Winter folk holidays. Winter holidays: from the origins to the present What are the winter holidays
Many are waiting for the winter time only for the sake of a couple of the most significant holidays, completely unaware of how many reasons for joy pass them by. Arm yourself with our calendar, and you will always know which holidays in the winter of 2017 can be turned into a good tradition, charging the coldest season with the warm energy of the festive table, the joy of loved ones.
December holidays
The first month of winter ends very enchantingly, this is what he is famous for. But it is better to start preparing for the main event of winter gradually, already from the beginning of December. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities for this:
Have you ever written a letter to Santa Claus? It's time to start, for this there is a special day - December 4;
— On December 7, Civil Aviation Day is celebrated all over the world;
- On December 10, you have a choice: either celebrate World Football Day if you love this sport. Or arrange a feast in honor of Human Rights Day;
– don’t know what holidays in winter can be celebrated on the move? Prepare a revealing outfit and incendiary music for the most passionate holiday - Tango Day on December 11, and before that, learn to amaze everyone;
- December 12 - Constitution Day of the Russian Federation;
- tea for the winter season is like gasoline for a car: without it, no one would have gotten further than the bed. His World Day is celebrated on December 15;
— Orthodox holidays winter presents in the guise of the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on December 19;
— December 22, a professional celebration for power engineers;
- December 25 knocks on the doors of all Catholics and some Orthodox;
— folk holidays in winter, they cannot do without December 31, when exciting, troublesome, but such favorite preparations begin, because this is New Year's Eve!
List of January holidays
The abundance of official holidays, the refrigerator bursting with goodies and the incessant flow of guests - this is what we love in January. We know what holidays are celebrated in winter, and we will help you not to get lost in the endless string of red days of the calendar:
January 1 is the first winter holiday in the new year. Few people remember its daylight hours, but only babies miss the night part of the celebration;
— church holidays in winter they include such a significant event as Christmas, which is celebrated by all Orthodox Christians on January 7;
- January 11 is the most polite of the holidays - Thank You Day. The more words of gratitude you give, the more positive you will receive in return;
- there is never too much good - January 14 - Old New Year;
Wikipedia celebrates its birthday on January 15th. Thanks to her for our encyclopedic knowledge!
- what holidays in winter allow you to test the strength of the spirit, faith, so this is the Baptism of the Lord on January 19;
- use the moment to enjoy warm communication with loved ones - January 21 is Hug Day and let the whole world wait;
- Popsicle Day on January 24 - the official occasion to enjoy sweets atypical for the winter season;
- students are those who tested the force of attraction on themselves in the morning lectures, set a record for the speed of writing a term paper on the last night before passing, and they have their own holiday - Tatyana's Day, January 25;
- January 26 - International Customs Day;
- test your willpower with the help of the International Day without the Internet on January 31st. Can you last?
What are the holidays in February?
The shortest month of the year also has something to surprise:
- On February 5, all erudite people celebrate the holiday, for whom the book is a faithful companion in life, friend and brother;
- On February 6, it makes sense to visit entertainment, drinking establishments. So you will not only congratulate bartenders on their professional holiday, but also get the opportunity to participate in competitions, watch the competitions of bartenders;
- February 7 - a real sports holiday of winter - Day winter views sports;
– a great reason to visit the dentist and at the same time congratulate him on his international holiday – February 9;
- On February 14, the world is illuminated by light from the sky-white wings of Cupid, the messenger of love. This is the day of cute valentines, memorable souvenirs and hot confessions -!
- there is a magical day in the year - February 17, when we celebrate the Day of spontaneous acts of kindness. On this day, noble impulses cannot be restrained: if you want to feed a kitten - go ahead, participate in a charity marathon - please, the main thing is that you sincerely want this;
- it is difficult to imagine the holidays in winter in Russia without Maslenitsa. In 2017, it will begin to be celebrated on February 20;
- 23 February is celebrated in a number of countries as Defender of the Fatherland Day;
- each of us has our own lottery ticket, we just don't always take it seriously. Trust fate and participate in the lottery on her birthday on February 24th;
— a unique opportunity to forgive all spiteful critics and clear your own conscience by receiving forgiveness dear people– 26 February. On this day in 2017, Forgiveness Sunday will be celebrated.
Now you will always be aware of what holidays are celebrated in winter. Winter should be a magical time, full of joy and fun for those who know how to meet it and what to prepare for. What holidays are you most looking forward to? Share with us in the comments!
December is the first month of winter. Jelly. Student. Zimnik. Breast.
* December ends the year, winter begins.
Introduction. Vvedensky early frosts. At the introduction, winter is introduced. The first winter fairs began, and with them the first sleigh trips to the festivities. The custom to "show young" - to take out a young wife in her first year to show to all the people was necessarily observed on this day.
December 22 - Anna. Winter solstice
Carols - until mid-January (winter Christmas time). The mummers walk around the yards with songs and jokes, begging for treats.
Dec 25 - Spiridon turn. Spiridon-solstice. "sun for summer, winter for frost."
January
Prosinets, the turn of winter, the winter, among the Little Russians - cross section,
Ovsen - new year, canopy, blue - radiance, ov (pro) - prefix - small. Small the beginning of a new radiance. Rebirth ideas sunlight. In another meaning - to sow, seed, Start life. Christmas time - the winter solstice, open the folk solar year. Lasted 12 days, according to the number of months of the year.
Christmas Eve December 24/January 6 Burning bonfires "warm the dead ancestors." Clicking carols, Ovsen and Plow (sing songs of praise to the plow)
Christmas December 25/January 7 - the day of the winter solstice, the awakening of the sun after winter. The departure of the old year and the beginning of a new one, the birth of a new sun, The border between the old and the new is “a loophole for evil spirits.” - the beginning of Christmas time. (songs - Kolyada, Grapes (grapes -
garden - well-being), Shchedrovka, Avsen) In folklore - caroling, youth games, agricultural magic (spring rituals), divination (the most extensive - connection with rampant evil spirits ) , dressing up, commemoration of ancestors. Rich carol. Ritual atrocities. caroling - Ritual detour by groups of villagers during Christmas time, singing carols. Songs of an agrarian orientation, glorifying the owners, glorifying Christ (after the adoption of Christianity) carolers- "immigrants from another world", ancestors. Giving to them is a sacrifice to the ancestors. Costumes: animals, "evil spirits", representatives of a non-peasant, alien environment (lady, paramedic, etc.) Christmas games of an erotic nature. Two themes prevail: marriage and funeral . Eroticism- the remnant of the ancient rite, because the ancient pagan semantics of the holiday in the renewal of the Sun-Dazhdbog, and the conception of the natural fertile force, Yarila. The meaning of pagan Christmas games is farewell to the dying year and the joy of the birth of a new one. Later, the confinement of erotic games to Christmas time was also explained by the approach of the meat-eater - the time of matchmaking and weddings. Christmas time was divided into two parts: Holy Evenings and Terrible Evenings.
Holy Evenings - from Christmas Eve to St. Basil's Evening (Shchedretsa - Generous Evening), Terrible Evenings from St. Basil's Day to Epiphany. The Christmas tree (later from Europe) is a symbol of the tree of paradise, hung with apples and nuts (fruits). Unthreshed sheaf Grandfather, straw and hay on the table, walking from house to house with a plow, sprinkling grain, guessing about the harvest, grain (a symbol of conception) - everything speaks of sowing, harvesting, an abundance of fruits desired in the coming year. meal (uzvar, porridge - homeland, honey, kutya - funeral)
According to the church calendar:
Nativity - the twelfth holiday. Jesus Christ is the Sun of Righteousness. He was born of the Virgin Mary, immaculately conceived by the Holy Spirit. Glorification of Christ - ritual detour
peasant households with congratulations and wishes of well-being, they sang "Christmas" - a Christmas troparion. The youth “glorified” with a star (in honor of the star that led the Magi to the cradle of Jesus) or a nativity scene (a mechanical puppet theater depicting the scene of the Nativity of Christ.
Vasiliev day 1 / January 14 Terrible (Fantastic, passionate) Evenings that lasted until the Epiphany of the Lord - the middle of the Christmas holidays, the Day of the New Solar Year .. Lenten carols. Agrarian carols, the peak of Christmas divination, plentiful meals. Special dish: "Caesarean" roasted pig. (St. Basil is the patron saint of pigs). The Caesarean pig is a relic of the ancient Slavic ritual of sacrifices to the gods in exchange for well-being. From this day on, permission to eat pork. From St. Basil's Day to Epiphany, there were many magical rites, because. especially "raged" evil spirits. The rite of sprinkling marks the spring insemination of Mother Earth, entering into a marriage union with the “enlightened” (goddess Spring) Sky. Grains are a symbol of the fertilizing seed, rain and sunlight. (The same sprinkling at weddings). TO SOW-SHINE-AFUTEN. Ovsen is a god who kindles the sun wheel, giving light to the world (Afanasiev)
The Christmas holidays are coming to an end.
Baptism 6 / January 19 . The pagans - watercress - , religious ablutions among the pagans on the holiday of Kolyada, caused by the thought of liberating the waters with the turn of the sun, turning them into living streams, carrying renewal and the power of fertility. properties. In Christianity, the day of the expulsion of evil spirits and the cleansing of people from sins. The sky opens - a prayer will be heard. Epiphany water blessing - the purification of the waters from evil spirits that filled the world in the days of the new year (Christmas). Particularly diligently cleansed of sins in the baptismal hole in the Jordan were those who participated in dressing up and merrymaking. Rites of consecration of cattle. On Epiphany Christmas Eve - commemoration of the dead. On this day, reviews of brides were held. "Epiphany handshake - to a happy family." After this day comes the meat-eater. (January 20) Beginning of weddings.
It is an undeniable fact that Russian people adore folk holidays. And they try not to miss a single celebration. No one celebrates the way Russians celebrate. The customs of the ancient Slavs, who revere nature and everything connected with it, are best preserved in the rituals and customs of the peoples of Russia.
Not otherwise than the Russians, in order to avoid confusion and for timely preparation, divided all the festivities into folk winter holidays, spring-summer and autumn.
The folk holidays of Russia, the most beloved and famous, are, without a doubt, snowy and frosty, early spring, showing the way to spring and sunny days, luminous celebration, spring-summer Trinity and sunny rainbow. All of them, except Easter, are interconnected with the natural world, with its revival, flowering, planting and gathering a generous harvest. On holidays, people are especially brightly inherent in a peculiar worldview, a sense of the fullness of life. Without exception, all folk holidays in Russia are filled with traditions, rituals, rituals.
New Year and Christmas holidays
Since ancient times, all the inhabitants of the planet Earth have considered New Year and Christmas holidays to be family holidays and try to celebrate them at home. The Russians manage to combine the old traditions of a family holiday with street folk festivals.
It has long been known to everyone that the New Year in Russia begins to be celebrated from mid-December. And this holiday gets its start at merry Christmas fairs, incendiary corporate parties, and in children's institutions.
Since mid-December, all the cities of Russia are filled with multi-colored brilliant light of festive illumination and look like fairy-tale kingdoms. For kids, the residences of Ded Moroz and Snegurochka are open on the ice rinks. Literally on all the central squares of the cities there are huge elegant Christmas trees. Colorful fairy-tale houses-kiosks are open, in which everything from Christmas tree decorations, garlands, souvenirs to all kinds of sweets, English Christmas fortune cakes, gingerbread goats and little men, hot tea, coffee and mulled wine.
Maslenitsa week
According to Russian tradition, the whole country walks and has fun during Shrovetide week. And how beautifully and unusually they see off Winter and meet spring! The festival takes place on the central squares in front of the administration buildings of the region, district. Long, brightly decorated shopping arcades line up on the squares. People with folk songs, incendiary dances, original games greet the Beauty - Spring and say goodbye to the winter cold. Samovars with fragrant tea puff on the tables, pyramids of traditional fragrant pancakes with honey, jam, red caviar, cottage cheese, eggs and a lot of various national delicacies are stacked. Near the tables, typical folk Russian beauties in magnificent Slavic costumes, painted shawls with bunches of appetizing and ruddy bagels instead of necklaces, smiling affably, offer to taste treats.
Easter celebration
And how well in advance and massively in Russia they are preparing for the celebration of Easter - the favorite national holiday. They are preparing for the Easter holiday in all large cities and small villages of the country since Maundy Thursday “Maundy Thursday”. On this day, numerous rituals are sacredly performed: cleaning houses, courtyards, streets from all the dirt and muck that has accumulated over autumn and winter. AT " Maundy Thursday» try to bathe in the bath, in the bath, under the shower before sunrise. To avoid diseases, all sheds, utility rooms, cellars, pets are fumigated with fuming juniper.
A day or two before Easter, they bake Easter cakes and decorate eggs with a wide variety of colors and patterns, but the compositional and predominant color is red.
On Easter Day, all acquaintances and strangers, oncoming and across, kiss each other three times (“Christ each other”) and exchange small Easter eggs and extraordinarily beautiful eggs.
Easter is always warm and sunny. Russians en masse with their families and friends tend to go out into the fresh air with barbecue and delicious tinctures.
49 days after Easter, the most picturesque colorful festivities begin.
Trinity
The most picturesque colorful festivities come to the Trinity. 49 days after Easter, Russian women together see off spring and meet summer! Trinity people attributed to exclusively maiden (women's, "woman's") holidays. Unusually beautiful celebration! All houses are buried in green decorations made of birch, oak, maple branches, field grass and flowers. After the morning festive visit to the temples, everyone hurried to the folk feast with songs, round dances, performances, games, and dances. By this day, the girls specially sewed magnificent outfits. On Saturday Trinity festivities, they dressed in red shirts or sundresses, and on Sunday - in old white ones. A beautiful and obligatory attribute of the outfit is a wreath of spring greenery. Festive dinners were prepared in full. Be sure to bake a sweet loaf decorated with flowers.
Croutons from a half-eaten loaf, greens, flowers and herbs collected and dried that day were stored for a whole year. After all, the ancient Slavs firmly believed that plants symbolizing life have special magical properties.
Folk holidays, Orthodox holidays, Christian holidays, Church holidays - holidays of the Russian people associated with widespread folk traditions their implementation and the customs of the Russian people.
As a rule, folk-Orthodox holidays are accompanied by cheerful and wide folk festivals, songs, round dances and various fortune-telling, youth gatherings and brides' brides. But there are also days where there is no place for fun - these are the days of honoring the deceased relatives and friends, as well as holidays where spirits and deities were honored.
The adoption of Christianity meant the beginning of a new era in the life of Russia. By this time, pagan Russia possessed not only significant agricultural experience, knowledge of the laws of nature and human life, but also a fairly representative pantheon of pagan gods, a system of rituals, beliefs, oral folk art.
Struggling with the old beliefs, Christianity involuntarily preserved in its rites a reflection of pagan antiquity. Many Christian holidays obviously do not coincide with pagan ones by chance. So, for many, Christmas naturally merged with the celebration of the pagan deity of celebrations and the world of Kolyada. And now nobody is surprised that on Christmas night dressed-up children and youth go home and carol - they wish the owners happiness and goodness, they receive gifts.
Many Christian rites directly come from ancient Slavic holidays. Slavic and agricultural holidays were the main time of rest after burdensome work. All these holidays were based on the beliefs and customs of our ancestors, and many holidays are celebrated to this day. And even the brightest holiday of Easter absorbed the pagan Radunitsa - a day of remembrance for the dead, when departed relatives and friends are commemorated with food, which is not accepted in Christianity.
Few people know now that in the old days our ancestors celebrated the New Year on March 1, and then on September 1, and only from 1700, by decree of Emperor Peter I, it was ordered to celebrate the New Year on January 1.
We have no right not to remember our past and we will try, albeit briefly, selectively, to talk about folk Orthodox holidays.
Holidays of the Russian people
Holidays of the Russian people: Folk holidays, Orthodox holidays, Church holidays, Christian holidays.
Forgiveness Sunday. The last day of Maslenitsa week. Among the people, it was also called “wires”, in connection with the rite of seeing off Shrovetide, as well as “forgiveness day” and “kisser”, according to the peculiarities of the ritual of mutual forgiveness of sins and insults, which in the popular mind was interpreted as purifying. The act of forgiveness of sins extended not only to living, but also to dead relatives: on the eve of Forgiveness Sunday, the peasants visited the graves and beat off three bows asking their ancestors for forgiveness. In some places, a ritual was timed to coincide with this day, aimed at ensuring the harvest of flax: married women before the beginning of the church service, they circled around the village three times, covering their heads with scarves.
Middle Cross, Middle. Wednesday or Thursday on the fourth, Holy Cross, week of Great Lent. Sredokrestye marked the middle of Lent. On this day, cross-shaped cookies were baked everywhere from unleavened or sour dough, which they ate themselves, fed to livestock, and put in grain prepared for sowing. In the Ryazan Province, on Wednesday week they “clicked summer”: they put donuts on the pitchfork, climbed onto the roofs and called summer. The peasants let birds out of their cages, thereby, as it were, freeing the vital forces of nature from winter captivity.
Radunitsa. One of the most important days of commemoration of the dead, timed to coincide with Easter. Radunitsa is celebrated most often on the tenth day after Easter - on Tuesday after the end of Bright Week; less often - on Fomino Sunday or Monday. On Tuesday of St. Thomas' week, after the liturgy, an all-ecumenical memorial service was performed in the churches, at the end of which the peasant families went to the cemetery to "treat their parents' darlings", "Christ with their relatives." A family meal was arranged in cemeteries, inviting the dead to a treat, believing that on this day they break their fast after Lent. Be sure to leave Easter eggs on the graves, burying them near the cross, laying them whole or crumbled on the ground. Despite the funeral nature, Radunitsa was considered a joyful holiday. Therefore, in some places, the peasants feasted on the graves with songs and even dances. The spring commemoration of the dead goes back to the cult of ancestors and is associated with the desire to ensure their protection in agricultural work.
Memorial Day of the Apostle Mark noted. The Russian peasant correlated this holiday with his labor concerns and the weather calendar. Mark was usually visited by flocks of birds. “If the birds fly to the hemp plant, there will be a hemp harvest”, “A little rain makes it dirty, but a big one cleans”. The people called the holy apostle the "key-keeper": they believed that he held the keys from the rains. They always fervently prayed to Mark and asked for heavy rain, since it was at this time that it was necessary to thoroughly “spill” the earth, saturate it with moisture. They said: “If three good rains fall in May, then there will be three full years of bread.” On this day, in many Russian provinces, they began to sow Tatar (buckwheat).
Do you think winter holidays are only New Year's Eve, Christmas and sometimes Maslenitsa? Oh yes, we recently added Valentine's Day. And all? It wasn't there! This cold season is rich in joyful events, some of which may become traditional in your family or company.
December holidays
The first month of winter ends very enchantingly, this is what he is famous for. But it is better to start preparing for the main event of winter gradually, already from the beginning of December. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities for this:
Have you ever written a letter to Santa Claus? It's time to start, for this there is a special day - December 4;
- 7 December I celebrate Civil Aviation Day all over the world;
- December 10 you have a choice: either celebrate World Football Day if you love this sport. Or arrange a feast in honor of Human Rights Day;
- don't know what winter holidays can be celebrated on the move? Get ready for a revealing outfit and incendiary music for the most passionate holiday - Tango Day December 11th and before that learn dance at home on your own to impress everyone;
- 12 December Constitution Day of the Russian Federation;
- tea for the winter season is like gasoline for a car: without it, no one would have gotten further than the bed. His World Day is celebrated December 15;
- winter presents Orthodox holidays in the guise of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker December 19;
- December 22 professional celebration at power engineers;
- December 25 knocking on the doors of all Catholics and some Orthodox;
- folk holidays in winter cannot do without 31th of December when exciting, troublesome, but such favorite preparations begin, because it's New Year's Eve!
List of January holidays
The abundance of official holidays, the refrigerator bursting with goodies and the incessant flow of guests - this is what we love in January. We know what holidays are celebrated in winter, and we will help you not to get lost in the endless string of red days of the calendar:
— 1st of January- the first holiday of winter in the new year. Few people remember its daylight hours, but only babies miss the night part of the celebration; - church holidays in winter include such a significant event as, which is celebrated by all Orthodox Christians January 7;
- January 11 The most polite of the holidays is celebrated - Thank You Day. The more words of gratitude you give, the more positive you will receive in return;
- there is no such thing as too much good January 14- Old New Year;
- 15 January I celebrate my birthday Wikipedia. Thanks to her for our encyclopedic knowledge!
- what holidays in winter allow you to test the strength of the spirit, faith, so this is the Baptism of the Lord January 19;
- use the moment to enjoy warm communication with loved ones - January 21 Hug day and let the whole world wait;
- Popsicle Day on January 24 - the official occasion to enjoy sweetness atypical for the winter season;
- students are those who tested the force of attraction on themselves at morning lectures, set a record for the speed of writing a term paper on the last night before passing, and they have their own holiday - Tatyana's day, January 25;
- January 26– International Customs Day;
- test the power of your will with the help of the International Day without the Internet January 31. Can you last?
Holidays in February
The shortest month of the year also has something to surprise:
- February 2. Somewhere celebrate groundhog day, but in Russia - Alumni Day. On this day, teachers are congratulated, they gather at school, in a cafe.
- February 5th celebrate the holiday all scholars, for whom the book is a faithful companion in life, friend and brother;
- February 5th - Chinese . If you didn’t manage to make all the wishes, then you have the opportunity to do it.
- February 6 there is a sense to visit entertainment, drinking establishments. So you not only congratulate on your professional holiday bartenders, but also get the opportunity to participate in competitions, watch the competitions of hard workers;
- February 7- a real sports holiday of winter - Winter Sports Day;
- a great reason to visit the dentist and at the same time congratulate him on his international holiday - February 9;
- The 14th of February The world is illuminated by light from the sky-white wings of Cupid's messenger of love. This is the day of cute valentines, memorable souvenirs, and hot confessions - Valentine's Day! Send to your loved ones.
- February 17, Celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day. On this day, noble impulses cannot be restrained: if you want to feed a kitten - go ahead, participate in a charity marathon - please, the main thing is that you sincerely want this;
- it's hard to imagine winter holidays in Russia without Maslenitsa. In 2019 Maslenitsa starts in March
- February 23 is celebrated in a number of countries;
- each of us has our own lottery ticket, we just don't always take it seriously. Trust fate and participate in the lottery on her birthday 2 February 4th.
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