What is the old New Year and why is it celebrated? Old New Year When do they say goodbye to the old New Year on what date

Hello, friends! An interesting phenomenon of humanity is the Old New Year. Why does he call it that and what kind of holiday is it, what date is the Old New Year celebrated in Russia, where did it come from, how was it celebrated before and how are they going to celebrate it next year? I have collected all the most interesting and relevant things for you in this post!

New “old” year - what date is the holiday in 2020 and not only

Everyone knows that the Old New Year is celebrated on the night of January 13-14. For those who love holidays and for whom New Year's Eve and Christmas weren't enough, this is a great reason to continue the fun. For Old Believers, this is not just a prolongation of the holiday. This is a real New Year, but according to the Julian calendar.

The holiday has appeared in Russia since 1918. It was then that the population switched to the new Gregorian calendar. This is how a new holiday was formed, which is celebrated according to the old old calendar. Confused? Then a short excursion into history.

How it was

The New Year did not always begin on January 1, as we are used to. Previously, the beginning was considered the first day of spring, a little later the date shifted to the first day of autumn. Pagans at one time believed that the date of the New Year celebration was March 22 - the day of the spring equinox.

The uncertainty about the date of the change of years continued for quite a long time, until the reign of Peter I. In 1700, the tsar signed a decree setting a new date for the celebration of the holiday - January 1. According to the old calendar - January 14.

For several centuries, Russia lived according to the Julian calendar, far behind Europe with its Gregorian calendar. The gap between the dates narrowed, and along with it, the emergence of a holiday with the paradoxical name “Old New Year” was marked.

How they used to celebrate in Rus': customs and traditions

In the old days, just as now, an important part of any holiday was a feast. The Russians happily thought through the menu, stocked up on food, enjoyed treating themselves, and treating relatives and friends. If you follow the traditions of celebrating the New Year according to the old calendar, then the following dishes should be mandatory on the table:

• suckling pig;
• delicious rich kutya as the main symbol of the end of Lent;
• dumplings with different fillings;
• pastries and pancakes, etc.

The latter, by the way, were prepared primarily for guests, or rather, for those who came to the house to carol. Dumplings were given special importance. They were all sculpted together, involving children in the process. In some they put different surprises - symbols of changes in the coming year. “Guessing” by dumplings was one of the favorite pastimes of children and adults.

In addition to the feast in Rus', when celebrating the holiday in the old style, they did not forget about carols. On the Old New Year this was one of the main symbolic entertainments. It was customary to carol until 12 o'clock at night. It was believed that after midnight evil spirits and demons take over. Starting in the evening, young unmarried girls dressed up for carols, and one of the guys dressed up in a woman's outfit, symbolizing Melanka.

All family members gathered for the festive dinner without delay. After eating, the young people enjoyed fortune-telling and performed ancient rituals to find out the name of the betrothed, the date of the wedding, the birth of a child, and other details of the near future.

Traditions differed depending on where people were from and what saints they believed in.

How to celebrate today

The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year has survived to this day. They celebrate the same as before from January 13 to 14. But as for rituals, most of them have come to us in a modified form, mixed and simplified. For example, kutya is cooked, but little importance is not attached to such details as “foam” or consistency. As for fortune telling, this is still a favorite pastime for unmarried girls. It is also most interesting for them to tell fortunes about their betrothed, to find out important dates and names.

A relatively new tradition is to burn a piece of paper with a wish and drink it along with champagne. In the south of the country, suckling pig is still cooked as a symbol of well-being and prosperity; lovers of noisy fun, dancing and songs continue to go to the houses of relatives and friends with carols and “sowing”.

In general, the Old New Year celebration is modest, gathering at the family table and inviting close friends. For modern people, this holiday is often nothing more than an excuse to continue what they did not manage to do on the night of January 1 in a more family-friendly and peaceful atmosphere.

I’ll end here, did you learn anything new? Share the post with your friends on social networks, tell us about how the holiday is celebrated in your family, discuss interesting rituals and traditions. See you soon!

Sincerely, Anastasia Skoracheva

Almost all people living in the former territory of the USSR know when the Old New Year is in 2019. However, many of them do not even suspect what kind of holiday this is, what its history and traditions are.

About 50% of Russians celebrate the occasion and consider it an excellent occasion to gather the family around a common table, have fun, socialize, and, of course, appreciate the dishes prepared by the hostess.

About 50% of Russians celebrate the occasion

For believers who observe the Great Nativity Lent, the Old New Year is also useful. After all, all food restrictions are lifted on January 6th. Therefore, you can celebrate in a big way.

About when the Old New Year is celebrated in 2019, and who invented this holiday, further.

In 2019, the Old New Year, as in all previous years, is celebrated on January 14. The most “brave” can meet him at 12 at night from January 13 to 14. However, few will be able to do this, because the New Year holidays are long over. And the time falls on the period from Sunday to Monday, when a good half of the Russian population will need to get up for work in the morning.

history of the holiday

When will the Old New Year be in 2019, we have already found out - it is January 14, and where the holiday originated from. The celebration has come to us from ancient times and appeared thanks to the change in chronology in 1918.

The decision to switch from the Julian calendar, according to which Tsarist Russia lived, to the Gregorian calendar was made by the Bolsheviks. The authorities considered that the first one was not accurate enough, since it was created in Ancient Egypt on the basis of astronomical calculations of those times. And Gregorian was developed using the latest knowledge, taking into account all the features of the origin and structure of the universe. Because of this, there was a 13-day difference.

Of course, it is not celebrated on such a grand scale as the current New Year.

This is how the holiday beloved by all Russians came into being. Of course, it is not celebrated on the same scale as the current New Year, which falls on the night from December 31 to January 1, but most of the entire post-Soviet space continues to remember it.

Customs and traditions

A huge number of traditions and customs are associated with the Old New Year. This day also means a lot for Orthodox Christians. After all, it is on January 14 that the Church celebrates a holiday called “Vasil’s Day,” or “St. Basil’s Day.”

In Rus', celebration is associated with rich harvests. Therefore, many still adhere to the tradition of performing the sowing ritual. On this day, grain was thrown onto the floor, mainly wheat and rye. At the same time, you need to say the words: “O Lord, give birth to everyone who lives according to the bin, that according to the bin to the great, and it would become a life for the whole baptized world.”

After this, in the evening the scattered grains were collected and stored until the day of sowing.

On this day, grain was thrown onto the floor, mainly wheat and rye.

Another tradition that many Russians still adhere to is cooking porridge. People believe that if it turns out fluffy and crumbly, then wealth and prosperity should be expected in the new year.

In Rus' this custom was somewhat different. The porridge was cooked in an oven, and while stirring it was necessary to say ritual words. It was forbidden to touch the grains with your hands until the stove was melted. If during cooking the porridge came out or the container in which it was cooked cracked, this meant that a good harvest should not be expected in the New Year. The spoiled dish was given to the pigs to eat.

The porridge was cooked in the oven

Many girls believe that it is on the night of January 13-14 that they can tell fortunes for their betrothed. To do this, when going to bed, you need to place a comb under your pillow and say: “Betrothed, come to me.”

It was believed that on Vasilyev's day it was necessary to treat everyone to pork. There must be a pig's head at the head of the table. People believed that in this way they could attract good luck and wealth to their home. However, you need to remember that 2019 is the year of the Fire Pig, so you should be careful with the corresponding dishes.

What signs need to be observed

In no case was it possible to lend money or borrow money yourself during the old New Year. It was believed that by doing this, you could bring poverty upon yourself.

In no case should you lend money for the old New Year

People believed that if on the night of January 13-14, they dressed richly and put many different dishes on the table, then Saint Basil would bring good luck to the house, prosperity and wealth.

You should definitely have fun on this day. And the louder and more smiling people celebrate this holiday, the luckier the new year will be.

Be sure to have fun on this day

On this day you also need to look at the sky. If it is clear and starry, then an abundance of berries is expected in 2019. A snowstorm on the Old New Year foreshadowed the appearance of a large number of nuts. Thick fog and a snowy morning on January 14th meant it would be a prolific year.

Until now, people believe that if on the night of January 13-14 you walk through your garden or garden and say ritual words to yourself, then the harvest will be very rich and no pests will interfere with it. It is necessary to say: “As I (name) shake off the white fluffy snow, so let Saint Basil shake off worms and all sorts of reptiles in the spring.”

It was also believed that on January 14, a man was supposed to be the first to enter the house. If it happened otherwise, and a woman appeared on the threshold, then there would be misfortune and grief.

In pagan Rus', Slavic tribes celebrated the onset of a new time on the day of the vernal equinox, March 22. After the adoption of the Orthodox faith, changes also affected the calendar; the date of the year according to the calendar moved to September 1. For quite a long time, two traditions existed: some were celebrated in March, others in early autumn.

The confusion stopped in 1699, when Peter I, by his decree, announced celebrations from the first of January.

After the October Revolution, the Council of People's Commissars in 1918 made a decision on changes in calendar calculations. The thing is that Russia lived according to a calendar compiled on the instructions of Gaius Julius Caesar. At the same time, most European countries gradually introduced the calendar of the pontiff of the Catholic Church, Gregory XIII, which is considered more accurate and convenient. Therefore, the decree of the Council of People's Commissars introduced the transition to a new calendar, while a difference with the old one of thirteen days appeared.

The official celebration of the beginning of the calendar year is from December 31 to January 1, and according to the old calendar - on the night of January 14. Hence the original name - Old New Year.

Those who adhere to the traditions of Orthodoxy keep the Nativity Fast on the official New Year's Eve, and celebrate the festivities on January 7 and 14. For many Russians today, the Old New Year is an opportunity to remember traditions, invite friends and family to visit, and celebrate the occasion with a small feast.

Customs and traditions

These days, according to the canonical calendar, the church celebrates two important holidays: January 13 of Melania (Malanka), and tomorrow - Basil the Great. The evening before - Shchedry, Vasiliev, Vasiliev's carol.

Christmas time continues, and therefore there are festivities and caroling (generosity) everywhere. The hosts receive guests, listen to ritual songs, glorifications, wishes for goodness and a rich harvest. It is important to give gifts to carolers, to be hospitable and welcoming.

Relatives come to visit, congratulate, and always bring treats. In appeals to God, they thank the Almighty, pray for happiness, health, strengthening of the spirit, and well-being. Young boys and girls dress up in different clothes, including dressing someone up as a goat - the symbol of Malanka. They go from house to house and praise the owners.

Piglets were slaughtered in advance and various pork dishes were prepared. By the evening of Malanka Day, the tables were laden with food. Traditionally, the main dish was considered to be kutia with meat and lard, baked suckling pig, and jellied meat.

The next day, in the morning, men and children in the family must “sow” the house and yard with grain. They scattered rye or wheat grains from their mittens, wishing for a good harvest and livestock offspring.

The housewives carefully collected all the grain and stored it until spring. During the sowing season they were sown together with other grains in the fields. There were many songs, sayings and dances specifically for such ritual actions. Young people burned bonfires and held celebrations. They burned sheaves of straw, cleansing themselves of evil spirits and evil spirits, and jumped over fires.

They walked noisily and cheerfully, as the mood of the holiday is transmitted throughout the entire calendar year.

Old New Year: celebration on the planet

Many people think that such an unusual date is a purely Russian tradition. But this is not so, and January 14 for many peoples is a day of festivities, treats, and gift-giving.

The celebration is celebrated friendly and cheerfully in Montenegro and Macedonia. In the Montenegrin calendar, the day is marked as the Right of New Year, and the day before they bake delicious pies. The dough is kneaded from corn flour, and tart kaymak is used as a filling.

The Orthodox Church in Serbia honors the holiday; on this day, churches hold solemn services in the morning. Set tables are often taken out into the courtyards and the Serbian holiday is celebrated with family and friends.

In Greece, this day also falls on St. Basil's Day, when it is customary to give gifts to children. The great saint is known for his kindness and cordiality, so kids look forward to the holiday to receive gifts and small gifts.

The date is not celebrated as widely as in Macedonia or Serbia in Romania. There, this day is considered a family holiday, when the table is set and all close relatives gather.

The traditions of celebrating the Old New Year holidays in a number of Swiss cantons are interesting. When the country switched to a calendar according to the reform of the Pope, some regions of the country abandoned innovations in the 16th century. Until now, their residents celebrate holidays according to their dates, in particular Appenzell is famous for its masquerades in honor of St. Sylvester. It is believed that he saved the whole world from a terrible monster, so on the night of January 13, it’s time to have fun in Sylvester Claus costumes.

It is interesting that even in prim Great Britain there was a place where they celebrate the holiday according to the Julian calendar. This is a small Welsh community centered in the Vale of Gwayne, which at one time went against the will of the Catholic Church. The innovations were not accepted, and to this day the inhabitants of the area celebrate the arrival of the New Year according to the calendar of the Romans and Gaius Julius Caesar.

This matter could not have happened without Africa, where some peoples live according to the Berber calendar. The beginning of the calendar year falls on January 13, and the event is not tied to any religious event. Berbers in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia celebrate the holiday by preparing treats in advance - traditional asida and takala porridges, couscous, desserts with fruits and nuts. The holiday is not officially celebrated in these countries, but representatives of the Berbers, especially in Morocco, persistently appeal to the government with a request to add the day to the calendar.

Signs

The Slavic peoples have many signs associated with the days of mid-January. They were passed down from their great-grandfathers and were sacredly observed. Signs for the day of Malanka (the eve of the holiday), St. Basil the Generous, have survived to this day. They noticed a lot and tried to observe rituals, beliefs and signs:

• Sunny day January 13 - be a successful and fertile year.
• At midnight, snow is shaken from the apple trees in the garden so that the harvest will please the new season.
• They notice frost on the branches, because if the trees stand in “lace”, the grain will grow well, and there will be a lot of honey in the apiaries.

• If you accidentally put your clothes on inside out, expect changes for the better in life.
• Whoever washes his face first in the morning will be healthy and strong.
• From January 14 until Epiphany, it is advisable not to lend money. Also, if you had debts, then it is advisable to pay them off before the festival, so that you can spend the coming year without financial losses.
• On the Old New Year they give generous gifts, not stinting and delighting loved ones. Generosity from the heart will bring good luck and prosperity.
• On the eve of Vasily's Day, people went to caroling. Middle-aged and elderly people went to visit guests wishing for prosperity and success. Compliance with this tradition brings happiness, wealth, and a good mood to the house for the whole year.

• On the eve of a bright day, they put on beautiful clothes and jewelry. They believed that as soon as you celebrated the celebration, the coming 365 days would pass.
• The man was the first to enter the house on a holiday - fortunately.
• You shouldn’t count change during these holidays, otherwise you’ll cry all year and be sad and depressed.
• You cannot throw out trash on holidays, otherwise you will take away your happiness along with it.
• Whoever was born on the eve and on the Old New Year will be happy and rich.

• It is customary to ask for forgiveness, settle quarrels and forget about old grievances. For those who are at enmity, it is better to resolve all conflicts peacefully, while forgiveness cannot be denied.

As always, folk wisdom is amazing, because all signs are aimed at goodness, wishes of good luck, prosperity and happiness.

Old New Year treat

What is a celebration without a festive feast, a generously laid table with pickles and delicious dishes? We prepared for this day in advance, and therefore the food was magnificent.

One of the main dishes of the Old New Year's table is kutia, made from cereals. However, porridge was a mandatory treat on Christmas Eve, as well as on the eve of Epiphany.

Previously, it was cooked from wheat grains, but now any cereal is suitable, including rice, barley, pearl barley, and buckwheat. Add raisins, nuts, dried fruits, poppy seeds, honey. They cooked according to ritual, observing traditions. The right to cook belonged to the oldest woman in the house, and the oldest man brought water for porridge.

We watched the finished porridge: if it “climbed” out of the cast iron, then expect bad news, but if the kutya did not “run away,” there would be happiness in the house. An unsuccessful brew was thrown away, otherwise disaster would come. But usually the food was a success, so the feast was fun and noisy.

In addition to kutya, baked pig, jellied meat, and pork blood sausage were put on the table. The main saint of this day patronizes swineherds, so you need to appease him with tasty treats. The pig is a symbol of wealth and well-being, so meat dishes should be at the center of the treats.

Also among the obligatory dishes on the menu are pies, rolls, and loaves. Housewives put out the dough and noted: if it rises well, it means good luck, if it ferments poorly, it means trouble. Pies were baked with berries, fish, mushrooms, meat, and honey.

They baked pancakes, which they presented to visiting guests and carolers, and made dumplings with potatoes, cottage cheese, and mushrooms. Various items were added to the filling, and then at the table they looked at what came across to whom:

• money - to wealth;
• salt - to quarrels and unpleasant news;
• button - a new thing will appear in the wardrobe;
• bean - addition to the family;
• ring - for marriage, for marriage;
• sugar - wait for good news;
• carrots - to new interesting acquaintances;
• bay leaf - to fame, promotion.

After the festive dinner, the young people went to visit guests and party, and gathered for fortune telling.

Time of fortune telling and divination

The days before Epiphany, especially on the eve of the New Year celebration according to the old calendar, are a good time for rituals and fortune telling. A mystical and magical time is coming when spirits can reveal the secrets of the future, tell about what awaits a person in his personal life, at work, in the family.

In addition to telling fortunes about the groom, they performed rituals to find out the future and made a wish. The Orthodox Church does not support pagan beliefs and magical sacraments of fortune telling. But the tradition came from the depths of times and eras, so neither the condemnation of church hierarchs nor the change of governments and state ideologies could eradicate it.

1. Two candles are lit. One symbolizes a girl, the other a young man in whom the person has interest and feelings. Place the candles opposite each other and watch the flame. Burn without a bang - the relationship will be cordial, without quarrels and conflicts. A smoky flame means the end of a relationship; a girl’s candle smokes heavily - feelings will change. If the flame fluctuates, the candles burn, making a characteristic crackling noise - there could be scandals in a relationship.
2. Before going to bed, the girl puts a comb next to her on the table or bedside table. Be sure to say the words: “Betrothed, mums, come to me and comb your hair.” The person who appears in a dream will be the husband.
3. Ritual of fortune telling for the groom with a stocking. In this case, the stockings must be new. Before falling asleep, a stocking is put on the foot and words are spoken, inviting the betrothed to come take off his shoes. Whoever comes and takes off the stocking in a dream will lead the beauty down the aisle.
4. Girls throw their felt boots, boots or shoes over their shoulders. If the toe of the shoe points away from the porch, then the owner will get married soon. If the sock is facing the house, then sit in the girls for another year.
5. They told fortunes to the girl on her rump. Various cereals were placed in plates or saucers: pearl barley, buckwheat, rice, millet, semolina, oatmeal. Water was poured into one saucer. The dishes were placed in a circle, and a raw chicken egg was carefully rolled in the center one by one. Where the egg rolls is what you should expect: towards the bowl with semolina - it will be narrowed on the north side; to pearl barley - marry an officer; to buckwheat - wait for matchmakers from rich suitors; if the egg is near a saucer of rice, your beloved husband will be blond; an egg rolled towards a saucer of rice - the betrothed will be married; to the water - to go on a trip from your father’s house and look for your happiness there. If the egg is spinning in the very middle of the circle and does not roll towards the saucers, you should not wait for the groom this year.
6. Young girls walked the streets until midnight, listening to conversations in houses under their windows. If you heard cheerful conversations, then life in the new year will be bright and successful. If they sang songs, then the girl will marry this year, if they were silent, no special events are expected. If you heard swearing and scandals, then in the new year you will be sad and sad.

There were many rituals and all kinds of fortune telling. Each region held its own traditional rituals, passed down from grandmothers and mothers. They listened to the meanings, but they didn’t make mistakes themselves, they knew when to work and when to have fun.

The Old New Year 2020 begins on the night of January 13-14. The holiday is celebrated in large groups of friends, with a rich feast, songs and dances. Young people go to parties in clubs and restaurants.

The popular name of the holiday “Vasil's Day” is associated with the name of St. Basil the Great. The Orthodox Church honors his memory on January 14.

The content of the article

history of the holiday

The Old New Year is common in the CIS countries. Its occurrence is associated with a change in chronology. In 1918, the Soviet government decided to switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. The discrepancy between the calendars was 13 days. New Year according to the old style began to fall on the night of January 13-14, which was the reason for the emergence of a new holiday.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday

On the eve of the Old New Year, housewives clean their houses and prepare treats for the festive table.

The celebration begins on January 13, at. The owners of the house and invited guests gather at a sumptuous table. The holiday menu includes pies with mushroom or meat filling, pancakes, dumplings, cabbage rolls, homemade pork sausages, meat aspic, cutlets, salads, croutons. Putting fish or poultry meat on the table on this day is considered a bad omen: happiness can fly away or swim away. For dessert, housewives serve gingerbread, cookies, cakes and rolls with cream fillings. Among alcoholic drinks, wine and champagne are popular. In some regions, the menu includes generous kutya (sochivo) - porridge made from whole grains of wheat or rice with honey, poppy seeds, chopped walnuts, raisins and dried apricots.

At the festive table, housewives arrange comic fortune telling for their guests. They hide small objects in dumplings that can predict the future. A coin symbolizes wealth, a thread - travel, a button - new clothes, a black peppercorn - adventure, beans - an addition to the family.

At midnight, people light sparklers, set off fireworks and make a wish.

In some regions, after sunset and until midnight, it is customary to give generously (caroling). The generous people go around the houses, sing ritual songs wishing happiness to the owners. For this they are given sweets and money.

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

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

On the morning of January 14, young guys go home to sow. They bring grains of barley, wheat, and oats in their pockets or sleeves and sprinkle them on the floor. The process is accompanied by the singing of ritual songs that glorify the owner of the house and contain wishes for his family’s health, success and prosperity. For this they are generously presented with sweets and money. The grain that remains after sowing is not swept up, but collected with the palms of the hand and mixed with seeds for new sowing.

Fortune telling

On the night of January 13-14, higher forces descend on the earth. During this period, it is customary to guess about the events of the future, the fulfillment of desires, the betrothed, the date of the future wedding. Fortune tellers perform magical rituals in which they turn to good or evil forces. To carry them out, they use attributes: holy water, candles, mirrors, needles, paper. Everything that is predicted this night should come true in the near future.

Signs and beliefs for the Old New Year

• If it snows or is foggy on the Old New Year, then the year will be fruitful.
• On the eve of the Old New Year, it is necessary to ask forgiveness for grievances from all loved ones and acquaintances and forgive your own.
• If a man is the first to enter the house on the morning of the Old New Year, then this is considered a good omen, and if it is a woman, then it will be a misfortune.
• If there are large banknotes in the house for the holiday, then the coming year will pass in wealth.
• On the eve of the Old New Year, you need to wear new, clean clothes so that the year will be accompanied by good luck and prosperity.

Old New Year is a holiday that allows you to once again feel the spirit of the New Year. It has preserved the ancient traditions of generosity, sowing, fortune-telling, and making juice. After this holiday, people remove Christmas trees and New Year's decorations from their homes and return to everyday work.

New Year and Christmas holidays always evoke trepidation and pleasant emotions not only in children, but also in adults. Many people can celebrate the Old New Year in 2018, knowing what date the long-awaited holiday will come. The rituals and traditions associated with this New Year's holiday are still alive.

The story of the old New Year

The Old New Year always falls on the night from January 13th to 14th. In 2018, the holiday falls on a weekend - Saturday and Sunday. The dates of celebration are largely related to the peculiarities of history.

The Old New Year is determined by the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The holiday has existed since 1918. It should be noted that the Orthodox Church celebrates the most important holiday of the year according to the old calendar style. Many traditions are alive in 2018, as they contribute to the understanding of the festive atmosphere.

Researchers note that the difference between the two calendars is gradually growing due to the characteristics of the Moon and the movement of the planets. In 2100, the difference should be exactly 2 weeks, namely 14 days. For this reason, descendants will celebrate the holiday on the night of January 14th to 15th.

However, when wondering what date the Old New Year will come in 2018, you still need to focus only on the night from January 13th to 14th, when the special atmosphere of celebration and magic intensifies and inspires many people to have a special time.

Traditions and customs of the holiday

Despite the serious influence of time, many people can still observe interesting and original traditions and rituals.

Since ancient times, girls have been actively engaged in fortune telling. It is generally accepted that wishes made can come true. For this reason, representatives of the fair sex, interested in fulfilling their desires, wondered about their betrothed-mummers, the near future. The old tradition is alive in 2018, so many girls carefully study New Year's holiday fortune telling.

Thanks to Russian village traditions, many people began to observe the osen ceremony. The tradition is losing relevance, although it allows you to feel the atmosphere of a truly Russian holiday. At 2 o'clock in the morning you need to take out cereals (for example, oats, wheat or barley) and take water. Vessels with cereal and water are placed on the table and the stove is turned on. Then the cereal is poured into a cast iron pot, filled with water and cooked. The whole family must wait at the table for the porridge to be prepared. If the dish is prepared well, you can count on a successful 12-month cycle.

However, the porridge that comes out means trouble and stormy moments in life; a cracked pot foreshadows the poverty of the family.

The color of the porridge also played an important role:

• red – happiness and prosperity;
• white - bad weather and a difficult period of life.

As you might guess, many holiday traditions are directly related to cooking and feasting, so connoisseurs of Russian traditions can perform the corresponding rituals.

Many Orthodox Christians try to go home dressed as mummers on Vasily’s Day, which falls on the old New Year. It is believed that you need to sing carols and generosity, and sow. Such funny songs and jokes praise the owners. This tradition is still alive in villages, but it is gradually becoming a thing of the past in big cities.

Traditional dishes for the New Year's feast

It is believed that for the old New Year you need to prepare a large amount of festive food. At the same time, it was believed that chicken or poultry should not be placed on the table, as it could take away wealth.

• juicy, with which they always start a festive meal;
• balabushki buns;
• vareniki;
• cabbage rolls;
• dumplings;
• pancakes;
• jelly (jellied meat);
• suckling pig cooked with spices, onions and stuffing;
• uzvar, which is a compote of dried fruits.

A rich festive table was supposed to attract wealth and prosperity. An additional tradition was the addition of a bead or coin, indicating that a certain person from the family would be the happiest in the new cycle.

The Old New Year is traditionally celebrated in a close family circle. Cooking classic dishes, observing rituals, carols and schedrivkas are the main elements of the long-awaited holiday that complements the New Year in the last century.

Signs

In 2018, the following signs, based on weather patterns and confirmed by the experience of ancestors, remain significant:

• heavy snowfall foreshadows a good grain harvest and a warm summer;
• frosty and snowless January foreshadows a hot and dry summer;
• a foggy morning indicates a good and tasty harvest;
• A blizzard portends a large number of nuts.

The Old New Year in 2018, knowing what date it will come, you can celebrate in a special way and feel the amazing atmosphere of the holiday.