New Year traditions in Russia. Customs, signs and rituals for the new year
New Year is rightfully considered the most beloved and most long-awaited holiday. After all, we all remember very well the thrill with which each New Year's gift in childhood, the impatience with which every child waits for Santa Claus and waits for what he will bring us. But that was in childhood! Having matured, people begin to dream not about gifts, but about the fulfillment of their most cherished, most secret desires, and for this, one way or another, ancient Russians come in handy new year traditions, customs, signs.
We celebrate the New Year on January 1 because three centuries ago Tsar Peter I issued a decree ordering us to celebrate this holiday on December 31. It was this decree that became the reason for the emergence of many Russian traditions, customs, and signs. The spruce, for example, became the main symbol of the New Year holiday, as was customary in all European countries.
The next royal decree read: “... Along large thoroughfares, noble people in front of the gates should make decorations from juniper and pine branches... and poor people - at least one tree or spruce branch place it on everyone's gate..." For the first time on this New Year's holiday, all Muscovites decorated their houses with branches of juniper, spruce and pine according to the patterns that were decorated in the royal guest courtyard.
This custom was borrowed by the Russians from the Germans, who considered the spruce to be a sacred tree, in the branches of which lives the good “forest spirit” - the defender of justice, goodness and truth. The constantly green spruce symbolized longevity, eternal youth, courage, dignity and loyalty. Fir cones were a symbol of the fire of life, as well as the restoration of health.
The evening before the New Year was considered “generous.” The abundant festive table was decorated with everything that one wanted to have in abundance. For the New Year, they cooked various compotes, infusions, and beer, served a lot of meat, cereal and flour dishes, and baked pies with a wide variety of fillings.
In the center of the table, it was customary to place the meat of a two or three week old pig, roasted on a spit, which was perceived as a symbol of beauty. Surely, more than once you have heard such a concept as “kolyada”. This word refers to all pork products that were prepared for Christmas or New Year. Each owner tried to stock up on pork, since this product fed the whole family until Lent.
The New Year's table should not include dishes made from poultry, game birds or hare, because there was a belief that happiness could fly away or run away from home. Ukrainians, Belarusians, Russians and Moldovans considered pancakes and kutia to be a traditional New Year's dish. Guests were treated to nuts, sweets or figurines baked from dough in the shape of domestic animals: cows, bulls, horses.
It was customary to celebrate the New Year in a new dress and shoes (it was believed that then you would wear new clothes all year). Before the New Year, we tried to forgive all insults and pay off all debts. On the eve of the holiday, windows and mirrors were washed in houses and broken dishes were disposed of.
In Rus', it was customary to prepare a very intricate dish for the New Year's table. It was not only expensive, but also required a lot of work from the cook. high level skill. This was the recipe in general outline: a piece of anchovies was placed instead of stones in fleshy olives, which served as a filling for a gutted lark, which was placed in a fat partridge, and that in a pheasant. The last “wrapper” of the olives was suckling pig. This work of culinary art was invented by the French court chef and dedicated to the beautiful Catherine II. Soon, a rich nobleman found out the secret of this extravagant New Year's treat and quickly spread it among the nobility. Inviting guests to the Empress roast has become very prestigious.
But now let’s move on from traditions to the rituals of the New Year holiday...
At midnight, when the chimes strike 12 times, we all make our most cherished wishes, which must come true in the coming year. Many people also observe a more complex ritual. When the clock strikes 12, a wish is written on paper, then the paper is burned and the ashes are stirred into a glass of champagne. Champagne must be drunk before the clock strikes the last stroke.
There are many other quite interesting signs associated with the New Year celebration. On New Year's Eve severe frost the water was frozen in a spoon. ABOUT good health and longevity is evidenced by ice in the bubbles, and illness or even death is indicated by a hole in the center.
There is one more no less interesting custom: on New Year's Eve part from festive dinner the girl put it under her pillow. Before going to bed, she invited her betrothed to come and taste the prepared dish. The lover was supposed to appear to her in a dream.
People have had it for a long time New Year's signs. I think it won’t hurt you to know some of them:
1. On New Year's Eve you cannot lend money, otherwise the whole next year You will desperately need them.
2. If you want good luck to accompany you everywhere in the New Year, wear something new.
3. So that there is prosperity in the house, New Year's table must be bursting with food and drink.
4. If on January 1 the first guest in the house is a man, the year will be happy, and if a woman is the opposite.
5. Remember, how you celebrate the New Year is how you will live it. Try not to swear, quarrel, cry or go to bed early on New Year's Eve.
6. To avoid causing trouble for yourself and any family members, do not do laundry on New Year's Eve.
7. If you throw trash out of your house before the New Year, expect troubles in the coming year and forget about well-being.
The most pleasant moment in celebrating the New Year is, of course, receiving gifts. If you want your gift to bring joy and pleasure to your family and friends, please note useful tips according to their choice.
Women do not like to be given: cheap perfume, lipstick, jewelry, sets of cheap soap, blouses, tights, frying pans, kitchen utensils and anything that reminds them of household. The exception is pre-agreed situations.
It is not advisable for men to give gifts: flowers, cufflinks, a tie, strong-smelling aftershave lotion or cologne, underwear, handkerchiefs, socks.
The child will be upset if you give him: clothes (without a toy), a smart book (“Schoolchild’s Encyclopedia”), school supplies, a souvenir that cannot be played with, but can only be placed on a shelf.
First, Peter issued a corresponding decree, then he reinforced it by his own example, showing the population how to celebrate the New Year. From that moment on, the calendar also changed, and Russia for the first time began to keep pace with other countries. This is how the first traditions for the new holiday appeared, which quickly became one of the people’s favorite events.
Russians are accustomed to seeing the couple - Father Frost and granddaughter Snegurochka - at all gatherings dedicated to the New Year. All matinees in schools and holidays in concert halls take place only with their participation. The third silent symbol of the holiday is a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The custom of decorating a spruce appeared with the advent of the winter New Year, in 1700.
It was not for nothing that Peter insisted that houses be decorated with spruce or juniper branches. Perhaps he saw New Year's wreaths with toys and sweets inside. Also, residents of Rus' decorated Christmas trees growing next to their houses or squares. Nowadays, huge Christmas trees are erected in city squares, there are Christmas trees in people’s homes, and dozens of live trees are brought to markets every year.
Perfect New Year
This is a family, warm holiday, in which it is customary to pay attention to loved ones. After all, gifts are not just an obligation, but an opportunity to show attention. However, the Romans were the first to give gifts. Clients of wealthy patricians had such obligations, who wanted to somehow “butter up” the boss and please him. Gradually the custom expanded to include all Romans.
Now every child is waiting for gifts, because it’s not in vain that he tries all year! He studies well, listens to his parents, and most importantly, writes a heartfelt letter to Santa Claus, in which he expresses his deepest desires. Sometimes children really trust a fairy-tale character with all the secrets that they cannot or do not want to tell their parents.
All adults pre-holiday days haunted by some magical expectation. There is more than enough strength and enthusiasm, even though December is rich in various events. After all, you want to solve all the pressing matters, sort out the problems, but at work the annual report is still approaching! It would seem, what kind of holiday? But even buried in papers, running away in the morning, people smile. They know that all the fuss is just the last push before the desired rest.
Meanwhile the cities magically are transformed. Install
Good afternoon, my dear readers! I continue to share with you my New Year's mood. Today let's remember Russian New Year traditions. This holiday has been celebrated in our country for about three hundred years. Of course, each of us likes to celebrate it in our own way, but some things remain the same from year to year. Let's remember what customs we have in Russia and where they came from.
It wasn't always like this. Previously, we celebrated the New Year on September 1, but Peter 1 moved this date by royal decree. Now we celebrate this holiday together with Western countries. At the same time, in 1704, it became customary to celebrate the New Year folk festivals. Before starting to celebrate, it is customary to complete business, pay off all debts, clean and decorate the house.
There's another one interesting sign- celebrate the New Year in a new one, elegant clothes. Well, or at least in new underwear. Don’t be lazy to buy clean T-shirts, panties, tights and socks for your family for the holiday. It is believed that in this case, neither you nor your loved ones will be afraid of any illnesses in the coming year.
We gather at a luxurious table
The daughter of Peter 1, Elizabeth, loved to celebrate the New Year on a grand scale. She organized lavish masquerade balls with many delicious treats. The holidays began in the evening and continued until the morning. Empress Catherine 2 continued this tradition. And now we remain faithful to the custom - we generously decorate the table. So that the coming year will be just as generous towards us.
Traditional treats: baked goose with apples, pies filled with “prophecies for next year(the housewives added a coin to one, the other had a salty filling, the third had a sweet filling, etc.), Olivier salad.
And, of course, it is customary to gather at this table with the closest people - parents and close relatives.
We celebrate with a glass of champagne
Drink in New Year's Eve champagne - another one old tradition, which appeared in the 60s of the last century. Champagne, in fact, can be considered one of the symbols of the holiday. The sparkling color of this drink, playful bubbles and the cork solemnly flying out of the bottle as the chimes strike is what you need to create the mood.
We are decorating the Christmas tree
First Christmas tree in Russia it was decorated back in 1852, during the time of Nicholas I. Russians had previously decorated their houses with coniferous branches, as well as twigs of cherry, apple, and birch. But the residents of Russia saw the tree entirely decorated with toys and elegant lights in 1852. By the end of the 19th century, such trees appeared everywhere - in both urban and rural houses.
IN Soviet years the decorated Christmas tree was strictly prohibited for some time, considered a relic of the bourgeois system, but soon it returned to us.
We make wishes
One of our favorite traditions is undoubtedly making a wish during the chimes. Usually the wish is written on a piece of paper, which is burned. The ashes are poured into a glass of champagne, then the champagne is drunk. The main condition is to believe that this dream will certainly come true.
We give gifts
In the New Year, we want to pay attention to our loved ones and friends. This can be done with the help of pleasant gifts. They don't have to be expensive. After all, the main thing is attention. You can, for example, do nice gifts with your own hands, or give some important little things to your loved ones.
WITH special attention It is worth considering gifts for children. After all, for them, the New Year is a fairy tale that you can help bring to life. It will be great to write a letter to Santa Claus together with your baby. Thanks to this, you will understand what your children dream about. And you will also have great chance make those dreams come true.
We are waiting for Father Frost and Snow Maiden
What New Year would be complete without Santa Claus? This is without a doubt main character winter holiday. Initially, Father Frost was considered the personification of Russian frosts. It was “Morozko” who covered the rivers with ice and the ground with snow. Another interesting fact is that the Russians used to consider Santa Claus an assistant in the fight against invaders. It was believed that if someone dared to encroach on Rus', he would send severe cold that the enemies could not cope with. And, I must say, there is some truth in this.
We first heard about the Snow Maiden in the play of the same name by Nikolai Ostrovsky. Remember this touching story about how old grandparents made their beautiful granddaughter out of snow, and she melted when she and her friends jumped over the fire? Since 1937, the Snow Maiden has become Grandfather Mo's indispensable companion.
rose, the children's favorite. It’s hard to imagine the celebration without these characters.
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Sincerely, Tatyana Svatova!
New Year in Russia is celebrated on the night from December 31 to January 1. Traditionally, it is customary to celebrate it with family and loved ones. Young people prefer noisy parties in clubs.
On the eve of the New Year, in the main squares of cities, the fir tree is lit, near which the main events of the winter holidays unfold. Main Christmas tree Russia is installed on the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin. It is live and selected to strict standards. It should have a smooth trunk, without moss, lichens and hollows. The span of the branches at the base of the main coniferous beauty must be at least 9 meters and the height must be at least 30 meters. A team of designers works on decorating the Christmas tree, coming up with new ideas every year: from colors to LED garlands.
Traditions and rituals
Housewives invite guests in advance, create menus and purchase ingredients for festive meals.
A few weeks before the holiday, old, beloved New Year's films begin to be shown on TV: “Carnival Night”, “The Irony of Fate, or C light steam!”, “Sorcerers”, “Girls”. People enjoy watching these films year after year and have already sorted them out into quotes.
Russians believe in the superstition: “How you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it!” On the eve of the holiday, they try to complete all important tasks, pay off debts, and forgive grievances. People buy in advance festive outfit. It is believed that whoever greets the coming year in the new beautiful clothes, will spend it in new clothes.
Residents of Russia are sensitive to the patron saint of the Chinese (Oriental) calendar. They try to appease the owner of the coming year: they prepare decorations that suit him, put dishes on the table that should please him (bananas for the Monkey, cereal products for the Rooster, cheese for the Rat), and give symbolic souvenirs to loved ones. Russians believe that a petted animal will bring good luck and prosperity to the house.
New Year celebrations begin on the evening of December 31st. The owners of the house and their guests gather at a luxurious table and say goodbye to the outgoing year. At 00 hours and 00 minutes, as the chimes strike, they drink champagne, watch the President’s New Year’s address on television, congratulate each other and make a wish. Particularly adventurous people write down their wish on a piece of paper, which is set on fire at midnight. The ashes are placed in a glass of champagne and drunk. They believe that this ritual will lead to the fulfillment of a wish.
history of the holiday
New Year in Russia began to be celebrated on January 1 in 1700, by decree of Tsar Peter I. In tsarist times, it was celebrated for seven whole days. Noble families placed elegant coniferous trees in front of their houses, lit tar barrels and launched rockets. Cannons were fired in front of the Kremlin.
Modern traditions of celebrating the New Year originated in the USSR. He became real family holiday, with its integral attributes: the Olivier salad, the striking of the Kremlin chimes, Father Frost and the Snow Maiden. January 1st has been a public holiday since 1948. In 1993, January 2 was also declared a non-working day. Since 2005 have been installed New Year holidays from 1st to 5th. Since 2013, they have been extended until January 8.
New Year decoration
A few weeks before the holiday, Russians decorate city streets, shop windows, shopping centers and at home with garlands and New Year's compositions. Each house has a Christmas tree, which is decorated with balls and garlands. Figures of Father Frost and Snow Maiden are placed under the coniferous beauty. Popular decoration are snowflakes cut out of paper or foil. They are glued to windows in apartments, houses, offices, schools and kindergartens.
In the last decade, Russians have adopted some American and European traditions. One of them is decoration front door New Year's wreath made of fir branches.
Festive table
New Year celebrations in Russia are distinguished by an abundance of dishes on the table. Housewives spend the entire day of December 31 in the kitchen preparing holiday treats. Integral dishes are the “Olivier” and “Herring under a Fur Coat” salads, meat jelly (jellied meat). Russian housewives also prepare casseroles, pies, and various desserts. On some tables there are pies with wishes, inside of which they put a sweet or salty filling and a piece of paper in foil. They write on paper nice wishes next year.
Not a single New Year's table is complete without tangerines. Their smell is an integral attribute of the winter holidays.
On New Year's Eve, Russians use different alcoholic drinks, the most popular of which is champagne. Even on children's tables there is a non-alcoholic substitute for an “adult” drink. In addition to champagne, there are wines, cocktails, cognac, and vodka on the tables.
Present
In Russia, for the New Year, it is customary to give gifts to friends, relatives and colleagues. various gifts: from symbolic cards and souvenirs to expensive jewelry and gadgets.
Father Frost brings gifts to children with his assistant, his granddaughter Snegurochka. He rides a team with three horses and leaves sweets and toys under the Christmas tree for the children who have been obedient all year. The birthplace of this character is Veliky Ustyug, where his official residence is located. In the estate of Father Frost there is a post office to which children from all over the country send letters.
New Year's resorts in Russia
Russia is huge and beautiful country, where you can find relaxation for every taste.
The hallmark of the New Year in the Russian Federation is Veliky Ustyug. This northern city is a holiday destination for the whole family. Children and their parents will be in winter's tale, filled with magic and Russian hospitality. Guests are welcome here interesting entertainment, fairs and performances. Through Santa Claus Mail you can send a postcard with his autograph or personal stamp to your family and friends.
Winter St. Petersburg will appeal to young people and lovers of cultural recreation. The city will greet its guests with an atmosphere of romance and ancient palaces steeped in history. New Year's fairs, fireworks, theatrical performances, concerts, city skating rinks and snow slides will delight entertainment lovers.
Admirers winter species sports will be welcomed by the ski resorts of Sochi. The snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Mountains, mild climate and clean air will make your vacation unforgettable. Trails different categories difficulties, safe lifts and modern hotels will pleasantly surprise vacationers.
Lovers of national color and untouched nature have plenty of places to roam. Winter tours to Karelia, Krasnoshchelye, Kamchatka, the Kola Peninsula will give you the opportunity to get in touch with local traditions, ride a sled with reindeer or dogs and sample local cuisine.
Time New Year's holidays- this is the time of beauty, good fairy tale, which comes to every home at the end of every year with the onset of winter cold. How much do you know about the history of this holiday and the traditions of the New Year? Let’s also remember how we prepared exactly a year ago for the already outgoing Year of the Tiger
The New Year always gives us hope for the best, gives us many gifts and pleasant emotions. During this period, we can easily feel like heroes of a fairy tale. We all remember our childhood, perceiving what is happening around us through the eyes of a child. Everyone so wants to believe in Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, who will certainly come to visit us, and that somewhere far away, in cold lands, there lives a beautiful The Snow Queen. Some will disagree with me, but in the soul this happens to everyone. And the New Year is to blame for everything - the time of fulfillment of the most cherished desires. The main thing is to tune in only to the good, the good, and all your wishes will come true
Celebrating the New Year carries the brightest feelings and is associated with hope, love and support. This holiday, like most others, has its roots in ancient times. On this day everyone gathers big cheerful company and celebrate the year so that the charm of New Year's Eve will be remembered for a very long time
The history of the New Year goes back about 25 centuries. The celebration of the New Year among ancient peoples usually coincided with the beginning of the revival of nature, and was mainly confined to the month of March. The resolution to count the New Year from the month of “Aviv” (i.e., ears of grain), which corresponds to our March and April, is found in the Law of Moses. Since March, the Romans also considered a new year, until the transformation of the calendar in 45 BC by Julius Caesar. The Romans made sacrifices to Janus on this day and began major events on it, considering it an auspicious day.
Only in 1700, Russian Tsar Peter I issued a decree to celebrate the New Year according to European custom - January 1. Peter invited all Muscovites to decorate their houses with pine trees, spruce flowers. Everyone had to congratulate their relatives and friends on the holiday. At 12 o'clock at night, Peter I went out onto Red Square with a torch in his hands and launched the first rocket into the sky. Fireworks began in honor of the New Year holiday. About three hundred years ago, people believed that by decorating the New Year tree, they made evil forces kinder. ABOUT evil forces long forgotten, but the Christmas tree is still a symbol of the New Year holiday.
And now a little about the traditions of celebrating this wonderful winter holiday.
New Year's winter holidays had a lot of rituals: people played games, sang songs and danced in circles. The Magi predicted the future, and the girls told fortunes about their betrothed. But, most importantly, everyone went to visit each other. So, entering the house during the holiday, on the table of our ancestors one could see pies in butter, dumplings, porridge with honey, goose stuffed with milk mushrooms and jelly. And after the meal, guests were always treated to the sweet drink suritsa.
But here are the basic rules that the ancient Slavs adhered to:
- Wear something new so that you can spend the whole year in new clothes;
- Throw away old things to cleanse your home and soul of all rubbish;
- Spend the first day of the new year cheerfully so that the whole year will be joyful;
- Prepare as many treats and delicacies as possible for the holiday table in order to live in abundance all year round;
- Do not borrow money for the New Year, pay off all debts so that you are no longer in debt.
Now the New Year holiday is also full of various beliefs and traditions. In Italy, for example, they get rid of old things, and in Bulgaria, when people gather at the festive table, the lights in all houses are turned off for three minutes. These minutes are called "minutes New Year's kisses", the secret of which is preserved by darkness. An integral part of the New Year is the New Year tree (in some countries this is an attribute of Christmas celebration) and Santa Claus - fairy tale character who puts gifts under the Christmas tree for obedient children on New Year's Eve. There also appeared modern traditions New Year - the use of pyrotechnic products: sparklers, firecrackers, rockets, fireworks, as well as the President’s New Year’s address to the people on television, New Year's concerts and films.
The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree dates back to pre-Christian times. This ritual has a deep ritual meaning: the festive spruce is a symbol of the World Tree, the so-called Axis of the World, connecting heaven and earth (according to popular belief, the spirits of ancestors live on its branches). Therefore, when decorating the tree with sweets, we present gifts to them. But all this applies only to living things growing in the ground. It was strictly forbidden to cut down the tree; you could only cut off the branches. What stops us from making garlands of dried fruits, baking cookies in the shape of birds, animals, houses and hanging them on a live Christmas tree in the forest, in the country house or in the park near the house? And when the holiday is over, birds and even small animals (if you decorated a Christmas tree in the forest) will enjoy the treats with pleasure. This way the tree can be saved from death and our little brothers can be fed.
What did our ancestors do to decorate their home during the New Year holidays?
They used everything they used in everyday life. In addition, the decorations they invented had the function natural amulets. For this they used embroidered towels, men's and women's clothing, hats and scarves, tablecloths, curtains and bed sheets. They painted the facades and gates of houses, doors, stoves, pottery and furniture. They collected brooms, wooden spoons, horseshoes, wreaths, braids of dried flowers, dried fruits, ears of corn, garlic and viburnum. It has long been known that those who were made relatives for each other had the greatest protective power.
Traditionally, the New Year holiday is considered a family holiday. Some people try to spend it in an atmosphere of home comfort and warmth, others, on the contrary, plan a celebration of a more cheerful and fiery nature, among friends, with a lot of energy, dancing and boundless fun. Some extreme sports fans are in a hurry to spend old year and meet the new one as brightly and dynamically as possible. Nowadays, celebrating the New Year on the top of a mountain or in a cave has become commonplace for lovers thrills and difficulties. History remembers people who celebrated this holiday in scuba gear on seabed, in flight with a parachute. Everyone wants something unusual and memorable, they strive to surprise themselves and others. This is what makes the holiday of the change of year so wonderful.
We live in a time of birth of new traditions. Communication with the carriers of the old ones has long been lost. Create your own family traditions, which strengthens the connection of family members with nature and each other!
It will be true to say that the place where the New Year is celebrated is not as important as the company of people who will surround everyone during the celebration. Although, it is worth noting that the proper combination of venue, company selection and event planning will make every meeting of the Year a bright and colorful event. This is what will bring a little goodness, happiness and joy into the life of every person, and will also charge him with positivity for the coming year.
And now 2009 is almost over... The new year, 2010, is approaching inevitably and excitingly. And again they are waiting for us magical dreams and indescribable feelings of anticipation of extraordinary miracles and fabulous events. 2010 to eastern calendar- year of the metal Tiger. An old Burmese legend says that one day a Buffalo defeated a Tiger in a fight and laughed at him. Since then, the Tiger cannot stand Bulls (and Cows), therefore, when saying goodbye to 2009, one cannot praise him. But the New Year 2010 should be celebrated with respect and hope - this is what the Tiger likes. The tiger always goes forward, despises conventions, hierarchy and conservatism of the mind. The tiger is a sign of extraordinary action, unexpected situations and exceptional destiny. In any case, the year of the yellow metal Tiger is a year of outstanding personalities and a battle of the strongest human ambitions, a year of achievements and tests of the strength of a lifetime.
As astrologers note, the New Year 2010 should be celebrated under the auspices of hope and dignity. The tiger, similar in nature to the royal lion, loves this: admiration and exaltation, emphasizing its importance. He himself brings strength and action, power and ambition, while despising conservative rules and hierarchies built over decades. If you are an extraordinary person who is not afraid of tests of strength, this is your year. It foretells struggles and ups, grandiose battles and unattainable heights.
How to decorate a house? The decoration of the rooms and tables should contain things made of metal: silver dishes, metal trays, ceramic-metal jewelry. It’s better to make toys for the Christmas tree with your own hands and make secret wishes. And, although, of course, the main decoration of the apartment is an elegant Christmas tree, you can complement the festive atmosphere with green branches, making up of them winter bouquets or New Year's compositions. IN color scheme decorative accessories should predominantly be white, black and yellow colors- “tiger color”.
Let's start with its decoration. This year one of the main attributes New Year's decor candles become. They should be two colors, the preferred range being stripes, gold, purple or pure white. Cover the table with a tablecloth and serve it with your best service, while not forgetting the symbolism of the approaching year. Place one in the center big figure Tiger or place several small ones between the dishes. You can buy napkins with the image of this animal - it will also turn out original.
