Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays in Russia is always celebrated on January 7 in a new style. What are the traditions, customs and signs of the holiday in Russia.

January 7, 2018.  Christmas service came to Russia in the X century, after the official introduction of Christianity. Almost 200 years after this, before the holiday itself was established or.

Even the ancient Christians established a pious custom to fast before important holidays. The need to feel the greatness of the event is reflected in the desire to limit the most natural human needs. A strict one-day fasting is now preserved on the eve of Christmas and Epiphany and is called Christmas Eve or Monsieur, from the habit of eating the sooty-cooked cereals with honey from the evening of this day (after the first star).

Strictly speaking, the symbol of the first star is a candle that is taken out on Christmas Eve at Vespers, which is served immediately after the liturgy, so you can eat after the morning service. However, a stable tradition of a single meal on Christmas Eve was formed with the onset of darkness, when the first star can be seen in the sky. After all, on the eve of Christmas, I want everything to remind of the upcoming triumph.

Christmas - folk traditions, customs and signs of the holiday

For the period from late December to early January, the Slavic pagans accounted for the pagan holiday of the “solstice”. The sun turns in the summer, and winter in the cold, they used to say in Russia. Probably because the sun was considered weak at this time, it had just begun its journey to summer and the custom of dressing was strengthened - hiding the face under a mask to hide from unkind spirits seeking to ruin the origin of life. In addition, these days the pagans held games, fortune-telling, there were many ceremonies and signs, all this was connected with the cult of fertility - the desire to appease the natural gods and prevent them from destroying the emerging new life.

All these celebrations were called caroling. There are several opinions regarding the origin of the word. Most likely, it has the same basis as the word “wheel” - the root “colo”. Many scientists associate the “wheel” with the word “good”, that is, “sunny” (the solar circle rolls around the sky with a wheel), which again draws our attention to the holidays of the solar cycle.

Christmas - folk traditions, customs and signs of the holiday

After the adoption of Christianity, in Russia they preferred not to suppress the remnants of paganism by force, as in Western Europe, but to fill the established form with new content. Therefore, the Church never pressed the consciousness of people with external force and did not cancel caroling these days. Old traditions gradually degenerated into new ones. Christmas carols became a house-walking rite with a Christmas star and a nativity scene for glorifying the born Savior and for applying God's grace to the houses where carols were received.

The Church made sure that during the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, the line between Christianity and paganism would not cross, although sometimes it was very thin. If in the foreground was the glorification of the born God-Child as the giver of all good for people, then the Church was with those who found Christ.

Christmas - folk traditions, customs and signs of the holiday

However, fortune-telling at the Christmas time was never welcomed by the Orthodox Church. Many signs also refer to peculiar fortunetelling when well-being is associated with doing or not doing anything, with some special clothes and casual encounters. This has nothing to do with the feast of the Nativity of Christ. It should be noted that the works on Holy Days, which can be postponed, have no consequences for a person. But they are not blessed by the priesthood - on such a great holiday as the coming of the Savior into the world of all people, it is necessary to celebrate, rejoice and praise God, putting aside all earthly affairs and cares.

Christmas - folk traditions, customs and signs of the holiday

But weather signs, based on long-term observations of nature, were not denied by the Church.

Clear weather and starry skies for Christmas - heralded the offspring of cattle, a good harvest of vegetables and mushrooms next summer and autumn.

Heavy snow at Christmas suggests that you should expect a good harvest of wheat. In addition, this is a good sign for the beekeeper - the bees safely winter and outgrow.

But if there is a thaw during the holiday, then you have to wait for a cold spring and, therefore, a poor harvest of vegetables.

January is circling us in a fun round dance of winter holidays. One of the main events of the month is the Nativity of Christ, which is preceded by Christmas Eve, and after that - until Baptism itself - the Christmas time lasts.

We will not dwell on the history of the appearance of the Messiah, because the New Testament details this. As for the exact date of the birth of the Son of God, it is not known for certain. On this occasion, there are many versions, argued by various facts (scholars often talk about September 12 BC).

Orthodox Christians celebrate this day on January 7th for many centuries. Each epoch has contributed to the celebration traditions; as a result, an intricate kaleidoscope of beliefs, rituals, rituals and signs has turned out. We suggest you familiarize yourself with a small selection of the most interesting and important of them.

Nativity of Christ: traditions and customs

Christmas Eve - fasting day. Dinner is served after evening service, when the first star has already appeared in the sky. Traditionally, before the meal, all households should try it comically (other names of the dish: kutia, colivo). There are many ways to prepare this treat. Previously, housewives simply steamed wheat grains, and before serving, they poured them with a fry. Nowadays, cooks improve the recipe at their discretion, most often they use the following ingredients: raisins, poppy seeds, nuts, honey. Some add vanilla, caramel, candied fruit, chocolate.

The total number of dishes on the table should correspond to the number of apostles - 12. According to the Church Charter, food should be hot, cooked in vegetable oil. Although many people talking about this nuance forget.

For those who are going to observe church traditions and customs at Christmas, we provide a list of dishes suitable for the festive table: dumplings with potatoes or canned cherries, fried or baked fish in the oven, pancakes, vinaigrette, a variety of pickles, pancakes and cabbage with mushrooms. Appropriate baking options: gingerbread, pies, cake.

Christmas is the second most important (after the Resurrection of Christ) twentieth holiday. Temples are preliminarily decorated in a special way, using coniferous branches and fresh flowers (usually lilies and chrysanthemums); real Christmas trees are also set up. Priests put on solemn golden vestments. The first service is held on the morning of January 6 - the royal hours, the all-night vigil begins at 5 p.m., the next day at 10 a.m. - the festive liturgy, in the evening - the solemn service.

Believers exchange congratulations, and red icon lamps are lit in front of home iconostases.

Folk traditions and signs associated with Christmas Eve and Christmas

All the most important fabulous mystical happens on the night before Christmas. Our ancestors believed that after 24.00 there are good and evil, but in the end, equilibrium is established.

Christmas Eve's most important event is a gala family dinner. The orders in the house and outfits were brought-prepared in advance. We have already mentioned the components of the menu for Holy Evening; now we will dwell on the ancient features of the serving.

By tradition, a table was set in the middle of the room, covered with an elegant white tablecloth, hay was spread under it, and garlic was put in the corners, which protects from evil spirits. A mandatory attribute of the holiday is a bowl with grain, in which they put a lighted candle. It was impossible to extinguish the fire until it went out. The seeds were not thrown out, but mixed into the seed.

The remnants of the dinner were not cleaned, but symbolically left on the table for deceased loved ones.

After dinner, the fun began - the mummers walked around the yards, singing sacred hymns or perky carols. It is customary to welcome such visitors warmly, treat and generously bestow.

The next day you can talk. In some regions it is customary to go to visit the mother-in-law or mother-in-law, in others - to the godparents. Household chores and bad thoughts on a holiday under the strictest ban.

And now a little about the signs in Christmas

In order for the coming year to be satisfying and successful, feed your pet “to waste”.
  On January 7, the representative of the stronger sex should be the first to cross the threshold of the home, otherwise women in the family will be sick.
  Any find on this day leads to large financial gains, loss - to significant losses.
  Clear weather and starry skies on Christmas night symbolize a bountiful harvest.
  Accidentally entering excrement is a great success (and do not be cunning, the first word is the key).

Fortune telling before Christmas

how to guess at christmas. Recall first that, according to church canons, witchcraft is a divine cause. There is also a belief that categorically prohibits unmarried young ladies from guessing on the night before Christmas.

However, all these strict warnings usually stop few people. In Russia, they began to predict the future on Christmas Eve, they repeated fun and interesting entertainment every evening, while the Christmas time continued.

What will be the year, and will the expected event happen in it? In order to find out the answer to this question, important words were written on pieces of paper, for example: “wedding”, “birth of a child”, “purchase of something”. They hid all this stuff under the pillow and went to bed. Before dawn, you need to get out of bed and randomly pull out a prediction.

What will be the husband? The girls had fun running a rooster into the room. Previously, various objects were laid out on the floor: money, coals, jewelry, grains, a cup of water was placed. Whatever the bird chooses will be narrowed. Bad if shitting, then betrayal can not be avoided.

Married couples spelled on the floor of future children. For this, a wedding ring was lowered into a glass of water, left for the night outside the window. A prerequisite is frosty weather. Water should turn into ice, on the surface of which conclusions were drawn (the presence of tubercles means that a boy will be born, pits - a girl).

Figures symbolizing the future were poured from wax, determined by the contours of burning paper.

There are many more traditions, rituals and rituals associated with Christmas. The nuances depend on the regions of residence and the degree of trust in folklore.

Christmas is one of the most important holidays for all Christians (after Easter), because on this day the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ. In Orthodoxy, it is one of the so-called Lord's twelve holy holidays.

What date is Christmas

Many signs and customs are associated with Christmas - they were given special attention. It was believed that how Christmas will pass - so will the year.

As you know, the date varies among Catholics and Orthodox in connection with the peculiarities of keeping a calendar (which is why we also got the holiday of the old New Year, which is not celebrated anywhere else in the world). Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. Greek Catholics also celebrate Christmas with the Orthodox.

Note that initially from the end of the second to the fourth centuries, Christmas was celebrated on January 6 - at the Baptism of the Savior, but later it was postponed to December 25 due to the fact that on this day pagans in the Roman Empire celebrated the Birth of the Invincible Sun, that is, winter day solstices.

Christmas story

According to the Old Testament prophets, Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem in 5508 from the creation of the world.

The main and initial purpose of the celebration is to remember and glorify the event of the appearance in the flesh of the Son of God. The Orthodox Church also established the solemn feast of the Baptism of the Lord and called it the Epiphany, suggesting that on this day Christ did not become God for the first time, but only revealed Himself as God, representing Him as the One from the Trinity, the Son of God.

The holiday became a contrast to the rites of the Gentiles. They also adopted the pagan custom of decorating trees. And also this holiday is accompanied by services and solemn chants. In the 4th century, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helen built the temple on the site of the Bethlehem cave, glorified by the birth of Christ.

Christmas Eve

The evening on Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve (Holy evening) has its sacred meaning. On this day, you should observe strict fasting with complete abstinence from food to the first star, which symbolizes the Christmas star, heralding the magi about the birth of the baby Christ. On this day, first of all, it is customary for everyone to eat kutya, be sure to at least a small spoon.

Traditions and rites for Christmas

Since, like most holidays, Christmas adopted the traditions of paganism, we also find elements of the pre-Christian era among traditions. In the old days, it was customary to sprinkle hay on the table and keep it there until Generous evening - this symbolized a good harvest. Later it began to symbolize the fact that Jesus was born in a stable.

On top lay a tablecloth, and in the center of the table put a dish with kutya and other dishes, which should be 12 in the number of apostles. The food was plentiful, with meat dishes: pancakes, pies, pickles and dried berries, grilled sausages, etc.

At midnight everyone exchanged gifts, congratulated each other and made wishes. Among the girls, Christmas fortune telling was common. It was believed that at Christmas the sky opens to the earth, and the powers of heaven fulfill all their plans. All wishes made for Christmas must be good.

At Christmas, it is customary to light more candles, lights, a fireplace - if any. Candles attract warmth and wealth into your home. If you have pets, then on Christmas you need to feed them plentifully - then the whole year will be satisfying and financially successful.

One, a special candle must be lit for the deceased relatives - then they will help you attract good luck and prosperity in the coming year.

Christmas is a great time for shopping, large and small. Buying something good for Christmas is a great sign and a sign that the purchase will serve you faithfully.

From Christmas to Baptism, throughout the days of Christmas time, certain prohibitions apply, which are caused by ideas that go back centuries to the celebration as a stoppage of time, a kind of temporary pause during which you cannot engage in productive work and everything related to birth, undertaking, development. Therefore, a significant part of the prohibitions applies to crafts related to spinning, sewing, knitting, weaving, weaving, that is, everything related to thread (rope). The thread is a symbol of life and destiny.

On Christmas, you can not do cleaning and all sorts of household chores. This day is created for peace and joy. Even better if you do not clean up until January 14 (the next day of the old New Year). All garbage collected on January 14 should be taken out and scattered in the wind, or burned. According to signs, after that no evil spirits will bother you for a whole year.

On a holy day you can’t swear. He who swears, takes away from his ancestors the hope of salvation.

Widespread beliefs associated with the arrival of the first guest. If you are inviting guests for Christmas, see who first enters your home. If a woman enters first, then all year the women in your family will be ill.

Christmas rules also applied to clothes: on Christmas, they have long adhered to another tradition: to wear only new clothes. Not clean, washed, but a new, not worn yet. And don’t sit at the Christmas table in black. Our ancestors believed that in the new year, such people will face failure in business.

It is not recommended to guess at Christmas either - in order to ask the higher powers what awaits you in the future, there will still be a lot of time: it is best to do this at the so-called Christmas time - from January 8 to Baptism, it is not for nothing that fortunetelling of this time is called - convolute.

You cannot drink water at Christmas, so remove all mineral water from the table. There is coffee, tea and other excellent drinks. Honestly, this omen is a bit strange, but it’s better not to drink water than to torment all year for some reason.

January 7, go to visit relatives, and also caroling. On the morning of January 7, the whole family or several representatives go to the church for a festive prayer, and returning from the church, people cheerfully greet: - “Christ was born!” They are answered - “Praise him!” Starting on the evening of January 6, Christians (carols) walked with the Star of Bethlehem. A large star made of gilded paper was fixed on a stick, decorated with a flashlight, paper garlands, sometimes an icon of the Nativity, Savior or Mother of God, then with this star singing Christmas carols bypass the surrounding houses.

In some places, figures of animals made of wheat dough were baked for the holiday — cows, lambs, goats, cockerels and hens and little cowherd men.

In some regions, the table is decorated with diduh, a sheaf of wheat or oats of a special shape: with four legs and a large number of knots, symbolizing well-being for the next year.

Seven blessings of Christmas

The number seven is considered sacred. There is a belief that he who made seven blessings on Orthodox Christmas will live happily all year and even has the right to ask the angels for the fulfillment of their most cherished desire. On this day, it is customary to give seven alms for the sake of happiness in the coming year. Usually these are 7 identical coins, which must be served to someone who arouses sincere sympathy in the soul, accompanying the alms of the prayer uttered to oneself. You can also give seven useful gifts. As a rule, these were towels, giving them away, the giver always uttered the words: “I give towels, I’ll die for good, I will correct evil with good, fortunately I will send my family (my family)”.

Ritual

At Christmas, they have long held many different rituals, but so that you are not at all accused of obscurantism, make the cutest and not tied to magic. For example, starting on January 7, for forty (!) Days (this period is called peace - our ancestors believed that at that time angels help people in all matters), every morning, waking up, make a new desire - imagine how much good will come into your life!

Signs and superstitions

On Christmas, national signs and superstitions become especially powerful, as if nature itself and every subject were trying to tell us something: how to live, what to fear. Here are just a few of them.

The sign of prosperity. If you lose any thing at Christmas, it means that you may face losses next year. But if you find a thing and even some kind of jewelry, then money is already rushing towards you in full sail!

Good luck. If you accidentally spilled tea or coffee at a Christmas table (this does not apply to alcohol), then this is good news and a great success for all your undertakings.

On Christmas Eve (January 7-19), look at nature. If the sky is often strewn with stars, or it often snows, or there is a lot of frost on the trees - the year will be rich, satisfying, profitable. If it snows on Christmas Day itself, the omen is very good and promises a successful year.

If on Christmas a young month flaunts in the sky - the year will be extremely unlucky financially.

The most monetary sign of Christmas is tradition. A coin is baked in the pie - and whoever gets a piece of the coin will have a big monetary fortune in the New Year.

Let the coin be in your piece of Christmas cake!

Prayers for Christmas

Greatness of the Nativity of Christ

We magnify you
The Liver of Christ,
us for the sake of the birth of the birth of Rozhdshagos
from the Shameless
and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Troparion to the Nativity of Christ

Your Christmas, Christ our God,
the ascension of the world is the light of reason:
there’s a servant in it,
i'm studying a star
You bow to the sun of truth
and you lead from the heights of the East:
Lord, glory to Thee.

Kondak, voice 3rd

The Virgin is here today giving birth,
and the earth nativity scene the Unapproachable brings;
Angels with the shepherds praise
the witches travel with the star;
us, for the sake of birth, the Youth is born, an eternal God.

Troparia pre-celebration

Getting ready, Bethlehem,
rejected by all, Eden,
show off, Euphrafo,
like a tree of the abdomen in the den of prosperity from the Virgin:
paradise Bo Onoya womb appear mental,
in him is the Divine Garden,
from worthless boredom, we will live,
not just Adam will die.
Christ is born before the fallen erect image.

Pre-Celebration (Mentor), voice 4:

Sometimes writing with Elder Joseph,
like the seed of David, in Bethlehem, Mariam,
breathless seedless birth.
Nastya is Christmas time,
and the place is not a single habitation,
but, like a red chamber, the den of Tsaritsa appeared.
Christ is born before the fallen resurrect the image.

Christmas is celebrated in the Orthodox world on January 7. At all times, Christmas dealt especially solemnly, in compliance with all traditions and customs. A mandatory attribute of the holiday are congratulations that will express your warmest and most gentle wishes to friends, relatives and just good friends.

The Nativity of Christ, celebrated in the Orthodox world on January 7, celebrates solemnly and in compliance with all traditions.

Christmas customs and rituals

Christmas Eve is considered the strictest day of Christmas Lent. Throughout the day, until the first star announcing the birth of Christ, it is necessary to refrain from eating any food.

Of course, as with any fasting, an exception is made to sick people, children, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers.

The obligatory dish of the festive Christmas table is considered to be kutya (sweet cereal) and broth (dried fruit compote). The fire and Kutia before the Vespers were placed under the icon, after which the people solemnly sat at the table, observing a certain hierarchy. The father sat first, then the mother, and then, after seniority, the children.

A mandatory attribute of the holiday is a Christmas tree. True, after the reign of Peter the Great, the custom of decorating a Christmas tree practically disappeared, reviving only at the end of the second half of the 19th century.

It was then that Christmas markets began to appear in the capitals.

Christmas is celebrated especially solemnly. The decoration of the tree was usually carefully hidden from younger children, because most often it was sweets wrapped in colored shiny paper.

The Christmas tree, as a rule, was decorated with sweets and toys that were distributed to children and mummers during carols.

Gifts for kids under the Christmas tree were a mandatory tradition on Christmas Eve, after receiving gifts for the kids, costume parties were established.

The Christmas days were considered fertile, so adults, regardless of their social status, tried to help the wretched, sick and poor. They went with gifts to prisons, hospitals, shelters and shelters. Mandatory these days were visits with congratulations from friends and neighbors.

Of course, the traditions and customs of celebrating that Christmas are practically no longer respected. The only exceptions are Christmas Lent and holiday services, which are attended by thousands of believers on the night before Christmas.

But the tradition of congratulating each other on Christmas is still relevant. Indeed, the kind words of the most gentle and kind wishes will give a piece of your love and care to all those to whom they will be addressed on this bright day.

Merry Christmas in verse

May a good holiday of Christmas
  Peace of mind will bring
  And the appearance of Christ
  Save from evil and grief.

May the great feast of Christmas
  It will give you a lot of magic
  Will light the right way with a candle
  And sadness will disappear somewhere.

Wonderful Christmas night
  Love warms everyone with the light
  And the sun, barely waking up
  All sorrows instantly drives away!
Feel the magic too
  All the fabulousness of these moments
  Meet Christmas soon
  And congratulations to everyone without a doubt!

Merry Christmas Wishes in Verses

Congratulations on Christmas with the best wishes will be a wonderful gift for friends, relatives and acquaintances. May peace and goodness come to your home on this bright day, and peace and happiness will surround you throughout the year.

The bright holiday comes again -
  Christ's birthday
  And somewhere suddenly leaves
  Everyday vanity.
  Let it warm every day
  The light of love, good is your home
  The joy of life fills
  To your soul! Merry Christmas!