby Jesus, God released all the devils and demons for a walk, who, right up to the eve of Epiphany, rush around the world and do dirty tricks on the Orthodox people. They mock everyone who forgot to fence their homes and non-residential premises with a cross. And in order to seduce humanity, the devils came up with so many entertainments that foolish youth indulge in, to their destruction. But it seems to me that this legend was invented by the clergy. The only thing that made this holiday different was the belief that fortune telling on Vasilyev's evening (New Year's Eve) is more effective. But all the fortune-telling comes later.

It may be noted that on Vasiliev’s Day it was customary to slaughter the so-called “Caesarean” (or Caesarean) piglets. Custom requires that the pig be roasted and served whole. Such a pig was considered a public property: any fellow villager could come and eat it, but he had to bring the owner some money, which was transferred to the church the next day. Before eating, the owner raised the plate with the pig three times and said:

“so that pigs can piglet, sheep lamb, and cows calve.”

After the meal, the owner called a daredevil from among the guests, who would dare to take the bones of the piglet to the pigsty: they had to carry the bones one at a time, and in the pigsty the devils were already waiting, who could beat the daredevil with the same bones, demanding the eaten piglet for themselves. In some areas, peasants donated parts of pig carcasses to the church, and from the heads they cooked cabbage soup for the entire village.

There are several New Year signs. If the New Year's night is starry, there will be a lot of mushrooms and berries. If a woman comes to the house first on New Year's morning, then the year will be unsuccessful for the owners, and if it is a man, then it will be a happy one. If there is money in the house on New Year's Day, then there will be money all year, but on this day you cannot lend money and lose it at cards or dice. The kids also didn’t give their toys to anyone that day. That, in fact, is all about the New Year!

It remains to talk about the last holiday from this cycle - Epiphany or Epiphany. Moreover, both Epiphany Christmas Eve, on which the blessing of water was held, and Epiphany itself were considered important holidays. Epiphany Christmas Eve was spent by adults in strict fasting until the first star (sometimes children tried not to eat until the first star). Before Vespers, during which the blessing of water takes place, candles decorated with ribbons and colored threads are placed in front of the vessels in which the water is blessed. Churches are usually filled to capacity during the blessing of water. Returning home from the blessing of water, all family members take a few sips of blessed water from the brought vessel. Then, from behind the icon, a sacred willow branch is taken out and the entire house, all the property in it, outbuildings and livestock are sprinkled with holy water. A little water is poured into the well so that the devils do not pollute the water. The remains of holy water are placed next to the images.

There was a popular belief that on the night of Epiphany (from the 18th to the 19th of January or from the 5th to the 6th of January according to the Old Style) Jesus Christ himself bathes in the river - therefore, the water in all rivers and lakes on this day the night sways. To see this, you need to come to the river at midnight, stand at the ice hole and wait until the wave passes.

On the day of Epiphany, as soon as the bell rang for matins, bundles of straw or fires were lit near the huts. According to some beliefs, this was done so that the bathed Christ could warm up, and according to other beliefs, the souls of deceased ancestors were thus warmed up. A special ice-hole was cut out on the river - the Jordan, near which a solemn service was performed. After the service, everyone tried to wash themselves with the blessed water and drink it, and the most desperate guys swam in the river, since it was believed that it was impossible to catch a cold in the blessed water. Those who were mummers or “hares” at Christmastide were required to bathe for purification. In the villages, it was forbidden to wash or wash clothes in the river for a week after Epiphany, since the evil spirits, frightened by the cross, grab the linen and get out. Violation of this custom was considered a great sin, and violators were considered minions of the devil.

The last maiden viewing of the season was also held at the baptism. Fortune telling at Epiphany was basically the same as on other Christmastide days. I will tell you only about two types of typical Epiphany fortune-telling.

Fortune telling with kutya consists of the fact that the fortune teller, having hidden a cup of hot kutya under an apron or scarf, runs out into the street, throws a pinch of this kutya in the face of the first man she comes across and asks his name. This is how girls can determine the name of their betrothed.

This nightly Epiphany fortune-telling is of a very specific nature. After the sun has completely set naked girls they run out into the street (sometimes they pee on the snow), grab a pinch of this snow, throw it over their shoulder and listen: where will some sound come from, in that direction and be married off.

That, in fact, is all about winter holidays in Russia 150 or more years ago.

Winter fortune telling of the Russian people

The most important and exciting part of the Christmas holidays, especially for girls, was undoubtedly various fortune telling. Of course, they were relics of paganism, but the church, although it condemned them, could not do anything about these customs, although they clearly showed their connection with evil spirits. Various types There were a huge variety of fortune telling, and I will only talk about the most common of them. Keep in mind, dear readers, that fortune telling was usually done in the evening or at night, but in any case after sunset, and they had to be completed before dawn. Most of the fortune telling was supposed to answer the questions: who will be married off, how soon, where and to whom, and how life will turn out in someone else’s family. In addition, there were fortune telling for the harvest, etc. Before you tell fortunes yourself, remember that when starting fortune-telling you must take off your cross and belt and not receive anyone’s blessing on this day. Yes! After all, fortune telling is associated with evil spirits, and she does not like anything connected with the cross.

Fortune telling on jewelry is that the boys and girls gathered for a get-together give one thing each: a ring, an earring, a cufflink, a ring, etc. Things are placed in the middle of the table, pieces of bread are added to them, covered with a clean towel or napkin, and a dish is placed on top. Then all participants in the fortune-telling sing a song dedicated to bread and salt, and then other sub-dish songs. Already in the second half of the 19th century, underwater songs began to be replaced, especially in cities, by obscene ditties, or even simply obscene remarks. After the end of each song, the fortuneteller turned away from the dish and took something out from under it. The content of the sung song or verse was related to the owner of the item taken out. Since an item that did not belong to the fortuneteller was usually pulled out, the owner had to buy back his property. A wedding song was usually sung to the person who owned the last item taken out, as this indicated an imminent marriage.

Fortune telling with a ring consists of choosing a gold ring from the things under the eye. Each fortune teller takes turns spinning the ring along the floor and watching where it rolls: if it rolls towards the door, then for girls it foreshadows a quick wedding, and for guys a quick departure from home.

This fortune telling often turned into a game of burying gold. One driver was chosen, and the boys and girls, seated in a circle, secretly passed the ring to each other. The driver had to guess who had the ring. If he failed, he paid a small fine or performed the chosen forfeit, but if he guessed right, he sat in the place of the one who had the ring, and he became the driver.

Fortune telling by name consists of the fact that during gatherings, a girl leaves the hut, approaches the gate and asks the first passerby his name. Her groom will have the same name as the passerby and the same beauty. In some provinces, the girl had to cover her head with a pancake.

Fortune telling by eavesdropping is very widespread in both cities and villages. Fortune tellers walk under the windows of other people's houses (or under the windows of the first floor) and listen to what they are talking about and try to see who is talking. Based on what they hear, they predict what kind of life the fortuneteller will have: Affectionate and cheerful or boring and cruel; the husband will be scolding or affectionate; drunkard or teetotaler, etc.

More daring girls go to tell fortunes at midnight at the church doors, when services are no longer held. If she imagines that in an empty church they are singing “Isaiah, rejoice!” - then a quick marriage is coming, and if she hears “rest with the saints,” then the fortuneteller will face a quick death. I should note that fortune telling by eavesdropping is most effective on Vasiliev’s evening, i.e. on New Year's night. Nowadays, hardly anyone wants to guess in this way and deprive themselves of the holiday!

Fortune telling by chickens is widespread in our time. There are several types and many options. You need to take the chicken, or even better, the rooster, from its perch, and bring it to the room where they will tell fortunes. On the floor they lay out water in a saucer, bread or grain, coal or ash, gold, silver and copper rings, earrings and other small jewelry. They let the bird onto the floor and see what it will do. If a bird pecks at bread or grain, then the husband will be wealthy; if he drinks water, then he will be a drunkard; if he pecks at coal, then he will be poor or will not marry at all. If he hits a gold or silver ring, then the husband will be rich, and if he hits a copper ring, then he will be a poor man or a womanizer. Sometimes they arrange additional fortune-telling in order to find out the profession of the future husband. To do this, they lay out things on the floor by which one can guess the profession: scissors, hammer, nails, tobacco, flour, etc.

If there are many fortune tellers, then each one makes a circle of similar things for herself and brings a chicken from her house. When for some reason this is impossible, then each fortuneteller gives one thing - whose thing the bird pecks, she will marry in the near future.

You can go into the chicken coop at night and, closing your eyes, grab some bird. The color of the bride or groom's hair is judged by the color of the caught bird.

In Siberia, fortune telling is popular when a rooster and a chicken are brought into the room at the same time. If a rooster proudly walks around the room and plucks a chicken, then the husband will be angry, and if the chicken is brave, then this means that the wife will get the better of her husband. In Great Russia, the same thing was determined by tying the tails of a rooster and a hen: whoever had the upper hand will be the leader in the house.

Fortune telling on horses. Girls always lead horses out of the stable through a shaft or pole. If a horse catches a shaft or a pole with its feet, then the girl’s husband will be angry, and her life will be unhappy. If the horse steps well, then the girl will have to happy life with an affectionate husband. Sometimes horses are blindfolded, a girl is placed on it and the horse is allowed to walk freely. In which direction the horse goes, in that direction the girl will be married off. On New Year's Eve, a girl can put a bag on a horse's head, sit astride it backwards, take its tail in her teeth and drive the horse. If a horse goes to the gate, then this foreshadows an imminent wedding, but if it goes to the fence or into the barn, then no one will woo this year. Such fortune-telling is often accompanied by a large crowd of spectators who try to scare the horse, and spectators get special pleasure when the horse throws its rider.

Fortune telling at the gate. The girl should go out the gate at midnight and say something like:

“Bark, bark little dog! Bark the gray top!

“Where the little dog barks, my betrothed lives there!”

If a girl hears barking, then the direction towards the barking shows the direction where the girl will be married off. The louder and further away the barking is, the further the girl will go. If the bark is hoarse, then they will be passed off as an old man, and if the bark is thin and squeaky, then they will be passed off as a young man. This type of fortune telling also includes

fortune telling at rosstans at midnight. The most accurate fortune telling occurs on New Year's Eve. It is known that road intersections are a favorite place for evil spirits. Therefore, boys and girls most often participate in such fortune telling. They go to a crossroads, draw a circle around themselves, cover themselves with a white tablecloth or sheet and begin to listen. If someone hears the ringing of a bell, then he will receive a bride or groom from that side. Fate is determined by barking, as in the previous fortune-telling. The sound of an ax foreshadows imminent death, and the sound of a kiss foreshadows a girl's loss of honor. This fortune telling requires that no one leave the circle until someone “outlines” them, i.e. someone present, but not participating in the fortune-telling, will not outline them again in a circle, otherwise the fortune-telling will not come true.

Similar to the previous fortune telling and fortune telling on cow or oxhide. Several girls take raw leather, a knife, bread and a tablecloth or sheet. At night they go to a crossroads or an ice hole, spread out the skin, put bread on it and draw a circle with a knife. Then they sit down in a designated area around the bread, cover themselves with a tablecloth, take each other’s little fingers and agree to hear their future in the new year. We have already discussed what can be heard, but here we add such subjects as the noise of a wedding train, the noise of a large gathering of people (for a bountiful harvest), etc.

When telling fortunes with a shoe, the girl goes to the gate, stands with her back to it, removes the shoe from her left foot and throws it over her shoulder behind the gate. The direction of the toe of the fallen shoe will indicate the direction where the girl will be married off. If the shoe lands with its toe towards the gate, then this year the girl will stay at home.

Fortune telling with an ax is like a game. They put the ax on a stake, place it vertically and begin to rotate it, while listing the names of the girls. At whose name the ax becomes crooked, she will soon marry.

Fortune telling on bulbs. Each of the girls chooses an onion, marks it in a special way, and all the onions are placed in one place on the ground. Whose onion sprouts first will marry first.

Fortune telling with an egg. Take a transparent vessel (glass, jar) filled with clean water (not boiled) and carefully release a fresh egg into it. They let the egg sit, and then predict its fate based on the location of the white. But only specially trained fortune tellers can do this.

Fortune telling by logs. The girls take turns approaching the woodpile with their backs or with their eyes blindfolded (closed) and take from it at random the first log they come across, which will then be used to tell fortunes. The log is then carefully examined and a conclusion is drawn about the future groom. For example, if a smooth log with thin, even bark is chosen, then the groom will be good and handsome. If the log has rough or uneven bark, the groom will be unattractive. If the bark is thick and smooth, then the groom will be rich. If the bark is peeled off in places, then the groom will be short of money, and if there is no bark at all, then he will be poor. A thick log foretells a strong (or fat) groom, a thin one foretells a thin one, a crooked log foretells physical defects of the future groom or his deformity, and a knotty log foretells big family from the groom, and the number of knots is used to judge the size of the family.

Fortune telling with wax, tin or lead. Melted wax, tin or lead is poured into clean and fresh water, and fate is predicted using the resulting figures. The interpretation depends on what was meant: groom, happiness, fate, harvest, luck, etc.

Fortune telling with a scarf or three-part fortune telling. When a girl wants to know what will happen in the coming year, she takes three things: a headscarf or some other headdress, a loaf of bread and a piece of wood. These things are placed in a clean pot with appropriate sentences. Then the girl is blindfolded and takes the first object in the pot. A headscarf foreshadows an imminent wedding, bread will remain in the girls, and a piece of wood - alas, death.

Fortune telling with a torch allows a girl to determine how she will live the coming year. To do this, you need to take a splinter, run to a spring or well, wet the splinter and, returning home, try to light it by the fire. If the torch lights up quickly and burns evenly, then this portends long life. If the torch burns with a bang and not evenly, then the fortune teller will get sick a lot throughout the year. If the torch does not light up for a long time, then this portends...

Fortune telling in a frying pan is done in order to find out the name of the future groom. To do this, place a bunch of straw on the table, place a frying pan on top, put stones in it and pour in a little water. Then, in complete silence, the girls take turns pulling out one straw from under the frying pan. The sounds heard at the same time should suggest the name of the groom.

Fortune telling by ring, bread and hook is performed to determine the prosperity of the groom. The hook is woven from straw. The ring, hook and piece of bread are placed on a clean floor and covered with a scarf. The girl must come up and choose one of the items. If he gets bread, then the groom will be rich, if he gets a ring, then he will be a dandy, and if he gets a hook, then he will be poor.

Fortune telling at the window is carried out exactly at midnight. The girl sits by the window and says:

“Betrothed, mummer! Drive past the window!

If a train (a string of sleighs) passes by with noise and whistle, then the girl will have a cheerful and happy life, and if the train passes quietly, then the life will be hard and poor.

Seeing the groom in a dream. These fortune tellings are carried out on New Year's Eve. There are many types of such fortune telling. Stocking fortune telling involves a girl going to bed in one stocking and before going to bed she says:

“Betrothed, mummer! Undress me!

Fortune telling with a lock involves the girl tying a lock to her belt, locking it, and placing the key under her head with the words:

“Betrothed, mummer! Unlock me!

The same fortune-telling also includes fortune-telling about a well, which consists of splinters folded into a quadrangle under a pillow. In this case it is necessary to say:

“Betrothed, mummer! Come and water your horse!”

In all these cases, the future groom must have a dream at night. This same series includes fortune-telling with a comb, a bridge (made of broom twigs) and many other objects. Fortune telling for oversalting is more powerful. To do this, before going to bed, you need to drink salt water and ask:

“Betrothed, mummer! Come give me a drink!”

You can also tell fortunes on a towel. To do this, a white towel is hung outside the window at night, naturally with the words:

“Betrothed, mummer! Come (come) and dry yourself!”

If the towel is damp in the morning, then everything is fine.

Well, how! Are you tired yet? Then let's continue!

Fortune telling with the key. To do this, they take some old and unnecessary key, insert it with its beard between the sheets of a book, tie it tightly so that the key holds tightly between the pages, and hang it from the ceiling by the key's bow. When the book calms down, they begin to list the names of the girls present. The one of them who will soon get married is whose name the book will turn.

Fortune telling on the Bible or other book occurs by guessing the page and line number. By opening the book in a hidden place, they find the answer to the question asked. If the text is vague, you will have to interpret it yourself.

Fortune telling at the pigsty involves listening to the grunting of these animals at night and then interpreting what is heard.

Fortune telling at a bathhouse or barn. In many areas this type of fortune telling is considered reprehensible. Now you will see why! The simplest fortune telling was that girls crowded to the bathhouse on New Year's Eve. Here they took turns lifting up their dresses and, most often backwards, approaching the bathhouse door with an offer to the brownie to stroke her. If the girl felt like she was being stroked by a shaggy hand, then the groom will be rich, if it is a bare cold hand, then he will be poor, if it is rough, then he will be unusual, etc.

Fortune telling is more difficult when the girls first go to the barn, where the terrible “barn man” lives. Here, also lifting up their dress, the girls turn to the spirit with their backs asking to stroke them. Then the girls run to the bathhouse, where each takes a handful of ash from the stove, sifts it and places it in a pile near the stove. Then, again lifting up their dress, the girls approach the stove in front and ask their betrothed to stroke them. In the morning you need to look at the results of fortune telling. If there is a mark from a bast shoe on a pile of ash, then the groom will be poor; if from a boot, then he will be rich; if a mark from a whip is visible, then he will be stern.

Naturally, the guys could not pass by such a performance and not take part in it. They hid in a barn or in a bathhouse and gave free rein to their hands, and if it worked, then not only their hands. Everyone knew about these fortune-telling, condemned it, but could not eradicate it. And this type of fortune telling is still preserved in the villages!

One of the most common and popular was, and still is, fortune telling in mirrors. This fortune telling should take place in silence and in the absence of strangers. All pets and birds must also be removed from the room. Not all girls decide to do this fortune telling. Therefore, the presence of a trusted person is allowed in the room, who must remain silent and not look in the mirror. The first method is to place a candle in front of the mirror, and the girl should peer into the mirror through the candle, wanting to see her betrothed. The vision will disappear if you say: “Cheer me!”

In the second method, two mirrors are placed opposite each other. You need to put two candles in front of one, sit in front of it and draw a lighted torch around you, and the torch should be the same one that was used to light the fire on Christmas Eve. Then you need to carefully look in the mirror in front of you, peer at the very end of the visible illuminated corridor and not look back. The betrothed will appear and look over the girl’s shoulder. They say that before the appearance of the betrothed, the mirror dims and the candles fade. You shouldn’t look too closely at him, but you should look away in time.

I’ll tell you about two more types of fortune telling, clearly associated with evil spirits. The first fortune telling should be carried out at Epiphany during a prayer service at Jordan. When everyone leaves the house, the girl takes a broom and begins to sweep the room. By waving the broom to the right, she says a prayer, and by waving to the left, she curses or swears. Then she divides the room in half with coal and stands on the right half (the one she prayed for). Then the girl must say:

“Betrothed, mummer! Appear before me like a leaf before the grass!”

(Perhaps this is where Ershov took this formula for his “The Little Humpbacked Horse”?) At exactly noon, when the cross is immersed in the Jordan, the devil may appear in the form of a groom. He stays on his side. In this case, you also need to close yourself in time.

An invitation to dinner also belongs to the same type of fortune telling. The table is set for the betrothed, two cutlery, bread, salt, spoons are placed, but forks and knives cannot be placed. Around midnight, the girl should sit down at the table, outline herself with a burning torch and say:

“Betrothed, mummer! Come and have dinner with me!”

As soon as midnight strikes, the groom must appear in the same outfit that he will wear on his wedding day. In this case, a sulfur smell and howling wind may appear. If the ghost of the groom takes something out of his pocket and puts it on the table, and disappears when it is hidden, then this thing will remain with the girl. Sometimes a girl takes a rooster with her, because if hiding doesn’t help, and the guest has stayed too long, then by putting proper pressure on the rooster, you can make him scream: the guest will disappear!

That, perhaps, is all about winter fortune telling. I haven't said anything about fortune telling with beans, cards or coffee grounds, but they are not just winter fortune telling. Yes, and I haven’t said everything about winter fortune-telling, but this is only an essay from the history of Russian life, and not an encyclopedia. And for this... Guess!

Winter in Russia is rich not only in snow and frost, but also in holidays. Moreover, many of them are not just “red days of the calendar”, but real celebrations, accompanied by fun festivities, as well as weekends.

What winter holidays are there in Russia? When and how are they celebrated?

St. Nicolas day

December 19 is a pleasant memory from the childhood of many Russians. It was on this day that it was previously customary to give gifts to children. A few decades ago this winter children's party They wrote letters not to Santa Claus, but to Saint Nicholas. This custom appeared thanks to one legend.

In ancient times, there lived in Rus' a poor man who did not make any fortune. But he had three daughters, whose maintenance fell on the shoulders of the father. And in order to somehow improve his financial condition, the father sent his daughters to earn money, but in a sinful way - through fornication. Nicholas the Wonderworker found out about this and decided to save the girls from such a life. For three nights in a row, he secretly entered each room and left each a gold bar. It is not known how, but the people learned about this noble deed.

After a while, when the Day of the Savior Nicholas became a holiday, one of the customs was to write a letter with a request to Nicholas. Children especially loved this holiday. After all, their parents gave them gifts secretly, supposedly from the Wonderworker.

New Year. Fun and bright

The series of winter holidays begins with the main celebration - the New Year. The official date is January 1, legalized by Peter I in 1699. Many people probably know that until the 15th century, New Year was celebrated in March, and since the 15th century - in September. And we owe winter festivities and a decorated Christmas tree only to Peter.

And what is New Year without traditions?

The main and most enjoyable thing is decorating the Christmas tree. After the New Year became a Russian winter holiday, it was customary to decorate spruce branches in the houses of the nobility. But full-fledged Christmas trees began to be erected only in the 30s of the 19th century.

In the same 19th century, another one appeared and took root. new year tradition- drink champagne for the holiday. True, at first the drink was received with skepticism: its “exploding” cork and abundance of effervescent bubbles frightened the Soviet people, who were unaccustomed to such drinks.

A magnificent feast. It’s hard to imagine a celebration without this tradition. Decorate the table not only with dishes, but also beautiful design became fashionable during the reign of Alexander III. Special attention paid attention to the table setting: on the tables, in addition to a beautiful set, there were candles, fir branches, exquisite napkins and tablecloths. The presentation of the dishes was also given due attention. But an innovation was the design of the menu: the names of the dishes served were written on beautiful cards with monograms and other patterns.

Festive celebration. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Russians have had new tradition- celebrate the New Year at home, with family and friends, and after midnight go to have fun in restaurants or other entertainment places. IN modern Russia It has become popular to celebrate the celebration on Red Square, where concerts, mass ice skating and fireworks are held.

Write According to one version, this tradition passed to Russia from the USA. American children write letters to the “analogue” of our Father Frost - Santa Claus. According to legends, only those children who have behaved well all year can apply for gifts.

The night from December 31 to January 1 is considered magical. To be more precise, that single minute, which is the boundary of the change of times. It is while it lasts that it is customary to make a wish.

So, we can say that the winter holiday New Year is endowed not only with magic, but also with mysticism.

Christmas

The Nativity of Christ is celebrated on January 7th. Since it is included in the category of New Year holidays, the tree is not yet removed for Christmas. Lush feasts are not organized, but some religious families prepare their own traditional dishes for the celebration. Churches hold night services, which gather under the arch of the dome a large number of people of all ages. The service in the name of the birth of Christ lasts all night.

A fast is established 40 days before Christmas, which becomes especially strict on January 6, the eve of the holiday. The fast ends on January 7th.

old New Year

Old in the old style) is a Russian winter holiday, celebrating its centenary in 2018. It is since 1918 that every year on January 14, or, more precisely, on the night from 13 to 14, this celebration takes place.

However, not many people celebrate it, and not as grandly as the New Year. But this is another reason to gather with family or friends and watch the repeat of the New Year’s television program.

In the Old New Year, it is customary to go from house to house and “sow.” Children or adults go from house to house and sprinkle the threshold of the house with grain, saying: “I sow, I sow, I sow, Happy New Year!” This tradition has been preserved since ancient times, when the New Year was celebrated in the spring. And sowing is a wish for a good harvest.

Baptism

January 19 - Epiphany of the Lord. The main feature of the holiday is Epiphany water, which on this day acquires healing properties. From early morning people rush to the church for the blessing of water. At night, mass swimming takes place in ice holes under open air. It is on January 19 that everyone expects Epiphany frosts - the most severe of the entire winter. This fuels interest in swimming. It is believed that by swimming in icy water, a person not only improves his health, but is also “born again” - he takes off the burden of problems and feels free.

Previously, on January 19, it was customary to clean Christmas decorations until next year, and burn the tree. Now this is irrelevant.

Valentine's Day

A very popular holiday is celebrated on February 14 - Valentine's Day, or Valentine's Day. This is a borrowed celebration that is firmly rooted in Russia and has won popular love. Even the original Russian Peter and Fevronia (July 8) is not celebrated as widely as Valentine's Day.

Defender of the Fatherland Day

February 23 is Defender of the Fatherland Day, when it is customary to congratulate all men, regardless of whether they are involved in the army. In fact, all men are defenders of the Motherland.

The holiday is dedicated to the creation of the Red Army in 1918. But it began to be celebrated 4 years later, accompanied by military parades.

What other holidays are there in Russia?

The above celebrations are the most popular in the country. They are celebrated according to all the rules of festivities, and most of them include days off.

However, Russian winter holidays do not end there. There are also many original Russian festivities that date back to the times of paganism. Many of them remain only rumors and are not celebrated as before. But they cannot be left out.

December

1. December 1 is the holiday of the beginning of winter. In ancient times, the first day of winter was a reference point for the entire period, until spring. They said this: “Same as Plato and Roman, so is winter for us!” That is, if the day of December 1 begins with frost, then the whole winter will not be warm. On this holiday, people went out and had fun, welcoming the new season.
2. December 7 is the celebration of Catherine the Sunny. On this day, a period of fortune-telling for the betrothed was opened, which lasted until the January Christmastide. Another feature of “Ekaterina” was sleigh rides. Their conduct carried not only an entertaining meaning, but also a psychological one. Sledding relieved all mental burdens and worries.
3. December 9 - St. George's Day is another winter holiday celebrated in Rus', and now in Russia. Even before the adoption of Christianity in Rus', this day was the most important in December. By the way, the saying “Here’s St. George’s Day for you, grandma,” is dedicated to this holiday. In 1607, it was “accidentally abandoned” as a reaction to the fact that serfdom “started” in Russia.
4. December 13 - Andrew the First-Called. The celebration is dedicated to the first disciple of Christ, who said that a new faith would soon spread in Rus'. This holiday was especially loved by unmarried virgins, who actively began to tell fortunes about their betrothed and pray, asking God to send a good spouse. It was believed that it was in prayers that they bear fruit.
5. December 19 - Nikola Winter. This is the time to honor the elders of the clan.
6. December 22 - Anna Dark (or Winter). The time of the winter solstice, when the sun “retuned” to spring.
7. December 25 - Spiridon-Solstice. From that moment on, people glorified the sun, drew circles as a symbol, and held celebrations.
8. December 31 is not only a New Year celebration. Centuries ago, this day was called the End of the Cold Month. After it, the sun gained momentum and headed towards spring. On this day, it was customary to keep the fire burning in the stove or using candles or bonfires. It was believed that this not only helps the sun, but also scares away evil spirits. Now such fire has been replaced with Christmas tree garlands and holiday candles.

January

1. January 1 is the first day of the New Year. But before the decree of Peter I, January 1 was the date of veneration of the holy Christian martyr Boniface.
2. January 2 is the day of Ignatius the God-Bearer.
3. January 6 - Christmas Eve.
4. January 25 is Tatiana's day.

February

1. February 10 - Kudesy. This is the date of honor and respect for the Guardian Domovoi hearth and home. On this day, it was customary to appease a representative of evil spirits who brings only good. Treats were left on the table as a sign that the Brownie would not leave the house and stop playing tricks.
2. February 15 - Meeting, that is, the “middle” between summer and winter. From that moment on, people lived in anticipation of spring and early warmth. On February 15, all people's prayers were addressed to the sun, to requests for its imminent arrival. If the weather was sunny that day, it meant that spring was just around the corner. But if it was cloudy, it means the frosts will make themselves known.
3. February 24 - Vlasiev Day - the date of veneration of the pagan God Veles, patron of livestock and all animals.
4. The last week of February is farewell to winter, Maslenitsa.

P.S.

Winter celebrations are the most fun celebrations of the year, accompanied by lush festivities and grand feasts. And the abundance of snow and frost only increases the enthusiasm and desire to continue the celebration outside.

Christmas - one of the favorite holidays of the Russian people both in Orthodox Rus' and in modern Russia. Winter began with him

Christmastide (a two-week period from Christmas to Epiphany, in the middle of which the New Year was celebrated). Christmas coincided with the winter solstice, when, according to the observations of our distant ancestors, daylight hours began to gradually increase. In ancient times, on December 25, the birth of the sun was celebrated, which foreshadowed the spring revival of nature. The Catholic and Protestant churches still celebrate the Nativity of Christ on this day, and in Russia in 1918 it was moved to January 7.

The 40-day Nativity (Filippovsky) fast preceding Christmas usually ended with Christmas Eve, during which, with the appearance of the first star in the sky, the festive meal began.

On the morning of Christmas Day in Orthodox Rus' it was customary to sing carols (from the word “kolyada”). The exact meaning and origin of the word “kolyada” have not yet been established. There is speculation that it has something in common with the Roman word "calenda", which means the beginning of each month (hence the word "calendar"). Another hypothesis comes down to the fact that the word “kolyada” comes from the word “kolo” - a circle, a bracelet and means the end of the solar circle, its “turn” to the summer (“The sun is for summer, winter is for frost,” says the Russian proverb ). Kolyada was also the name of one of the ancient Slavic solar deities.

Most often children and youth caroled, less often adults. Walking from house to house with a star symbolizing the star of Bethlehem, as well as singing carols (ancient congratulatory songs in honor of Kolyada), Christmas hymns glorifying Christ - essential elements holiday. According to the Gospel, the Star of Bethlehem led the Magi to the cave where Jesus was born. During the festive tour of the courtyards, carolers praised the owners, their children and the house.

For example:

Kolyada was born

Christmas Eve

Behind the river, behind the fast one.

How Kolyada searched

Sovereign's courtyard.

Found by Kolyada

The Sovereign's Court!

Sovereign's yard

Not small, not big,

On ten pillars

On the seven winds.

The owners gave gifts to the mummers, invited them into the house, and treated them. Kolyada himself, an ancient Slavic mythological character, is mentioned in most Christmas greeting folk songs.

Christmastide was celebrated from December 25 (January 7) to January 6 (January 19). The first six days were called "holy evenings", the second six - "terrible evenings". The ancient Slavs had holidays during this period associated with the cult of nature, its revival, the turning of the sun towards spring and the increase in the duration daylight hours. This explains many conditionally symbolic actions that have come down to us since pagan times. Religious and magical rituals aimed at caring for the future harvest, spells about the offspring of livestock symbolized the beginning of preparation for spring, for a new cycle of agricultural work.

This determined the content of many carols, which invariably included wishes for a good harvest and prosperity. In the middle of Christmas time, December 31 (January 13), i.e. On New Year's Eve, Vasiliev's evening was celebrated (or as it was also called “generous evening”). Again, children and youth went from house to house with congratulations and carol songs. Each participant in the ritual had his own favorite carol, which he sang to the owner of the house and members of his family.

In New Year's rituals, one is struck by the abundance of motifs associated with the spring-summer peasant work, although, it would seem, these works are still far away (in carol songs, the hardworking owner, praised by the carolers, “walks around the yard with a plow”, “reaps a good harvest”, and "Cattle are grazing in the meadow"). This is explained by the fact that the original basis of winter New Year’s customs was the so-called “magic of the first day”: peasants believed that everything that happened on the first day of the new birth of the sun would spread to all subsequent days, weeks, months and the year as a whole.

Gift giving during caroling was not just payment, but a kind of magical act, designed, like the whole ritual, to ensure good luck for the family in the coming year. Carolers received special ritual food: figured cookies depicting domestic animals (“kozulki”, “cows”), as well as pies, cheesecakes, etc. Moreover, right up to the 20th century, it remained in the minds of the peasants ancient meaning this gifting. It was believed that if the housewife did not give gifts to the carolers, then the bins in her household would be empty in the coming year. This belief was reflected in the texts of the carols.

For example:

There's a pie on the stove

Don't cut it. don't break it

Better give it all!

Who will serve the pie?

So the yard is full of cattle,

Ninety bulls

One and a half hundred cows.

Won't you give me some pie?

We take the bull by the horns...

Numerous fortune tellings were associated with the magic of the first day, with the help of which people tried to guess their fate in the new year. Most fortune telling took place in the second half of Christmastide. People called these evenings “terrible”, since there was a belief that all evil spirits resist the rising sun and gather together to resist it. Any fortune-telling, according to popular belief, is impossible without the help of witches, devils, werewolves and other representatives of evil spirits.

For two weeks, the entire population gathered for holiday parties - the so-called gatherings and games, at which they sang round dance and dance songs, ditties, arranged all kinds of games, and acted out skits; the mummers came here.

Mummering was one of the favorite pastimes of young people. Mummering once had a magical meaning, but over time it turned into entertainment.

The Christian holiday ends the winter holidays - Baptism, on the eve of which Epiphany Christmas Eve is celebrated, the last day of Christmas festivities. Epiphany is one of the twelve main (twelfth) Christian holidays. It is based on the Gospel story of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

On the eve of Epiphany, the girls wondered. At the same time, so-called dish songs were often heard, during which objects belonging to one or another participant in the fortune-telling were taken out of a vessel with water. The words of the song sung at the same time were supposed to predict certain events in the girl’s life.

In Rus', the celebration of Epiphany was accompanied by rituals associated with faith in the life-giving power of water. The main event of the holiday is the blessing of water - the rite of great consecration of water. It was held not only in Orthodox churches, but also in ice holes. A hole was made in the ice in the shape of a cross, which is traditionally called Jordan. After the church service, a procession of the cross headed by the priest goes to her. The consecration of water, the solemn religious procession near the Jordan, and the filling of vessels with holy water are the constituent elements of this ritual.

According to custom, at Epiphany, people organized bride viewings: elegant girls stood near the Jordan, and boys with their mothers looked for brides for themselves.

On this day, the Russian people carefully monitored the weather. It was noted that if it snows while walking on water, then next year will be a grain-bearing year.

One of the favorite holidays of the Russian people was Maslenitsa - An ancient Slavic holiday marking farewell to winter and welcoming spring, in which the features of agrarian and family-tribal cults are strongly expressed. Maslenitsa is characterized by many conditionally symbolic actions associated with the expectation of the future harvest and offspring of livestock.

A number of ritual moments show that Maslenitsa festivities were associated with appeals to the sun, “going into the summer.” The entire structure of the holiday, its plot and attributes were designed to help the sun prevail over winter - the season of cold, darkness and temporary death of nature. Hence the special significance of solar signs during the holiday: the image of the sun in the form of a rolling burning wheel, pancakes, horseback riding in a circle. All ritual actions are aimed at helping the sun in its fight against cold and winter: primitive people as if they did not believe that the sun would certainly complete its circle, he had to be helped. A person’s “help” was expressed in seminal magic - the image of a circle or circular movement.

Pancakes, a must for Maslenitsa, not only symbolize the increasingly frequent appearance of the sun, but are also an ancient ritual funeral food for all Eastern Slavs. Associated with the cult of ancestors is the custom of leaving the first baked pancakes outside the window for birds to peck at.

In some places the first pancake was given to the poor so that they would remember the dead.

Many families started baking pancakes on Monday. The night before, when the stars appeared, the eldest woman in the family, quietly from the others, went out to the river, lake or well and called on the month to look out the window and blow on the dough.

This is reflected in the lyrics of some so-called Maslenitsa songs:

Month, you, month,

Your golden horns!

Look out the window

Blow on the dough!

Each housewife had her own recipe for making pancakes and kept it secret from her neighbors. Usually pancakes were baked from buckwheat or wheat flour, large, the size of a frying pan or the size of a tea saucer, thin and light. They were served with sour cream, eggs, caviar, etc.

Maslenitsa is the most cheerful, riotous holiday, awaited by everyone with great impatience. Maslenitsa was called honest, broad, and cheerful. They also called her Lady Maslenitsa, Mrs. Maslenitsa.

Already on Saturday, on the eve of the holiday, they began to celebrate the “small Maslenka”. On this day, children rode down the mountains with special excitement. There was a sign: whoever rides further will have longer flax in his family. On the last Sunday before Maslenitsa, it was customary to pay visits to relatives, friends, neighbors and invite everyone to visit Maslenitsa.

Maslenitsa week was literally overflowing with holiday activities. Ritual and theatrical performances, traditional games and fun filled all the days to capacity. In many regions of Russia, it was customary to make a Maslenitsa effigy from straw and dress it in women's dress and drive through the streets. Then the scarecrow was placed somewhere in a prominent place: this is where Maslenitsa entertainment mainly took place.

An atmosphere of general joy and fun reigned at Maslenitsa. Each day of the holiday had its own name; each day was assigned certain actions, rules of behavior, customs, etc.

The first day - Monday - was called “Maslenitsa meeting”. They waited for her and greeted her like a living being. Children went outside in the morning to build snow mountains. At the same time, they quickly wailed: “I called, I called honest Semik Maslenitsa to visit you in your yard. Are you my soul, Maslenitsa, quail bones, your paper body, your sugar lips, your sweet speech! Come and visit me in the wide yard on the mountains, roll around in pancakes, amuse your heart,” “Are you, my Maslenitsa, red beauty, light brown braid, thirty brothers, sister, forty grandmothers, granddaughter. Come to my clapboard house to enjoy your speech, amuse your soul, and have fun with your body!”

Russian people began celebrating Maslenitsa by visiting their relatives. In the morning, the father-in-law and mother-in-law sent their daughter-in-law to her father and mother for the day, and in the evening they themselves came to visit the matchmakers. Here, at a circular bowl, they agreed on how and where to spend their time. Who to invite to visit, when to ride through the streets in troikas.

By the first day of Maslenitsa, public mountains, swings, hanging and round, and booths for buffoons were set up. Not going to the mountains, not riding on swings, not making fun of buffoons, not having fun in the old days meant only one thing - to be sick, weak, to live in bitter misfortune.

On the days of the holiday, the mother-in-law was obliged to teach her daughter-in-law how to bake pancakes, because the newlyweds were celebrating the first Maslenitsa with their family. If there is no mother-in-law, then the mother-in-law comes to her son-in-law’s house and teaches her daughter how to bake pancakes. In the old days, the son-in-law and daughter had to personally invite her to “teach her wisdom.” This invitation was considered a great honor by our ancestors, and all neighbors and relatives talked about it. The invited mother-in-law was obliged to send in the evening everything necessary for baking pancakes: a tagan, frying pans, a ladle and a tub in which the dough was placed. The father-in-law sent a bag of buckwheat or millet flour and cow butter. The son-in-law's neglect of these customs was considered a great insult.

The second day of the holiday - Tuesday - was called “flirts”. Girls and young men were invited to play and visit each other to ride in the mountains and eat pancakes. On this day, the brothers built mountains for the sisters in the middle of the courtyard. Parents sent a “request” to relatives and friends to invite their daughters and sons with the words: “Our mountains are ready and pancakes are baked - we ask you to be kind.” The messengers were greeted with honor and greetings, treated to wine and pancakes, and released with the order: “Bow to the master and mistress with the children, with all the household members.”

The third day of Maslenitsa - Wednesday - was called "gourmet". On this day, mothers-in-law invited their sons-in-law for pancakes. The mocking Russian people composed several songs about their caring mother-in-law (“How the mother-in-law baked pancakes about her son-in-law,” “How the mother-in-law’s head hurts,” “How tired the son-in-law was, he said “thank you” to his father-in-law”), which were sung in the evening only by single guys, this is playing out everything that was sung about in these songs.

“Broad” Thursday is the culmination of the holiday, its “revelry”, a turning point. On this day, skating continued through the streets, Maslenitsa rituals and fist fights took place. Entire trains were assembled for the ride. They chose a huge sleigh, placed a pole in the middle, and tied a wheel to the pole. Behind this sleigh was a train with people singing and playing. In the old days, in some places, a tree decorated with rags and bells was carried on a sleigh. Honest Maslenitsa sat down nearby, accompanied by jesters and singers.

Fist fights began in the morning and ended in the evening. At first there were fights “on your own”, i.e. one on one, and then “wall to wall”.

Friday - “mother-in-law’s evening”: the holiday is still in full swing, but is already beginning to move towards its end

On this day, sons-in-law treated their mothers-in-law to pancakes. In the old days, the son-in-law was obliged to personally invite his mother-in-law the evening before, and then, in the morning, send elegant messengers for her. The more of them there were, the more honors the mother-in-law received. Usually a friend or matchmaker performed these duties and received gifts from both sides for their troubles.

Saturday is “sister-in-law’s get-together.” On this day, the young daughter-in-law invited her relatives to her place. If her sisters-in-law were still girls, the daughter-in-law called her girl friends; if they were married, then all the married relatives were invited along with the entire train, and the newlywed daughter-in-law was obliged to present her sisters-in-law with gifts.

In many provinces on Saturday, children built a snow town with towers and gates on rivers, ponds, and fields. Then they were divided in half: some guarded the town, others had to fight to occupy it and destroy it. Adults also took part in this game. After the capture of the town, general fun began, then everyone went home singing.

The last day of Maslenitsa - Sunday - is called “farewell”, “tselovnik”, “forgiveness Sunday”.

Forgiveness Sunday is celebrated 50 days before Easter. On Forgiveness Day, it is customary to repent of the sins committed during the holiday (and not only on these days) and ask each other for forgiveness for the voluntary or involuntary offenses caused. This is the special Christian meaning of Forgiveness Sunday: before the 48-day Great Lent, every person must be cleansed and forgiven by all people and must forgive all loved ones.

They asked for forgiveness from both the living and the dead: in the morning everyone went to the cemetery and remembered their parents. On the way back we went into the church and asked for forgiveness and remission of sins from (priests.

The newlyweds went to their relatives to present their father-in-law, mother-in-law, matchmakers and friends with wedding gifts. Everyone asked forgiveness from all relatives and friends. At the same time, people said to each other: “Forgive me, perhaps I will be guilty of anything before you,” followed by a low bow and a kiss.

There was another ritual custom - burning an effigy of Maslenitsa. On Forgiveness Sunday, the youth took the scarecrow of Maslenitsa to the rye field with the song “It’s enough, winter, winter.” Saying goodbye to Maslenitsa, they sang:

Maslenitsa, liar,

Deceived, deceived,

Brought to the post

She ran away on her own.

Maslenitsa, come back,

Show up on New Year's Day.

Maslenitsa, goodbye

Come next year!

Finally, Maslenitsa was set on fire with bunches of straw, throwing them up or scattering them across the field. The magical meaning of this ritual has its origins in ancient beliefs; fire has always purified and protected. Now the fire was called upon to melt the snow and bring spring closer.

Thus, in this last winter holiday we find a mixture of pagan and Christian rituals. The image of Maslenitsa in the form of a straw effigy (or wooden idol), buffoon games, burning the effigy or throwing it into water belong to pagan rites, while everyone’s requests for forgiveness on the eve of Lent, “farewell to the dead” in the cemetery personify Christian ideas. Some researchers consider the ritual of burning an effigy as a symbol of the eternal triumph of Christianity over paganism.

Spring holidays

The arrival of spring in the popular consciousness was associated with the awakening of nature after winter sleep and, in general, with the revival of life. On March 22, on the day of the vernal equinox and the beginning of astronomical spring, Magpies were celebrated in Rus'. There was a belief that it was on this day that forty birds, forty great birds return to their homeland and the magpie begins to build a nest. For this day, housewives baked spring birds - larks - from dough. Throwing them up, the children sang chants - short inviting songs, calling (“hooking”) spring.

The arrival of spring, the arrival of birds, the appearance of the first greenery and flowers have always evoked joy and creativity among the people. After the winter trials, there was hope for a good spring and summer, for a rich harvest. And therefore, people have always celebrated the arrival of spring with bright, beautiful rituals and holidays. We were eagerly awaiting spring. When she was late, the girls climbed the hills and sang stoneflies:

Bless me, mother,

Call for spring,

Call for spring,

Say goodbye to winter!

Finally, she came, the long-awaited one. She was greeted with songs and round dances. On April 7, people celebrated a Christian holiday Annunciation. On this day, every Orthodox Christian considered it a sin to engage in any business. The Russian people believed that the cuckoo somehow violated this custom by trying to make a nest for itself, and was punished for this: now it can never have its own nest and is forced to throw its eggs into others.

Annunciation - a Christian holiday - is one of the twelve. It is based on the Gospel legend about how the Archangel Gabriel brought the good news to the Virgin Mary about the impending birth of her divine baby Jesus Christ.

The Christian religion emphasizes that on this day the beginning of the mysterious communication between God and man was laid. Hence the special significance of the holiday for believers.

The Feast of the Annunciation coincides in time with the beginning of spring sowing: many of its rituals are associated with turning to the Mother of God with prayers for a good, abundant harvest, warm summer, etc.

There is a popular belief that on this day the Mother of God sows all the fields of the earth from heavenly heights.

The main Christian holiday is Easter -"feast of holidays." It is celebrated by the Christian Church in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross.

Easter belongs to the so-called moving holidays. The date of its celebration is constantly changing and depends on lunar calendar. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. To determine the day of Easter celebration, special tables are compiled - Easter. Easter's roots go back to the distant past. Initially, it was a spring festival of cattle-breeding and then agricultural tribes.

Easter is preceded by a seven-week Lent. Its last week is called Passion and is dedicated to remembering the passion (suffering) of Christ. In the old days, preparations were underway throughout Russia for Easter: they cleaned, washed, cleaned homes, baked Easter cakes, painted eggs, preparing for the big celebration.

Thursday in Holy Week is called Maundy Thursday. On this day, church services are dedicated to memories of the Last Supper. The night of Holy Saturday usually presented a magnificent spectacle wherever there were Orthodox churches: a religious procession began to the sounds of the blagovest (a special type of bell ringing). In Moscow, a solemn service on Easter night took place in the Assumption Cathedral in the presence of the Tsar.

On Saturday, Easter cake and Easter are supposed to be blessed in the temple. Kulich is an Easter butter bread baked with the addition of sweets, apples and berries. Easter is a ritual food that is mixed with cottage cheese, sugar, eggs, raisins, and butter. If the Easter cake is round, then Easter has a tetrahedral shape, symbolizing the Holy Sepulcher. And on the walls of the form there are patterns and letters, symbolizing the holiday of the Resurrection. Having blessed the Easter cake, the hostess quickly went home. It was believed that the bread would grow as quickly as the housewife returned home. Pieces of Easter cake were never thrown away, dried and carefully stored.

On Easter the sun is shining. Its pure beneficial rays bring us purification and joy. That’s why in the old days the whole village went out at noon to watch the “sun play”, asking him for a good harvest, for good health.

The people have preserved many customs and rituals associated with the celebration of Easter. On Easter, everyone goes to visit each other, shares Christ, wishes the owners happiness and prosperity, and gifts each other with colored eggs and Easter cakes.

On Bright Sunday, festive festivities begin, which previously lasted throughout Bright Week. On Easter, all interested men are allowed to climb the bell tower and ring the bells. Therefore, this day is always filled with the solemn sound of bells.

With Bright Week, the first spring round dances, games and outdoor festivities begin. Preparations are underway for weddings that take place on Krasnaya Gorka.

The Russian people have always respected their ancestors and deified them. One of these days of remembrance of people who have passed away was Radunitsa. Easter week passed, and the following Tuesday was celebrated as a memorial day. They took Easter cakes and colored eggs with them to the cemetery.

According to popular belief, the souls of our ancestors rise above the earth during these days of spring and invisibly touch the treats that we bring to please them. Memories of relatives, loved ones, care for your family, concern so that the souls of your ancestors do not despise your family, and symbolizes Radunitsa - spring commemoration. The very word “care” contains the meaning of troubles, efforts with all your heart. To rejoice is also to care, to care. The people believed that by arranging spring commemorations, we both bring joy to the souls of our ancestors, and we care and take care of them.

The height of the spring holiday festivities falls on Red hill. Red Hill begins on Fomin Sunday. This is one of the national holidays of the Red Spring; V On this day, our ancestors celebrated spring, walked through the streets with songs, danced in circles, played, stoneflies sang. Betrotheds were married on Krasnaya Gorka and weddings were played.

The name of the holiday is due to the fact that the sun begins to shine brighter, turning the hillocks thawed from the snow reddish. Mountains and hillocks were always revered by the ancient Slavs and were endowed with magical properties: mountains, according to legend, the cradle of humanity, the abode of the gods. The dead have long been buried in the mountains. Hence the custom after mass on this day to go to the cemetery: to remember the dead, to clean up the graves and decorate them with flowers.

The holidays began at sunrise, when young people went out onto a sunlit hill or hillock. Led by a round dancer holding a round loaf of bread in one hand and a red egg in the other, they danced in circles and welcomed spring. Brides and grooms walked in festive attire, looking closely at each other.

The celebration of Krasnaya Gorka was accompanied by various rituals, among which we can highlight the vine rituals. Young people gathered on Fomino Sunday after lunch and went in crowds to the houses where weddings had been played the day before. She was treated and given eggs, pies and Easter cakes. After this, the boys and girls again danced in circles, choosing from among themselves a beautiful girl, symbolizing spring. She was decorated with greenery, flowers, and a wreath of fresh flowers was placed on her head. Round dances, vines, and wreaths symbolized the return of the sun, a new circle in life and in nature.

The sun was shining brighter, the earth was covered with lush green vegetation, and on Thursday, the seventh week after Easter, a holiday was celebrated in Russia Semik(this is where its name comes from). Semitic rituals originate in the pagan beliefs of the ancient Slavs, who revered nature and the spirits of vegetation. The custom of decorating a home with fresh greenery and fragrant herbs, branches and young birch trees, etc. has survived to this day.

Semik marked the end of spring and the beginning of summer. The ritual of the holiday is based on the cult of vegetation. Another name for Semik has also been preserved - Green Christmastide. They celebrated in groves, forests, on the banks of rivers, where young people sang, danced, wove wreaths, curled birch trees, etc. until late at night.

A cheerful crowd often headed to the river to throw wreaths: the girl whose wreath floats to the shore first will be the first to get married, but if the wreath spins in one place, its owner is destined to spend another year as a “girl.”

These predictions served for fun, relaxation, jokes and amusement. At the same time, they provided grounds for thinking about their fate. Old women explained to young girls what the different positions of the wreaths meant, taught them to read how fate would turn out, thereby pushing them to make certain decisions.

Curling a birch tree is a ritual that comes from ancient times. The girls believed that this was how they tied themselves tightly to the guy they loved. They also wondered about the future or wished a speedy recovery for their loved ones. It was believed that birch branches had great healing powers on these days. An infusion of birch leaves was also considered healing. Birch branches protected the huts of our ancestors from unclean spirits. To this day, peasants stick Semitsk birch branches into the corners of houses so that purity and healing spirit are transferred to the walls.

It was Semitic Thursday that was the day when they predicted what would happen. (If the curled branches of the birch did not wither before Trinity, this meant that the plan would definitely come true).

Russian people call Semik honest, like Maslenitsa, considering it one of the three main summer holidays, which is confirmed by the words of the ancient “Trinity” song:

Like we have three holidays a year:

The first holiday is Semik honest,

Another holiday is Trinity Day,

And the third holiday is the Bathing Suit.

N.P. Stepanov in his book “Folk Holidays in Holy Rus'” recalls the famous commander A.V. Suvorov, “who, despite all his greatness, gathered guests at Semik, with whom he dined in a birch grove under curly green birch trees intertwined with multi-colored ribbons, while singing folk songs. After dinner, he played round dances not only with the girls, but also with the soldiers, played burners, running around like a young man” 2.

On the Sunday after Semik, Russia celebrated Trinity or Pentecost.

2 Stepanov N.P. Folk holidays in Holy Rus'. - M., 1992.-S. 52-53.

For all Slavs, Saturday on the eve of Trinity is the traditional day of remembrance of the dead (in Orthodox calendar it is called “parental Saturday”): on this day it is customary to visit the cemetery, order prayer services, and light funeral bonfires. Sometimes boys and girls dance in circles around the “Saturday bonfires.” These games reveal a ritual of purification by fire, widespread in ancient times, closely associated with the cults of the earth and ancestors. Thus, the ancient ritual combines the memory of the departed and the joyful meeting of spring shoots, a festive hymn to the nurse-earth and everything that lives and grows on it.

Trinity Sunday is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter, hence its second name.

The Christian meaning of the Trinity holiday is based on the biblical story of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ, after which they began to understand all languages. In the Christian religion, this is interpreted as the desire of Christ to carry his teachings to all peoples of the earth in all languages.

The church devotes the first day of Pentecost, Sunday, to honoring the Holy Trinity. This day is popularly called Trinity Day; the next day, Monday, is dedicated to the Holy Spirit, which is why it is called Spiritual Day. On these days, solemn services are held in churches.

On the holiday of Trinity, it is customary to decorate churches and homes with branches and flowers and stand at the service with flowers.

In Russia, Trinity has absorbed those customs and rituals that are characteristic of the Semik holiday. Since ancient times, the Trinity was accompanied by wreathing, fortune telling, boating, etc.

The Russian birch tree became the symbol of the holiday. Decorating a birch tree, wringing and curling wreaths, decorating the windows of houses with fresh birch branches, collecting medicinal herbs on these days - all these customs originate in the beliefs of the ancient Slavs.

The holiday of Trinity is celebrated throughout the Christian world. And almost everywhere it is not only a church holiday, but also a national holiday. In Trinity rituals, ancient customs associated with the celebration of the flowering of nature and the arrival of warmth and light on earth can be traced everywhere. Rituals are also performed, the main purpose of which is to ensure the future harvest, health, well-being of all people, good offspring of livestock, etc.

On this day, festive processions, dances and round dances, rites of blessing people, fields, greenery and grass are held. Rituals related to water are very common on Trinity. The playful pouring of water on each other is an echo of the magical ritual of making rain. Boat rides decorated with greenery and flowers, as well as pilgrimages to holy springs, are also popular. The custom of consecrating water has been known for a long time, while power and healing properties are also attributed to Trinity water (it is used to sprinkle crops, irrigate gardens, ensuring future harvests.)

Semik and Trinity are holidays with dancing, noisy cheerful processions, with the choice of a Trinity bride, etc. The Trinity bride, at the head of the festive procession, goes around the village or city, sometimes participating in the ceremony of consecrating fields and springs.

Ivan Kupala- the next big summer folk festival. Kupala Week, celebrated by the ancient Slavs, coincided with the summer solstice. The holiday was dedicated to the sun and was associated with the most ancient cults of the Slavs - the cult of fire and water. On this day, traditionally, people lit fires, swam in warmer rivers, and doused each other with water.

After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', this day (June 24) began to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist (John the Baptist), who, according to legend, baptized Jesus Christ. Due to the fact that the celebration of Kupala Week coincided with this church holiday, its new name “Ivan Kupala Holiday” was adopted among the people.

On Ivan Kupala, medicinal plants are also collected, which, according to legend, are full of special healing powers. The meaning of the word “Kupala” is interpreted differently. Some researchers consider it to be derived from the word “kupny” (together, joint, connected). Others explain its origin from the word “kupa” (pile, bale). In some regions of Russia, the hearth as a place in which a fire is lit is called a “bathroom”.

In ancient Slavic mythology, Kupalo was considered the deity of earthly fruits. Before the grain harvest, sacrifices were made to him. At the same time, Kupala is an angry, hot deity, seething with anger and rage; it serves as a symbol of fire. According to popular belief, the sun rides out on three horses on this day: silver, gold and diamond; it rejoices and scatters fiery arrows across the sky. People believe that the sun “plays” five times a year: at Christmas, at Epiphany, at the Annunciation, at Easter and on the day of Ivan Kupala. At the same time, the sound of the word “kupala” coincides with the word “to bathe”, to immerse in water. It is no coincidence that ritual bathing and dousing with water are indispensable attributes of the holiday. On this day, at dawn, it was customary to swim in the river and wash with dew - such actions were attributed with magical, healing powers.

From summer holidays Ivan Kupala Day is the most cheerful and cheerful day; the entire population took part in it, and tradition required the active inclusion of everyone in all rituals and mandatory observance of customs.

Signs relating to this holiday have survived to this day: “The dew on Ivan is strong - for a harvest of cucumbers”, “On Ivan’s night it’s starry - there will be a lot of mushrooms”, “If there is a thunderstorm on Ivan’s day, then there will be few nuts and they will be empty” .

The Ivanovo rains caused both joy and anxiety in the farmer: the crops really needed them and were already dangerous for the grass just before haymaking.

On the eve of Ivan Kupala, peasant women always washed “kvashenki” - tubs in which dough for baking bread was prepared - at the well or on the river.

One of the fairly common Kupala rituals is pouring water on everything that comes and goes. Village boys dress in old linen and go with buckets and jugs to the river, where they fill them with water, walk through the village, dousing everyone, making an exception only for old people and young people. But, of course, girls are the most willing to be doused. In turn, the girls try to take revenge on the guys and also run to the river for water. The matter ends with the youth, soaked to the skin, rushing in a crowd to swim in the river.

The main feature of the Kupala night is the cleansing bonfires. Having extracted “living fire” from wood by friction, bonfires were lit while singing special Kupala songs, undoubtedly having a symbolic meaning. They threw birch bark into the fire to make it burn more cheerfully and brightly. Guys and girls in festive attire usually gathered around the fires, where they danced in circles, and, holding hands, jumped over these fires in pairs, thinking that this would save them from all evils, illnesses, and grief. Judging by a successful or awkward jump, they predicted future happiness or misfortune, early or late marriage. “Fire cleanses from all filth of the flesh and spirit,” wrote one of the 19th century ethnographers, “and the entire Russian village jumps over it to Ivan Kupala.” Popular belief says: whoever jumps higher over the Kupala fire will have a higher ear of bread. Livestock was driven through the Kupala fire to protect it from pestilence. In the Kupala bonfires, mothers burned old shirts taken from sick children, so that the diseases themselves would burn along with them.

Youth, teenagers, children, jumping over the fires, made noisy funny Games. We definitely played burners. The participants lined up in pairs one after another and sang in chorus:

Burn, burn clearly, so as not to go out.

Look at the sky - the birds are flying,

The bells are ringing:

Ding-dong, ding-dong,

-Run away quickly!

At the last words, the first couple, without releasing their hands, ran forward, and the driver tried to catch up with them. During the game, different choruses were performed, each locality having its own, for example:

Stop, burn in place,

Burn, don't burn,

On the sides with eyes

Shoot less

And look at the sky,

There are cranes there

And we took off!

The trumpeters are going there

Yes, they eat rolls.

- One, two, don't be a crow

And run like fire.

According to peasant beliefs, in Kupala, the most short night in the year, which is considered a “terrible night”, you cannot sleep, as all evil spirits (witches, werewolves, mermaids, snakes, etc.) come to life and become especially active.

Numerous customs and signs related to the plant world are associated with Ivan Kupala Day, which are expressed in Russian proverbs and sayings. (“Ivan Kupala - good herbs”, Midsummer came and went to collect grass”). Some herbs and flowers are collected during the day, some at night, and some only according to the morning dew. When the girls pick the herbs, they say, “Mother Earth, bless me, brother herbs.”

Herbs and flowers collected on Midsummer's Day are dried and preserved, considering them very healing compared to those collected at other times. They fumigate the sick, fight evil spirits, throw them into a flooded oven during a thunderstorm to protect the house from a lightning strike, and are also used to “kindle” love or to “dry it out.”

On the day of Ivan Kupala, girls make wreaths of herbs and in the evening they put them on the water, watching how and where they float. Mature women, being present, help interpret certain positions of the wreath, thereby pushing the girls to make one or another decision.

The main symbol of the holiday was the fern flower. According to legend, this fiery flower appears only on the night of Ivan Kupala. Anyone who manages to find a fern flower and pick it will become the ruler of the forest, will rule the paths in the forest, own treasures underground, the most beautiful girls will love him, etc. The main ritual elements of this day are immersion in water, traditional bathing, lighting fires (“bathing baths”), and sharing a meal. Cooking votive porridge in huge cauldrons also had a symbolic meaning. A joint ritual meal symbolized the unity of people, abundance, prosperity, fertility of the earth, etc. On this day, the baths were heated, laying grass and flowers on the floor. They steamed with brooms of Bogorodsk grass, fern, chamomile, Ivan da Marya, buttercup, wormwood, mint and other herbs to expel bodily impurity.

Swimming in rivers, reckless fun, washing away sadness, illness, the evil eye - all this was covered in ancient paganism, the custom of worshiping fire and water.

Most of the ancient rituals have been preserved only partially. Therefore, what is still valuable is what has survived. And we need to preserve its past for the people.

The next big summer holiday - Ilyin’s day, celebrated on July 20 of the Old Style (August 2 of the New Style) in honor of Elijah the Prophet, one of the especially revered Christian saints. Elijah's day served as a reference point for seasonal agricultural work; the end of haymaking and the beginning of the harvest are associated with it. It was these economic and everyday moments that made Elijah’s Day a significant celebration for the peasants. On folk calendar Until the beginning of the 20th century, this day was symbolized by the image of a wheel. A wheel with six spokes as a talisman against thunderstorms was common among Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians. In the 19th century, such signs were often carved on the piers (ridges of huts).

The sign in the form of a hexagonal wheel is found in the clay calendar of the 4th century, and therefore long before the introduction of the official cult of Perun. It is quite understandable why the day of veneration of this powerful deity and all his subsequent transformations fell on July 20. By this time, summer was approaching its hot and stormy period. The crops were almost ready for harvest. But a heavy downpour, lightning or hail was enough for everything to perish.

Therefore, on Elijah’s day, rituals were performed designed to preserve and protect both the harvest and the person himself.

What was the appearance of Elijah the Prophet in the popular imagination, and what rituals are associated with his day? He performs differently in different genres of folklore. In some, mainly in ritual poetry, he is merciful: he takes care of the harvest, livestock, and people’s health. This side of his appearance clearly appears in Belarusian ritual folklore: in schedrivkas, carols, stubble songs, as well as in spells. In them, Elijah the prophet is the giver of all blessings and mercies. In other genres, for example, in most legendary fairy tales, in laments, stories based on beliefs, he appears in his formidable guise as a thunderer, punishing and unmerciful.

Biblical legend and apocryphal tales, inscriptions on icons, and later popular prints created the idea of ​​Elijah the Prophet as a “fiery,” “cloud-bearing” thunderer who threw lightning. Hearing thunder, people said that it was Elijah the prophet riding across the sky in a fiery chariot.

... Already in tune with the chariot of fire,

Above the prophets the prophet, with a blow, thunders,

Our father shows up.

Below him is a white, brave horse,

This horse is not simple either,

A good horse has a pearl tail

And a gilded mane,

Decorated with large pearls

In his eyes is a margarite stone,

From his mouth a fire-flame burns.

Ilya is popularly considered the master of rain. “Ilya holds thunderstorms,” says the proverb. A church legend also contributed to the idea of ​​Elijah the Prophet as a rain bearer. The church accepted the popular belief. For a long time, on Elijah’s day and a week after it, religious processions were held with prayers for rain and a bucket. In Novgorod in the old days there were churches of Ilya the Mokroy and the Sukhoi. During a drought, a religious procession was held with prayers for rain to the first church, and with a request for dry, clear weather - to the other. In pre-Petrine Rus', the kings themselves took part in the visits to Ilya Sukhoi and Mokry. The Sukhoi and MokrogoIlya churches were built not only in Novgorod, but also in Moscow, Pskov and other cities. Since in many areas Ilyin’s day falls, as it were, on the border between summer and autumn, many proverbs, sayings, and observations are associated with it, noting this fact. For example: “Before Ilya, the man bathes, and from Ilya he says goodbye to the water.”

There are many popular explanations for why you can’t swim after Ilya’s day: from Ilya’s day, the water becomes colder because “Ilya throws a piece of ice” into it (whoever violates this prohibition will certainly get sick).

With Ilya’s Day, as popularly put it, the “red” days of summer ended and the turn to autumn began. “Prophet Elijah ends the summer and reaps the harvest.” The first morning colds appear, the nights lengthen: “Before Ilya, at least undress - after Ilya, put on a zipun,” says the proverb.

Many agricultural tips and signs related to the harvesting of crops, the upcoming winter sowing, and the ripening of vegetables are associated with Ilya’s day (“On Ilya’s day, cover the cabbage with a pot so that it is white.”)

Most Ilyinsky agricultural customs and rituals relate to the harvest. Ilya was most often associated with one of the oldest agricultural rituals - “beard curling,” which was widespread in the past both in Russia and in many European countries. The original meaning of this ritual is to ensure the harvest for the next year: “Here is a beard for you, Ilya, a crop of rye, oats, barley and wheat.”

One of the most striking rituals of Elijah's day is collective meals with the burying of a ram or a bull (the ritual is also common among many peoples of Europe). It originates in pre-Christian cults and has a very specific magical purpose - to ensure the harvest, the fertility of livestock, and well-being in the family. The stabbing ritual could be different, but basically it consisted of the following. The peasants gathered in their entire parish at the church and drove all the cattle there. The priest sprinkled the animals with holy water. After mass, an animal was chosen and bought by the whole world with money collected “from every soul.” He was slaughtered, the meat was boiled in a common cauldron and distributed to those present.

Along with “bull-slaughter,” on the day of Elijah the Prophet, beer was brewed from grains collected from village residents. In some places, beer brewing took place together with the “bull slaughter”, in others it existed on its own. The celebration was accompanied by games and round dances. At the same time, young people gave gifts to the girls, often presenting small icons. Ilya was considered the patron of happiness and love.

However, it would be wrong to see in Ilya only an ally and protector. In folk stories, fairy tales, legends and beliefs, Ilya appears as a formidable messenger of God's wrath, merciless, jealously concerned about his veneration. Ilya’s punitive function is closely related to the cleansing function. According to popular beliefs, he is called upon to cleanse the earth of all evil spirits, pursuing and destroying evil spirits, punishing people for bad deeds (“A thunderstorm thunders over all dark forces”).

Its miraculous power was also extended to natural phenomena associated with Elijah’s day: they washed themselves with Elijah’s rain, believing that it protected against all “enemy spells.”

The variety of traditions and customs of Ilyin’s Day, which is a kind of symbol of a responsible period of agricultural activity, is reflected in folklore, first of all, in proverbs and sayings, apt words, signs, etc. They embodied in a unique form the results of centuries of experience and practical wisdom of the peasant relating to this period of the year.

In August, the Russian people celebrate three Spasa- holiday dedicated to the All-Merciful Savior (Savior): August 1 (14) - honey Savior (Savior on the water), August 6 (19) - apple Savior (Savior on the Mountain), August 16 (29) - nut Savior (Savior on the canvas ). This saying is widely known:

“The first Savior is to stand on the water, the second Savior is to eat apples, the third Savior is to sell canvases.”

The first Savior is called honey because from this day to folk superstition Bees are already stopping taking honey from flowers. On this day, Russian people visited each other and tried the first new honey. From August 6, throughout Russia they began to collect and eat apples and fruits, which were blessed in churches on this day. Until this day, it was impossible to eat apples. The days following the Apple Savior are called “gourmets”. “On the second day of the Savior even a beggar will eat an apple,” says the people. The custom of sharing apples and other fruits with all the poor was carefully observed. From this time on, the full harvest of garden and horticultural crops began. Summer was coming to an end.

Autumn holidays

Farewell to summer began with Semenov's day - from September 1 (14). The custom of welcoming autumn was widespread in Russia. It coincided in time with Indian summer. Celebrated in mid-September Autumn. Early in the morning, women went to the bank of a river or pond and met Mother Osenina with round oatmeal bread.

The Russian people had a wonderful tradition of the so-called “cabbages”, or “cabbages”, when after harvesting the cabbage, the owners invited people to visit. Neighbors came to the house, congratulated the owners on a good harvest, then chopped the cabbage and salted it with special songs dedicated to this event. Working together was always more successful, joyful, and successful.

At the end of the work, a common meal was arranged, for which beer was brewed in advance and pies with cabbage were baked. During this meal, the women promised to always help each other and be together in sorrow and in joy.

Thus, work and everyday life, everyday life and holidays were closely intertwined with each other, promoting the unity of people and their unity.

Among the autumn agricultural holidays, the beginning of the harvest should be noted - stings, and its ending - dozhinki.

Zazhinki and dozhinki are the most important agricultural holidays. Many researchers of Russian life talk about how they were carried out in Rus'. “In the morning, the zazhinshchiki and zazhinshitsy went out to their paddocks,” writes A.A. in his work. Corinthian, - the field was blooming and dappling with peasant shirts and women's scarves,... life-giving songs echoed from boundary to boundary. At each paddock, the hostess herself walked ahead of everyone else with bread and salt and a candle.

The first compressed sheaf - “zazhinochny” - was called the “birthday sheaf” and was set apart from the others; in the evening the woman who bought him took him, walked with him ahead of her household, brought him into the hut and placed the birthday boy in the red corner of the hut. This sheaf stood - right up to the dozhinki... At the dozhinki, a “worldly fundraiser” was organized in the villages, ... they baked a pie from new flour... and celebrated the end of the harvest, accompanied by special rituals dedicated to it. The reapers walked around all the harvested fields and collected the remaining uncut ears. From the latter a wreath was twisted, intertwined with wildflowers. This wreath was placed on the head of a young woman beautiful girl, and then everyone walked to the village singing. Along the way, the crowd increased with oncoming peasants. A boy walked ahead of everyone with the last sheaf in his hands.”

Usually dozhinki occur during the celebration of the three Saviors. By this time the rye harvest is over. The owners, having finished the harvest, carried the last sheaf to the church, where they consecrated it. Winter fields were sown with such grains sprinkled with holy water.

The last compressed sheaf, decorated with ribbons, rags, and flowers, was also placed under the icon, where it stood until the Intercession itself. According to legend, the sheaf had magical powers, promised prosperity, and protected against hunger. On the day of the Intercession, it was solemnly taken out into the yard and, with special spells, fed to domestic animals so that they would not get sick. Cattle fed in this way were considered prepared for a long and harsh winter. From that day on, she was no longer taken out to pasture, as the cold weather set in.

Other rites of the end of the harvest include the custom of leaving several unharvested ears of grain on the strip, which were tied in a knot (“they twisted the beard”). Then they were pressed to the ground with the words: “Ilya on the beard, so that the holy saint does not leave us next year without a harvest.”

A kind of milestone between autumn and winter was a holiday Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, which was celebrated on October 1 (14). “On Pokrov before lunch it’s autumn, after lunch it’s winter,” people said.

Pokrov - one of the most revered by Orthodox believers religious holidays. In ancient church books there is a story about the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God, which occurred on October 1, 910. They describe in detail and colorfully how, before the end of the all-night service, at four o'clock in the morning, a local holy fool named Andrei saw that he was standing in the air above the heads of those praying The Mother of God, accompanied by a retinue of angels and saints. She spread a white veil over the parishioners and prayed for the salvation of the whole world, for the deliverance of people from hunger, flood, fire, sword and invasion of enemies. When the service ended, the holy fool Andrew told people about his vision, and the news of the miracle spread. In honor of this miraculous phenomenon, the Russian Church established a special holiday - the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mother of God Virgin Mary, the mother of the God-man Jesus Christ, according to Christian teaching, played an important role in the salvation of the world.

According to popular beliefs, the Mother of God was the patroness of farmers. It was to her that the Russian people turned to pray for the harvest. It was from her that he expected help in difficult peasant labor. The very image of the earthly woman Mary, who gave birth to a divine son and sacrificed for the salvation of people, was close and understandable to believers, especially women. It was to the Mother of God that they turned with their troubles, worries, and aspirations.

The festive church service on the day of the Intercession is structured in such a way as to convince believers of the mercy and intercession of the Mother of God, of her ability to protect people from troubles and comfort them in grief. The service on the Feast of the Intercession is dedicated to revealing her image as the all-powerful patroness of this world and as a spiritual figure who unites heavenly and earthly powers around herself.

By the time of the celebration of the Intercession, autumn field work was ending, and the peasants solemnly celebrated these events. The folk harvest festival merged with the Christian one.

There are a lot of beliefs associated with the holiday of the Intercession, which have their roots in ancient times. Let's get to know some of them. “The Intercession will come and cover the girl’s head,” say the old men, and the girls, in turn, secretly pray: “Father Intercession, cover the ground with snow, and cover my young woman with a veil!” or “Pokrov, Most Holy Theotokos, cover my poor head with a pearl kokoshnik!” The girls spend the entire day of the holiday in their circle, throwing together a cheerful feast in the simple-minded confidence that “if you have fun during the Intercession, you will find a sweet friend.”

Thus, we examined the main calendar holidays, winter, spring, summer and autumn, the holding of which reflected the character of the Russian people, their beliefs, customs and traditions. Over the centuries, they have certainly undergone some changes associated with certain historical events and the change of eras. But the main meanings and meanings of these holidays are still important for our people.

Literature

Almazov S.F., Pitersky P.Ya. Holidays Orthodox Church. M, 1962.

Afanasyev A.N. Poetic views of the Slavs on nature.

Bazhenova A. Solar gods of the Slavs. Saratov, 1953.

Belov V.I. Lad: Essays on folk aesthetics. Arkhangelsk, 1985.

Bible. Gospel (any edition).

A great guide to the Bible. M., 1993.

Braginskaya N.V. Calendar // Myths of the peoples of the world. M., 1980. T. 1.S.614.

Beletskaya N.N. Pagan symbolism of Slavic archaic rituals. M., 1978.

Vinogradova L.N. Winter calendar poetry of Western and Eastern Slavs: genesis and typology of caroling. M., 1982. Gromyko M. M. The World of Russian Village M., 1991.

Zhigulsky K. Holiday and culture. M., 1985

Zabelin I. Russian people, their customs, rituals, legends, superstitions and poetry. M., 1992.

Zelenin D.K. East Slavic ethnography. M., 1991.

Zemtsovsky I.I. Poetry of peasant holidays. M., 1970.

Ivleva L.M. Mummers in Russian traditional culture. St. Petersburg, 1994.

Calendar customs and rituals in foreign European countries. Winter holidays. M., 1973. Spring holidays. M., 1977. Summer-autumn holidays. M., 1978.

All year round. Russian agricultural calendar / Comp. A. F. Nekrylova. M., 1989.

People's month book. M., 1992.

Nekrylova A.F. Russian folk city holidays, entertainment and spectacles. The end of the 18th - the beginning of the 20th century. L, 1988.

Poetry of peasant holidays / Comp. Zemtsovsky I. I. M., 1973.

Holiday services and church celebrations in Moscow. M., 1995.

Propp V. Ya. Russian agrarian holidays: Experience of historical and ethnographic research. L., 1967.

Propp V.Ya. Russian agricultural holidays. L., 1963.

Rozhnova P. Radonitsa. M., 1991.

Russians: Historical and Ethnographic Atlas. T. 1-2. M., 1967 -1970.

Rybakov E.A. Paganism of the ancient Slavs. M., 1994.

Sakharov I.P. Tales of the Russian people. M., 1990.

Seleshnikov S.I. History of the calendar and chronology. M., 1977.

Snegirev I.M. Russians are just folk holidays and superstitious

rituals. M., 1990.

Sokolova V.K. Spring-summer calendar rituals of Russians,

Ukrainians, Belarusians of the 19th - early 20th centuries. M., 1979.

Sokolova Z.P. Cult of animals in religions. M., 1972.

Stepanov N.P. National holidays in Holy Rus'. M., 1992.

Tereshchenko A. Life of the Russian people. St. Petersburg, 1996.

Tokarev S. A. Folk customs of the calendar cycle - samples

Russian folk choreography. M., 1984.

Chicherov V.I. Winter period of the Russian folk agricultural calendar of the 16th-19th centuries. M., 1957. Shmelev I. Summer of the Lord. M., 1989. Ethnography of the Eastern Slavs: Essays traditional culture. M., 1987.

Yudin V. Great days. Pages of the folk Christian calendar. Saratov, 1992.

Chapter 4. Artistic traditions of family holidays and rituals

Calendar holidays are associated with the change of seasons and the cycle of nature. Another group of holidays and rituals - family and everyday ones, are dedicated to the most important milestones of another cycle - the cycle of human life, reflecting a person’s life from birth to death, traditional life and family traditions.

These include: births, christenings, name days, housewarmings, weddings, funerals. It should be noted that family and calendar holidays and rituals are closely related to each other. Many scientists believe that agricultural and family rituals, especially wedding rituals, once formed a single whole, having one common goal - achieving well-being in the family and a good harvest. Not by chance great similarity is observed in calendar and wedding songs of an incantatory nature. A number of songs are performed at calendar holidays and weddings. One can often observe the transformation of agrarian-calendar rituals into family-domestic rituals (for example, bathing a newborn in a trough with cereal grains, meeting young mothers-in-law after the wedding in an inverted fur coat, ritual dishes of christening and funeral meals, etc.).

At the same time, being confined to the most striking events in the personal life of each person, and not constantly repeating dates due to the changing seasons, and, accordingly, other functions and other content make it possible to distinguish family holidays and rituals into a separate group. The sequence of implementation is objectively determined by human life itself. Therefore, we will begin our acquaintance with family and everyday holidays by considering maternity rituals.

Scenario of thematic conversation for students primary school"Let's talk about winter folk holidays."

Matveeva Svetlana Nikolaevna, teacher primary classes MBOU "Secondary School No. 9"
Ulyanovsk.
Description of work: I bring to your attention a thematic conversation with primary school students about winter folk holidays, which can be used as a extracurricular activities and classes for schoolchildren, and at classroom hours. This material will be useful to primary school teachers, teachers of after-school groups, kindergarten teachers, teachers of children's health camps and sanatoriums. Thematic conversation is aimed at younger students school age, possibly for preschoolers preparatory groups.
Target: acquaintance with winter folk holidays.
Tasks:
- clarify children’s knowledge about winter folk holidays;
- broaden the horizons of younger schoolchildren;
- develop children’s cognitive interest and creative abilities;
- cultivate respect for the history of your people, for traditions.

Progress of the event

Teacher: Good afternoon, guys and dear adults! Did you know that from Christmas to Maslenitsa itself, winter holidays were celebrated cheerfully in Rus'. What holidays do you know?
The children answer.
Teacher: The most beloved and famous folk holidays in Russia, of course, are snowy and frosty Christmas, Christmastide, Epiphany and many others.
It is no secret that all Russian national holidays, without exception, are filled with traditions, rituals and rituals.
Today we will learn about the tradition of mummers, carols, Christmas fortune-telling, as well as the tradition of celebrating holidays and much more.
Here are some winter holidays:
December 12 - (Kolyada Day)
December 25 - (Christmas)
December 31 - January 1 (New Year)
December 25 - January 6 (Christmas time)

Teacher: All modern holidays have their roots in paganism.
For example, Kolyada Day among the ancient Slavs, it was 7 thousand years BC, it fell on the day of the winter solstice. According to legend, Teacher Kolyada descended from the sky, giving the idea of ​​a sacred calendar, talking about the change of day and night, and explaining how time moves.
The winter solstice marked both the beginning of a new life and the renewal of nature. Adults and children jumped over the fire, danced in circles, and boys competed in strength and ingenuity. Daylight hours were increasing, which meant spring was just around the corner.
It is even known that in the 16th century in Rus' a special ritual was associated with the day of the winter solstice. So the bell ringer of the Moscow Cathedral, who was responsible for striking the clock, came to bow to the Tsar and reported that from now on the sun had turned to summer, now the day was increasing and the night was shortening. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.
At this time, another multi-day winter holiday was celebrated - Christmastide (or Carols). It began in the last days of December and ended in early January. Christmastide was accompanied by magical rituals, on the eve of Christmas carols were sung, mummers walked around the villages, festive feasts were held in every house, girls told fortunes about their betrothed.
Special songs with wishes for a rich harvest, health, peace and harmony in the family were called - carols. Indispensable participants of the Christmas holidays were, of course, mummers. They dressed up as whoever they wanted.
Teacher: solve the riddles and find out.
Sample riddles:
My outfit is colorful,
My cap is sharp
My jokes and laughter
They make everyone happy.
(Parsley).

He sucks his paw
Sleeps all winter long.
But when spring comes,
Waking up from sleep
And let's roar in the forest...
Everyone calls him...
(Bear).

The wedge flies curly to the south,
Not wanting to meet a blizzard.
Flying around the floor of the Earth,
They rush into the distance -...
(Cranes).

Teacher: They dressed up as bears, cranes, parsleys and others. The mummers, within reasonable limits, were allowed everything, but only so as not to offend the owners of the house.
Perhaps one of the most important Christian holidays is Nativity. It was believed that if on Christmas happy man If he enters the house first, happiness will not leave its walls all year long. Christmas was accompanied by colorful folk customs and festivities. These are Carols, and walking with a star, and the trips of mummers. It was here that paganism and Christianity coexisted peacefully with each other.
Sample CAROLS:
Kolyada, Kolyada,
Serve the pie.
Damn it,
pork leg,
A little bit of everything.
Carry it, don't shake it -
Come on, don't break it!

Go-go-go, goat,
Go-go, gray
Oh, Lyuli, Lyuli -
Go-go gray.

We are not going on our own.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli
We are leading a goat.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...

Like our goat
Yes, from near Moscow.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
Yes, from near Moscow.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli
With red hair.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
With red hair
With little goats.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
Don't go, goat
Near Mikhailovka.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
Like in Mikhailovka
All residents are Sagittarius.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
They shot a goat
In the right ear.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
From the right ear
The yushka started leaking.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...
Lamentations
- Oh, the goat has fallen, my dear has fallen!
- How? Has the goat fallen?
- So give her some bacon. So that the goat gets up.
Our goat is here
She got up and went.
Oh, lyuli, lyuli...

The carol has arrived
It's Christmas Eve!
The carol has arrived
Open the gate.
Give me the cow
I'm oiling the head!
And God forbid that
Who's in this house?
The rye is thick for him,
Rye is ugly!
Him from the ear of octopus,
From the grain he has a carpet,
Half-grain pie.
The Lord would grant you
And we live and be,
And wealth;
And create for you, Lord,
Even better than that!

Get off the stove
Serve the rolls.
You are a good uncle!
Give me money for the passage!
If you give it away, you won’t give it away,
Will wait,
Stand at the gate!..
Golden head
Silk beard!
Give me some pie
For the sake of the holiday of Christ
At least a fresh pie
At least sour,
Yes, some wheat!
Cut it thicker
Give me more!
If only you had a hundred cows
One and a half hundred bulls!
I'd milk you a bucket
All with sour cream!
(During preliminary preparation, children perform some carols).
Teacher: Kolyada- god of celebrations and peace. Kolyada is perhaps one of the most beautiful ancient Christmas rituals, accompanied at Christmas by going around houses with songs, congratulations and wishes for wealth, good health, good harvest.
Carols are costumed processions with a star and chants that are still held in rural areas.
The day before, children, and even adults, gathered to carol under the windows of rich peasants, called the owner in songs, repeated the name of Kolyada and asked for money, sweets, etc. Rituals were carried out in the form of fortune telling, dressing up as animals, devils and other evil spirits, practical jokes, accompanied songs and music. Kolyada is the deity of fun, so they invited him, clicked on him new year holidays crowds of young people.

Ovsen, where are you going? Paving bridges!
Who should go? Kolyada to the sovereign!
What should he ride?
On a solar pig!
What to drive?
Piglet!

Teacher: Last day of Christmastide - Shchedrets, famous for its generous gifts and festive feast. The evening was popularly called generous, or rich, which is associated with the custom of cooking rich festive table, where, unlike the Christmas evening, there were always meat dishes. The composition of the mummers is the same as on Kolyada. Carolers approached a house or a crowd of people and sang: “Generous evening! Good evening!". In carol songs, as a rule, they praised the owners, each by name, and wished them well-being in every possible way. If you entered a house, you did a symbolic sowing of grain, wishing the owners happiness, health, and a good harvest:
We sow the snow, we sow,
Happy New Year!
Be born wheat,
Peas, lentils!
On the field in haystacks,
There are pies on the table!
Happy New Year,
With all the family!
May you be healthy
We lived for many years!

Teacher: Then the carolers began “to languish a carol” that is, begging for gifts from the owners, complaining that “we came from afar”, “the goat’s legs hurt” etc. The owners resisted and laughed it off. Then the mummers began singing shchedrovki, some containing comic threats. It was considered a great shame not to give gifts to carolers. The mummers could also send comic curses to such greedy owners:
Give them a hit on the back, Svarozhe!
Destroy them, Father Perun!
Empty bag for them, leaky pot!

Kolyada, Kolyada!
And sometimes there is a carol
Christmas Eve
Kolyada has arrived
Christmas brought.

Teacher: What else do you think was sung about in carols?
The children answer.
Teacher: The owner and hostess were wished for a harvest, and the girl and boy were wished to get married. "Kolyada" is the god of festivities. He was depicted as a solar disk with the face of a baby, since on Christmas days “the sun turned to summer.” The cookies that the mummers were treated to were also supposed to be round (symbol of the solar disk). Folk performers sang loudly, with a tense timbre, to hear the echo.
Sample carols:
Kolyada, Kolyada!
And sometimes there is a carol
Christmas Eve
Kolyada has arrived
Christmas brought.

Kolyada, Kolyada,
Give me some pie
Or a loaf of bread,
Or half a buck,
Or a chicken with a crest,
Cockerel with a comb!
Open the chests, owners,
Take out your heels!
Let's give it a penny
To the carolers!

Teacher: Traditionally, children started round dances and carried a star on a stick or pole. When the door was opened, they first showered the owners with grain. If the owners to whom the children came showed greed, then the carol participants could also sing mischievous carols.
Sample mischievous carols:
Won't you give me the pie?
We take the cow by the horns.
If you don't give me some kvass -
We are a pig by the whisky.
Won't you give me a blink -
We are the host in the kick.
Serve, don't break,
Don't snack!
Don't give me the pie -
Let's take the cow by the horns!

Who won't give pie -
That's why a firebrand is born,
Who won't give me meat -
That's why the cat is in the window,
Blind eyes.

Give you, Lord,
One cow
Yes, and that comela,
Milked tar
I would strain it with resin.

Teacher: Everything that the owners gave to the children: money, sweets, etc., the carolers put in a bag and thanked them with songs and poems. Having collected a full bag of gifts, the carolers went home to celebrate the first Veles Day (New Year) in the family circle.
Sample poems and songs:
Good evening to good people!
Let happy holiday will!
Happy New Year,
We wish you happiness and joy!
Generous evening, good evening,
Good health to good people!
On a generous New Year's evening
I wish you all happiness and health!

Teacher: There were even tips that were important to follow during the Christmastide period.
Here are some sample tips:
1. Be present all the time good mood, wish all people happiness, and radiate love and joy.
2. During this period, complete abundance should reign in the house: the tables are richly and deliciously set, which will ensure prosperity, a rich harvest, and good profit next year.
3. Spend more time with friends and relatives, then you will be together all year.
4. Invite guests as much as possible more people and welcome them - then the world will be open to you.
5. Give and accept gifts.
6. Do not skimp and do not regret anything, then the Universe will not spare anything for you.
7. Do good deeds, help other people, show charity, take care of nature - this will come back to you.
8. Do not refuse help at this time, especially for children.