Traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ in the Orthodox Church. Christmas (traditions of celebration)

The history of Christmas for children

Khamidulina Almira Idrisovna, teacher primary school MBOU progymnasium "Kristina" Tomsk.
Purpose: This material will be of interest to teachers, educators in preparation for the Christmas holidays.
Target: Introduction to the history of Christmas.
Tasks: to develop interest in the history of the emergence of the Christmas holiday, to cultivate respect for folk traditions.
Before Christmas
Valentin Berestov
"And why are you, my stupid baby,
Nose pressed against the glass
Sitting in the dark and looking
In an empty frosty haze?
Come with me there
Where the star shines in the room
Where bright candles
balloons, gifts
Decorated Christmas tree in the corner!
"No, soon a star will light up in the sky.
She'll bring you here tonight
as soon as Christ is born
(Yes, yes, right to these places!
Yes, yes, right in this frost!),
Eastern kings, wise magi,
To praise the Christ child.
And I have already seen the shepherds through the window!
I know where the barn is! I know where the ox is!
And the donkey walked along our street!
One of the main holidays of Christians, the second after Easter, is considered Nativity, which is celebrated on January 7. On this day, an amazing event took place - the Son of God Jesus Christ was born. In an old cave intended for a stall, among straw and hay scattered for bedding and feed for livestock, far from permanent residence, among strangers, on a cold winter night, in an environment devoid of not only earthly grandeur, but even ordinary convenience - the God-man was born , Savior of the world. He came to earth to save our souls.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the time of Emperor Augustus in the city of Bethlehem. Augustus ordered a national census to be made. It was the custom for the Jews to conduct national censuses by tribes, tribes and clans, each tribe and clan had its own specific cities and ancestral places, therefore the Blessed Virgin and Righteous Joseph, as descended from the family of David, had to go to Bethlehem (city of David) to add their names to the list of Caesar's subjects.
In Bethlehem, they did not find a single free place in the city hotels. But in the middle of the midnight silence, when all mankind was enveloped in the deepest sleep, the shepherds, who were on night guard at their flock, heard the news of the Nativity of the Savior of the world. An Angel of the Lord appeared before them and said: will be for all people, as if today the Savior was born to you, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David, ”and the humble shepherds were the first to bow for the sake of saving people to the One who descended to“ the servant of the eye.

In addition to the angelic gospel, the Nativity of Christ was announced by a miraculous star to the magi "star-talkers".

There was no holiday more cheerful and spacious in Rus' than Christmas. The feast of Christmas itself anticipates a six-week fast. The evening of the previous day is Christmas Eve, and it is he who is celebrated. On Christmas Eve, everyone fasts until evening, until the first star appears. January 6 is the last day of the Nativity Fast for the Orthodox. This fast is also called Phillipov, and it lasts 40 days. The main goal of the Advent is to spiritually cleanse a person in order to celebrate Christmas with a pure soul. The rules of abstinence prescribed by the Church during the Nativity Fast are just as strict as the Peter's Fast. Meat is prohibited butter, milk, eggs. In addition, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of Advent, fish, wine, and oil are forbidden by the charter, and food without oil is allowed only after Vespers. On other days - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - it is allowed to eat with vegetable oil. Fish during Advent is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays and great holidays, for example, on the feast of the Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God, on temple holidays and on the days of the great saints, if these days fall on a Tuesday or Thursday. If the holidays fall on Wednesday or Friday, then fasting is allowed only for wine and oil.
The table on which the food is served is covered with straw or hay. This is reminiscent of the manger in which the Savior was placed. The most important dishes on Christmas Eve are kutya and vzvar. Boiled grains of wheat or barley were used to make kutya, later it was made from rice; from apples, pears, plums, raisins, cherries and other fruits boiled in water, they prepared a boil. 12 days after Christmas last Holy days (Christmas). In the evening around Christmas, carolers go and sing songs about how Christ was born. The main purpose of caroling is to wish happiness, wealth and good harvest. Sometimes carolers carry a star with them as a reminder of that star.
Christmas- the day of reconciliation, kindness, peacefulness, the day of the glorification of Christ. Church services are held everywhere on Christmas Eve. All the candlesticks are burning, the chandelier is burning, the choir performs the doxology.

In the old days, when the clock struck midnight, everyone exchanged gifts, congratulated each other, made wishes. It was believed that at Christmas the sky opens up to the earth, and the forces of heaven fulfill everything planned, while the wishes must be necessarily good.
For the first time, they began to decorate a Christmas tree for Christmas in Germany in the 16th century. On Christmas Eve, the Christmas tree was placed in the church choirs and decorated with apples. As time passed, other decorations were added, each of which made sense. Fruits symbolized redemption, unleavened dough cakes - communion, apples - fertility, eggs - well-being and harmony, nuts - the incomprehensibility of Divine Providence. In memory of the star of Bethlehem, the top of the Christmas tree was decorated with an eight-pointed star, which showed the way to the Magi who went to bow to the newborn Savior. Candles and lanterns were symbols of the stars and bonfires that illuminated the path of the shepherds on that Holy Night. The bells on the Christmas tree reminded of those that the shepherds hung to their sheep. Gradually, the believers replaced the spruce branches in their homes with whole trees, decorated in the manner described above.

God's tree
G. Heine
bright star rays
The sky is blue.
- Why, tell me, mom,
Brighter in the sky of stars shine
On Christmas night?
Like a tree in a mountain world
Lit this midnight
And diamond lights
And the radiance of radiant stars
Is she all decorated?
- True, my son, in God's sky
On the night of the present saint
Christmas tree lit for the world
And full of wonderful gifts
For the family, she is human.
Look how bright the stars are
Shine the world there, far away:
Holy gifts shine in them -
For people - goodwill,
Peace and truth are for the earth.

Very soon, a series of winter days during which people will decorate Christmas trees, visit each other and give gifts. New Year and Christmas are considered truly family holidays, uniting and reconciling all loved ones. Today, however, few understand where certain traditions of celebrating these dates came from. And if the New Year is more understandable to us, then this is what Christmas is, not all Russians and residents of other countries can tell. But in fact, the history of this holiday and its significance not only for believers, but also for ordinary people hard to overestimate. After all, we all keep track of the chronology from the day of the Nativity of Christ and must understand how important this date is for all mankind. Today we will tell you not only about the origins of the holidays, but also about its main traditions that came to us from our ancestors. So what is Christmas?

history of the holiday

It's no secret that the Orthodox and Catholic churches celebrate Christmas in different days. All adherents of Orthodoxy traditionally begin to celebrate on the night of the sixth to the seventh of January, but for Catholics this happens much earlier - on the twenty-fifth of December. There is a very definite reason for these discrepancies, but we will talk about it a little later. Now let's tell you what Christmas really is.

On the night of January 7th, we all remember the day when the Virgin Mary gave birth to the baby Christ, who became the Savior of mankind. If we turn to the Gospel, it tells in great detail exactly how Jesus was born.

Joseph and Mary, who at that moment was in demolition, overcame long haul to Bethlehem, where the census was taken. The city was overcrowded and the couple could not get into any inns. In order not to stay on the street at night, they were forced to stop in a stable, where Mary gave birth to the Son of God. Since she had practically nothing with her for the baby, she put the newborn in the cattle feeder.

Shepherds came to bow to the Savior of mankind, to whom angels appeared and told the good news. Following him, the Magi arrived and brought gifts to the baby. They were led by a star that lit up in the sky at the hour of the birth of Jesus.

Since then, one of the traditions of the holiday has been decorating the Christmas tree with a star, as if it reminds of the time when people got a chance to save their souls.

The formation of the holiday

Until the fourth century, no one had heard of such a holiday as Christmas. The first mention of it appeared only in the fourth century. However, at that time it had not yet turned into an independent date, but was combined with the Epiphany. Both holidays fell on the sixth of January.

In the thirties of the fourth century, the Roman pontiff, by his decree, separated both holidays and ordered to celebrate Christmas on the twenty-fifth of December. Gradually, this tradition spread to the entire Christian world without exception.

It is noteworthy that the church for a long time couldn't decide on exact date birth of Christ. Many clergy believed that this event did not take place in winter at all, but closer to the beginning of autumn. And it would be historically correct to transfer the holiday to this period. However, it was at the beginning of autumn that the time of rituals and ceremonies began for pagans who adhered to the cult of the sun. To finally separate paganism from Christianity, the church chose December. Some clergy, in turn, cited evidence that the twenty-fifth of December is the closest date to real day birth of Christ.

January 7th or December 25th: when do we celebrate

The Orthodox holiday of Christmas, as you know, is celebrated on the night of the seventh of January. However, our attentive reader remembers that we promised to tell why there are such contradictions between the dates of the church holiday. In fact, in reality, there are no differences. Just Catholic Church once switched to a new style chronology, but the Orthodox still adheres to the old.

Based on this, the dates of all holidays have shifted slightly and now the most important day is celebrated by a Christian, depending on their affiliation with a particular church, with a difference of almost two weeks.

Christmas traditions of Ancient Rus'

In Rus', the holiday always began on the sixth of January. On Christmas Eve, it was customary for the whole family to gather and cook a hearty dinner together. Usually it consisted of porridge, kutya, pies and other pastries. Traditional were small figurines depicting animals. For them, dough was made from wheat flour, and the cookies themselves were used to decorate the table, at home and as gifts for loved ones.

The senior members of the family began the festive meal with memories of the past year. They listed all the good things brought to them and only then they began to treat. After them, all the rest of the family began to eat. The food left after dinner was to be given to the poor. They usually gathered near temples and churches.

Temples were always festively decorated in honor of Christmas, people carried spruce branches into them and considered it an honor to take part in their placement. The holiday itself was very deep meaning, it was believed that in the family circle it is necessary to remember Jesus and his miracles. Such conversations lead to the purification of the soul, and provide an opportunity to get rid of accumulated sins.

How is Christmas celebrated in Russia today?

Of course, we have long moved away from traditional meaning this great holiday. For most people, it is another day when you can get together with friends and have fun. However, absolutely all our compatriots observe certain rituals.

Orthodox Russians set the table for the holiday. Traditionally, it should be rich and include chicken or duck. These dishes are considered the most suitable for Orthodox Christmas. Many put pickles and homemade pastries on the table.

It is customary to spend the holiday cheerfully and meet it in bright clothes. They symbolize deliverance from sins. If our compatriots often spend the New Year outside the home, then on Christmas they still try to gather in a closer circle.

On Christmas Eve, gifts should be given to each other. They may be small and purely symbolic, but in any case, this is a reference to the times when the Magi brought their gifts to the cradle of Christ.

Do not forget about fortune-telling on a holiday. It is during this period that you can find out your future destiny, this is especially true for unmarried women who dream of meeting their betrothed.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Surprisingly, many people often confuse church holidays with each other. Big problems causes the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, this date is often mistakenly attributed to the seventh of January. However, in reality, this day has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday is proclaimed by the church in honor of the birth of His mother - the Virgin Mary.

She is very revered in Christianity. Both Catholics and Orthodox devote numerous prayers to her, and she never remains deaf to the requests of the afflicted. The date of the Nativity of the Virgin can be determined by church calendar. For example, this year the holiday was the twenty-first of September.

We hope that after reading our article you will know exactly what Christmas is and feel the deep meaning of this holiday.

Orthodox Church.

According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary during the reign of Emperor Augustus (Octavia) in the city of Bethlehem. Augustus ordered that a national census be made in his entire empire, which then included Palestine. The Jews had a custom to conduct national censuses by tribes, tribes and clans, each tribe and clan had its own specific cities and ancestral places, therefore the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph, who came from the family of David, had to go to Bethlehem (city of David) to bring and their names on the list of Caesar's subjects. In Bethlehem, in connection with the census, all the places in the hotels were occupied, Mary and Joseph could only find accommodation for the night in a limestone cave intended for cattle stalls. When they settled there, it was time for Mary to give birth. Among the hay and straw on a cold winter night, the baby Jesus Christ was born. The Blessed Virgin, painlessly giving birth to the Divine Infant, swaddled Him and laid Him in a manger - a feeder for cattle. But in the middle of the midnight silence, when all mankind was enveloped in sleep, the news of the birth of the Savior of the world was heard by the shepherds who were guarding the flock. An angel appeared to them and said: “Do not be afraid: I am proclaiming to you a great joy that will be for all people. Today the Savior of the world, Christ the Lord, was born! And here is a sign for you: you will find the Infant in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, with an angel, a numerous host of heaven appeared, glorifying God. When the Angels disappeared, the shepherds said to each other: let's go to Bethlehem and see what happened there. And hastily, they found a cave where Mary, Joseph, and the Child lay in a manger. The shepherds told the holy family about what they had proclaimed about the Child.

At this time, according to the Gospel of Matthew, the Magi (ancient sages) from the east came with gifts to the Divine Infant. They were waiting for the great King of the world to come to earth soon. The Magi, according to legend, they were called Gaspar, Melchior and Belshazzar, went to Jerusalem to ask where to look for the Savior of the world. Hearing about this, King Herod, who ruled Judea at that time, became agitated and called them to him. He found out from the Magi the time of the appearance of the star - the possible age of the future king, whom he feared as a rival to his reign. Herod hypocritically asked the wise men to inform about the birthplace of the baby, "so that I could go and worship Him."

Following the guiding star, the magi reached Bethlehem, where they bowed to the newborn Savior and brought the gifts of the East: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts had a deep meaning: gold was brought as a tribute to the king, frankincense as to God, and myrrh as to a person who must die (myrrh was anointed in those distant times for the dead). Then, having received a revelation from God not to return to Jerusalem, they departed by another way to their own country.

Enraged, Herod, discovering that the Magi did not listen to him, sent soldiers to Bethlehem with orders to put to death all male babies under two years of age. The Gospel tells that Joseph, having received a warning of danger in a dream, fled with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child to Egypt, where the Holy Family remained until the death of Herod.

In remembrance of the birth (nativity) of Jesus Christ, the church established a holiday - the Nativity of Christ. The beginning of its celebration dates back to the time of the apostles. The Apostolic decrees say: "Keep, brethren, the days of feasts, and, firstly, the day of the Nativity of Christ, which may be celebrated by you on the 25th day of the tenth month" (of March).

In the first three centuries new era during the persecution of Christians in some churches, the feast of the Nativity of Christ was combined with the feast of Epiphany on January 19 (January 6, old style) under the common name of Theophany. The reason for this was probably the belief that Christ was baptized on the day of his birth.

The date of Christmas - December 25 - has been accepted by the Church since the 4th century. Until the 70s of the 1st century, the overwhelming majority of Christians were Jews, and among them the question of the date of the birth of the Savior was not raised, because it was generally not customary for the Jews to know exactly the birthdays. The first attempts to establish the date of the Nativity of Christ and celebrate this day as one of the main Christian holidays belong to the II-III centuries.

In 337, Pope Julius I approved the date of December 25 as the date of the Nativity of Christ. Since then, the entire Christian world has been celebrating Christmas on December 25 (with the exception of the Armenian Church, which celebrates Christmas and the Epiphany as a single feast of Theophany). The Russian Orthodox Church also celebrates Christmas on December 25, but according to the old style - according to the Julian calendar (since the Russian Orthodox Church did not accept the reform of the calendar of Pope Gregory XIII), that is, on January 7 - according to the new Gregorian style.

The feast of the Nativity of Christ precedes the Nativity Fast, so that the soul of Christians is cleansed by prayer and repentance, and the body by abstinence from food. Lent begins on November 28 (November 15 according to the Julian calendar) and lasts until January 7 (December 25 according to the old style). The last day of Advent fast is Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, when fasting becomes especially strict and Vespers (evening service) of the Nativity of Christ is served. By Christmas Eve, churches are decorated in a festive way - with spruce branches, garlands with flowers and lights.

Because the festive vespers has already been served, the all-night vigil begins with the joyful exclamation of the prophet Isaiah: "God is with us!" Matins is celebrated according to the order of the great feasts. For the first time, one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship is sung in full on it: "Christ is born, praise! Christ in heaven, greet (meet)! Christ on earth, ascend! Sing to the Lord all the earth!"

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ concludes with the Divine Liturgy - the service at which the sacrament of Communion is performed.

The next day is the celebration of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos. Combining Christmas carols with chants praising Mother of God, the church points to Mary as the person who made the Incarnation possible. Feast of the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Christian tradition is the most ancient holiday in honor of the Virgin Mary, the beginning of Her church veneration.

The period from the Nativity of Christ to Baptism is called the Holy Days, or Christmas time. In fact, this is a continuation of the Christmas holiday.

By Christmas, in many families there is a custom to decorate a Christmas tree, to give gifts to each other. Christmas tree branches are decorated with various sweets and glowing lights.

On the holiday, after the service, they broke the fast with all kinds of meat and fish snacks, aspic and baked goose with apples. Fried bird was the decoration of the Christmas table. Chicken was served cold, goose or duck hot. The cold bird was garnished with pickles, tomatoes and herbs, while the hot one was garnished with fried potatoes. At Christmas, pies, gingerbread, carols (small-shaped products made from rye unleavened dough with various fillings) were baked in every house, which were treated to those who came to carol - to sing folk songs about Christmas.

Since 1917, in the atheistic Soviet state, Christmas

On the night of January 6-7, millions of Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate one of the main church holidays- the bright Nativity of Christ, which is one of the so-called Lord's Twelve Feasts.

Reproduction of the icon "Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ". 15th century

Nativity

According to the prophets, Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem in 5508 from the creation of the world in the reign of Emperor Augustus (Octavia). The events of the Nativity of Christ are reflected in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.

According to the evangelists, the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph, who lived in the city of Nazareth (it exists in Israel today), went to Bethlehem to take part in the mandatory census of the Roman Empire. Emperor Augustus ordered that a nationwide census be made throughout his empire, which then included Palestine. The census was conducted by tribes, tribes and clans, and each tribe and clan had its own specific cities and ancestral places. For the Virgin Mary and Joseph, Bethlehem was such a city, where they went to add their names to the list of Caesar's subjects.

Icon "Christmas"

In Bethlehem, in connection with the census, all the places in the hotels were occupied, and Mary and Joseph could only find lodging for the night in a limestone cave intended for cattle stalls. When they settled there, it was time for Mary to give birth. Among the hay and straw on a cold winter night, the baby Jesus Christ was born. After the birth of Jesus, the first to come to bow to him were the shepherds, who were informed of his birth by an angel. Matthew also mentions wonderful star, which led the magi to the baby Jesus, who brought gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts had a deep meaning: gold was brought as a tribute to the king, frankincense as to God, and myrrh as to a person who must die (myrrh was anointed in those distant times for the dead). Then, having received a revelation from God not to return to Jerusalem, they left for their own country by another way.

Having heard about the birth of Jesus, King Herod, who ruled Judea at that time, and feared him as a rival to his reign, sent soldiers to Bethlehem with an order to put to death all male babies under two years of age. The Gospel tells that Joseph, having received a warning of danger in a dream, fled with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child to Egypt, where the Holy Family remained until the death of Herod.

history of the holiday

In remembrance of the birth (nativity) of Jesus Christ, the church established a holiday - the Nativity of Christ. The beginning of its celebration dates back to the time of the apostles. The Apostolic decrees say: "Keep, brethren, the feast days, and, firstly, the day of the Nativity of Christ, which you may celebrate on the 25th day of the tenth month" (of March).

The feast of the Nativity of Christ is celebrated in different dates Christian churches due to differences in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.

In 1582, Western Europeans carried out a reform, switching to the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in Russia only in 1918. However, the Russian Orthodox Church did not recognize this and continues to use the Julian calendar to this day.

Christmas post

Moldova celebrates Christmas twice

Moldova is an Orthodox country, but many different cultures are intertwined in it. Celebrated here on a grand scale and Catholic Christmas- December 25, and "traditional" Orthodox - January 7.

Two dates for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ - according to the new and the old style - are fixed in the republic at the legislative level. Differences in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and became the reason that in the government holiday calendar There are two Christmases.

Moldovan traditions for Christmas

Carols and other winter chants are the legacy of the Slavs, who praised the god Kolyada these days, although the word "carol" in the Moldavian language sounds like "kolinda" - from Roman calends, sacred days. One of the main attributes of carols is a goat.

Carolers usually walk around the yards with knapsacks, where they put the gifts received from the owners. According to legend, whoever generously bestows caroling gifts will have good luck and prosperity in the New Year. The traditional gift is bread, a symbol of prosperity. They are led by a man dressed as a goat. On his head are horns, over his clothes is a sheepskin coat turned inside out.

The goat represents evil spirit: he jumps around passers-by, scares them. Another mummer carries in his hands a national instrument "buhai" specially made for this holiday. The rest of the carolers ring bells. Hundreds of Christmas motifs are stored in people's memory. Among them are peculiar chants - "uretur" and "strigetur", in which the wishes of happiness, health, and a fruitful year are heard.

Carols are necessarily accompanied by another element characteristic of the holiday - a star. The children carry it. An icon with the face of baby Jesus is placed in the center of the star, carolers sing about the appearance of a star in the sky, announcing the birth of the Son of God and leading three eastern kings to the place of his birth. Most carols begin with the words: "A star rises high." This tradition is also closely intertwined with paganism.

Children are given gifts by Mosh Krechun, an analogue of Santa Claus and Santa Claus. Many ethnologists compare him with the pagan god of the Slavs Karachun. However, in Moldavian legends, this is a kind old man. Together with him, Alba ka Zepade (Snow White or Snow Maiden) comes to congratulate the children. The witch Khyrka, an analogue of Baba Yaga, is trying to prevent them. As a rule, various scenes with masks of these characters are played out in the villages.

Christmas table in Moldova

Christmas in Moldova is celebrated on a grand scale. After fasting, the tables are bursting with delicacies. But even a festive feast is not complete without ritual traditions. On Christmas at holiday table there must be pork dishes, symbolizing wealth and prosperity in the house. Traditionally, pork roast and sausages, cabbage rolls, aspic (jelly), fish, bread, fruits, sweets and drinks, as well as hominy and kutya (crushed wheat with raisins, nuts and honey) are served.

Dishes should be seven, nine or 12. It is believed that these numbers have a magical meaning.

Christmas is one of the greatest and most significant twelfth holidays for Christians around the world, which has many traditions.

They prepare for it in advance and very thoroughly. They decorate houses and prepare a rich table, while observing traditions. Which are passed down from generation to generation.

When is Christmas celebrated

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on the night of January 6-7. Catholics celebrate according to the old style - December 25th.

The solemn service begins promptly at midnight.

Before the revolution, Christmas holidays were accompanied by many traditions and folk rituals. Unfortunately, after this holiday was banned, many traditions were irretrievably lost.

Christmas - quiet, bright family celebration. After all, the very event of the birth of Christ happened quietly and inconspicuously. Joseph and Mary, not finding a place in the hotel, were forced to stay in a cave where they kept cattle. It was in her that the Savior was born.

The angels were the first to tell about this joyful event to simple shepherds. Lit up in the sky bright Star, which showed the way to the vokhva, who brought gifts to the Savior.

Nativity scenes are built in temples. This is a fixed structure made of cardboard and spruce branches, depicting the cave in which Jesus Christ was born. Inside the makeshift cave are placed figurines of the Holy Family, angels, sheep, wise men, etc., in a word, all the participants in those events.

The period from Christmas to Epiphany is called Christmas time. These days it is customary to do good deeds and visit loved ones with congratulations.

Christmas traditions

We owe many wonderful traditions to Christmas. The most popular symbol of the holiday is a Christmas tree decorated with toys. At first these were fir branches, woven into a wreath, which was decorated with flowers, fruits and sweets. By the way, not everyone knows that the star that is installed on top is the same star of bethlehem, which pointed the way to the Magi, and not the symbol of the Communist Party.

On the evening of the sixth, Christmas Eve begins. The name comes from the dish that was traditionally eaten on this day - sochiva. All members of the family sat down at the table after the appearance of the first star, before eating food was forbidden. The table was set with lenten dishes, and at the head was always juicy - boiled wheat with honey.

One of the main and most bright traditions Christmas - caroling. Previously, this tradition was pagan: the carol was a symbol of sun worship. Gradually, almost all pagan symbols were replaced under the influence of Christianity.

Costumed people gather in companies and go home on the evening before Christmas, announcing the joyful news that the Savior was born and wish the owners health and well-being. In gratitude for the good news, they throw sweets, a loaf, sausage or some money into a bag.

On the evening of January 6, godchildren bring kutya to their godparents and sing songs about the Nativity of Christ. Godparents give them gifts for this.

So, Christmas is traditionally celebrated in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Another tradition that exists in all countries is to give gifts to relatives, friends and those who need attention and care. This tradition originates from the gifts that the Magi presented to Christ.

Christmas table - traditional dishes

Christmas is preceded by a fast of six weeks. Therefore, the owners cooked a lot for Christmas delicious meals. The evening of the sixth of January is called Christmas Eve. On this day, it is not customary to eat food before the first star, and even those Christians who have not fasted try to adhere to this rule.

After a common prayer, all family members sat down at the table and ate the so-called "hungry kutya" - millet porridge, which was cooked in water and flavored with honey and dried fruits.

The main dishes were served only after the service. According to tradition, there should be 13 different dishes on the table. These include roasted piglets, meat in pots, appetizers, salads, pies, etc. In addition, the traditional "rich kutya" is served at the table, which is prepared with honey, nuts, cream and dried fruits.

A traditional drink on the Christmas table is broth, which is made from berries and dried fruits.

In the old days, there was a tradition to open doors wide open and call any passer-by to the table, even if it was a beggar. It was believed that Christ himself could come in the form of any person.

In which countries of the world and how is Christmas celebrated

France

The French were the first to replace apples on the Christmas tree glass balls. In this country, boots or shoes are placed near the Christmas tree, where they put gifts for children.

By the way, for the French, the Christmas tree is not required attribute holiday, many people prefer to decorate their homes with flowers.

In early December, Christmas markets open all over the country, where you can buy everything you need to celebrate Christmas.

Traditional dishes on the Christmas table in France are roast goose and log-shaped cake, which is served at the end of the meal.

Finland

In this country, in addition to the usual Christmas tree, they also put a tree on the street. Bird feeders are hung on it and seeds and crumbs are poured under the tree.

Sweden

Christmas in Sweden, as in any Catholic country, is celebrated from 24 to 25 December. Here it is customary to celebrate only with your family. Friends, even the closest ones, are not invited to the holiday.

A traditional dish for Swedes at Christmas is pork ham, but turkey is more often cooked. Be sure to have herring, potatoes and salmon on the table.

Christmas trees are not decorated with tinsel, here it is considered bad form. Plain light bulbs and very few toys are used as decoration.

Germany

The Germans begin to prepare for Christmas at the end of November. Every family has a tradition to weave a wreath with four candles. Every Sunday next month one candle is lit on the wreath. By Christmas, all four candles should be lit on it.

Before Christmas, baked goods are prepared: stollen and gingerbread. Stollen is an oblong sweet bread with nuts, spices and raisins, which symbolizes the swaddled Christ.

Serbia

Christmas in this country is celebrated in a new style - January 7th. It is celebrated for more than a month with the family. According to tradition, the father of the family must cut down an oak branch for the hearth.

England

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the British have celebrated Christmas as a purely family holiday. Only a few traditions have survived to this day. One of them is to exchange gifts that are put in a Christmas sock.

traditional dishes on the Christmas table are plum pudding and stuffed turkey. There is a tradition of hiding small silver coins in the pudding "for good luck".

Italy

Nativity scenes are set up in churches and houses. In addition, the inhabitants of this country decorate the Christmas tree and decorate their homes with flowers.

On Christmas Eve, fish or vegetable dishes are served on the table. At Christmas, a rich table is set. Mandatory dishes are dumplings in broth, boiled meat, lentils, chocolate and cake with dried fruits sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Greece

Christmas is celebrated in this country on December 25th. In Greece, this is a national holiday. In the morning, matins and liturgy are served in churches. After the service, everyone returns home and sits at the table.

They bake the traditional "Christ's bread", which is decorated on top with a cross and nuts. In addition to the main treat, there must be dried fruits, honey, Christmas cookies, dried fruits and pomegranates on the table.

Spain

Two weeks before Christmas, the holiday is celebrated with colleagues and friends who are presented with the so-called "Christmas baskets". They put products for the holiday, ranging from champagne to cheeses, sweets or ham.

Entrance doors decorate with Christmas wreaths.

In any country, Christmas is a time when there is an opportunity to give a little warmth and care to the infirm, orphans, lonely old people and those who are in prison.

After all, Christmas is a reminder to all of us that love and kindness lives in the soul of every person.