The time of the New Year holidays is the time of a beautiful, kind fairy tale that 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 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 in a big, cheerful company and celebrates the year in such a way 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 homes with pine and 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. The evil forces have long been forgotten, but the 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 of 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 celebrations) and Santa Claus - a fairy-tale character who puts gifts under the tree for obedient children on New Year's Eve. Modern New Year traditions also appeared - 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 jewelry they invented carried the function of natural amulets. To do this, they used embroidered towels, men's and women's clothing, hats and scarves, tablecloths, curtains and bed linen. 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 the 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 thrill-seekers and challengers. History remembers people who celebrated this holiday in scuba gear on the seabed, while flying 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 that strengthen 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 the year 2009 is almost over... The new year, 2010, is inevitably and excitingly approaching. And again, magical dreams and indescribable feelings of anticipation of extraordinary miracles and fabulous events await us. 2010 according to the eastern calendar is the 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 winter bouquets or New Year’s compositions from them. The colors of decorative accessories should be dominated by white, black and yellow – “tiger color”.
Festive table
Let's start with its decoration. This year, candles are becoming one of the main attributes of New Year's decor. 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 large Tiger figure in the center or place several small ones between the dishes. You can buy napkins with the image of this animal - it will also turn out original.
History of the New Year holiday. New Year traditions
New Year is one of the most beloved and vibrant holidays, which is celebrated with pleasure in all countries of the world. Due to the fact that different peoples of the world have different religions, customs, and traditions, and the New Year is celebrated differently everywhere. However, all preparations for the holiday, the holiday itself and memories of it evoke in all people bright feelings and emotions of joy, pleasure, expectation, happiness, love, care for each other, for their loved ones and relatives; and in this all people are very similar. Despite this, the history of New Year celebrations varies from country to country.
In Russia, this holiday was not always celebrated on January 1. The ancient Slavs divided the year into 12 months, and each name corresponded to a specific time of year. January was the time for deforestation; February was accompanied by severe frosts; in March, birch sap was collected; April was the month when fruit trees bloomed; in May the grass was green and adorned the earth; In June, cherries ripened, which was one of the favorite berries in Rus'. In July, linden blossomed, which was subsequently used to make tea; That’s why this month was called “Lipets”. August was the beginning of seasonal work, the harvest was in progress in the fields; September was called “spring” because the heather blossomed during this month; “leaf fall” was the name given to October, and this name speaks for itself. November was accompanied by cold weather, the earth became bare, frozen, and seemed lifeless, and with the arrival of December came cold with frosts.
In 988, Christianity was officially adopted in Rus' by Vladimir the Saint. Along with this event, Rus' also learned about the chronology used by the Romans. For the ancient Slavs, the year began on March 1, since at this time work began in the fields after winter. This chronology followed the church calendar, and according to the civil calendar, the Slavs celebrated the New Year on September 1. However, this often caused confusion, some inconvenience and even intense debate. In order to resolve them, Metropolitan Theognost took measures to establish one New Year date for both the church and the worldly people - September 1.
On this day, New Year celebrations took place primarily in squares in front of churches, where lay people came. In Moscow, these events took place on Ivanovskaya Square in the Kremlin. In the presence of a large crowd of people, the Head of the Russian Church congratulated the Russian Tsar, making the sign of the cross over him. On the morning of the next day, the king came out to the people and congratulated them on the holiday, often this was accompanied by the distribution of alms, and gifts were given to people close to the king.
On the same day, the tsar communicated closely with the people: every ordinary subject could turn to the sovereign with a petition, with hope for the tsar to improve their living conditions. What they then did with such petitions is unknown to history, but for ordinary Russian people such a custom was a great joy. In addition, during the New Year celebrations, various taxes were collected from people, which did not allow them to relax and forced them to believe in the “strong hand of control of the Tsar-Father.”
In 1699, an important event occurred that influenced the further history of New Year celebrations in Russia. The great reformer Peter I forbade celebrating the New Year in September. On December 15 of the same year, he issued a decree on a new calendar - the New Year began to be celebrated on January 1. Since the emperor was a big fan of everything European, the celebration of the New Year became a bright, cheerful annual event in the life of the Russian people, as in Europe. According to Dutch traditions, people were supposed to decorate their houses with pine branches and not remove these decorations until the Nativity of Christ.
On the night from December 31 to January 1, everyone was supposed to relax and have fun. The emperor himself was present at such festivities. He personally fired the first fireworks rocket brought from Europe. However, it wasn't just fireworks that decorated the festive city; noble people had to shoot small cannons and rifles into the air to give grandeur to the celebration. Warm hugs, Russian kisses and congratulations of the Russian people on the holiday were observed on the streets of Moscow until the morning.
These traditions are still alive today. Each of us associates the New Year holiday with a good mood, cheerful festivities and feasting. However, the custom of putting up a Christmas tree, and not decorating the house with its branches, appeared later - only in the 30s. XIX century This custom came from Germany. The Russian people quickly liked him with his beauty and unusualness. The tradition of putting up and decorating a Christmas tree in the house soon moved outside and, as sources say, in 1852 the first public Christmas tree was decorated.
The main character of the holiday - Father Frost (European Santa Claus) - also came to us from the West in the second half of the 19th century. Initially, he was just a fairy-tale character, but so impeccable in his kindness and generosity that he wanted to be animated. And the Russian people “dressed” him in a smart red fur coat, a fluffy hat and down mittens, which corresponded to the Russian winter. And so that it would not be difficult for him, a Russian, to entertain children on New Year’s Eve, he had a granddaughter, Snegurochka, a sweet and cheerful girl, whom everyone immediately fell in love with for her kindness.
Unfortunately, as history shows, the joyful celebration of the New Year in Russia sometimes had dark periods. In 1914, due to the war with Germany, the bright traditions taken from this country had to be forgotten. This was the case with the tradition of putting up New Year trees in houses and on the streets. Further events in Russian history also negatively affected the celebration of the New Year. In fact, it was banned in 1917 after the establishment of the Bolshevik government, which saw echoes of religion in it. The life of children and adults without a holiday has become gloomy and boring. In the 30s XX century the holiday was revived. Newly decorated Christmas trees, festive performances in kindergartens and schools, children expecting their favorite gifts and other traditions associated with this holiday breathed new life into the morals and customs of the Russian people.
Thus, for Russia, the history of the New Year celebration originates in European countries, but at the same time, throughout its development, its own additions are made to it, for example, the appearance of the Snow Maiden. From the very beginning of its appearance, this holiday for the Russian people has become deeply loved by the hearts of millions. Every child, every adult annually prepares for this holiday in their own way, expecting something better and more beautiful from the New Year, compared to the previous one.
It should be said that the history of the New Year holiday is different in each country, but today almost everywhere it is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. Germany has a very interesting custom of celebrating the New Year. A minute before midnight, people stand on chairs, stools, beds and at the last second jump from them - as if on another New Year, and then begin to congratulate each other. In Italy, on New Year's Eve, all unnecessary things that have accumulated over the year are thrown out of the house right through the window. As for the table, in Italy, since ancient times, the main dish of the Italian New Year's table is lentil soup, boiled eggs and grapes.
Grapes, by the way, are a favorite treat for the New Year among the Spaniards. However, it is eaten on a full stomach. In the capital of Spain - Madrid - a minute before midnight, people eat 12 grapes, which symbolizes the life of each month of the new year. In Austria, the main dish of the New Year is pork with horseradish and green peas, which symbolizes happiness, health and prosperity in money. And the Vienna Mint produces souvenir coins, on which a boy sitting astride a pig is minted, since the pig for the Austrians symbolizes good luck and prosperity in business.
In Finland, it is customary to lay out gifts in advance, but not open them until the New Year. And for this purpose they are covered with inverted plates. In Romania, on New Year's Eve they carol and perform the capra dance, i.e. goats. Usually it is danced by young men in a special costume and a goat mask, who are then happily treated to various delicacies in all homes.
Hungarians love to see a roasted, jellied or chocolate pig on the New Year's table, which also symbolizes the prosperity and wealth of the coming year. Punctual and clean Englishmen transfer their qualities to traditions. On New Year's Eve, their house should be tidy and clean, clothes should be ironed, sewn, cleaned, all debts should be paid off, books should be arranged in alphabetical order, dishes should be washed. Before midnight, the owner or mistress of the house opens the front door, which symbolizes the departure of the old year with all the difficulties, problems and troubles and the arrival of the New year - with expectations of happiness, good luck, health and joy. After this, the fact of who comes to visit first is of great importance. They don't really like women, fair-haired and dark-haired people. It is considered a good omen if a red-haired child comes to visit first.
In Greece, before the New Year, all the water is poured out of the house in order to fill the entire container with St. Basil's water the next day. Echoes of mythology play a big role in the Greek New Year celebrations. During the twelve days (the time of Christmastide), according to legend, the earth is visited by mythological characters - calicondrases, who can cause a lot of harm to a person. But to prevent this from happening, people try to please them - they leave various treats for them.
Just like the Italians, who get rid of old furniture on New Year's Eve, Sweden gets rid of old dishes. It is broken into small fragments; and it is believed that the more there are, the happier the coming year will be. In China, great importance is attached to the New Year feast. Here, each dish symbolizes something. For example, the Chinese are very fond of seafood, so well-cooked oysters are a sign of a successful business; fish baked with spices - to abundance. Mushrooms on the New Year's table mean a wonderful future, and pork means money. Therefore, every Chinese family, when choosing a menu for the New Year's table, seems to be planning the most important moments in the coming year.
In Muslim countries, the New Year is called Nowruz and is celebrated on March 20-23. An important tradition is the need for all family members to be present at the holiday. If this tradition is not followed, absent relatives will face separation from their home for the entire next year.
The Jewish New Year also has its own characteristics. It is called Rosh Hashanah and falls on one of the autumn days from September 5 to October 5. The main dish for Jews on the New Year's table is fish, and an important attribute is the fish's head. “Be our head and not our tail” is a Jewish proverb that explains the important role of the presence of a fish’s head on the table.
Thus, the New Year is a fun, interesting, bright holiday that receives a lot of attention in all countries of the world. Each nation has its own characteristics and traditions in celebrating and celebrating the New Year, but they all boil down to one well-known saying: how you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it!
In different countries it is celebrated in accordance with local and national traditions, but the main symbols almost everywhere remain - a decorated Christmas tree, garland lights, striking clocks, champagne, gifts and, of course, a cheerful mood and hope for something new and good in the coming year.
People have been celebrating this bright and colorful holiday since ancient times, but few people know the history of its origin.
The most ancient holiday
New Year is the most ancient holiday, and in different countries it was celebrated and continues to be celebrated at different times. The earliest documentary evidence dates back to the third millennium BC, but historians believe the holiday is even older.
The custom of celebrating the New Year first appeared in Ancient Mesopotamia. In Babylon it was celebrated on the day of the spring equinox, when nature began to awaken from its winter sleep. It was installed in honor of the supreme god Marduk, the patron saint of the city.
This tradition was due to the fact that all agricultural work began at the end of March, after the water in the Tigris and Euphrates arrived. This event was celebrated for 12 days with processions, carnivals and masquerades. During the holiday it was forbidden to work and hold court.
This holiday tradition was eventually adopted by the Greeks and Egyptians, then passed on to the Romans, and so on.
© REUTERS / Omar Sanadiki
The New Year in Ancient Greece began on the summer solstice, June 22, and was dedicated to the god of wine, Dionysus. The Greeks based their chronology on the famous Olympic Games.
Ancient Egypt celebrated for centuries the flood of the Nile River (between July and September), which marked the beginning of a new planting season and was a vital event. This was a sacred time for Egypt, because drought would threaten the very existence of this agricultural state.
When celebrating the New Year, the Egyptians had a custom of filling special vessels with “holy water” from the overflowing Nile, the water of which at that time was considered miraculous.
Even then it was customary to organize night celebrations with dancing and music, and give each other gifts. The Egyptians believed that the waters of the Nile washed away everything old.
The Jewish New Year - Rosh Hashanah (head of the year) is celebrated 163 days after Passover (no earlier than September 5 and no later than October 5). On this day, a ten-day period of spiritual self-deepening and repentance begins. It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah the fate of a person is decided for the year ahead.
Solar chronology
The ancient Persian holiday of Nowruz, which signified the beginning of spring and the sowing period, was celebrated on the vernal equinox on March 20 or 21. This is how Nowruz differs from the Muslim New Year, since the Muslim calendar is based on the lunar annual cycle.
The celebration of Nowruz is associated with the emergence of the solar calendar, which appeared among the peoples of Central Asia and Iran seven thousand years ago, long before the emergence of Islam.
The word "Navruz" is translated from Persian as "new day". This is the first day of the month "Farvadin" according to the Iranian calendar.
A few weeks before this date, wheat or barley seeds were placed in a dish to germinate. By the New Year, the seeds sprouted, which symbolized the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year of life.
Chinese New Year
Chinese or Eastern New Year is a grandiose event that lasted a whole month in the old days. The New Year's date is calculated according to the lunar calendar and usually falls between January 17 and February 19. In 2017, Chinese residents will celebrate the arrival of New Year 4715 - the Fire Rooster on January 28th.
© Sputnik / Alexander Imedashvili
During the festive procession that passes through the streets of China on New Year's Eve, people light many lanterns. This is done in order to light the way into the New Year. Unlike Europeans, who celebrate the New Year with a Christmas tree, the Chinese prefer tangerines and oranges.
Julian calendar
The first calendar in which the year began on January 1 was introduced by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Before this, in Ancient Rome, the New Year was also celebrated in early March.
The new calendar, which then began to be used by all countries belonging to the Roman Empire, naturally began to be called Julian. The counting according to the new calendar began on January 1, 45 BC. Just on this day there was the first new moon after the winter solstice.
However, throughout the world, the New Year was celebrated for many centuries either at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn - in accordance with agricultural cycles.
The first month of the year, “January,” received its name in honor of the Roman god Janus, the two-faced god. On this day, the Romans made sacrifices to the two-faced god Janus, in whose honor the first month of the year was named, who was considered the patron of endeavors, and important events were dedicated to this day, considering it especially favorable.
Ancient Rome also had a tradition of giving New Year's gifts. It is believed that the first gifts were laurel branches, which foreshadowed happiness and good luck in the coming year.
Slavic New Year
Among the Slavs, the pagan New Year was associated with the deity Kolyada and was celebrated on the Winter Solstice. The main symbolism was the fire of the fire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, was supposed to rise higher and higher.
In addition, it was associated with fertility. According to the Slavic calendar, the year 7525 is now coming - the year of the Crouching Fox.
But in 1699, Tsar Peter I, by his decree, moved the beginning of the year to January 1 and ordered to celebrate this holiday with a Christmas tree and fireworks.
Traditions
New Year is a truly international holiday, but different countries celebrate it in their own way. Italians throw old irons and chairs out of windows with all the southern passion, Panamanians try to make as much noise as possible by turning on their car sirens, whistling and shouting.
In Ecuador, special significance is attached to underwear, which brings love and money; in Bulgaria, the lights are turned off because the first minutes of the New Year are the time for New Year's kisses.
© REUTERS/Ints Kalnins
In Japan, instead of 12, the bell rings 108 times, and the best New Year's accessory is considered to be a rake - to rake in good fortune.
A very interesting New Year tradition exists in Myanmar. On this day, everyone you meet pours cold water on each other. This is due to the fact that New Year in Myanmar falls during the hottest time of the year. In the local language this day is called the "water festival".
In Brazil, it is customary to ward off evil spirits on New Year's Eve. For this, everyone dresses in white clothes. Some people jump into the ocean waves on the beach and throw flowers into the sea.
© AFP/Michal Cizek
In Denmark, to wish love and prosperity to yourself or your friends, it is customary to break dishes under their windows.
At midnight, Chileans eat a spoonful of lentils and put money in their shoes. It is believed that this will bring prosperity and wealth throughout the year. The braver ones can spend New Year's Eve in a cemetery with deceased loved ones.
In the tradition of the countries of the post-Soviet space there was the following tradition - to write down your wish on a piece of paper, burn it and pour the ashes into a glass of champagne, mix and drink. This whole procedure had to be done during the period of time while the clock struck twelve.
© AFP / VINCENZO PINTO
In Spain, there is a tradition of quickly eating 12 grapes at midnight, each grape being eaten with each new strike of the clock. Each of the grapes should bring good luck in each month of the coming year. Residents of the country gather in the squares of Barcelona and Madrid to have time to eat grapes. The tradition of eating grapes has been around for over a hundred years.
In Scotland, before the New Year, members of the entire family sit near a lit fireplace, and with the first strike of the clock, the head of the family must open the front door, and silently. This ritual is designed to celebrate the old year and let the New Year into your home. The Scots believe that whether good luck or bad luck enters a house depends on who crosses their threshold first in the new year. According to another Greek tradition, the eldest member of the family should break a pomegranate fruit in the courtyard of his house. If pomegranate seeds are scattered throughout the yard, then a happy life awaits his family in the coming year.
There is a very unusual New Year's tradition in Panama. It is customary here to burn effigies of politicians, athletes and other famous people. However, the residents of Panama do not wish harm on anyone, it’s just that all these stuffed animals symbolize all the troubles of the outgoing year.
© Sputnik / Levan Avlabreli
Moreover, every family must burn the effigy. Apparently another Panamanian tradition is connected with this. At midnight, the bells of all fire towers begin to ring on the streets of Panamanian cities. In addition, car horns are honking and everyone is screaming. Such noise is intended to threaten the coming year.
The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.
New Year is one of the oldest and most joyful holidays in the whole world.. At the same time, it is surprising that there is no other holiday that would be celebrated around the world on such different dates and whose traditions would be so different. In Russia, as in most European countries, as well as in the USA and Australia, the new year begins on January 1. Back in 1700, Russian Tsar Peter I issued a decree according to which the onset of the new year should be celebrated. People decorated their houses with pine, spruce and juniper branches, held fire parties and festive shooting. Over time, they began to decorate the Christmas trees brought into the house. So the green tree turned into one of the symbols of this holiday, becoming its main decoration, along with Father Frost and the Snow Maiden. By the way, Santa Clauses look different in all countries. Our Russian Father Frost wears a red fur coat down to his toes, felt boots, a tall fur hat, and holds a staff and a bag of gifts in his hands.
In America, New Year's grandfather - Santa Claus - wears a short red jacket and a funny cap on his head. He travels through the air on a reindeer sled and enters children's homes through a chimney.
.jpg)
In Belgium and Poland, New Year's grandfather Saint Nicholas is considered the very first Father Frost, because, as an ancient legend says, he left golden apples in a shoe in front of the fireplace for the family that sheltered him. Saint Nicholas wears a white robe and rides a horse, accompanied by a Moorish servant, Black Peter, who helps carry a heavy bag of gifts for obedient children.
Naughty people do not receive gifts - Black Peter carries the rod for them.
In France, a grandfather with a staff and a wide-brimmed hat, called Père Noël (“Grandfather of Christmas”), puts gifts straight down the chimney.
The Swedish grandfather - Jologomten - puts gifts by the stove, and the German Father Frost leaves his gifts on the windowsill.
Mexican children find gifts in their shoes, and English children in their socks. With the first stroke of the clock on New Year's midnight, the English and Scots open the back door of the house to let out the Old Year, and with the last stroke of the clock they open the front door to let in the New Year.
In Italy, on New Year's Day, grandfather Babo Nattale and the good fairy Befana come to visit children. They give gifts to obedient children, which they leave on the balcony, while lazy and capricious children only get a coal. And on New Year's Eve, Italians also throw old things out of the windows - cracked flower pots, tattered chairs, holey boots fly onto the pavement... The more things you throw away, residents of sunny Italy believe, the more wealth the new year will bring.
The funniest name, perhaps, of the Finnish Santa Claus is Joulupukki (in Finnish “joulu” means Christmas, and “pukki” means goat). This name was not given to him by chance: many years ago he wore a goat skin and delivered gifts to children riding on a small goat.
Not far behind Joulupukki is the Uzbek snow grandfather Korbobo, who, dressed in a striped robe, delivers gifts to children on a donkey. The Snow Maiden Korgyz accompanies him. In Mongolia, Uvlin Uvgun's grandfather wears a cattle breeder's outfit because the Mongolian New Year coincides with the cattle breeding holiday.
An Australian Santa Claus named Sylvester rides a kangaroo across the country wearing only swimming trunks and on a scooter: it is unusually hot there on the holiday. The local Snow Maiden in a swimsuit helps Sylvester deliver gifts.
In Greece and Cyprus, the New Year's grandfather is called Saint Basil, in Spain - Papa Noel, in Cambodia - Grandfather Zhar, in Colombia - Papa Pascual, in the Netherlands - Sanderklaas, in Romania - Mosh Jerile, in the Czech Republic - Grandfather Mikulas.
But, for example, in Norway, little brownies - nisse - give gifts to children. They wear knitted caps and love sweets very much. Therefore, in order to appease them and receive more gifts, on New Year's Eve children lay out various delicacies around the house in secluded corners.
In India, on New Year's Eve, parents place small gifts on a tray, and on New Year's morning, children must wait with their eyes closed until they are brought to the tray.
In Japan, on New Year's Eve, bunches of straw are hung in front of the entrance to the house, which, according to residents, attracts happiness and scares away evil spirits. When the New Year begins, the Japanese begin to laugh, believing that laughter will bring them good luck in the coming year. The Japanese Santa Claus is called Oji-san.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, there is a belief that a person’s behavior on the first day of the new year determines what awaits him in the coming year. Therefore, on this day people try to do nothing. They prepare a lot of delicious food in advance and wear something new.
In Hungary, on the morning of the first day of the New Year, they wash their hands not with soap, but with coins - so that money does not transfer in their hands all year.
In the Balkan countries, for the New Year, various objects are placed on the table: a pine twig (for good luck), a ring (for a wedding), a doll (for the birth of a child), money (for wealth) and cover them with a fur hat. Then everyone sitting at the table must pull out an object three times, and if he gets the same one three times, this means that in the new year the event that this object symbolizes awaits him.
In Iran, a few weeks before the New Year, wheat or barley grains are planted in a small dish: sprouted grains symbolize the beginning of spring and a new year of life.
The clever Chinese celebrate the New Year twice: on January 1 and again somewhere between January 23 and February 19 - the date changes all the time, since on this day the New Year begins, calculated according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
Celebrating the New Year during the new moon is an amazingly beautiful sight! Street processions with firecrackers and firecrackers scare away evil spirits from their homes, and to make sure they don’t get inside, residents seal their windows and doors with paper. Chinese New Year grandfather Shou Xing takes part in all this fun.
.jpg)
Preparations for the New Year in eastern countries, as elsewhere, begin long before the holiday. In about two weeks, holiday markets open in all crowded squares, where you can buy various toys, stars, lanterns of all sizes and shapes - in the form of fish, dragons, horses, birds. Candles are lit inside these fancy figures. These days a lot of toys made from dough are sold: warriors galloping on horses with swords, boats with oarsmen in colorful clothes, amazingly beautiful lotuses, figurines of animals and birds. And also clay figurines of animals and people.
In Vietnam, New Year usually begins in February. Local residents believe that God lives in every home, and in the new year this God goes to heaven to tell the Supreme Ruler in detail how each family member spent the past year.
On a certain day, in front of the image of the Spirit of the Hearth, people light candles and incense sticks, and also place sweet dishes. Sweets are offered for a reason - so that the Spirit’s lips stick together and he does not say too much there, in heaven. And since the Vietnamese believe that God swims on the back of a carp, on holiday they buy live carp and then release it into a river or pond. In addition, in Vietnam, for the New Year, you must buy a hat, which are also sold in many different styles and colors at New Year's bazaars.
There is a special attitude towards hats in the East. The hat is a symbol of power there and an indispensable attribute of the wardrobe of a big boss.
In Korea, for the New Year, numerous Christmas tree markets sell not Christmas trees, like ours, but peach branches and trees, symbolizing the onset of spring.
The colorful rituals that accompany the celebration of the New Year in the East have a very specific meaning. In addition to the incessant crackling of firecrackers, which drive out evil spirits so that they do not overshadow the holiday, there are many more traditions. New Year celebrations usually last several days. On the second day, you must definitely visit your parents and close relatives if they live separately, and on the third day, do not forget to go to the teacher and congratulate him. In the first days of the New Year, you cannot wear white clothes (in the East this is the color of mourning), you cannot talk about death, make faces imitating monkeys, and take out the trash.
And in some countries, the New Year is not celebrated at all in the winter months. So, in Indonesia this event occurs in October. On the first day of the new year, all the people there ask each other for forgiveness for the trouble they caused in the past year. In Burma, New Year celebrations occur on the hottest days of April. Starting from April 1, for a whole week people pour water on each other with all their hearts and have fun at the Tinjan New Year's Water Festival. Iranians celebrate New Year on March 21st.
Jews celebrate the New Year most often - as many as four times. At the beginning of autumn, during the harvest season, there comes a holiday of sacrifice to God of the collected fruits. Turning to the Almighty, people ask to save the harvest. From this holiday, the ancient Jews counted the days of the new year.
Later, in mid-September, Jews celebrate Adam's birthday and Rosh Hashanah. It is considered the beginning of the New Year for chronology purposes.
It is believed that on this day the Lord determines how a person lived. Therefore, on this holiday, people rejoice over the past year and pray for peace, harmony and happiness in the next year. The prayer says: “May this year be good and sweet!” A festive meal certainly includes honey, in which you need to dip pieces of apple and bread.
At the beginning of spring, Jews celebrate the New Year of Trees; in Israel, almond trees bloom at this time. People welcome the blossoming buds and the first green leaves, thereby celebrating the beginning of a new life in the promised land. On this day it is customary to plant trees. And, of course, everyone celebrates the traditional New Year - January 1st. In fact, it doesn’t matter when and how people celebrate the New Year or what the snowy grandfather’s name is, the main thing is that on New Year’s Eve all kind and obedient children always receive wonderful gifts from Santa Claus!
You can always write a letter to Santa Claus at the following addresses:
.jpg)
Official postal address:
162340, Russia, Vologda region, Veliky Ustyug, house of Father Frost.
Moscow residence:
109472, Russia, Moscow, Kuzminsky forest, Grandfather Frost.
And remember, baby, that Santa Claus answers every letter sent to him, and his friends help him in this - the Snow Maiden, the Bunny and other fairy-tale characters!
There is lace on the window
Frost weaves -
It's New Year's holiday
Winter meets.
Crystal frost on the glass
Painted patterns
New Year's Eve, blue
Visible from behind the curtain.
Santa Claus is already at the doorstep,
Like in a fairy tale:
He brought a lot of gifts
Kindness and affection!
.jpg)
The magical winter forest sleeps,
The old year is passing.
Will bring a bag of miracles
Santa Claus as a gift!
Happy New Year! Happy new takeoff
With a new twist in life!
Let him sweep the paths
Snowfall is a prankster,
New Year is coming to us -
The best holiday!
And let the frost strike
White bad weather!
The New Year will give us all
Joy, laughter and happiness!
Christmas tree - beauty
All the guys like it
She's all covered in toys
Beads, rattles,
There are garlands and balloons here
Look at the branches:
They hang there for the kids
Delicious sweets,
And under the Christmas tree there is a car,
Doll, plush pig,
Steam locomotive, lotto, coloring books,
Scooter, construction set, fairy tales!
Along paths, without paths,
Through the impassable thicket
A winter SUV is rushing,
Only he's not real.
No asphalt, no crushed stone,
And around there are birch trunks.
That car is magical
And Santa Claus sits in it!
By car, like a bird,
Grandfather with a bag rushes through the forest
He must be in time for the children,
Congratulations to everyone!
We sculpted Baba with Vovka,
We tried to take our time.
Baba came out - her nose was like a carrot,
Snow-white, good!
The sticks are like eyebrows,
And a bucket on the head.
Let's call you for the New Year
Snow beauty!
Will join us in a round dance,
All your friends will love it!
Shrouded in a snow-white blizzard,
The long-awaited New Year has come to us.
May he fulfill his plans and hopes,
And it will bring love and happiness to the house!
New Year is a holiday celebrated by many peoples of the world. It is not celebrated in all countries on the night of January 1st, but it is loved and appreciated everywhere. Already from the first days of December, in all villages and cities there is a feeling of the approach of this winter celebration, which is considered the main holiday of the year. This is a day off, which in Russia also marks the beginning of a general, rather long, vacation. Traditionally, it is celebrated at home, next to the closest people; the holiday is considered a family holiday.
history of the holiday
On the night from December 31 to January 1, the New Year is not celebrated in all countries of the world. Very often, the main winter holiday is Christmas, and New Year's celebrations either end the Christmas period if Christmas is celebrated on December 25, or begin in countries where Christmas is celebrated on January 7. In most countries in Southeast Asia, January 1 is a common day, the New Year is celebrated there according to the lunar calendar, and in Israel the main New Year celebrations take place in September, when Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated. There are no celebrations on New Year's Eve in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Iran, India, China, Saudi Arabia.
New Year is one of the main holidays of humanity, which can rightfully be considered one of the first to appear. It was celebrated back in the third millennium BC in Mesopotamia. Historians claim that the holiday is even more ancient, this tradition is at least five thousand years old. The ancient Egyptians celebrated it in a manner similar to modern celebrations, with nightly celebrations. For them, the New Year began in September, when the Nile flooded, which was an extremely important event. On January 1, Julius Caesar began to celebrate the holiday, and he also established the custom of decorating houses.
In Rus', it was celebrated for a long time in spring and autumn, until Peter I moved the celebration to the beginning of January. It is curious that in all Christian countries the New Year is a somewhat secondary holiday compared to Christmas. In our country, this celebration is considered the main one for the reason that under Soviet rule, celebrating all church events was strictly prohibited.
