New Year and Christmas in Russia. Interesting traditions, customs, recipes

New Year's and Christmas - these are the holidays that both children and adults are looking forward to. Are important for someone , and someone hopes for the fulfillment of a cherished desire. These days it is customary to wish each other happiness, joy and goodness.

The history of celebrating the New Year in Russia

After the baptism of RusNew Year greeted twice: March 1 (according to the church calendar) and September 1 (secular holiday). And herethe tradition of celebrating the new year on January 1 was born thanks to Tsar Peter I. It was he who introduced the decree, according to which the chronology began fromNativity of Christ , not from the creation of the world. Following this document, in 7207 from the creation of the world, the Russian people first met the year 1700 from the birth of Christ on the first of January. After that, chronology was conducted in parallel for some time.

One of the reasons why such changes were introduced was the strengthening of ties with Europe. The time difference created significant inconveniences, which the king ended with the help of his decree. At the same time, the ruler strictly monitored that the celebrations were no less magnificent than in European countries. He first launched a rocket, and then throughout the night in the capital, fireworks flashed in the dark sky every now and then. In Belokamennaya, general fun reigned: people sang, danced, gave each other gifts and wished happiness in the new year.

As forChristmas tree , then nothing was said about her in the decree of the tsar. The document stated that residents of each house should decoratejuniper or pine twig at least the gate of the house. The twigs were decorated with sweets, vegetables, fruits. But the first elegant, in the modern sense of the word, Christmas tree was installed in 1852 in the building of the St. Petersburg railway station.

The custom of decorating the tree was taken over from the inhabitants ... They believed that the spruce is sacred, and that the “spirit of the forests” lives in its branches, which is the defender of the truth. In addition, the Christmas tree is an evergreen tree, so it has become a symbol of unfading youth, immortality, longevity, dignity and fidelity. And the cones symbolized the fire of life and the restoration of health.

Next turn inNew Year stories happened during the Soviet era. In 1916, the church that has always perceivedchristmas tree decoration as a pagan custom, she forbade the planting of a Christmas tree, declaring it an "enemy German idea." A year passed, and the holidays of tsarist Russia were declared bourgeois. Most of them were canceled.

New Year wanted to postpone to November 7, but even the Soviet government failed to force the population to abandontraditions to celebrate the New Year on January 1 ... But in the 1920s, the government banned the installation of Christmas trees in houses, which was caused by the struggle with the church, superstition and prejudice.

However, by the mid-30sNew Year became a semi-legal holiday. Christmas trees bought from clandestine merchants reappeared in the houses. And in 1935, an appeal appeared in the newspaper, signed by the secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of Ukraine, to celebrate the New Year as the ancestors did. The note called for giving children a holiday that they had been deprived of for a long time. Instantly the Moscow markets were filled with Christmas trees, decorations, sweets. So the tree again became a full attribute of the holiday, but now it was called not Christmas, but New Year's.

New Year and Christmas traditions, customs and recipes

New Year's Eve was always considered generous, so they tried to set a plentiful festive table in every house. People believed that he would provide them with a prosperous and comfortable life for the whole next year. Therefore, everything that I would like to have in sufficient quantity for the whole next year appeared on the table.

Traditionally, the center of the table was occupied by pig meat. This animal, because of its fertility, was considered a symbol of beauty. At the same time, the piglet roasted on a spit was far from the only pork dish. There was the concept of "kolada", which meant all pork products that were prepared for the New Year and Christmas.

At the same time, the featureChristmas dishes was their number. Exactly 12 dishes were to be served on January 7th. In addition, the Christmas table was to be decorated with fresh hay, which reflected the memory of the manger in which Jesus lay.

It was also believed that due to its abundanceNew Year's table should be the same as Christmas. At the same time, the dishes should not have been made from poultry, game birds or hares, otherwise all happiness, according to legend, will skip away or fly away from home. The ritual dish was pancakes and , which was prepared either from whole wheat grains, or from grains of several grains. Sometimes various figures of domestic animals were baked from the dough, which were presented to all those who came to carol.

Another onethe tradition of celebrating the New Year in Russia - an outlandish dish. However, not everyone was able to cook it, and the point was not only that this dish is expensive. In addition to money, one also had to possess outstanding culinary skills. Initially, the bones were taken out of the olives, and instead of them, pieces of anchovies were put, the olives acted as a filling for the gutted lark, which was put into the partridge, it was then placed in the pheasant, and the pheasant - in the piglet. Such an intricate dish was a decorationNew Year's table , however, sometimes a culinary miracle was prepared in honor of important receptions.

This original culinary recipe was dedicated to Catherine II by a French chef, then one nobleman managed to find out the secret of the treat, and after that it was simply impossible to keep the secret of cooking the dish. Soroast "Empress" became a symbol of special prestige among the nobility.

If not all previous traditions have survived to this day, thenthe custom to celebrate the new year in new clothes and shoes is still observed by many families. In addition, before the onset of the new year, people try to pay off all debts, forgive everyone for offenses and ask for forgiveness themselves. It is also customary to throw out all broken dishes, wash windows and mirrors before the New Year.

At all times, there were those who wanted to look into the future and find out their fate. Long ago ... There are a lot of ways to find out your destiny. The most intriguing divinations were performed at midnight in front of a mirror and by candlelight. This method of fortune-telling is the most risky, because fortune-tellers called on evil spirits that could take their lives. But it was this fact that often attracted those who wanted to "tickle their nerves." Today, such fortune-telling is also not neglected, but they are often treated as entertainment.

Manytraditions passed from ancestors to descendants, butthe custom of drinking champagne on New Year's Eve to the chimes he came to us from Soviet times. In the early 60s, the government issued a decree according to which each family was to receive a gift for the New Year - champagne. After that, for the Russian people, the New Year became unthinkable without this frothy and sparkling drink.

For three centuries of its existenceNew Year became a favorite holiday for many. Traditions, symbols, signs and customs changed, but every yearChristmas and New Year created a truly magical and unforgettable atmosphere in families, gave people joy and hope for a brighter future.

New Year according to Russian tradition, this is a festive table with many delicious dishes. Coming 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon, who loves everything that is connected with water, the sea. I suggest you please the Dragon for a successful year -

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