How to celebrate Christmas so that wealth comes to the house ?! Rituals and conspiracies. How to celebrate Christmas: traditions and signs What do guests say at Christmas

The Nativity of Christ is one of the most important Christian holidays; in terms of its significance, it is second only to the bright holiday of Easter. The name of this holiday speaks for itself - the Nativity of Christ - means the birthday of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came into our world to save people's souls.

When and how is Christmas celebrated

In our country, as well as in Ukraine and Belarus, the celebration of the Nativity of Christ begins on the eve of Christmas on January 6, called Christmas Eve. A festive feast, or as it is correctly called, an evening meal on Christmas Eve in Russia has always been accompanied by special rituals and traditions. On January 6, only special food can be eaten - boiled wheat or rice with fruits, nuts and honey, such food is called sochiv, which is why the name of the holiday comes - Christmas Eve. You can eat only after the liturgy, which turns into vespers. On this holiday, many believing Christians who have returned from the temple after the morning service do not take food at all until the first star appears in the sky, which is considered a symbol of the star that appeared over Bethlehem at the birth of the Divine Infant and announced to the world about the coming to earth savior. The first star, according to the Gospel, was seen by the wise men of the East, who came to Christ with rich gifts and a low bow.

Festive feast

And today, the first star that appears in the sky on Christmas Eve is a signal that the holiday has begun. It is dinner on Christmas Eve that is considered the main culinary event on Christmas, for which they always prepared in advance and, according to tradition, there must be a bunch of fresh hay on the table, which would symbolize the place where the baby Jesus was born. The table should be covered with a white tablecloth. And there should be 12 dishes on the table, according to the number of apostles, and all these dishes should be lean. Our ancestors cooked borscht, fish, cabbage, dumplings and pies with apples (cabbage), as well as other Lenten dishes on Christmas Eve. According to tradition, only when January 7 comes, meat dishes can be put on the table. So homemade sausage, boiled pork, ham, stuffed goose, duck or piglet, jelly, gingerbread, etc. were served on the table.

Christmas traditions

Traditionally, with the onset of the first day of the Christmas holidays, that is, January 7, it was not customary to visit. The exception was married children, who were supposed to visit their parents in the afternoon, saying that they had brought "grandfather's dinner."
The rest of the days of Christmas time (from the evening of the Nativity of Christ on January 6 to Epiphany Christmas Eve on the night of January 18-19) it was customary to take care of all people in need (sick, poor, hungry, etc.). Therefore, it was traditional to visit hospitals, orphanages, orphanages, prisons, etc. In the old days, even tsars dressed up as ordinary people at Christmas time and went through prisons, giving alms to prisoners.

In each family, the hostesses prepared the best dishes and treats, which were treated to all the guests who came to the house. But not only caring for others was a tradition at Christmas time. These days were considered special, since the still fragile, unbaptized world was inhabited by spirits ready to tell people about the future, about their fate. Therefore, since ancient times, Christmas time was accompanied by fortune-telling, following signs and magical rites.

caroling

In Russia, caroling (in other words - glorification) was a special tradition at Christmas time. Children and young people dressed up, took a large homemade star in their hands and went from house to house from house to house with church songs, as well as spiritual carols dedicated to Christmas.
Caroling took place everywhere, but in different areas in Russia it had its own characteristics. Some areas, instead of a self-made star, represented a kind of puppet theater called the "nativity scene", in which scenes from the Nativity of Christ were played. The so-called Christmas stories were also generally accepted, that is, stories about wonderful, good events that happened to people on Christmas. Christmas days for people were days of reconciliation, kindness and mercy.

Orthodox and Catholic Christmas

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ among the Orthodox occurs after the Catholics due to differences in the calendars: the old Julian and the new Gregorian. It is generally accepted that the Gregorian calendar more accurately reflects the movement of the Earth around the Sun, therefore it is more consistent with the change of seasons and seasonal changes in temperature. Calendar reforms, however, like the calendars themselves, were initially perceived by people in a religious context. The discussion of the "new style" took place in 1563 in the Reformed Western Church at the Council of Trent. The use of the new calendar was prescribed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, and it is with this man that the name of the calendar itself, the Gregorian, is associated. Pope Gregory XIII made an offer to support his innovation to all Christian sovereigns. When correcting the offset of dates in 1582, 10 days were immediately added, due to which, after October 4, the battle was followed by the 15th.

The society did not immediately accept the new calendar, as at first they perceived it as an incomprehensible papal idea. It was not until the 18th century that the Gregorian calendar was adopted by Protestant countries. The Orthodox, on the other hand, adopted the new calendar at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, and for many, such a transition to the “Catholic” chronology seemed almost an apostasy.

Today, the Gregorian calendar is perceived by us as a conventional conventional calendar. In our country, the Soviet government introduced a new style, but the Russian Orthodox Church, remaining in the old calendar, deliberately did not want to obey the laws of the non-Christian state in those days. Therefore, it so happened historically that we celebrate public holidays, such as February 23, March 8 or May 1, according to the new calendar, and we observe religious holidays, as well as fasting, according to the old chronology.

But in spite of everything, we remain a strong nation that will not be broken by any conventions. Many of us observe and honor traditions, and for sure, for all Russians, winter holidays are associated with miracles, magic and good family traditions.

The darkest, “terrible” winter time has always been surrounded by special attention among all the peoples of the world: at this time they tried to appease evil spirits, asked about the future, waited for the revival of the sun and welcomed it with feasts. Christianity changed, but did not abolish these traditions, so that as a result, Christmas in the popular mind was not only a religious holiday, but also a collection of all kinds of signs and superstitions.

Some of them are easy to explain, others look strange and even frightening. Do you know many Christmas signs?

Christmas weather

Of course, most of all our ancestors were worried about the future harvest. So it is not surprising that observing nature was an indispensable part of the celebration. Of course, the climate has changed recently. It is all the more interesting to check whether the old signs still work?

Clear weather and a starry sky at Christmas foreshadowed the offspring of livestock, a good harvest of vegetables and mushrooms next summer and autumn.

The sky is starry - a crop of peas.

In the early days of the Christmas holidays, frost on trees means a good harvest of bread.

Abundant snow on Christmas Day suggests that a good harvest of wheat should be expected. In addition, this is a good sign for the beekeeper - the bees will safely overwinter and hatch.

A snowstorm on Christmas Eve - there will be early foliage.

But if there is a thaw on a holiday, then we must wait for a cold spring and, consequently, a poor harvest of vegetables.

Warm Christmas - cold spring.

The day is warm - the bread will be dark, thick.

” Not really about the weather: it was believed that if the holiday coincides with Sunday, then the summer will be plentiful, with many fruits and honey; and if it’s Monday, then the winter will be kind, and the spring will be wet.

A whole series of signs is associated with guests and gifts that were customary to give at Christmas. Everyone noticed: who came, how they came, and (which is important) managed to react!

If a woman crosses your threshold first, then this is to gossip and failure, and even to the illness of all women in the family throughout the year. However, there is an "antidote" - quickly change into colored clothes, and everything will be in order!

If a man or a boy - to well-being. To keep the auspicious omen, wear plain clothes on this day.

If an old man or an old woman - to a long life.

If your first guest is drunk, then the whole coming year will be in noise and quarrels.

If the first to knock on the house is a beggar - to loss and need.

Many guests at once - to a rich life.

A bird knocking on a window at Christmas is amazing news.

If two people come to you on Christmas morning, then there will be no death, divorce and separation in your house for a year.

After you knock on the door or call on January 11, do not immediately open it. Wait until they knock or call a second time, otherwise you will invite illness into the house.

” And in general ... It is considered a bad omen to celebrate Christmas alone - it is better to invite someone to visit or go yourself.

Work, work, switch to Fedot...

The church did not approve of folk signs and superstitions, but the custom that prescribed more rest and less work on holidays completely coincided with the desire to think more about the divine and less about the earthly. Of course, the necessary daily work was still carried out - you can’t celebrate for a long time with an unheated stove! But…

It was impossible to clean up from Christmas until the New Year, that is, until January 14th. When, finally, on January 14, all the accumulated garbage was swept out of the house, it certainly had to be burned in the yard.

You can’t sew, knit, embroider at Christmas: needlework threatened neither more nor less than the loss of sight of one of the family members! And if in the following days you nevertheless began to sew - do not bite the thread, otherwise the tooth will fall out!

Midwives worked for free at Christmas. Moreover, they became godparents for children who were accepted on this day.

Any dirty work (such as laundry) had to be finished on the eve of Christmas; whoever does dirty work at Christmas will do it all year.

On the ninth of January, on the third day of Christmas, before sunset, in no case do not chop wood, and on the tenth - put dough. Don't ask why!

” Note to the hostess: it was customary to remember what day of the week Christmas fell on, and pickle cucumbers on the same day in the summer.

Everyone at the table!

Thanks to the charismatic advertising of one of the banks, people, even those who are as far from Christianity as possible, know that “it’s impossible until the first star” - believers kept a strict fast until the end of the festive service. However, folk traditions, of course, are much wider and richer than modest church rules.

The traditional festive color of this celebration is white. And tablecloths, and napkins and curtains, and dishes - everything is selected white.

Straw was placed under the tablecloth on the festive table, and festive Lenten dishes - there should have been 12 of them - were tied crosswise with red threads, in memory of Christ, who was born in a manger.

It was necessary to sit at the table in new (and not just clean and smart) and in no case black clothes.

A good, good omen, if during the Christmas feast a domestic cat sits under the table, this means that no one will die this year from all those sitting at the table. By the way, lambing at Christmas for some reason was considered a sign of unpleasant troubles for the owners.

If after the holiday you decide to treat yourself to meat dishes, exclude brains from the menu: it was believed that eating them at Christmas time would have a bad effect on the mental abilities of the eater.

If you don’t drink water at Christmas during dinner, you won’t feel thirsty at the moment when there is no water nearby. Convenient, right?

In addition to the traditional festive dishes, many families baked pies, in which they put coins according to the number of those present. Whoever gets a pie with a coin will have good luck all year.

” By the way ... If there is a young month in the sky at Christmas, the year will be profitable!

Love and Christmas

Of course, Christmas is not directly related to family well-being, but if the issue of finding family happiness worries you more than anyone else, then something could be done for this!

There was such a sign: when a family sat down at the table, then an unmarried girl or an unmarried guy from this family, taking the first non-fasting piece in his mouth, should keep it on his tongue and not swallow until, going out into the street, he accidentally heard from people passing by any name. It was believed that the groom or the bride would have the same name.

In a family where there is no peace and harmony, on Christmas night they put a bucket in the frost, and in the morning they put it on fire and said:

The ice will melt, the water will boil,

And my husband's heart hurts for me.

This water was given to the husband to wash, served in the form of tea or soup, and also washed her husband's linen in it.

On the eleventh of January, do not give your husband a towel, otherwise he will begin to dissolve his hands.

” By the way ... It's very good to make a purchase at Christmas. Stay updated all year long!

Prepared by Alena Novikova

The Nativity of Christ is one of the most important Christian holidays; in terms of its significance, it is second only to the bright holiday of Easter. The name of this holiday speaks for itself - Christmas - means the birthday of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came into our world to save people's souls.

When and how is Christmas celebrated

In our country, as well as in Ukraine and Belarus, the celebration of the Nativity of Christ begins on the eve of Christmas on January 6, called Christmas Eve. A festive feast, or as it is correctly called, an evening meal on Christmas Eve in Russia has always been accompanied by special rites and traditions. On January 6, only special food can be eaten - boiled wheat or rice with fruits, nuts and honey, such food is called sochiv, which is why the name of the holiday comes - Christmas Eve. You can eat only after the liturgy, which turns into vespers. On this holiday, many believing Christians who have returned from the temple after the morning service do not take food at all until the first star appears in the sky, which is considered a symbol of the star that appeared over Bethlehem at the birth of the Divine Infant and announced to the world about the coming to earth savior. The first star, according to the Gospel, was seen by the wise men of the East, who came to Christ with rich gifts and a low bow.

Festive feast

Christmas traditions

caroling

In Russia, caroling (in other words, praising) was a special tradition at Christmas time. Children and young people dressed up, took a large homemade star in their hands and went from house to house from house to house with church songs, as well as spiritual carols dedicated to Christmas.
Caroling took place everywhere, but in different areas in Russia it had its own characteristics. Some areas, instead of a self-made star, represented a kind of puppet theater called the "nativity scene", in which scenes from the Nativity of Christ were played. The so-called Christmas stories were also generally accepted, that is, stories about wonderful, good events that happened to people on Christmas. Christmas days for people were days of reconciliation, kindness and mercy.

Orthodox and Catholic Christmas

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ among the Orthodox occurs after the Catholics due to differences in the calendars: the old - Julian and the new - Gregorian. It is generally accepted that the Gregorian calendar more accurately reflects the movement of the Earth around the Sun, therefore it is more consistent with the change of seasons and seasonal changes in temperature. Calendar reforms, however, like the calendars themselves, were initially perceived by people in a religious context. The discussion of the "new style" took place in 1563 in the Reformed Western Church at the Council of Trent. The use of the new calendar was prescribed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, and it is with this man that the name of the calendar itself, the Gregorian, is associated. Pope Gregory XIII made an offer to support his innovation to all Christian sovereigns. When correcting the offset of dates in 1582, 10 days were immediately added, due to which, after October 4, the battle was followed by the 15th.

Kolyada is the largest pagan (later - Slavic) holiday of the winter solstice, which came to us practically unchanged. Later it was associated with the Nativity of Jesus Christ. They go caroling at Christmas, from 6 to 7 January. Before the Old New Year, on January 13, young people go to be generous. They sow - they bring cereals to their homes as a symbol of prosperity on the morning of January 14th. In the old days, carols - the glorification of the owners of houses - were arranged mainly by young guys and guys, although there were quite adult people among the carolers. Having gathered in groups, dressed in special costumes, with songs and poems called “carols”, they walked from yard to yard. For their efforts and sincere wishes for good and profit, they were thanked with sweets and money. Today, not everyone knows how to carol properly , what words to say to kind people who opened the door, in what costumes this should be done.

How to properly carol on Christmas on January 6 and 7 and how to be generous on the Old New Year? Carol songs and generosity poems for caroling

A carol comes to us
On the eve of Christmas.
Asks, asks carols
At least a piece of the pie.

Who will give the pie to the carol,
He will be in everything!
That cattle will be healthy
The barn will be full of cows

Who will hold his piece,
The whole year will be lonely.
Will not find luck, happiness,
The year is wasted in bad weather.

Don't feel sorry for the pie
Otherwise, you will create a debt!

I sing for
Who will give me a ruble in total,
And it's easy for me to dance
Ten in hand.

If there is a son in the house,
Give the hostess / owner me some cheese,
Since you have a daughter in the house,
I'll ask for a barrel of honey.

If there are more delicious
I will shelter in my pocket.
Well, hostess / owner, do not be shy!
Feed me soon!

caroling, caroling
That's how I smell.
Don't forget to pour me
And then have a bite!

Congratulations on the carol
And I wish the owners
To have prosperity in the house
And everything went smoothly for the family!

Caroling, caroling
From family to family we roam
We will tell you poems
You give us pies

Well, coins would be better,
We will buy sweets ourselves,
And a handful of nuts
And take a thimble of wine!

open stranger
And give me a gold coin.
And I am carols
I sing without looking back
I can not sleep at night
And sing songs.
Think how sweet
Sleep without carols!

Shchedryk-Petryk,
Give me a dumpling!
a spoonful of porridge,
Top sausages.
It's not enough
Give me a piece of fat.
Take it out quickly
Don't freeze the kids!

The sparrow is flying
twirls its tail,
And you people know
Cover the tables
Receive guests
Meet Christmas!

You, the owner, do not torment

Donate quickly!
How is the current frost?
Does not tell you to stand for a long time,
Orders to submit soon:
Either from the oven pies,
Or money piglet,
Or cabbage soup!
Give you God
Full yard of bellies!
And in the stable of horses
In the barn of calves,
To the hut guys
And in the litter of kittens!

Who and when can carol?

According to an old tradition, before Christmas, on January 6, children and teenagers go from house to house with songs and poems. It is also not forbidden for adults, dressed in appropriate costumes for the Holy evening and the Old New Year, to join congratulatory groups. In the morning, January 7, they sing - Christmas. On the Old New Year they are generous (January 13) and sow (January 14). Generosity and sowing can only be done by young men and boys.

How many carolers should there be?

At least three people should carol properly. Moreover, the first of them, called the star, carries a star. This is the most responsible Christmas "position". The star must know as many verses as possible. An eight-pointed guiding star, according to legend, illuminating the way to the Magi, can be easily made from cardboard and foil. The next in the group is the ringer. His bell informs the owners - Kolyada has come! The mekhonosha closes the procession: it is he who collects the generous offerings of the owners of the house - sweets and hard coins. You can walk in large groups - this is also correct. It is unacceptable to only recite poems and sing songs one by one: Christmas is a happy, merry holiday, and everyone needs to rejoice!

Kolyada-molyada
Rolled young.
We found a carol
In Ivan's yard!
Hey, uncle Ivan,
Take out the good in the yard!
Like it's cold outside
Freezes the nose
Does not tell you to stand for a long time,
Orders to serve soon
Or a warm pie
Or money with a spear,
Or a silver ruble!

What are carols and carols?

Carols are small old songs and poems glorifying the owners of the house. They are also read on Holy Evening, January 6th. Shchedrovki - poems with wishes of good and prosperity to people to whom the generous came before the Old New Year, January 13. According to tradition, only young people go generous. Sowed in the morning after the Old New Year on January 14 - only boys and young men can do this. They pour cereals on the thresholds of houses and wish the owners money and well-being. Previously, the permission of the owners for sowing was not required - they were allowed on the threshold of the house with joy. Today, it would be right for young people who come to a city apartment with cereals to ask permission for an old rite. The owners can ask the sowers to confine themselves to only poems and songs.

Kalidim, Kalidim, I'm alone with the father,
My dad sent me
To get me some bread.
But I don’t want bread, serve sausage,
Don't give me sausage, I'll smash the whole house.

How and when it is right to carol at Christmas, what to say to the owners of houses. Video of Christmas carolers

It is correct to start caroling at Christmas (Holy Evening) after sunset, but today it is allowed to walk with holiday songs even earlier - in the afternoon. Having knocked on the gate or door of the owner of the house (apartment), you need to ask his permission to “carol”. After the consent of the person, the visitors begin to recite poems and sing carols. In them, the owners of the house wish good, prosperity, prosperity. The songs say that the born Christ is generous and merciful to everyone. If the listeners like the wishes, they also thank the welcome visitors generously, from the bottom of their hearts. Particularly attentive and kind people to the little guests. On the video you will see how to communicate with the owners of the house, what to say when entering the house, how to say goodbye.

Hello, food
You accept congratulations!

You will live together for up to two hundred years!
Happiness to you and good health!
Merry Christmas,
Happy New Year!

The Lord would give you
And live, and be,
And wealth in everything
And God bless you gentlemen
Health for many years!

How to properly carol on Christmas on the evening of January 6 and 7? Examples of Christmas poems and songs and videos with them

To carol correctly at Christmas, you need to learn as many different old and modern carols as possible - Christmas poems and songs. Finding them is easy. Today, such carols are published even in elementary school textbooks. To memorize the melodies of the “correct” carols you like, find videos with such songs on the Internet. We also suggest that you memorize a few verses for caroling and generosity, the words of which are given below.

Christmas carol came

Christmas Eve

Give me a cow

Oily head.

And God forbid that

Who is in this house.

The rye is thick for him,

Rye is stingy.

Him with an ear of octopus,

From the grain of his carpet,

From half-grain - a pie.

The Lord would give you

And living, and being,

And wealth.

And create for you, Lord, Even better than that!

An angel came down to us from heaven

And Jesus said was born.

We came to glorify him

And congratulate you on the holiday.

carol, carol

Open up the gate

Get out the chests

Give patches.

Though rub,

At least a penny

Let's not leave home like this!

Give us some candy

And maybe a coin

Don't regret anything

Christmas Eve!

In what costumes is it right to carol and be generous on the Old New Year? Photo of Christmas costumes mummers

Today, on Christmas and the Old New Year, both in the villages and in the cities, carolers continue to dress the way their ancestors did in pagan times. The villagers did not have to think for a long time: a doha dressed with fur inside out, a huge mask of a goat or a ram, a bear's head - these are the costumes that the owners saw on the carolers who opened the doors to them. There was no need to be afraid of such outfits - the people who came to glorify the owners only wanted to appease Kolyada. Today, you can make such costumes yourself (buy masks) or simply sew Russian folk costumes.

Of course, you can carol in ordinary winter clothes, but how happy will the owners of the house be when they see the “correct” mummers on their doorstep on the evening of January 6!

Take some time and prepare for your performance on the Holy Evening in advance - learn carols, make costumes. You can also be generous in ordinary clothes, but if you still have home-made outfits from January 6-7, you can dress up in them again for the Old New Year!

We sow, we weave, we weave,

Merry Christmas to you!

You glorify Christ

Give us treats!

We are sure: after reading how to properly carol at Christmas and how to be generous , You will definitely take advantage of our advice. Now you know that you can go caroling - reciting carol verses and singing songs only on the evening of January 6th. On January 7, visit friends and neighbors and sing Christmas songs to them. On the evening of January 13, just before the Old New Year, knock on the gates of houses and invite the owners to be generous with them, wishing people prosperity from the bottom of their hearts. Remember: generous and sowing on the morning of January 14 is right only for young men and boys. Follow folk traditions and get real pleasure from them!

The Nativity of Christ is one of the most important Christian holidays; in terms of its significance, it is second only to the bright holiday of Easter.

The name of this holiday speaks for itself - Christmas - means the birthday of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came into our world to save people's souls.

When and how is Christmas celebrated

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ begins on the evening before Christmas on January 6, called Christmas Eve. A festive feast, or as it is correctly called, an evening meal on Christmas Eve has always been accompanied by special rites and traditions. On January 6, only special food can be eaten - boiled wheat or rice with fruits, nuts and honey, such food is called sochiv, which is why the name of the holiday comes - Christmas Eve. You can eat only after the liturgy, which turns into vespers. On this holiday, many believing Christians who have returned from the temple after the morning service do not take food at all until the first star appears in the sky, which is considered a symbol of the star that appeared over Bethlehem at the birth of the Divine Infant and announced to the world about the coming to earth savior. The first star, according to the Gospel, was seen by the wise men of the East, who came to Christ with rich gifts and a low bow.

Festive feast

And today, the first star that appears in the sky on Christmas Eve is a signal that the holiday has begun. It is dinner on Christmas Eve that is considered the main culinary event on Christmas, for which they always prepared in advance and, according to tradition, there must be a bunch of fresh hay on the table, which would symbolize the place where the baby Jesus was born. The table should be covered with a white tablecloth. And there should be 12 dishes on the table, according to the number of apostles, and all these dishes should be lean. On Christmas Eve they cook borscht, fish, cabbage, dumplings and pies with apples (cabbage), as well as other meatless dishes. According to tradition, only when January 7 comes, meat dishes can be put on the table. So homemade sausage, boiled pork, ham, stuffed goose, duck or piglet, jelly, gingerbread and so on were served on the table.

Christmas traditions

Traditionally, with the advent of the first day of the Christmas holidays, that is, January 7, it was not customary to visit. The exception was married children, who were supposed to visit their parents in the afternoon, saying that they had brought "grandfather's dinner."
The rest of the days of Christmas time (from the evening of the Nativity of Christ on January 6 to Epiphany Christmas Eve on the night of January 18-19) it was customary to take care of all people in need (sick, poor, hungry). Therefore, it was traditional to visit hospitals, orphanages, orphanages, prisons. In the old days, even the kings at Christmas time dressed up as ordinary people and went through prisons, giving alms to prisoners.

caroling

Caroling (in other words - glorification) was a special tradition in Christmas time. Children and young people dressed up, took a large homemade star in their hands and went from house to house from house to house with church songs, as well as spiritual carols dedicated to Christmas. Caroling took place everywhere, but in different regions it had its own characteristics. Some, instead of a self-made star, represented a kind of puppet theater called the "nativity scene", in which scenes from the Nativity of Christ were played. The so-called Christmas stories were also generally accepted, that is, stories about wonderful, good events that happened to people on Christmas. Christmas days for people were days of reconciliation, kindness and mercy.

Orthodox and Catholic Christmas