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Customs and traditions of celebrating the old new year. How to celebrate the old new year What do people do on the old new year

It is one of the most ancient holidays celebrated by the countries of the post-Soviet space.

This magical day is full of traditions that have a long history, as well as a lot of different beliefs and fortune-telling.

By the way, fortune-telling on this holiday is considered the most truthful.

The Old New Year is preceded by such Slavic holiday like Melanka. It is celebrated at night from 13 to 14 January. It was on this day that kutya was cooked in Rus'.

Traditions at Melanka

The whole family should sit down at the table and enjoy dinner. At the same time, everyone should be clean and neatly dressed. If you celebrate a holiday in dirty and unironed clothes, you can invite failure.
You can not accumulate resentment on this day. After the whole family has eaten, everyone should go to the neighbors and ask for forgiveness for past mistakes. Thus, a person cleanses his soul of negativity and receives the forgiveness of others.
Happy marriage. It is believed that if on Melanka, that is, just before the Old New Year, the couple decides to get married, then these relations will be very prosperous, and the family will be strong.
In Rus', on this day, the guys decided to ask their beloved for a hand and a heart. If she agreed, happiness knew no bounds, because everyone knew that only God-chosen marriages were concluded at Melanka. If the girl refused the guy, he could try again to achieve her location on the Generous Evening.

It is believed that in order to gain good luck in the new year, on January 14, you need to be guided by a number of rules that are, in fact, magical.

What to do on the Old New Year

Feast. You can not be stingy on this magical holiday. Set the richest table full of various dishes. Kutia must be present on the table. Everyone cooks it the way they like, but it is best to add different ingredients to it to make the dish tastier. For example, it will be great if you add dried apricots, raisins, poppy seeds, prunes, honey, etc. to kutya.
Also, in addition to kutya, several meat dishes, a fish or poultry dish must be present on the table. Bake pies, stick dumplings, open your favorite jam. And most importantly: in no case do not be greedy on this holiday! If friends come to celebrate the holiday, put on the table all the best and most delicious.
Sit the sowers at the table. It is believed that if, after the sowers come to your house and perform the ceremony, they must be fed something with holiday table. This will bring good luck and happiness to the house.
The grain left over from the sowing ceremony should be given to the chickens. After they peck at the grain, they will rush much better.
In the yard you need to make a fire, over which every member of the family must jump. This is one of the most ancient customs of the Old New Year. Our ancestors believed that during the jump, all the bad energy that was in a person remains on fire. It turns out that when a person jumps over a ritual fire, he leaves in the old year all the bad things that happened to him, and in New Year it comes with good and clean energy. It is very important that all family members jump over the fire.
The father should arrange a game of hide and seek with the children. But this is no ordinary hide and seek. On the Old New Year, after the mother puts a pie on the festive table, the father must net in such a way as to hide behind it. Children, puzzled by the absence of their father, will ask their mother where did he go? To which the hidden father should answer: “Don’t you see me? May it be so that next year you will not see me!” The father hiding behind the pie symbolizes prosperity and prosperity, since the pie is so big that it is not visible behind it. And when the father says his words aloud, he calls good luck into the house.
The mother should perform the ritual with water and bread. The essence of the ritual is as follows: on the night of January 14, the mother goes to the river with a bucket. He fills it with water from the river and dips freshly baked bread into it. You need to do this three times, saying these words: "I will bathe in health and strength, just as now bread is bathed in the river." This ritual does not end there. Mom returns home with wet bread and lowers it on the heads of her sleeping children, mentally wishing them good health. Then, she must throw a coin into the bucket of water, on financial well-being. In the morning, when everyone wakes up, mom offers to wash in a bucket of water brought at night.

The Old New Year is rich in omens and superstitions that come out in many respects from these omens.

Signs-superstitions for the Old New Year

In that magical holiday you cannot say the number "13" out loud. In religion, this figure brings misfortune.
It is impossible to be petty and, even in the literal sense, that is, it is forbidden to count a trifle and even take it in hand. It is believed that if this is done on the Old New Year, then the whole next year All you have to do is count pennies.
It is forbidden to lend or borrow money. On the contrary, money should be spent on this holiday in order to lay a rich table and celebrate it as solemnly as possible. It is believed that if you borrow money on the eve of January 14, or on this day, the whole next year will only have to repay debts.
You should not take out the garbage from the house on this day. Since there is a risk that happiness can be taken out of the house along with the garbage.

Folk omens for January 14

Signs for the Old New Year are considered the most truthful:

If the night is starry, there will be a rich harvest of berries.
If the stars in the sky are bright, just wait cold winter and hot summer.
If it snowed that day, there will be a good harvest.
Hoarfrost on grass and trees a large number honey.
If the weather is dry that day, you can expect an abundance of mushrooms.
The sun rises high - the whole next year will be happy.
If you celebrate this day cheerfully and richly, then the next year will pass the same way, and vice versa.
If you put a pig's head on the festive table, it will bring material wealth.

Text: Yarmolik Ekaterina 19485

Two weeks after the night of New Year's festivities, we are again gathering at the festive table to once again congratulate each other on the holiday. But this time with the Old New Year. This is a great opportunity to realize ideas that did not come true on New Year's Eve or once again get together with the family, or maybe meet those whom we wanted, but could not see on the festive New Year's Eve. Therefore, the Old New Year is filled with special meaning. relax.by figured out what kind of holiday it is and how it can be celebrated!

Why do we celebrate Old New Year?

If someone suddenly forgot, we remind you: we celebrate the Old New Year on the night of January 13-14. Moreover, this is not a worldwide celebration; it is difficult for foreigners to understand its essence. The tradition was born in 1918. The fact is that a new chronology has begun in Russia and the celebrations have moved two weeks ahead. But the tradition of celebrating according to the old calendar has remained with the people, and, oddly enough, exists to this day. On this holiday, the inhabitants of our country, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Georgia again wish each other good luck in the new year and raise their glasses for the outgoing year.

How to conduct: 10 ideas

Unfortunately, this is not a red day of the calendar. You will most likely spend the whole day of January 13 in business and worries. But this is no reason not to have fun in the evening. Arrange a holiday for yourself and spend it the way you could not celebrate the New Year. A sort of second take for December 31st.

1. Warm circle of friends. Invite someone who was not there (but would like to see nearby) on New Year's Eve. For example, a friend who lives in another city.

2. Arrange a grand family feast.
After all, the New Year family celebration. But everyone, as a rule, has their own plans that night. And few people plan personal affairs for the Old New Year. Take advantage of this and invite all relatives - this is not about parents (this goes without saying). Send out invitations to aunts, uncles, sisters and their soul mates. Moreover, you have not seen each other for a long time (the last time at the wedding of relatives, probably).

3. Visit your hometown.
Even if you live in it. Discover the city at night, because you can celebrate the Old New Year under starry sky! Wander through the familiar streets, dance crazy dances to the New Year's rhythms in the square along with a crowd of people. And then make a snowman with a carrot nose in the yard of the house. And if you live in another city, then be sure to go home. We think your family will be very pleased to see you.

4. Arrange a romantic evening.
On New Year's Eve, did you manage to stay alone with your loved one? You have a chance to fix it. Arrange. Only there are no herrings under a fur coat and Olivier. Order sushi or prepare your signature dish and light candles. And closer to 12.00 take a bath together, congratulate each other and drink a glass of champagne.

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5. In the best restaurant traditions…
Many city establishments, cafes and restaurants offer a special program and menu on this holiday. Even if you don’t find a suitable place, go to your favorite restaurant or book a table where you have long wanted to visit, but somehow it didn’t work out.

6. In winter: on the rink
By this time . Choose a location closest to home. It's great if you go to the skating rink with a large company, but it will be fun as a couple, and even alone. And after that, at home or in a cozy cafe, warm yourself and your friends with warm mulled wine.

7. Ski complex
Have you ever wanted to go skiing or snowboarding? Or fly down a hill on a tubing? will help you make this happen. If time and opportunities allow, go out of town: to Silichi, Lagoisk or to the Yakutsk mountains in Dzerzhinsk. Well, if in the city you can visit the Solnechnaya Dolina active recreation park, located in Kurasovshchina.

8. Exotic countries or "Happy New Year!" under the sound of the surf
This is an option for those who have a couple of days off in stock, and the wallet is not completely empty after the holidays. Old New Year in Turkey, Egypt or the Emirates will certainly be remembered.

9. Theme party or carnival!
The main thing is to warn guests about the dress code. This evening, without masks and costumes, entry is strictly prohibited. It could be a Venetian ball or a Disney theme. And by the way, the party may not necessarily be noisy, because you can arrange a family carnival or invite friends along with the children.

10. Fortune telling: on coffee grounds and not only ...
Perhaps the most mysterious idea. Guessing is only necessary after dark. One of the most popular divination is on wax. It is dripped into the water and the figures formed from the drops determine the future. Sometimes it takes a little imagination to get to know him.

They say that in order to find out the name of the future groom, you need to go out into the street that evening and ask the name of the first person you meet.

And there is also a funny fortune-telling on the dumplings prepared by oneself. In certain dumplings they put not a tasty filling, but a predictive one. Peppercorns, coins or beans serve as messengers.

Beans, for example, promise wealth, sugar - a sweet life, a button - a new thing, a coin, respectively, money, Bay leaf- glory.

Celebrate the Old New Year fun and in a big way.

On the night of January 13-14, the Old New Year begins - a unique holiday that arose after a change in the chronology. Its celebration began in 1918, when the Gregorian calendar was introduced instead of the Julian calendar.

The Old New Year is a rare historical phenomenon, an additional holiday that resulted from a change in the chronology. Due to this discrepancy in calendars, we celebrate two "New Years" - according to the old and new styles.

Despite the fact that the Old New Year is not official holiday, many love and honor this day. For many believers, it is the Old New Year that is more bright holiday than the usual New Year, since lush feasts are allowed only after the end.

How the Old New Year is celebrated ^

This holiday is also called the “rich” or generous Vasiliev evening. Why generous? It was supposed to generously set the table that evening and treat everyone who entered the house. From time immemorial, traditionally on the days of the Old New Year, Malanka Day (January 13) and St. Basil's Day (January 14) were also celebrated. These holidays were always accompanied by festivities, dressing up and divination.

Old New Year: customs

The generous evening of January 13th is very similar to the Christmas Eve. The Old New Year is celebrated by laying a rich table, but the dishes here are no longer lean, but: sausages, meat, lard, pies, dumplings, pancakes and much more.

What should be on the table

On January 14, two holidays are celebrated at once, the Old New Year or Generous Evening, and the day of St. Basil the Great. Basil the Great was the patron saint of swineherds and, in ancient times, a pig's head was baked to honor the saint. She was placed in the middle of the festive table. Guests should also come to the house not empty-handed, but bring any pork dish with them. And today, as a gift to the owners, for good luck, it is customary to give small toy pigs.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the main dish of the Generous Evening has been suckling pig in its own juice. This is due to the fact that it is the pig that symbolizes wealth in the coming year. A cooked pig for the Old New Year symbolized a good harvest, fertile land and great success in raising livestock in the following year.

They also put a rooster or a hare on the table. In addition to meat dishes, pies with cottage cheese or jam were baked as treats. According to folk beliefs The richer the festive table is, the more generous and successful the coming year will come in terms of wealth.

The whole family should gather at the festive dinner, ask each other for forgiveness and wish happiness and prosperity in the new year.
The hostess always cooked kutya (or kutya). Various dressings were added to wheat, rice or cereals - salty: meat, lard, vegetables or sweet: honey, poppy seeds, fruits, raisins and much more.

Dumplings occupied a special place on the festive table. They were made with various fillings. Also, many housewives arranged an impromptu fortune-telling for guests: depending on what filling a dumpling comes across, it will certainly happen to a person next year:

If you come across raisins, then the guest will be tempted,
Grain is wealth
Cherry - good luck
Bay leaf - success in work,
Red pepper - sadness
Meat - well-being
Honey - health,
Cheese is a win.

What not to do on St. Basil's Day

A week before the Old New Year, it was impossible to dress up in new clothes, this could only be done on the holiday itself.
On this day, you can’t say congratulations with a negative particle “not” - this can frighten away desire and good luck.
Also, you can’t celebrate this holiday exclusively in a female company - this way you can bring on an unlucky year.
On the festive table there should not be crayfish and other creatures that move back, because you can transfer past problems to the New Year.
Also on this day, it is strictly forbidden to clean, because you can take good luck and happiness out of the house.

Generosity ^

On the evening of January 13, they are generous - for such a ceremony, you will need grain, because it symbolizes wealth, a good harvest and good health. The main thing with generosity is to sincerely wish people happiness, kindness, health and good luck in the coming year.

In order to make good wishes sound more festive and cheerful, it is customary to pronounce them in the form of short poems and songs, which are called Shchedrovkas. On Generous Evening, it is customary to visit your close friends, relatives and neighbors. It was considered to strengthen relations and happy life with loved ones in peace and harmony.

Among the main rituals for the Old New Year, one cannot fail to note the driving of the Malanka goat.
From evening until nightfall, companies of generous people went from house to house, sang ritual songs, danced and joked. The company was accompanied by the goat Malanka, which was most often dressed up by young guys.
On the morning of January 14, "didukhs" are fired - pre-prepared sheaves that stood in the house on the red corner on the Generous Evening.
This rite for the Old New Year did not end with just burning straw: in order to cleanse themselves of all the troubles and troubles accumulated over the past year, people jumped over the fire.

Seeding ^

On the morning of January 14, it is customary to sow. According to this ritual, on the Old New Year, boys and young guys fill their mittens with grain and sow first in their house, then in houses godparents, relatives and neighbors.

The sowers had to not only enter the house and scatter grain, but with the help of special poems and songs, wish the owners a generous harvest, wealth and health. It is believed that if the sower does not cope well with the wishes, he can be driven out with a broom, as such people take away good luck and prosperity in the house.

How to sow

Prepare the grain in advance - the more varied it is, the better. The most commonly used wheat, rye and barley.
It is impossible to sow with bare hands; according to tradition, sowers must be in warm gloves.
The sower enters the house with two bags: one for grain, the other for treats.
Sowers should cheerfully and sincerely congratulate the owners with short songs: “I sow, I sow, I sow ...”
The sooner the first sower arrives, the more happiness and good luck he will bring to the house.
Only children and young children go to sow, as their thoughts are purer, and their wishes are more often fulfilled. It was considered a bad omen to let a girl into the house on New Year's morning.
The grain that the sowers have scattered cannot be harvested before sunset, so as not to sweep wealth and health out of the house. Then it is collected and stored until next year. In the spring in the villages, it is mixed with grain, which will be used for sowing.
Few people know that in no case should the sowers be given money, so as not to sit all year without finances. For their generous wishes, you need to thank with sweets and treats.
The remuneration received for sowing is supposed to be kept not in full, but to give some of it to the church.

Folk signs and beliefs ^

Like any other folk holiday, the old New Year is surrounded by many signs and beliefs. And if you remember that it falls just in the middle of Christmas time, it becomes clear why this date is considered one of the best for divination and all kinds of predictions of the future.

An important sign after the onset of the Old New Year is considered to be the first to enter the house. People say that on January 14, a man must be the first to cross the threshold of the house - this will give the family well-being and success in all undertakings of the coming year.
To attract a rich harvest, it is customary on the morning of January 14 to shake off snow from shrubs and trees. If the winter turned out to be not snowy, it doesn’t matter, you can just shake the branches.
Beekeepers noticed: if in the morning on the old New Year there is frozen frost on the branches, then you can be sure that in the coming year there will be very tasty honey.
In no case should you clean the house and take out the garbage on the Old New Year, because along with the garbage you can “take out” success and even health from the house.
On Vasily's Day, they often boiled buckwheat porridge and observed: if it turned out tasty and crumbly, the year will be happy and the dish is eaten without a trace. When the porridge burnt, came out liquid or “ran away” - this is a sign of misfortune and misfortune. An unsuccessful dish is thrown away and not even fed to animals or birds.
On Vasily, there should be a good cash reserve in the house. But on this day they don’t give a loan, so as not to give away their wealth.
It was believed that if the wind blows from the south at night, then the next year will be prosperous and warm, if from the west, an abundance of milk and fish should be expected, but if from the east, then there will be a good harvest of fruits in the year.
People said about the night: "Vasil's night is starry - to the harvest of berries." In order for the harvest to be successful in general, branches of fruit trees were shaken in the morning.
Until the evening of January 13, the holiday tree should be removed from the house and all debts should be distributed so as not to be indebted all year.

Fortune telling for the old new year: how to attract a betrothed ^

The night from January 13 to 14 is magical and magical, so fortune-telling was an integral part of the celebration. In the midst of Christmas time, on the eighth day St. Basil is celebrated. The people said about this day: “The red girl under Vasily will make a wish for the Old New Year - everything will come true, and what will come true will not be avoided!”

How to find out your future and betrothed? Divination for love for the old new year (Christmas time) is a special time. It is believed that it is at this time (on the night of January 13-14) that you can get the most accurate and detailed forecasts about your future. To create a mysterious, magical atmosphere, the girls gathered in a dark room, which was lit with candles and divined using Christmas attributes for divination on the Old New Year Generous evening on January 13th.

Divination on the ring, bread and hook

Three items - a hook, a ring and bread - are placed in a bowl with pieces of white bread, coal, stones and other small things. The bowl is covered with a towel, then the girls take turns pulling the first thing out of the bowl that fell into their hand (each time before the next girl the thing is returned to the bowl):

If a piece of bread hit - the hubby will be rich,
She pulled out a ring - the handsome man will get it,
The key is not for good: the poor or the wretched.

Ancient divination on sticks

Take three sticks - red, white, blue - put in a box.

For the first time you can see how rich will be future husband. The red wand means the rich, the white wand means the middle peasant, the blue wand means the poor.
The second time you can see the appearance: red - handsome, white - handsome, blue - unattractive.

Fortune telling on January 13 by dogs

A dog is let into the room where the fortune-teller sits alone. The fate of the girl is judged by the behavior of the dog:

If the dog runs up to her right away, the girl will be happy in marriage,
He will first smell the floor - the husband will be angry and stern, and married life won't work out
If the dog begins to immediately caress, wag his tail - the hubby will get affectionate.

Fortune telling by apples (for suitors)

This is a very interesting divination for the Christmas season: you need to take as many apples as you have potential suitors, and scrawl his initials on each bottom:

Then the fortuneteller should go into a dark room with apples and, slowly biting off a piece from each, determine the sweetest taste.
The eponymous contender for the hand and heart will become the groom!

Divination with thread burning (for marriage)

It consists in the fact that the girls cut the threads of the same length and set them on fire.

Whoever burns out the thread ahead will be the first to marry.
If the thread went out immediately, and less than half burned out, then you will not get married.

Fortune telling by comb and soap (for the betrothed)

Before you go to bed, place a comb and soap by your headboard. Do not comb your hair and do not wash your face at night.

Say the cherished words: "betrothed-mummer, wash, comb me."
These words must be pronounced three times.
In a dream, you should see your betrothed. It is believed that when you wake up in the morning, you will find yourself washed and combed.

Fortune telling by headdress (for the "second half")

Take a hat, a piece of bread and a piece of wood and put all three things into an empty clean pot. Then, closing or blindfolding, go to the pot and take the first thing that comes across:

If this is a headdress - get married (marry),
Bread - stay unmarried (single),
A piece of wood - you will be seriously ill.

Fortune telling on a towel (for a betrothed)

Hang a towel outside the window for the night, while saying: "narrowed, mummers, come to me and dry yourself."

If the towel is wet in the morning, then soon you will find your “half”.
A dry towel indicates that everything will remain the same, unchanged.

Divination by shoe

Traditional fortune-telling, in which the girls threw any piece of shoes on the road:

The toe of a shoe that fell to the ground showed which way the girl would marry.
If the shoe turned toe towards the house, the virgin will not see a crown this year.

Divination in conversations

The girls walked around the village, where a conversation was heard, approached the hut and listened - what they say will come true:

If they laughed in the house, then it could be assumed that the husband would be a real merry fellow;
If a lot of alcohol was drunk in the dwelling, then one could fear that the future chosen one would be a drunkard;
If they quarreled among themselves, then it was customary to believe that the husband would be very angry and strict.

Ancient divination by books

To do this, the girls chose a book with various works, or poetry, and gave this book into the hands of a friend or sister, so that she opened the book and read aloud the answer to the question asked.

The girl had to ask a question that worried her, to which one could get a detailed answer.
Then it was necessary to name an arbitrarily chosen page number and the serial number of the line, which would contain the answer to the question of interest.

Divination on bulbs

The girls should gather in a company, choose one bulb in the basement, “plant” them in a cup of water with the roots down and wait.
Whose bulb sprouts faster, that girl will be the first to marry.

Wooing

Among the ancient customs for the Old New Year, it is worth highlighting the matchmaking.

Only on January 13, those young guys who had previously received a "garbuza" from their beloved girl could try again and send matchmakers to the girl's house again.
You can marry Malanka for the first time, because it is believed that if you agree to marriage on a Generous Evening, then the life of a young couple will be generous and joyful.

What dates our history does not contain! The Old New Year holiday is not in any calendar of the world, but for almost a century it has been celebrated in our country and in some states of near and far abroad. Almost two weeks after the first of January, the fun at the Christmas tree is back. The current dual tradition is very surprising to foreigners, and not all of our compatriots know why this is happening. Where did the custom of celebrating the Old New Year come from? What date is it marked? We will understand in our article all the mysteries of the appearance of this amazing holiday.

Change of chronology

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the Julian calendar operated in Russia. Back in the sixteenth century, astronomers recognized it as erroneous, and the countries of Europe began to live according to the Gregorian, introduced by Gregory XIII. The thing is that the year has a different average duration, and therefore a difference in dates gradually arose.

By 1917 there was a discrepancy of as much as thirteen days in Russia and Europe. Having come to power, the Bolsheviks carried out numerous changes and reforms, including the issue of bringing time into one format with the European one. The decree on the transition of Russia to Russia issued by Vladimir Lenin in 1918 eliminated the confusion in numbers, and the whole world began to live according to one chronology.

Such is the history of the holiday. Old New Year, as we see, arose due to a change in the calendar. Instead of moving the event from one date to another, in the current historical situation, there is another reason for celebration. Now we have two opportunities to meet the coming year, you can do it in the old and new style.

Origins - in church traditions

The Julian calendar has been preserved in the Russian Orthodox Church, which to this day calculates everything only according to it. Keeping the traditional time, the so-called " old style”, the Russian Church rejects the European chronology. Since the worldly new year falls on January 14, the Old New Year can be called the New Year in the old style. This day before the revolution was considered the first day of January. Historically, our ancestors, having switched to a new calendar, did not depart from the previous one. This is the secret of two new year holidays in our country and some neighboring states.

Is it possible to have a feast during Lent?

For Orthodox people, this January 1 falls on the time of the strict Christmas fast. During this period, believers refuse meat, fast food and entertainment. These prohibitions are ending only therefore, on January 14, the Old New Year becomes a truly special day when you can enjoy life and enjoy the holiday. In European countries Catholic Christmas is celebrated on December 25, so the New Year's table can be safely covered with any dishes.

Second chance, or to be continued...

Surprisingly, since 1918, traditionally and annually, people celebrate the Old New Year. What date to celebrate this holiday, today even children know.

What is the secret of the popularity of the holiday, it is definitely difficult to answer. For some, this is the Orthodox New Year, for others it is an occasion to gather the whole family at the table, for others it is an opportunity to complete what they did not have time to do before January 1.

The pre-New Year fuss and hype has subsided, there is no more running around the shops in search of gifts and products, and a person has a unique chance to prolong the charm of the holiday. If you met the chiming clock on December 31 with your family, then this time you can have a party with friends, or vice versa. If, setting the table at the end of last year, you prepared a traditional Olivier salad and herring under a fur coat, then on this day you can experiment with new dishes.

What to do on the Old New Year?

It's no secret that television has become an integral part of our lives. TV programs, programs and films are watched by the whole country. Specially prepared for new year's eve, some shows may be of interest. If you missed a holiday movie or program last time because of a trip to the Christmas tree or a noisy feast, then you should not be upset: television people, perfectly understanding this moment, usually repeat their program on the evening of January 13. Each family can come up with their own traditions for celebrating the Old New Year.

Carol came - open the gate

Mid-January is Yuletide time. They begin on Christmas Eve and last for two weeks, until Epiphany. Being in the middle, the holiday divides Christmas time into two halves. The first week was called "Holy Evenings". This time is dedicated to the birth of Christ. But the second week was called "terrible evenings." Ancestors believed that these days walking devilry. People turned to fortune-telling, remembered different rituals. On the Old New Year, on Christmas Eve and on the eve of Epiphany, it was customary to carol.

This folk action was something like a fun carnival. Youth and children dressed up in various costumes, masks and walked through the village. Stopping at each house, they sang special songs. Moreover, they were performed both on Christmas and on Epiphany, and not only on the Old New Year.

The history of the origin of the word "kolyada" is associated with the Latin term calendae, which translates as "the first day of the month." The semantic meaning has gradually changed, and now it means funny songs that mummers sing under the windows of houses, while collecting alms - treats.

The sheepskin coat - inside out, the bag - in the hands, and let's go around the yards!

For this fun, young people usually gathered in a whole group. A “mekhonosha” was necessarily appointed, who was responsible for a large basket or bag, where the treats brought by generous hosts were stored. Most often dressed up in animals, for example, a bear, a wolf or a goat. They also dressed up with all sorts of evil spirits, for example, the devil or Baba Yaga. At the same time, complex costumes were not required, the reincarnation took place literally due to improvised materials. The sheepskin coat was turned inside out and tied with a simple rope, the face was smeared with soot, coal or sprinkled with flour.

To treat the caroler - to live with dignity for a year: signs for the Old New Year

The carolers praised the hosts, their generosity, house, livestock and yard, congratulated them on the holiday, wished them health, wealth, a bountiful harvest, and for this the hosts presented them with pies, pancakes and other goodies. Such treats were prepared in advance and in large quantities. Ignoring the carolers was considered by those owners who regretted the treats, the mummers not only sang ditties ridiculing greed, but could also do mischief by bringing down a pile of firewood, tying the doors with a resin rope, or in other ways. It happened that a merry procession forgot to go into a house, accidentally skipping it. Such an incident was considered a harbinger of something bad. In the dwellings, which during the year were visited by a disaster that claimed someone's life, the carolers did not enter at all.

Protection from dark forces

Naturally, such dressing up in all sorts of evil spirits was not welcomed by the Church and was considered a diabolical undertaking. Therefore, at the end of Christmas time, carolers washed themselves with holy water and hurried to pray for sin in the temple of God. Since ancient times, people have tried in every possible way to protect themselves and their home from various troubles, for this there were special conspiracies. On the Old New Year, for example, it was supposed to take 3 lit candles to protect against the evil eye, damage and misfortunes and read the following words near the entrance to the house: “Happiness is in the house, all troubles are out! Whoever thinks evil, he will return three times. Whoever wants to jinx it, trouble will find it. And the Lord will protect this house, Saint Basil will look after it. Amen". These conspiracies for the Old New Year were repeated not only at the doorstep, but also at every window in the house. In the old days, people adhered to such rituals very strictly.

Folk omens for the Old New Year

As you know, there are events that contain unusual days and associated with them. The history of the holiday is also noted in it. Old New Year is celebrated on January 14 and is called by folk calendar- Vasiliev day. People noticed that if the weather was frosty and with little snow, then this promised a bountiful harvest. The thaw on this day was perceived as a harbinger of a cold and lean summer. There were other signs as well. On the Old New Year, a blizzard broke out - nuts will be born.

"Avsen, avsen, you walked all over..."

Vasily's Day was a holiday of agriculture, in connection with this he met merrily: calendar songs were sung, round dances were performed, people started dancing. Traditional rituals were also used. On the Old New Year, sowing was carried out, wheat grain was scattered in the house. They also prayed that she would be born this summer.

The holy martyr Basil was considered the patron of not only agriculture, but also pig breeding, whose day was celebrated on the Old New Year. The story goes that the owners prepared meat dishes, pies, pork jelly. It was believed that this would bring health and happiness to all households. In addition, it was necessary to treat guests with meat, so that night people went to each other - and congratulate, and taste goodies.

What kind of porridge you make, so you will spend a year

One more interesting tradition preserved the history of the holiday. Old New Year was a day of predictions. At night, elderly members of the family, a man and a woman, prepared ritual porridge. First, they waited until the oven heated up, and then they poured water over the cereal and put the pot in the oven overnight. By the way the porridge turned out, they determined what the coming year would be like. A whole pot and fragrant and crumbly porridge foreshadowed a happy future and a good harvest. Such a dish was eaten in the morning. If the cereal was out of the pot, running over the edge, or the vessel itself cracked, poverty and a lean year awaited the owners. In this case, the ritual porridge was not eaten, but immediately thrown away.

Even in ancient times, people said: "As you meet the year, so you will spend it." This statement, which has come down to our days, calls us to set a plentiful table with treats and dishes on a holiday and have fun, inviting wealth, prosperity and health to our home.

Forgiveness, ask your neighbors for it too.

Walking this night should be long and fun. Ride down the slides, dance, sing loudly, eat a lot, dance in circles, congratulate everyone you meet on your way. You can arrange all kinds funny contests, in general, have fun to the fullest, this day is made for fun.

You can conduct various fortune-telling, this is also welcome.

Having fun and walking, do not forget that according to the new style, January 13 and 14 are not considered days off, and you will have to go to work in the morning.

Ancient traditions of celebrating the New Year

Meanwhile, those people who want not just to drink and eat, prolonging the pleasure of the New Year holidays, should know how the ancestors celebrated the New Year, but perhaps implement something this year.

A long time ago there was a tradition to cook dumplings with a surprise for the New Year. On the last day of the old year, the housewives sculpted dumplings, in which they put "surprises". Thus, the guests of the house could find a candy, a coin or something similar. If you decide to surprise your guests in the same way during the celebration of the old New Year, then make sure that "surprises" do not harm their health. In addition, one more tradition with dumplings adjoins: baking a festive cake. When making it, the hostess puts a clove of garlic in the dough. Whoever gets it, for that year will be especially successful.

Currently, the food industry produces such dumplings, calling them fortune-telling, because the filling can be good wishes. Do not forget that the old New Year falls on the time of Christmas time, and these days it has been customary to guess since ancient times.

Caroling is an old Russian tradition. It is more common to carol at Christmas, but the same tradition has also taken root for the New Year's celebration.

The holiday of the old New Year is an opportunity to have fun again, only without the usual New Year's fuss. And if you treat the holiday creatively, you can create a festive atmosphere for yourself and your friends.

Advice 7: How to surprise guests for the Old New Year: the recipe for "Generous" kutya

From the evening of January 13 to the morning of the 14th, they celebrate the Old New Year, which is also called Generous Evening. The composition of the menu for the festive table should be truly rich and satisfying. And it was called Generous because the kutya prepared on this day, unlike the “Christmas”, can be seasoned generously: with butter, cream or milk.

A bit of history

On the eve of the Old New Year, it is customary to cook the so-called "Generous" kutya. This ritual porridge, which in pagan times was a memorial dish of the Slavs, and after the adoption of Christianity, became an indispensable attribute of Christmas holidays. In addition to the "Generous" kutya, there are also "Hungry" and "Christmas". The basis of kutya is cereals (millet or rice).

The most important place in the festive meal for the Old New Year is given to kutya. It must contain many ingredients. On this holiday, it is customary to boil rice porridge in milk to make it more generous. Also, fruits, honey, dried fruits, cognac are added to it. Despite its simplicity, this dish is very tasty! It will bring a touch of ancient Russian tradition to your festive dinner.

Ingredients

The main ingredients of kutya have a symbolic meaning. So, grain symbolizes the resurrected life, honey - health and a prosperous life, poppy seeds and nuts - prosperity in the family and fertility. And the tastier kutya you cook, the higher the wealth will be in your family.

Rice round - 200 grams;
poppy - 50 grams;
dried fruits - 200 grams;
different nuts - 150 grams;
tangerines - 2 pieces;
canned pineapple - 2 slices
granulated sugar - 1 tbsp.

Cooking

Boil rice.
Boil the poppy seeds over low heat in proportion with water 1: 1 (the water should almost boil away).
Pour dried fruits (figs, dates, dried apricots, bananas, kiwi, cherries, candied fruits, etc.) with boiling water.
Crush nuts (hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts) into fairly large pieces.
Slices of mandarin cut into pieces + pieces of canned pineapple.
Mix boiled poppy seeds with water in which dried fruits were soaked, add sugar and pass through a meat grinder or combine. Mix all ingredients with rice.

Kutya must be eaten by all family members so that they do not get sick.