Message on the theme of New Year. Traditions of celebrating the New Year in Russia

The history of the New Year is distinguished by many ancient Russian traditions combined with borrowed customs and rituals from other countries. It is known that the holiday dates back to ancient times.

The incredible interweaving of ancient Slavic, European, Asian and Christian traditions makes this holiday truly unique. How did it originate? New Year and what interesting facts lie behind its origins?

13 facts about the New Year holiday

1. New Year of the ancient Slavs. The ancient Slavs celebrated the arrival of the New Year in the spring. In March, the awakening of nature began, a new period of life for plants and animals. It is believed that New Year among the ancient Slavs- This Maslenitsa, and it is after the farewell to winter that the New Year comes. According to other sources, the main winter holiday of ancestors is considered Kolyada. The winter solstice holiday was celebrated in late December - early January. The echoes and customs of this holiday have merged with the modern New Year. It was from those times that fortune telling began, the tradition of decorating one’s home and treating mummers. There is also a mention of an ancient winter holiday called Avsen. It was celebrated at the same time. According to legend, the ritual character Avsen lit the sun wheel, which symbolized the beginning of a new life.
2. New Year after the baptism of Rus'. With the adoption of Christianity, the New Year is celebrated March 1. A new chronology appears - the Julian calendar, according to which the year was divided into months and given names. Before the adoption of Christianity and chronology from the creation of the world, counting was carried out by seasons. For several centuries in a row, March 1 was considered the beginning of the year. This was the case until 1492, when John III did not issue a decree - since then New Year began to be celebrated on September 1. The celebrations were solemn: a magnificent celebration was held in Moscow every year, a cannon shot sounded at midnight, and church bells rang. Despite the fact that the holiday was celebrated in the fall, it is quite similar to the modern New Year.
3. New Year twice a year. So, New Year was celebrated on September 1 from 1492 to 1699. In 1700, Peter I issued a decree according to which the New Year celebration was to take place on January 1. Many people did not like this decision - the winter New Year was not accepted by the people for a long time. People had to be literally forced to have fun and celebrate the holiday. Thanks to the tough character of Peter and the ingenuity of Elizabeth I, who organized lavish celebrations and masquerade balls, the tradition nevertheless took root. However, for many years the holiday was celebrated 2 times: according to the old custom - in September, and in winter - as prescribed by decree of the Emperor. Many generations passed before the autumn New Year was finally abandoned.
4. New Year traditions until the 20th century. During the reign of Peter The symbol of the New Year was birch or spruce branches. New Year's toys were also absent - they came to us much later, in the 19th century. Instead, apples, nuts, eggs and sweets served as decorations, that is, everything edible that could be found in the house, having a round shape. The tradition of drinking champagne also came a little later, after the defeat of Napoleon. Since then, drinking French champagne has been a New Year's tradition. By the 19th century, the New Year became the most beloved and long-awaited holiday. Residents all over the country organize lavish balls and mass feasts, and roast pigs and radishes are invariably present on the festive table.
5. Soviet ban: New Year without a Christmas tree. According to scientists, decorating the Christmas tree began in the 16th century in Germany - this is where the tradition began throughout Europe. In Russia, this custom was introduced by Peter I, but the ritual became widespread only in the 19th century. With the coming to power of the Soviet government, it was forbidden to celebrate Christmas and decorate the Christmas tree. In the planned fight against religion and Orthodox holidays the New Year tree was called a “priestly” custom. The ban was lifted 17 years later, in 1935. And since 1947, January 1 was officially considered a holiday. During Soviet times, there was also a new custom that has survived to this day - Olivier salad. It was invented to replace the missing French ingredient with boiled sausage. During the same period, Father Frost and Snegurochka, two favorite folk characters, appeared.
   
6. How the old New Year appeared. The history of this holiday takes its toll started in 1918, when the Soviet government decided to keep up with progressive countries by issuing a decree on a new calendar - instead of the Julian Gregorian calendar became official. Since the 20th century, the difference between the two calendars is 13 days. Due to the refusal of the Russian Orthodox Church accept the new calendar, 2 holidays appeared: New Year and old New Year. According to the Gregorian calendar, January 14 corresponds to January 1 of the Julian calendar. Thus, Russians celebrate the New Year together with the rest of the world, without denying themselves church holiday. The name Old New Year is the result of the fact that it appeared before the modern one.
7. Christian Church: irreconcilable contradictions. For Christian believers, celebrating the New Year according to Russian canons is problematic. Adhering to a strict 40-day fast, which lasts until Christmas, that is, until January 7, there is no way to feast at the festive table. According to religious rules, on January 1 you need to give up animal products, alcohol and fun. It turns out that the traditional New Year, which has been celebrated in Russia for more than 300 years, contradicts Orthodox traditions. Unlike the Orthodox, Catholic Church celebrates Christmas on December 25, so Catholics celebrate the New Year without breaking fast.
8. As you meet, so will you spend. IN Ancient Rus' On January 1, Vasiliev's Day was just passing, which can be considered the New Year of our ancestors. All the best was always placed on the festive table, and it was always decorated with roasted piglets in honor of Vasily, the patron saint of swineherds. The celebrants wore only new clothes, not worn, and drank vodka, beer, and mead. According to ancient belief, all a year will pass the way you meet him, so you have to try, not sparing your belly. How could it be otherwise, because the whole year is at stake! You need to work hard at the table to make the year go well, so... celebrating the New Year for 14 days is ancient tradition, not a whim. Russians know that they need to celebrate the holiday according to ancient traditions, the modern way of life, and at the same time not to forget about the church.
9. Source of fun: crackers, sparklers and fireworks. Tradition is fun and bright celebrating the New Year with the help of firecrackers and fireworks came to us from Ancient China. Residents of China celebrate the New Year on a grand scale - gunshots and claps thunder throughout the whole day. But if for Russians this is simple fun, then Asian countries believe that they drive out evil spirits in this way. According to legend, evil spirits are looking for shelter at this time, and if you don’t scare them off properly, they will settle in the house and cause many different troubles to the owners. Despite the fact that we do not use firecrackers and firecrackers on such a large scale, hardly any holiday today is complete without this ritual. Bengal lights also come from Asia, more precisely from Indian Bengal. The history of their appearance is unknown, which does not prevent you from lighting a bright sparkling fire at your favorite holiday.
10. Snowmen and snow women. Another ancient Slavic tradition that has survived to this day is the sculpting of a snowman and a snow woman. In the old days, residents believed that winter would not be too harsh if they made a snow woman on the day of the winter solstice. And the snowman was considered the spirit of winter, from whom you can ask for help. With the help of a broom in their hands, snowmen could fly to the sky - it was there that they commanded snow and fog, which is why solemn rituals were organized in honor of the heavenly inhabitants.
11. The story of Santa Claus. The first mentions of Santa Claus are found among the ancient Slavs: the winter spirit Morok, aka Morozko, sent severe frost and cold, and covered rivers with ice. Unlike the modern Grandfather, who himself gives gifts, his ancestor, on the contrary, received gifts. Pancakes, jelly and other treats were placed on the windows of the stern spirit to appease it. The first mention in literature about Santa Claus is found in Odoevsky’s “Tales of Grandfather Iriney” in 1840.
12. Father Frost's birthday. Writing a letter to Santa Claus before the New Year is an important ritual for every child. The absence of a birthday for a favorite character was very upsetting for children, so they came up with a date for Santa Claus when they could congratulate him on his birthday. Since 2005, children have celebrated this holiday on November 18 - this date was invented by the children themselves. The day was not chosen by chance. The birthplace of the birthday boy is Veliky Ustyug. In mid-November, cold weather comes to this region and the rivers become covered with ice. True, the exact age of Santa Claus is unknown - it is believed that he is more than 2000 years old. Both local children and tourists can congratulate their favorite character. For these purposes it is specially opened Mailbox. We love Santa Claus so much that our employees Pension Fund awarded him the title “Veteran of Fabulous Labor”.
    
13. Snow Maiden. At the Snow Maiden's, like Santa Claus, I have a birthday that falls on April 5th. The Snow Maiden's homeland – the village of Shchelykovo, in the house-museum of the writer A. N. Ostrovsky, who created this fairy-tale character by writing the play of the same name. According to Ostrovsky's play, the Snow Maiden was Father Frost's daughter. IN Soviet times, when the Kremlin Christmas trees were held, according to the scripts of popular New Year's plays, the Snow Maiden and Father Frost are each other's granddaughter and grandfather. The Snow Maiden became widespread as an integral part of the New Year in the 50s of the 20th century.

New Year is one of the most long-awaited and... magical holidays. His amazing story speaks of the great love of our ancestors for this holiday, which has reached us hundreds of years later.

Celebrating the New Year began in the distant past. In ancient times, this event was celebrated in the spring, when field work began.

The history of the creation of the New Year

Scientists believe that the celebration began around 3000 BC, and this happened for the first time in Mesopotamia. In ancient times, people believed that at this time the god Madruk defeated the forces of death and destruction. And so, for several months, people in Mesopotamia rejoiced at the victory of light over darkness. They organized processions, carnivals and masquerades. At this time it was impossible to work, conduct trials and punish.

IN different countries and at various times the New Year was celebrated in March, September, and December. But then the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar decided to move New Year's celebration on January 1st. In Rome, sacrifices to the god Janus took place on this day. Since the beginning of the new year, a favorable time has come for any major undertakings.

After Christianity was introduced in Rus', the New Year here began either in March or on Easter. Then, by decree of the Moscow Council in 1492, the celebration of the New Year was approved in the fall, on September 1, when it was necessary to collect tribute, duties and various quitrents from people. To add solemnity to this day, the day before the Tsar himself appeared in the Kremlin, and every person, even commoners, could turn to the Tsar for truth and mercy.

New Year's Eve story

The history of the appearance and celebration of the New Year in winter dates back to 1699, when the king issued a decree to celebrate the New Year on January 1, at the same time as Europe. According to this decree, Peter I ordered all residents of Rus' to decorate their houses and streets with coniferous branches. Everyone had to congratulate friends and relatives on the upcoming holiday. Peter I himself went out to Red Square at midnight and launched a rocket for the first time. All over Moscow, guns began to fire, and the sky was painted with never-before-seen fireworks. So the New Year holiday entered the Russian calendar on January 1, 1700. Symbols of the New Year appeared: a Christmas tree decorated with various toys and garlands, good Santa Claus bringing gifts in his bag.

Old New Year - the history of the holiday

In Russian-speaking countries, there is another holiday, incomprehensible to foreigners: the old New Year, which we celebrate from January 13 to 14. This tradition appeared after the October Socialist Revolution. According to Lenin's decree, Russia switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1918. This calendar was already ahead of the Julian calendar by 13 days by that time. However, the Orthodox Church did not accept such a transition, declaring that it would continue to use the Julian calendar. Since then, January 7 has been celebrated. But many Russians at that time were unclear when to celebrate the New Year. In addition, January 1 marks the strictest week of church fasting. It was then that the tradition arose to celebrate the old new year according to the Julian chronology.

History of the New Year in the USSR

In Tsarist Russia, January 1 was a non-working day back in 1897. After the arrival of Soviet power The New Year has become a family one, unofficial holiday, and January 1 is a regular working day. In the mid-thirties of the last century, the New Year became one of the official holidays, however, on January 1, people, as before, regularly went to work. And only since 1948, the holiday of January 1 became a day off. The current New Year's traditions appeared in the post-war period.

Range Christmas decorations, compared to today's balls, was more diverse: astronauts, figures of animals and birds, vegetables and fruits. On the New Year's table in every home there had to be traditional Olivier and mimosa, herring under a fur coat.

New Year is the most wonderful and favorite holiday for each of us. How did the tradition of its celebration begin and how is it celebrated in different countries? We want to talk about all this in our article.

history of the holiday

The history of the New Year goes back to ancient times. This holiday is now celebrated by people according to the modern calendar. This happens at the moment of leaving last day year and the beginning of the first day of the new year. An interesting fact is that the custom of celebrating the New Year was already in the 3rd millennium BC in Ancient Mesopotamia. The date of the first New Year was set by Julius Caesar. It was he who chose the day from which all other days were counted. The event took place in 46 BC. e. This date was the first day of January. By the way, the month of January got its name in honor of the god Janus.

Most people celebrate New Year's Eve on the first of January, because this is the first day of the Gregorian calendar. Taking into account standard time, the first to celebrate are the inhabitants of the little-known islands of Kiribati, located in the Pacific Ocean. And the last to be marked is Midway Island, in the Pacific Ocean. But some countries celebrate the holiday, such as the Chinese, according to the lunar calendar.

Jewish Rosh Hashanah comes 163 days after Passover. It is believed that this day decides human destiny for the entire next year. But the Chinese New Year is associated with the winter new moon. According to the Gregorian calendar, this date falls between January 21 and February 21. Chinese New Year has been the most celebrated since 1911 significant holiday in China and other Eastern countries. Moreover, in translation its name sounds like “Spring Festival”. At this time, houses put flowering peach branches in vases or decorate the premises with tangerine trees hung with fruits.

New Year in Rus' in pagan times

The history of the New Year in Rus' is one of the most controversial issues in science. The origins of the holiday should be sought in ancient times. The answer to the question of when the New Year was celebrated and from what point the time was counted has not yet been found. In ancient times, many peoples associated the beginning of the year with the period of the rebirth of nature. Basically, the beginning of the year was timed to March.

In Rus' for a long time there was a proleta - these are March, April and March. It is believed that, most likely, the New Year was celebrated on March 22, on the day of the spring equinox. It turns out that Maslenitsa and New Year were celebrated on the same day, because with the passing of winter, a new countdown began.

Changes that came after the baptism of Rus'

The situation changed with the arrival of Christianity in Rus'. After this event, a new chronology appeared, which is based on the creation of the world. In turn, the new calendar was called Julian. The names of the months were fixed in it. And the first of March began to be considered a new year.

At the end of the fifteenth century, the Orthodox Church moved the start of the year to the first of September in accordance with the Council of Nicaea. Such changes were associated with the increasing influence christian church on the life of Rus' at that time. The reform of the calendar was carried out without any consideration of the rhythm of the working life of ordinary people, without connecting it with agricultural plantings and work. NG in September was based on biblical stories. And so it happened that the beginning of the year fell on the first of September. This date began to be celebrated as Simeon's day - the period of the end of summer and the beginning of the new year.

Innovations of Peter I

Peter I carried out the reform in 1699. A decree was issued that the first of January should be considered the beginning of the year. This was done in accordance with the way all Christian peoples who used the Gregorian calendar lived. However, Peter I was unable to completely switch to the Gregorian calendar, since the church used the Julian calendar, as before. And yet in Russia the chronology was changed. If earlier it was traced from the creation of the world, then later it was traced from the Nativity of Christ. In fairness, it is worth noting that for a long time both calendars existed in parallel. The decree of Peter I allowed the use of two dates in documents for convenience.

New holiday concept

The innovations of Peter I were of extraordinary importance. The Tsar completely banned any celebrations of the first of September. He strictly ensured that NG in Russia was no poorer or worse than in European countries. Since then, New Year traditions began to appear. Interesting facts about the New Year are recorded even in Peter’s decrees. The Tsar ordered the large streets to be decorated with pine and juniper trees and gates of houses. spruce branches. The decree did not talk about the Christmas tree, it talked about trees in general. But the beginning of the appearance of the main symbol of the New Year had already been made. Trees were first decorated with fruits, nuts, candies and even vegetables. But they started decorating the Christmas tree for the New Year much later - in the middle of the last century.

Thanks to innovations, the first of January 1700 began with a bright procession on Red Square in Moscow. And in the evening the sky was painted with colorful lights of festive fireworks. It was since 1700 that New Year's fun received universal recognition. And the celebration of the New Year itself began to have a general folk character, and not a church one. In honor of such a day, cannons were fired, and in the evenings they traditionally admired beautiful fireworks. People danced, sang, congratulated each other and gave gifts. We don’t even know many interesting facts about the New Year, because we don’t even think about the fact that the history of the holiday has such long and deep roots.

Calendar change

After the revolution of 1917, the government raised the question of the need to reform the calendar. Indeed, at that time, most European countries switched to using the Gregorian calendar, which was adopted by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Russia at that time still used the Julian calendar. This is how the phenomenon of the Old and New Years in Russia appeared - another interesting fact about the New Year.

The very name of the holiday already speaks of its connection with the old calendar style according to which Russia lived before 1918. The country switched to a new style by Lenin's decree. The old style is nothing more than the ancient Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar. The new style is a reformed version of the old calendar. The changes were carried out on the initiative of Pope Gregory XIII. The reform was needed because of the astronomical inaccuracies of the calendar, which accumulated over the years and gave significant deviations from the true movement of the star. Therefore, we can say that the Gregorian reform was scientifically substantiated. In the twentieth century, the difference between styles was thirteen days.

This means that the day, which according to the old calendar was considered the first of January, has in fact already become the fourteenth of January. It turns out that in pre-revolutionary times the night from January 13 to 14 was New Year's Eve. Celebrating the Old New Year, people get involved in history and pay tribute to time.

Orthodox Church

An interesting fact is that the Orthodox Church continues to live according to the Julian calendar. Back in 1923, a meeting of the Orthodox Churches was held, where it was decided that it was necessary to make some corrections in the Julian calendar. Due to certain circumstances, there were no representatives of the Russian Church at this meeting. Having learned about the changes that had been adopted, Patriarch Tikhon issued a decree to switch to a new calendar. However, the decree was soon canceled due to protests from the church people. And at present there is no question of changing the calendar in the Russian Orthodox Church.

How is New Year celebrated in different countries?

To be fair, it is worth saying that the New Year holiday, like no other, is incredibly loved by people. Moreover, each nation has its own special traditions for celebrating New Year. Sometimes there are completely incredible customs or even extravagant ones. How is New Year celebrated in different countries? It is physically impossible to talk about the traditions that exist in different countries. But it’s worth telling about the most interesting ones.

Well, who among us doesn’t like to decorate the Christmas tree for the New Year? Meanwhile, this tradition originated a long time ago in Germany, back in the Middle Ages. And later it spread almost throughout the world. In general, the Germans believe that their Santa Claus always rides a donkey, and therefore children put hay in their shoes to please the animal.

But the ancient Vietnamese sincerely believed that the New Year would come to them on the back of a carp. Therefore, there is still a custom in the country to purchase live carp and release the fish into the river. The main symbol of the New Year in Vietnam is a blossoming peach branch. They decorate their homes with them and also give them to each other.

Many of us love to give cards on holiday eve. But not everyone knows where this tradition came from. It turns out that this custom originated in England. An obligatory ritual for a festive night is celebrating the New Year. They let him into the house through the front doors, but before that they certainly see off the old year through the back doors. In England, on New Year's Eve, lovers kiss under a sprig of mistletoe, but this must be done precisely while the bells are ringing. It is believed that the observance of such a ritual should forever strengthen the future relationship of the couple.

As for Sweden, it was in this country that they first began to decorate the Christmas tree with real glass toys. It is customary here to turn on bright lighting for the holiday. But the French generally celebrate the holiday quite extravagantly. On New Year's Day they bake a pie with a bean hidden in it. Whoever finds it will become the bean king. And everyone else must fulfill his wishes on the festive night.

In the USA, back in 1895, for the first time, an electric garland was decorated The White house. Since then, this tradition has spread to many countries. It’s interesting, but on New Year’s Eve Americans don’t give gifts and don’t gather around the table. They do all this at Christmas.

But the Finns are more like us in this regard. They celebrate not only Christmas, but also the New Year itself. It was from them that the tradition of melting wax and dipping it in water came about, and then, based on the outlines of the figures, making assumptions about what awaits them in the new year.

In Italy, festivities begin only on January 6th. At this time, Italians try to get rid of unnecessary and old things. They throw away furniture and utensils that they no longer need. But children look forward to the holiday with special delight, since on the festive night a fairy fairy comes to every home. She opens doors with her golden key and fills children's stockings with sweets and gifts. Only obedient kids receive rewards. And instead of sweets, bullies and brawlers receive only a pile of ash and coal.

Venetians tend to go to Saint-Marc Square on New Year's Eve. There, couples in love celebrate the holiday and kiss. This unusual tradition appeared not so long ago, but quickly took root among young people.

A very interesting tradition exists in Scotland. There, on New Year's Eve, lit barrels of tar are rolled through the streets. It is believed that this in an original way local residents say goodbye to the old year and invite the new one into the house.

But in Colombia on holidays he walks the streets Old year on stilts. He makes people laugh and tells funny stories to kids. At night people set off fireworks. And on the eve of the holiday, a parade of dolls parades through the streets. These are the traditions of celebrating the New Year that exist in the world.

New year in Russia

When discussing interesting facts about the New Year, it is worth remembering our holiday traditions. This holiday has been celebrated in Russia for more than 300 years. The main symbol is Father Frost, who congratulates children with his assistant Snegurochka. From the first days of December, festive characters attend all kinds of matinees and events to please the kids. The children lead round dances, recite poems and sing songs, for which they then receive gifts from Grandfather Frost. New Year's Eve for children is the brightest holiday, because at this time magic reigns all around, starting from decorating a wonderful Christmas tree and ending with the long-awaited gifts under it.

Wizard's Residence

Since 1998, our Grandfather Frost has lived in a town called Veliky Ustyug. This is where his famous residence is located. Numerous guests come to the wizard from all over the country, and not only at the end of December. All children know that November 18 is the birthday of Santa Claus. And of course, the wizard celebrates his holiday by organizing magnificent festivities at the residence. No one knows exactly how old he is. However, it is known that more than 2000 years. Santa Claus's birthday is a special date. It was invented by the children themselves, because it is on this day that winter comes into its own in Veliky Ustyug and real frosts set in.

Celebrations are especially magnificent in the wizard’s homeland. Not only adults and children, but also fabulous colleagues from different countries come to congratulate grandfather.

At the wizard’s residence there are many assistants, among whom, as already mentioned, is the Snow Maiden. They are the ones who help Grandfather Frost read all the magical letters from children that come to his fabulous mail. Every child knows that the wizard will not ignore his request and will try to fulfill his cherished desire. Sometimes they meet very touching letters, which bring tears to the eyes of not only Santa Claus, but also his assistants.

IN last years A fairly new tradition for our country has emerged to celebrate St. Nicholas Day. On holiday, all children look under the pillow for sweets, which the wizard leaves at night while the kids are sleeping.

It is worth noting that Russia has its own unshakable New Year traditions that have been honored for many years - a glass of champagne during the chime, a festive tree with garlands and balls, Olivier salad, sparklers, firecrackers and much more. It’s hard to imagine a holiday without all these attributes. The main tradition is to celebrate the holiday well and cheerfully, because there is even a saying: “The way you celebrate New Year’s Eve is how you will spend it.” Therefore, New Year's Eve is a magnificent feast, laughter and fun. Lush festivities with songs and dances are usually held on the streets.

But the celebration doesn't end there. After all, ahead of people awaits Christmas and Old New Year, which has remained a holiday for the people. Of course, it is not celebrated as magnificently and richly as the New Year itself, but traditions are still respected, and therefore on this evening people also gather around the table.

Celebrating the New Year has a special value for every person. Many associate this event with the crunch of snow underfoot, the smell of tangerines and spruce, and a warm homely atmosphere. Children's laughter, chimes, fireworks and a richly decorated table are the main attributes of the holiday. Each of us remembers our own New Year's tale - a special New Year that remains in our memory for the rest of our lives. But few people thought about where the tradition of celebrating the New Year came from. A short excursion into history will help us understand what, where it came from and what it ultimately turned into.

Let's go back to basics

Peter the Great invited the residents of Russia to celebrate the New Year. In 1699, he issued a decree according to which on the night of January 1 of each year (according to the Julian calendar) all residents of the country celebrate the arrival of the new year. Folk festival lasted 7 days - during this period, cannons thundered every evening near the Kremlin, and volleys were fired from smaller guns in private courtyards. The gates of the houses were decorated with spruce and juniper branches, and resin barrels hung on the pillars, which were set on fire and added solemnity to the holiday. Already in those days it was customary to decorate spruces wooden toys, nuts and all kinds of sweets. All innovations were borrowed from European neighbors. Until this point, the New Year was celebrated in September - during the collection of taxes and harvest.

The New Year was celebrated in a similar way for several centuries, until the 1918 revolution, when New Year's festivities were completely banned. Only in 1937 was the tradition revived, and in 1947 January 1 was declared a day off. Since then, the New Year's weekend has evolved and gradually developed into a real vacation, which, today, lasts up to 10 days.

Traditions of our days

For more than 300 years, Russians have been celebrating the New Year, and during this period many traditions, both European and American, and native Soviet ones, have joined the celebration. The symbol of the holiday was a grandfather with a white beard, whose name is Father Frost.

The Russian Father Frost also appeared for a reason - this is a modified version of the American Santa Claus. Santa Claus has an assistant - a girl made of snow named Snegurochka. Every year, starting from the first days of December, this couple visits various New Year's events which are held in kindergartens, schools, cultural centers. Children traditionally dance around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, recite poems, sing songs and receive wonderful gifts from Grandfather Frost. The atmosphere of a real holiday reigns around - carnival costumes, confetti and tangerines delight children and are remembered for many years.

Since 1998, the Russian Father Frost has settled in a city called. There is his residence, a souvenir shop and a post office. From all over the country comes to Veliky Ustyug a large number of letters from Russian children, and not a single letter remains unanswered. In their letters, children ask for what they miss. These are mostly toys, but there are also touching letters that make not only Santa Claus, but also all his assistants cry.

What is customary to do for the New Year today?

It is customary to celebrate the New Year with family, relatives and close friends. Preparations for the celebration last throughout December. During this period, store windows are full of New Year's cards, gifts, and bright signs. The main squares of almost all Russian cities are decorated with huge fir trees, under which Father Frost and the Snow Maiden and various cartoon characters wander.

People are in pre-holiday euphoria and spend days planning their New Year's Eve celebrations. Gifts are purchased, a holiday menu is drawn up, and on December 31, almost all alcohol and delicacies suddenly disappear from the shelves of all stores in the country.

Recently, the New Year has been “repainted” in two main colors - red and green. Reindeer in sleds, an abundance of bells and New Year's wreaths appeared, which were also borrowed from abroad. There are also traditions that have been firmly rooted since the times of the USSR and are rightfully considered Russian - this is drinking champagne at the chime, the well-known Olivier salad on the table and sparklers, without which it is difficult to imagine New Year's festivities.

December 31 is the main day of preparation. On this day, people strive to complete all unfinished tasks, pay off debts, tidy up the house, decorate christmas tree. It is believed that entering the new year without closing the tails of the old, outgoing year, Bad sign. “How you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it,” says the most common saying circulating among the people. In many homes, decorating the Christmas tree becomes an annual tradition, and it is usually done by the whole family.

The spirit of the holiday is already in the air, pickled aromas are wafting from the kitchen, and children sing the song “A Christmas tree was born in the forest” and attach colorful balls and cones, candies, and silver “rain” to the green branches. New Year's films are shown on TV all day long, which many Russians have already parsed into quotes and learned by heart. The good old “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”, “Gentlemen of Fortune”, “Girls”, “The Diamond Arm”, “Carnival Night” - this is not a complete list of cult films, without which not a single New Year is complete. Russia.

The culmination of New Year's Eve

Celebrating the New Year begins with seeing off the Old Year. Usually by 10 p.m. the table is already set, the guests are dressed in festive clothes, and Blue Lights are broadcast in full swing on all TV channels. Those gathered at the table discuss the events of the past year, sum up the results and wish each other to increase their achievements and conquer new heights. On the table, as a rule, there is Olivier salad, Herring under a fur coat, jellied meat and cabbage rolls. Recently, having become fed up with the above-mentioned dishes, Russians began to prepare more sophisticated dishes, using either their imagination or drawing ideas from their foreign neighbors. New Year's table must certainly be rich, this is another popular belief. In order not to go hungry in the coming year, you need to meet it well-fed and richly.

The culmination of the holiday is approaching - the New Year's speech of the head of state and the chimes. Typically, a speech addressed to citizens of the Russian Federation begins at 23-55 and is broadcast by the media. The head of state sums up the results, gives a brief report on the work done during the year and wishes everyone good luck and prosperity in the New Year.

The tradition of such an address was introduced by the speech of L. I. Brezhnev in 1976. During this time there were some incidents. Thus, in 1991, the President entrusted his speech duties to the famous satirist Mikhail Zadornov, and in 2000, television viewers were treated to double congratulations. At noon, citizens were congratulated by President B.N. Yeltsin, who announced his resignation, and at midnight Russians celebrated the New Year with the new President, V.V. Putin.

Exactly at 00-00 the chimes ring out. These sounds encourage you to open champagne and make wishes. It is common to believe that a wish made at this moment will definitely come true. Some people manage to write it on a piece of paper during the chiming clock, burn it, and dissolve the ashes in a glass of champagne. According to some people, this ritual increases the likelihood that a wish will come true. Fireworks are launched en masse from all windows, joyful cries and congratulations can be heard in every home. Many people go out into the street and set off fireworks; in the squares people sing songs and congratulate each other. Anyone who sleeps through the New Year will be lethargic and sleepy in the coming year, for this reason people have fun until they drop, scattering home only in the morning.

As you can see, New Year celebrations in Russia have their own unique history. Russians have borrowed a lot, but there are also traditions that are unique to citizens of the Russian Federation. For example, what could be more beautiful than a Russian bath on December 31? With pure thoughts in a pure body, any holiday becomes brighter!

Celebrate with a light soul and heart, leave behind all the grievances of the past year, welcoming the New Year with a positive attitude and fresh strength. Give your loved ones a holiday at least once a year, but it's worth it. Gathering the whole family at one table is what is valuable, saying the main words of love to loved ones and relatives is what is irreplaceable, seeing tears of happiness in children’s eyes is something that no amount of money can buy! Be generous with your words and deeds, it will bring you good luck in the New Year!

We think that New Year has always been celebrated. However, it is not. The history of this holiday dates back at least 25 centuries.

This custom first appeared in Mesopotamia (Mesopotamia). According to some scientists, it was here, in the ancient civilization of the Sumerians, that they began to celebrate the New Year for the first time (in the third millennium).

The New Year became firmly established in the life of the ancient Babylonians. All agricultural work began at the end of March, after the water in the Tigris and Euphrates arrived. For 12 days, a solemn event was celebrated - the onset of the time of victory of the bright god Marduk over the forces of destruction and death. The holiday was accompanied by processions, carnivals and masquerades. At this time, it was forbidden to work, punish, or hold court.

How did the Slavs learn about this ancient holiday?
Scientists have proven that the Jews, who were in Babylonian captivity (during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar), borrowed this story and included it in the Bible. From the Jews, the tradition of New Year's celebration passed to the Greeks, and through them to the peoples of Western Europe.

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 each year with the onset of winter cold. The New Year brings us hope for the best and gives us many gifts. At this time, we begin to feel like heroes of a fairy tale. A child awakens in each of us, we begin to perceive what is happening through children's eyes, although we have long since grown up. But we also want to believe in Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, who will definitely come to our house someday. To believe that somewhere far away, in the endless expanses dominated by snow and ice, lives the beautiful Snow Queen. You may not agree with me, but in the soul this happens to everyone. And the New Year is to blame - the time when the most cherished desires and dreams come true. We just need to believe in the good, the good, and everything will work out for us.

Celebrating the New Year carries the most joyful feelings and is associated with peace, love and mutual understanding. This holiday, like many others, has its roots in ancient times. On this day, the closest people gather. The charm of New Year's Eve will be remembered by everyone for a long time.

In Russia The New Year began to be celebrated by decree of Peter the Great on January 1, 1700. Previously, the beginning of the new year was celebrated on September 1. This holiday with a Christmas tree (although under Peter the Great the Christmas tree was not decorated, but paws and twigs), decorations, and carnivals were very much loved by the Russian people. Now this is one of our favorite holidays. Did you know that earlier, instead of a Christmas tree, other trees were decorated. These were cherries specially grown in tubs. Previously, people believed that all trees were endowed with good powers, that good spirits lived in them. And by hanging treats and gifts on the trees, they tried to appease these spirits. Well, the evergreen spruce occupied a special place among all trees. She was the sacred center, the “world tree,” symbolizing life itself and a new rebirth from darkness and gloom. Previously, instead of toys, various fruits were hung on trees, for example:
apples - a symbol of fertility
nuts - the incomprehensibility of divine providence
eggs are a symbol of developing life, harmony and complete well-being.

As is known, custom of decorating a home with fir branches, came from Peter the Great. In the 30s of the 19th century, Christmas trees were put up for the holiday only in the houses of St. Petersburg Germans. By the end of the 19th century, Christmas trees became the main decoration of both city and country houses and in the 20th century they were inseparable from winter holidays until 1918, when, due to the affiliation of the decorated tree with Christmas (that is, the religion of the church), it was banned for as long as 17 years ( until 1935). It was only in 1949 that January 1 became a non-working day. So putting Christmas trees in houses is not such an ancient invention as it might seem. In Rus', he is 60-65 years old (no more).

Not a single New Year's holiday can be imagined without a richly and brightly decorated Christmas tree. In many countries, in addition to the Christmas tree, the house is decorated with bouquets of mistletoe. This custom originated from England. On a festive evening, English houses are decorated with these plants. There are even mistletoe bouquets on lamps and chandeliers, and, according to custom, you can kiss a person standing in the middle of the room under a mistletoe bouquet.

For a family with children, it is not the joint celebration of the New Year that is important, but the joint preparation for it. Even the youngest children can be involved in decorating the Christmas tree (by the way, if children are not yet 5 years old, it is better to decorate the Christmas tree with unbreakable large toys that will not suffer from being tasted or thrown on the floor), hanging tinsel, coming up with fancy dress costumes and learning songs and poems about winter, New Year and Santa Claus. At the same time, it’s worth telling your child how the change of year occurs, why it’s cold in winter, where Santa Claus lives, and what traditions of celebrating the New Year there are in other countries - you’ll get a festive, unobtrusive lesson in geography and regional studies. Tell me what's going on France To celebrate the New Year, a bean is baked in gingerbread. And the best New Year's gift to a fellow villager - a wheel. French Santa Claus - Père Noel - comes on New Year's Eve and leaves gifts in children's shoes. The one who gets a bean baked into a New Year's pie at the New Year's Eve receives the title of "bean king" and on the festive night of the New Year, everyone obeys his orders. Santons are wooden or clay figurines that are placed near the Christmas tree before celebrating the New Year. According to tradition, a good winemaker must clink glasses with a barrel of wine, congratulate it on the New Year and drink to the future harvest. The New Year itself, which the French call “St. Sylvester’s Day,” is a very cheerful holiday, usually celebrated with a large circle of friends. The windows of cafes and restaurants, painted with attractive drawings and inscriptions, invite everyone to try New Year's dishes, exquisite French delicacies, the cooking features of which are passed down from generation to generation.

New Year's holidays in Italy quite simplified. Old traditions are rarely observed, mainly in villages. On the day before Christmas they work only until lunch, and after lunch they decorate the trees and prepare gifts.

Germans They love holidays and celebrations and celebrate them with special solemnity. In the villages, many ancient customs and rituals have been preserved, especially carefully observed during the celebration of the New Year, Christmas, which is considered the biggest holiday. The atmosphere of the holiday is released onto the streets of cities long before its onset. The Germans decorate their houses with pine and spruce wreaths, in which they place candles, lighting one every Sunday from the first of December.

Spain. Sparkling spirit, joy and fun, endless imagination - these are the main features of Spanish holidays. People celebrate the dates of major holidays throughout the year both as the main participant and as a spectator, realizing themselves simultaneously in these two forms. Folklore is an expression of the deepest spiritual feelings and joys of the Spaniards. Almost all regions of the country have a rich, original treasury where they keep their own dances, songs and traditions that inspire many performers of lyrical performances, as well as spectators.
Magi).

IN Czech Republic And Slovakia Young girls are looking forward to this holiday with great impatience, because it is on the night before Christmas that they will find out whether they will get married this year? The proof is... a house slipper, which they must throw over their heads towards the door. If the slipper falls with its toe towards the door, the groom will soon appear, and if towards the room, the bride will have to wait another 1 year.

In the land of the rising sun - Japan- all residents of cities and villages on the morning of February 1 go out to watch the sunrise. When the first rays of the sun illuminate the earth, the Japanese congratulate each other on the new year and exchange gifts. And the evening is usually spent with family. And in order not to let evil spirits into their homes, they hang wreaths of straw in front of the entrance to the house. They believe it brings them happiness. They also have a custom - to laugh at the beginning of the New Year.

In another eastern country - Vietnam- New Year is celebrated at night. At dusk, Vietnamese people light bonfires in parks, gardens or on the streets. Several families gather around them and cook special rice delicacies over the coals. On this night, all quarrels are forgotten, all insults are forgiven, because the New Year is a holiday of friendship! The Vietnamese spend the entire next day with their families. The Vietnamese believe that the first person who enters their house in the New Year will bring them good luck, or vice versa - grief and misfortune. Therefore, my advice to you is that these days, meet only trusted people, just in case.

New Year's Eve at Tibet called Losar. New Year is celebrated at the end of January or at the beginning of February - during the new moon. The two days before the New Year, called Gutor, are especially important. On the first day of Gutor, it is customary to do a general cleaning of your home. Moreover, special attention is paid to the kitchen as, according to Buddhists, the most important place in the house. In Sri Lanka, New Year's Eve is celebrated on April 13 or 14. Before the New Year holiday, housewives clean their houses so that all the troubles of the outgoing year go away along with the garbage. On the last day of the old year, before the New Year, it is not customary to eat anything. And also turn on the lights in houses. The first New Year's dish that you can try after 12 midnight is rice with milk. Moreover, it must be prepared by the father or male head of the family.

Very beautiful during the New Year celebrations in China. The whole country looks like a big glowing ball. And this happens because during the festive procession that flows through the streets of China on New Year's Eve, people light a lot of lanterns. This is done in order to light your way into the New Year. Since they believe that the New Year is surrounded by evil spirits and evil spirits, they scare them away with the help of crackers and fireworks.
A thousand-year-old Chinese tradition says that on New Year's Eve you should gather with your family. In the northern part of the country, dumplings are always served for dinner, while niangao (sticky rice slices) are more popular among southerners. Celebrating the New Year is accompanied by many signs that in other countries would be called superstitions. But the Chinese (not only villagers, but also more than half of the townspeople) strictly observe them. For example, on the first day of the year you cannot say words that have a negative meaning: death, poverty, disaster, etc. - so that these misfortunes do not actually happen to a person. The house must have red decorations (in China it accompanies any joyful event). It is strictly forbidden to throw away garbage, so as not to sweep away your future wealth with it.

Since the predominant religion Egypt Since Islam is Islam, Christian holidays like New Year or Christmas are not widely celebrated here. But for tourists, New Year's celebrations with a gala dinner, shows and fireworks are planned in every Egyptian hotel. During the celebration, the customs of all religions are mixed, and together with Santa Claus you can see a half-naked girl performing an exotic belly dance. And the festive Egyptian feast can amaze any gourmet: whole roasted lambs, baked sea fish the size of a decent shark, stuffed pigeons, aromatic oriental sweets and an insane amount of cakes, pastries and pies. The imagination of local chefs knows no bounds - for example, they mix beef and oranges in salads, but it turns out delicious.

IN Mongolia The New Year coincides with the cattle breeding holiday, so it is characterized by sports competitions, tests of dexterity and courage. Even Santa Claus comes to them dressed as a cattle breeder.

IN Burma The New Year comes at the hottest time of the year, so its arrival is celebrated with the so-called “water festival”, when people pour water on each other when they meet. The tradition of pouring water is a kind of wish for happiness in the New Year.

And in Iran New Year is celebrated on March 21st. There, people plant wheat grains in small pots several weeks before New Year. By the New Year they emerge - this symbolizes the beginning of spring and the New Year.

Happy New Year in Bulgaria. When people gather around 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.

IN Romania It is customary to bake various small “surprises” into New Year’s pies - small money, rings, hot pepper pods. If you find a ring in the cake, it means that the New Year will bring you happiness.

For residents of the capital Netherlands Amsterdam's main New Year's event is the appearance of the local Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, in the city port. The guest arrives in the country by sea, through Rotterdam, and a meeting is organized for him in the tiny fishing village of Monnikendam not only by ordinary citizens, but also by city authorities, including the mayor of the capital. This usually happens in early December. And all the subsequent New Year's Eve, Dutch children try not to play pranks in order to earn long-awaited gifts from Nicolas and his servant nicknamed “Black Pete”.

In this country, holiday celebrations are held very traditionally, except for the obligatory skating on the city skating rink, built specifically for the holiday period. By the way, a similar skating rink exists in Copenhagen, and many Danes specially come to the capital with their families to “test the ice.”

For the rest of the Scandinavian peoples, the New Year's week between Christmas and December 31 is especially fairy-tale-like. In the small town of Lapland, Romaniemi, on the very Arctic Circle, according to legend, lives the most real Grandfather Freezing. It is from here that he sets off on his journey on Christmas night in order to have time to distribute gifts to children all over the planet.

Very exotic New Year celebrations take place in Australia. The absence of snow, Christmas trees, deer and other usual attributes of the holiday does not sadden the inhabitants of the continent at all. Father Christmas marks the start of the New Year with his own appearance on a special, brightly decorated surfboard on Sydney beaches. Moreover, following the traditions of the Old World, his clothes always include a white beard and a red cap with a pompom at the end; as for the rest, the tanned body of the gift giver is covered by a swimming suit.

New Year celebration traditions
In Rus', for the New Year, domestic animals were baked from dough: horses, cows, bulls. And when they came to the house to carol, the guests were presented with these figures, various sweets, and nuts. They also believed that the New Year should be celebrated in a new dress and shoes - then wear new clothes all year. Usually, before the New Year, all debts were repaid, all insults were forgiven, and those who were in a quarrel were obliged to make peace.

Folk signs for the New Year
Whoever sneezes a lot during the New Year's party will live happily all year. “The number of times you sneeze, the number of girls will love you.”
If the echo goes far in January, the frosts get stronger
Clouds go against the wind - towards snowfall.
How you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it.
IN New Year's Eve with new clothes, wear new clothes for a whole year.
You cannot give money away before the New Year, otherwise you will have to give it away the whole year.
When celebrating the New Year, French women always wear new red underwear. They believe that this will scare away evil and calculating men, and will attract decent gentlemen.
On New Year's Day, the sky is starry - for the harvest.
By the New Year, they try to finish all their affairs, especially unpleasant ones, so that they do not carry over into the next year. However, haste and the inevitable weakening of attention to the surrounding environment are your main enemy on New Year's Eve. Take a realistic look at life: whatever you don’t have time to do before 5 p.m., let it go to another year.

The New Year is coming - the time for gifts and congratulations, banquets and feasts, green fluffy Christmas trees and the same fluffy white snow.

Organizing the New Year is one of the most interesting and exciting areas in organizing holidays, because it is the kindest and most fabulous holiday, the time frame of which has recently extended to a whole week, connecting New Year and Christmas.

Let's celebrate the New Year dressed as Father Frost (Snow Maiden)!
Have you ever felt envy at the sight of Santa Clauses and Snow Maidens? They walk through the streets in such a businesslike manner, they are so welcome. They know some secret, despite the “cotton wool beard” and cheap makeup. Most do not dare to imagine themselves in their place, but in vain. Who's stopping you from getting a Santa Claus (Snow Maiden) costume and going outside? In this form, you can come to any company, to any restaurant or club - you are unlikely to be asked for an ID. You will receive so much attention, such a portion of smiles and compliments that you will want to celebrate the New Year every weekend. In addition, you will be in a more advantageous position than the “real” Santa Clauses and Snow Maidens: you will not have to entertain anyone, and the Zarya company will not require you to report on gifts.
An ideal option for those looking for new acquaintances. You will be out of competition.

How to celebrate the New Year of the Pig 2007
Trust the old legend that says: how you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it. Celebrate the holiday to the fullest and do not deny yourself anything, at least one day a year.

Do you want to celebrate the New Year with many friends according to all imaginable and inconceivable rules? Great, then order it banqueting hall, there is enough space for everyone and there will still be some left over. Decorate the room with balloons, always in warm colors.

To keep you and your friends from getting bored, order an entertainment program. Dancing, music, a fun show will certainly put you in the right mood. Don't forget to put it in a visible place main symbol for the coming year - a figurine of a pig. The size and material of your figurine does not matter, the main thing is that it is there. Rejoice and make everyone around you happy, infect everyone around you with the virus Have a good mood.

Don't forget that New Year is a holiday of good mood and, of course, gifts. Call and congratulate, at least in words, all your friends and relatives. And for those closest to you, prepare pleasant and original surprises that will bring them a lot of pleasant feelings and linger in their memory for a long time. A gift is a must New Year's fairy tale. It doesn’t matter whether Santa Claus brought it under the Christmas tree, or the gnomes put it in a stocking, or you bought it at Children’s World together - the gift is important in itself, as a symbol of change.