Mikhailov Andrey 12/23/2014 at 18:30

On December 20, 1699, the Russian Tsar Peter I signed a decree on the transition of Russia to a new chronology and postponing the celebration of the beginning of the year from September 1 to January 1. Since then, we have been celebrating the main holiday of the year on this very day. In general, the history of the New Year in Russia is quite curious. At different times, in addition to the above dates, we celebrated it on March 1, March 22, and September 14.

But first, let's return to the young Russian tsar. By his decree, Peter ordered on January 1, 1700, to decorate houses with pine, spruce and juniper branches according to the samples exhibited in Gostiny Dvor, as a sign of fun it is imperative to congratulate each other on the New Year and, of course, on the new century.

According to the historical chronicles, fireworks, cannon and rifle salutes were arranged on Red Square, and Muscovites were ordered to fire muskets and launch rockets near their homes. In a word, it was commanded to have fun with all the power of the Russian soul, however, in a European manner! Boyars and servicemen were ordered to put on other people's costumes - Hungarian caftans. And women also had to be dressed in a foreign dress.

In the Peter's decree it was written: "... Along the big and passable streets, noble people and near the houses of deliberate spiritual and worldly rank in front of the gates to make some decorations from the trees and branches of pine and juniper ... and to poor people, each though a tree or a branch on the gate or over his temple put on ... ". In fact, the decree was not specifically about the tree, but about trees in general. At first, they were decorated with nuts, sweets, fruits and even various vegetables, and they began to decorate a particular beauty with a Christmas tree much later, from the middle of the last century.

On January 6, the mighty festivities ended with a procession to the Jordan. Contrary to the old custom, the tsar did not follow the clergy in rich vestments, but stood on the banks of the Moskva River in uniform, surrounded by the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, dressed in green caftans and camisoles with gold buttons and braids.

In general, the celebration of the New Year in Russia has the same difficult fate as its history itself. The old folk tradition, even after the officially introduced changes in the calendar, kept the ancient customs for a long time. Here is what he told Pravda.Ru about the New Year story doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Nikolay Kaprizov:

"In Russia in the past, still pagan times, there was a long time of flight, that is, the first three months, and the month of summer began in March. In honor of him, they celebrated avsen, oats or tussen, which later passed to the new year. The very same summer in antiquity was in the current three spring and three summer months, - the last six months concluded winter time. The transition from autumn to winter was dimmed like the transition from summer to autumn. Presumably, originally in Russia New Year was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, that is, March 22. Maslenitsa and The New Year was celebrated on the same day, and the winter was driven away, which meant that the new year had come.

Well, along with Christianity, that is, after the Baptism of Rus in Russia (988), naturally, a new chronology appeared - from the Creation of the world. There was also a new European calendar, the Julian, with the fixed name of the months. March 1st was considered the beginning of the new year. According to one version, at the end of the 15th century, and according to another, in 1348, the Orthodox Church postponed the beginning of the year to September 1, which corresponded to the definitions of the Nicene Cathedral.

In general, the reform of the calendar system was carried out in Russia without taking into account the working life of the people, without establishing any special connection with agricultural work. The September New Year was established by the Church following the word of the Holy Scriptures. In the Old Testament church, the month of September was celebrated annually, as if to commemorate the rest from all everyday worries.

Thus, the New Year began to be conducted from September 1. This day became the feast of Simeon, the first pillar, celebrated even now by our church. This holiday was known among the common people under the name of Semyon the Letoprovodtsa, because this day ended summer and began a new year. It was both a solemn day of celebration, and the subject of analysis of urgent conditions, the collection of quitrent, taxes and personal courts.

Well, in 1699, Peter I issued a decree, according to which January 1 was considered the beginning of the year. This was done following the example of all Christian peoples who lived not according to the Julian, but according to the Gregorian calendar. Peter I, in general, could not completely, immediately transfer Russia to the new Gregorian calendar, despite all his determination - after all, the church lived according to the Julian one.

For residents of Russian cities, New Year is the main winter holiday and is celebrated on January 1. However, there are also people who do not celebrate the New Year. The real holiday for the believer is the Nativity of Christ. And before him is a strict Christmas fast, which lasts 40 days. It begins on November 28 and ends only on January 6 in the evening, with the rise of the first star.

Celebrating the New Year in Russia has the same difficult fate as its history itself. First of all, all the changes in the celebration of the New Year were associated with the most important historical events that affected the entire state and each person individually.

How the New Year was celebrated in pagan ancient Russia is one of the unresolved and controversial issues in historical science. An affirmative answer was not found, from what time the countdown of the year began.

Among ancient peoples, the New Year usually coincided with the beginning of the rebirth of nature and was timed to coincide with the month of March.

In Russia, there was a passage, i.e. the first three months. The month of summer began in March. In honor of him, they celebrated avsen, oat or tus, which later passed to the New Year. Summer in ancient times consisted of the present three spring and three summer months, the last six months concluded winter time. Presumably, at first in Russia, the New Year was celebrated on the vernal equinox on March 22. Shrovetide and New Year were celebrated on the same day.

Together with Christianity in Russia (988 - the Baptism of Rus), a new chronology appeared (from the creation of the world) and a new European calendar - Julian - with the fixed name of the months. March 1st was considered the beginning of the new year.

According to one version, at the end of the 15th century, and according to another, in 1348, the Orthodox Church moved the beginning of the year to September 1, which corresponded to the definitions of the Nicene Cathedral. The transfer must be related to the growing importance of the Christian Church in the state life of ancient Russia. The consolidation of Orthodoxy in the Middle Ages, the establishment of Christianity as a religious ideology calls for the use of "holy scripture" as a source of reform introduced into the existing calendar.

The reform of the calendar system was carried out in Russia without taking into account the working life of the people, without establishing a connection with agricultural work. The September New Year was established by the Church following the word of the Holy Scriptures; Having established and substantiated it with a biblical legend, the Russian Orthodox Church has preserved this New Year's date up to the present day as a church parallel to the civil New Year. In the Old Testament church, the month of September was celebrated annually to commemorate the rest from all life's worries.

Thus, the New Year began to be conducted from September 1. This day became the holiday of Simeon the first pillar, celebrated even now by our church and known among the common people under the name of Semyon the Flyer.

In 1699, Peter I issued a decree, according to which January 1 was considered the beginning of the year. This was done following the example of all Christian peoples who lived not according to the Julian, but according to the Gregorian calendar. Peter I could not completely transfer Russia to the new Gregorian calendar, since the church lived according to the Julian one. However, the tsar in Russia changed the chronology. If earlier the years were counted from the creation of the world, now the chronology went from the Nativity of Christ. In a personal decree, he announced: "Now from the birth of Christ comes the year one thousand six hundred and ninety-nine, and from next January, from the 1st, a new 1700 year will come and a new century will come."

It should be noted that the new chronology existed for a long time along with the old one - in the decree of 1699 it was allowed to write two dates in documents - from the Creation of the world and from the Nativity of Christ.

The implementation of this reform of the Great Tsar, which was of such importance, began with the fact that it was forbidden to celebrate in any way on September 1, and on December 15, 1699, drumming announced something important to the people who flooded into Red square. There was a high platform on which the tsar's clerk loudly read the decree that Peter Alekseevich commands "from the beginning of the summer to count in orders and in all matters and fortresses to write from January 1 from the birth of Christ."

The tsar unswervingly made sure that the New Year's holiday was no worse and no poorer in our country than in other European countries.

In the Petrovsky decree, it was written: “... Along the large and passable streets, noble people and near the houses of deliberate spiritual and secular rank in front of the gates to make some decorations from trees and branches of pine and juniper ... and to poor people, each though a tree or a branch on the gate or put over your temple ... ". The decree was not specifically about the tree, but about trees in general. At first, they were decorated with nuts, sweets, fruits and even vegetables, and they began to decorate the Christmas tree much later, from the middle of the last century.

The first day of the New Year 1700 began with a parade on Red Square in Moscow. And in the evening the sky was lit up with bright lights of festive fireworks. It was from January 1, 1700 that the folk New Year's fun and fun received their recognition, and the New Year celebration began to be of a secular (not church) character. As a sign of the national holiday, they fired from cannons, and in the evening in the dark sky, multi-colored fireworks, unprecedented before, flashed. People were having fun, singing, dancing, congratulating each other and giving New Year's gifts.

New Year in Russia has been celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1 for over 300 years. Until the 15th century, in Russia, the New Year was celebrated on March 1, and from the 15th to the 17th century, the holiday was celebrated on September 1 according to the Julian calendar. Only in 1700, Tsar Peter I, who in many ways tried to imitate the Western way of life, issued a decree to postpone New Year's celebrations to January 1. The decree turned out to be very funny, in our modern opinion:

“Because in Russia the New Year is considered differently, from now on, stop fooling people's heads and count the New Year everywhere from January 1. And as a sign of good beginnings and fun, wish each other a Happy New Year, wishing well-being in matters and prosperity in the family. In honor of the New Year, decorate with fir trees, amuse children, sled from the mountains. And adults do not commit drunkenness and massacre - there are enough other days for that. "

Since Russia, unlike other Western European countries, has not yet switched to the Gregorian calendar in the 17th century, a problem emerged: for a long time, the New Year was celebrated in Russia according to the Old Style, that is, 13 days later than the whole of Europe. The first "winter" New Year in 1701 was solemnly held in the old capital, Moscow, on Red Square, with a military parade and fireworks. From 1704 the official celebrations were moved to the new capital, St. Petersburg. As expected, with fun, entertainment for children, feasts and parades. As for "drunkenness and massacre", even the Great Peter was powerless to change something. There is nothing to hide, in Russia they always walked violently!

Although, in fairness, it must be said that the "winter" New Year in Russia was struggling to make its way. If it were not for the tough character of Peter, who literally forced his subjects to celebrate the new holiday HERE, if not for the ingenuity of Elizabeth I, who began to arrange magnificent masquerades at the court and free celebrations for the people, this tradition would hardly have taken root. For many years, the inhabitants of All Russia wished to celebrate the New Year "the old fashioned way", on September 1. Generations have changed until this now beloved holiday has taken its rightful place in the calendar of the most solemn dates.

New Year traditions in Russia

It is curious that in the Petrine era, the main symbol of the New Year was not a magnificently decorated Christmas tree, but spruce or birch branches. There were no traditional New Year's toys until the 19th century either. The branches were decorated with fruits (most often, red apples), nuts, sweets, eggs. In fact, any edible things that were rounded. The tradition of drinking champagne also did not exist until the middle of the 18th century: it appeared only after the defeat of the Napoleonic army, in 1813. French champagne "Madame Clicquot" has since become an invariable attribute of New Year's festivities. And now those who can afford such luxury drink it with pleasure.

In the 19th century, the New Year becomes one of the most beloved and long-awaited holidays. Lush mass festivities, balls, feasts (always with fried pigs and radishes), public Christmas trees are held throughout the country. Another invariable symbol of the New Year appears - Santa Claus. True, while his popularity is not so great, and his constant companion, the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden, does not accompany him either.

How New Year was celebrated in the 20th century

Since 1918, Russia has switched to the Gregorian calendar. This means that residents of the country start celebrating the New Year 13 days earlier. True, after the revolution, difficult times come for this wonderful holiday. Already in 1919, the new government canceled the celebrations for both New Year's and Christmas. Until 1935, January 1 was officially considered an ordinary working day. Although many people secretly continued to celebrate their favorite holiday.

Since 1935, the New Year in Russia has received a second life. Gradually, the traditions that we all value and love are returning: be sure to decorate the Christmas tree, drink champagne, set a lush table, and give each other gifts. A new tasty custom also arises: to cook Olivier salad for the New Year, however, not with hazel grouses, as was customary among the French, but with ordinary boiled sausage. It was during these years that the Soviet New Year acquires two more main symbols, Santa Claus and Snow Maiden.

New Year is a holiday forever

These days, New Year's celebrations are central to the calendar. This is the main holiday of millions of people. This is a holiday that has gone through a lot, has a rich history and traditions, has seen both good and bad, was forbidden and was reborn from the ashes. A holiday that, despite all the trials, has managed to retain its charm and attractiveness over the centuries. A holiday that will live as long as we and our Earth exist.

The onset of the New Year on the night of December 31 to January 1 was introduced in 1699 by the Russian emperor Peter I. Prior to that, according to historical chronicles, there was complete inconsistency with the date of the celebration of the main winter holiday. The ancient Slavic tillers began work in the fields after winter on March 1. And it was this day that was considered the beginning of the new year. According to other sources, it was celebrated on March 22 - the day of the vernal equinox. For many pagan ancestors, who considered their evil frosty grandfather Treskun (Karachun) as their deity, the New Year began in December on the "winter solstice" - the shortest day of the year and one of the coldest days of winter.

By the way, on the eve of the New Year, Russia celebrated Vasilyev's Day. In the IV century, Archbishop Basil of Caesarea was revered as a great theologian. And in Russia they began to call him Vasily the pig-house, having nothing bad under this. On New Year's Eve, it was customary to cook many dishes from pork. It was believed that thanks to this, Vasily, the patron saint of pigs, would certainly improve the livestock of these important animals in the economy. So the guests who went home were treated to pies with pork, boiled pork legs ... And in order to get a good harvest, they performed the "sowing" rite - they scattered spring wheat around the house, read a special prayer, and then the hostess collected the grains and kept them until spring - time sowing.

In 988, after the introduction of Christianity by Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the Byzantine calendar came to Russia, the celebration of the New Year was postponed to September 1. The time when the crop is harvested, the work is completed, a new life cycle can begin. And for quite a long time, two holidays existed in parallel: in the old way - in spring and in a new way - in autumn. Disagreements continued until the 15th century, when by decree of Tsar Ivan III the official date for celebrating the New Year in Russia was September 1 for both the church and the worldly people.

And so it was until December 20, 1700, when Peter I signed his decree, according to which the celebration of the New Year was postponed to January 1. The young tsar introduced European customs, so that on January 1, 1700, at his behest, houses were decorated with pine, spruce and juniper branches according to the patterns exhibited in the Gostiny Dvor, just as they had done in Holland since ancient times. The tsar considered 1700 to be the beginning of a new century.

Historical documents record that on the night of December 31, 1699 to January 1, 1700, a grandiose fireworks display, cannon and rifle salutes were arranged on Red Square, Muscovites were ordered to shoot muskets and launch rockets near their homes. Boyars and servicemen were dressed in Hungarian caftans, and women in elegant foreign dresses.

We celebrated a new holiday, as they say, to the fullest. The festivities continued until January 6 and ended with a procession to the Jordan. Contrary to the old custom, Peter I did not follow the clergy in rich vestments, but stood on the banks of the Moskva River in uniform, surrounded by the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments, dressed in green caftans and camisoles with gold buttons and braids.

Since then, the New Year has been celebrated constantly; from Germany, the custom has come to homes to decorate Christmas trees in homes with toys. And by the twentieth century, the New Year wizard Santa Claus appeared in Russia, the prototype of which is considered to be several characters at once: the pagan sorcerer Karachun (Treskun), St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the German wizard "old Ruprecht" and the fabulous Russian character Morozko.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was going through very difficult times. In 1914, during the First World War, the authorities banned the New Year's celebrations so as not to repeat the traditions of the holiday, taken over from the Germans who are fighting on the other side. After 1917, the New Year was either returned or prohibited, in 1929 January 1 was made a working day. However, in the 1930s, the main winter holiday was still rehabilitated in the USSR.

But the Old New Year in Russia was first celebrated on January 14, 1919. In 1918, by decision of the Council of People's Commissars, the "Decree on the introduction of the Western European calendar in the Russian Republic" was approved. This was due to the fact that European countries had long lived according to the Gregorian calendar, named after Pope Gregory XIII, and Russia - according to the Julian calendar (on behalf of Julius Caesar). Since then, the Russian people have established the custom of celebrating the Old New Year on the night of January 13-14, and thereby celebrating their favorite winter holiday again.

The Nativity of Christ begins with the very Baptism of Rus by Prince Vladimir in 988. From time immemorial, Christmas was considered a holiday of mercy and kindness, calling to take care of the weak and needy. On the holidays, beginning on January 7 according to the Gregorian calendar, charity auctions and balls were organized in Russian cities, festive tables were organized with "sovereign" pies, pretzels and decanters with "bitters" for beggars, gifts were given to the sick and orphans. And on frosty winter days from Christmas to Epiphany (January 19), called Christmastide, a festive meal alternated with stormy fun. They arranged sledding and ice sledding from the mountains, snowball games, fistfights, carols. The name of this old Russian fun comes from the name of the pagan god of feasts and the world of Kolyada.

Both young people and old people loved caroling in Ancient Russia. In the evenings, dressing in animal skins or ridiculous outfits, the crowd would return home for food and money. The most stingy owners tried to get rid of the intrusive visitors with a pair of bagels or sweets, for which they received bad wishes from the witty-tongued merry fellows - in the new year to get "devils in the yard, and worms in the garden" or to harvest wheat "entirely with empty ears." And in order for the guests to take away the terrible words, they had to be presented generously.

On Christmas days, one could see trained bears on the streets of cities, who walked on their hind legs, played the psaltery and danced, and after the performance they walked around the audience with a hat and stood for a long time near those who skimped on a well-deserved reward.

A special place these days was occupied by Christmas divination. As now, the girls dreamed of getting an enviable groom. “I want my betrothed — handsome, well-written and dandy, long curls, high morocco boots, a red shirt, a gold sash,” they said in an old conspiracy.

On Christmastide days, young girls often used to tell fortunes "for the betrothed", spreading wheat grains on the floor near the stove. A black rooster was brought into the house. It was believed that if the cockerel pecked all the grains, then the groom would probably show up soon. And if the "prophetic" bird refuses the treat, then you should not wait for the betrothed in the New Year. Fortune-telling with wax was also very popular. The melted wax was poured into a bowl of water, and then the resulting figures were examined. If a heart could be seen, then it was considered a sign of future "amorous affairs". A pitchfork meant a quarrel, a medallion meant wealth, and a donut meant lack of money.

The main dishes on the Christmas table in Russia were pork delicacies: fried pig, stuffed pork head, fried meat in chunks, jellied meat, aspic. In addition to pork dishes, other dishes from poultry, game, lamb and fish were also served on the festive table. Finely chopped meat was cooked in pots along with traditional semi-liquid porridge. Also traditional treats were cheesecakes, rolls, pies, koloboks, kulebyaki, chicken pies, pies, etc. The selection of desserts was more modest: the Christmas table was usually decorated with fruits, marshmallows, gingerbread cookies, brushwood, cookies and honey.

The New Year's persecution at the beginning of the twentieth century also affected Christmas. First, Christmas trees were banned, and then Santa Claus. In the late 1920s, a decree was issued, which said: "On New Year's Day and all religious holidays (formerly special days of rest), work is done on a general basis." Then January 1, 1929 became an ordinary working day, and the celebration of Christmas became completely illegal.

Only six years later, in 1935, the course of domestic policy towards the holidays was changed, New Year was recognized as a secular holiday, and Christmas was left to the church, separated from the state. Christmas received the status of a day off only in 1991, after the collapse of the USSR.

The countdown day of the new year in Russia was postponed twice. Until the 15th century, he was greeted in March, then in September, and in 1699, Peter I "appointed" the celebration for January 1. Russian New Year is a holiday that has absorbed the customs of paganism, Christianity and European enlightenment. On December 20, 1699, the decree of Emperor Peter I "On the celebration of the New Year" was issued, which suddenly threw the whole country three months ahead - Russians accustomed to the September meeting of the New Year had to celebrate the year 1700 on January 1.

Until the end of the 15th century, spring was considered the end of the annual cycle in Russia (the same ideas still exist in some countries of Central Asia). Before the adoption of Orthodoxy, this holiday was associated exclusively with pagan beliefs. Slavic paganism, as you know, was closely intertwined with the cult of fertility, so the new year was celebrated when the earth awakens from winter sleep - in March, with the first vernal equinox.

During the winter solstice, it was preceded by 12-day "Kolyada", from which the tradition of "mummers" has survived to this day to go home and sing songs, scattering grain at the threshold. And today, in many remote corners of Russia and the CIS, it is customary for “mummers” to give pancakes and kutya, and in ancient times these dishes were put on windows to appease the spirits.

With the adoption of Orthodoxy, the ritual aspect of the New Year's meeting, of course, has changed. For a long time, the Orthodox Church did not attach much importance to it, but in 1495 it got to this holiday - it was officially scheduled for September 1. On this day, the Kremlin hosted the ceremonies "On the beginning of a new summer", "On the flight" or "Long-term health action".

The celebration was opened by the patriarch and the tsar on the cathedral square of the Moscow Kremlin, their procession was accompanied by bell ringing. From the end of the 17th century, the tsar and his retinue went out to the people in the most elegant clothes, and the boyars were ordered to do the same. The choice fell on September, since it was believed that it was in September that God created the world. With the exception of a solemn church service, the New Year was celebrated like any other holiday - with guests, songs, dances and food. It was called then differently - "The first day of the year."

The tradition persisted for almost 200 years, after which a whirlwind of change by the name of Pyotr Alekseevich Romanov burst into the life of the Russian people. As you know, the young emperor almost immediately after ascending to the throne began tough reforms aimed at eradicating old traditions. Having traveled around Europe, he was inspired by the Dutch New Years style. In addition, he did not want to walk in embroidered gold vestments on the Cathedral Square at all - he wanted the fun that he saw abroad.

On December 20, 1699 (according to the old chronology, it was 7208), on the threshold of the new century, the emperor issued a decree that read: “... Volokhs, Moldavians, Serbs, Dolmatians, Bulgarians, and his greatest sovereign subjects Cherkasy and all Greeks, from whom our Orthodox faith is accepted, all those peoples, according to their summer, reckon from the Nativity of Christ on the eighth day later, that is, January 1, and not from the creation of the world, for many strife and reckoning in those years, and now from the Nativity of Christ comes 1699 year, and the next January, from the 1st, a new year 1700 comes, and a new centenary century; and for that good and useful deed, he indicated that henceforth the summers should be counted in orders, and in all deeds and fortresses, to write from the current General May from the 1st of the birth of Christ in 1700 ”.

The decree was long and very detailed. It stipulated that everyone should decorate houses with spruce, pine and juniper branches on these days and not remove the decorations until January 7th. Noble and simply wealthy citizens were ordered to shoot from cannons in the courtyards at midnight, shoot into the air with rifles and muskets, and a grandiose fireworks display was arranged on Red Square.

On the streets, the emperor ordered to burn fires of wood, brushwood and resin and keep the fire going throughout the festive week. By 1700, almost all European countries had already switched to the Gregorian calendar, so Russia began to celebrate the New Year 11 days later than Europe.

September 1 remained a church holiday, but after Peter's reform it somehow faded into the background. The last time the flight order was performed on September 1, 1699, in the presence of Peter, who sat on the throne in the Kremlin's cathedral square in royal clothes, received a blessing from the patriarch and congratulated the people on the new year, as his grandfather had done. After that, the magnificent autumn celebration was over - by the will of Peter, the traditions of enlightened Europe merged with pagan nature, from which rituals of wild fun remained.

On January 6, the first "pro-Western" celebrations in Russian history ended in Moscow with a procession to the Jordan. Contrary to the old custom, the tsar did not follow the clergy in rich vestments, but stood on the banks of the Moskva River in uniform, surrounded by the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, dressed in green caftans and camisoles with gold buttons and braids.

Boyars and servants also did not escape the imperial attention - they were obliged to put on Hungarian caftans and put on their wives in foreign dresses. For everyone, it was a real torment - the established order was crumbling for centuries, and the new rules looked uncomfortable and frightening. This way of celebrating the New Year was repeated every winter, and gradually New Year trees, and midnight cannon salvos, and masquerades took root.

On the eve of the old New Year, the Slavs celebrate a folk holiday - Generous evening. In Russia, the evening before the old New Year is called Vasiliev, since on this day the church commemorates the memory of Basil the Great. Another name is rich holy evening. On the evening of January 13, all housewives prepare a second or generous kutya, which, unlike the lean one, is seasoned with meat and lard. By tradition, a bowl of kutya is placed in the corner where the icons are.

For a generous evening, the hostesses prepared the best and most delicious dishes for the table. The main dish on the festive table was considered a roast pig - a symbol of the fertility of livestock and the fertility of the earth. Popularly, this time is considered a time of rampant evil spirits. On this evening, after sunset and until midnight, teenage girls walk and generous, driving away all evil spirits with their songs and wishing the owners happiness, health and good luck in the new year.

At dawn on January 14, young guys went to sow grain to their godfathers, close relatives, and acquaintances. According to popular beliefs, on the old New Year, a man was supposed to be the first to enter the house - it was believed that this would bring happiness to the house for the whole next year. The sowers wished everyone a Happy New Year and wished wealth and abundance with special sayings. In response, the owners presented them with pies, sweets and other sweets. It was believed that money should not be given to the sowers - with them you can give well-being in the house.

In some villages such a rite is still preserved: on the night of the old New Year, they burn their old clothes and immediately put on new ones. This symbolizes the beginning of a new, better life. In order to protect your home from all troubles in the new year, on January 14, you need to walk around all the rooms clockwise with three lighted candles and be baptized at the same time. Also, on the morning of January 14, you need to take an ax and knock it lightly on the threshold, saying “life, health, bread”.

In folk beliefs, many signs are associated with the holiday of the old New Year.
... You should not say the word "thirteen" on this day.
... January 14 cannot be considered a trifle, otherwise you will shed tears all year.
... On the old New Year and on Vasilyev's evening, you cannot lend anything, otherwise you will spend the whole year in debt.
... Also, signs say that if you take out the trash on January 14, then you will take out the happiness from the house.
... If the night on the Old New Year is quiet and clear, the year will be happy and successful.
... If the bright sun rises on January 14, the year will be rich and fruitful.
... If the frost covers all the trees, there will be a good grain harvest.
... From which side the sky is covered with clouds on the Old New Year, from there there will be happiness.
... If it snows on the Old New Year, then next year will be happy.

Many of us are wondering - how to celebrate the New Year? Despite the fact that the holiday is considered a home holiday, thousands and thousands of Russians will leave the country during the New Year holidays and fly around the world - in every direction, thinking thereby to get more impressions and celebrate the New Year as brightly as possible.

Today we will not consider options, and offer our own scenarios, it is too early, it is far from the New Year and will definitely offer holiday scenarios and original gift ideas. And today let's take a look at the history and traditions of the holiday.

How New Year was celebrated in Russia
New Year's traditions have evolved over the centuries, so today, thinking about how to celebrate the New Year, we can remember the history of the holiday and borrow the ideas that were present at the holiday from our ancestors.

In Ancient Russia, the celebration of the New Year was divided into two periods - holy evenings and terrible evenings. Evenings before January 1 were considered holy, after January 1 - terrible. Our ancestors believed that in the first days of the New Year, evil spirits acquire special power, create atrocities, and harm everyone. In order to somehow protect oneself from evil forces, a sign in the form of a cross was placed above the doors and windows. Therefore, the New Year caused not so much joy as awe. "Holidays are scary," said the peasants. On such evenings, they were afraid not only to go to visit - to stick their nose out of the hut.

Then our ancestors apparently got tired of celebrating the New Year in winter. They began to celebrate it on March 1. True, many expressed dissatisfaction and tried to celebrate the winter New Year in parallel with the spring New Year - in January, because the more holidays, the more fun life! Only the March New Year did not last long. Soon the beginning of the year was postponed to September 1. According to one version, this is due to the decision of the Orthodox Church, because September is a very important month for believers. So they decided that there was no better time of the year to celebrate the holiday.

Only from the 18th century the New Year was postponed to January 1. Tsar Peter I ordered by his decrees to introduce the chronology from the Nativity of Christ, and the year from January 1. He commanded to celebrate the New Year with a solemn prayer service, bell ringing, the roar of shots and fireworks, "... to amuse children, not to commit massacre." It was especially stipulated that everyone should congratulate each other on the holiday, give gifts - until that time, gifts were not an obligatory attribute of the New Year.

The people and the boyars did not argue with the Tsar about the celebration of the New Year.

People began to prepare more diligently for this holiday, decorate houses with green branches. And most importantly, they began to give each other New Year's gifts. By the way, when Peter I celebrated the New Year with his courtiers, he did not forget about the people either - he exhibited various dishes and vats of beer and wine in front of the palace.

The festive tree was mainly child's play. Having chosen a strong beautiful spruce, they hung it with children's toys, and danced around the tree. It was even allowed to climb the tree in order to get the desired toys and sweets. After the celebration was over, the remaining toys were removed from the tree and given to the children.

Later, the decoration of the Christmas tree became more sophisticated, certain rules for decorating the Christmas tree appeared. The top is crowned with the "Star of Bethlehem". The balls (before they were apples) personify the forbidden fruit that our first parents Adam and Eve ate. All kinds of curly gingerbread and biscuits, which replaced waffles that were obligatory in the Middle Ages, remind of unleavened bread used in the sacrament rite. Over time, everything became easier, they began to hang colorful toys, lanterns, baskets on the spruce branches. And then came the fashion for toys made of papier-mâché, porcelain, embossed cardboard, bugles and glued beads, transparent and frosted glass.

It is not surprising that children immediately fell in love with the holiday. Simultaneously with children's joy of toys and sweets, adults also delighted each other - they made different gifts, along the way made small gifts to servants, governesses and the poor. Therefore, many were looking forward to celebrating the New Year, because this holiday became the most cheerful and joyful for everyone, from the smallest to the gray-haired elders.

New Year's table
The pinnacle of festive festivities, a long-awaited delicacy, was considered to be a pie. This is an echo of the fact that bread was the main dish and the source of all life.

Before the New Year's dinner, seeds of rye, wheat, oats were poured on the table. Then the table was covered with a clean tablecloth.

The Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians also had sweet porridge-kutia and pancakes as an important New Year's dish. Porridge was cooked from whole grains, several types of cereals. It was believed that there will be a plentiful meal for the New Year, which means that there will be a full bowl at home all year round.

In addition, figures of domestic animals - goats, cows, calves, horses - were sculpted and baked from the dough. Then, when they came to the house to sing carols, the guests were presented with these figures and other sweets.

Some customs and beliefs
Usually, before the New Year, they tried to pay off all debts, forgave all offenses, those who were in a quarrel were obliged to make peace, so they asked each other for forgiveness.

People tried to enter the New Year in everything new, for which they put on a new dress and new shoes on the holiday. People believed that this would contribute to the growth of wealth.

The first day of the New Year was also important. Attention was paid to how the day would go. After all, the whole coming year depended on this.