- history of the holiday
- Preparations for the New Year in Russia
- Christmas tree
- Festive table
- The main characters of the holiday
- New Year traditions
In Russia, New Year is a favorite holiday for most of the country's population. The smell of tangerines and pine needles, Olivier salad, gifts under the Christmas tree, the chiming of Moscow chimes, mass celebrations - all this is associated with Russians with the wires of the old year and the meeting of the new.
history of the holiday
The celebration officially began to be celebrated back in 1700, when Peter I set the date for the holiday on January 1. For seven days, the inhabitants of the Russian Empire enjoyed their vacation with their family. Decorated fir trees were set up in front of the houses, and cannon fireworks were arranged on the main square of the country. In those days, it was a spectacle that boggles the imagination.
During the period of the USSR, the New Year acquired a semantic content and special symbolism. Thus, the fairytale heroes Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden became integral guests of the celebration. The number of days off increased for the first time in 1948. The following changes in the calendar took place only in 1993, when January 2 was also declared a non-working day. In 2013, the country's authorities decided to extend the holidays until January 8.
Preparations for the New Year in Russia
Every Russian strives to do everything in advance to make the holiday successful and fun. As a rule, the preparatory stages are as follows:
- cleaning apartments and decorating rooms;
- purchase of groceries and other New Year's goods;
- purchasing gifts for relatives and friends;
- drafting an impromptu script including interesting contests.
Before the New Year, a special atmosphere of coziness and warmth sets in in the homes of residents of Russia, which they try to maintain throughout the holiday.
Christmas tree
The main attribute of the holiday, of course, is the spruce tree. Today this tree can be seen not only in the apartments of every Russian person, but also on the central streets, as well as city squares. The custom that made the fir tree a symbol of the New Year in Russia goes back to 1818. The fact is that after the death of Peter I, the tradition of planting spruce did not take root. Only at the beginning of the 19th century, through the efforts of the Prussian princess Charlotte (wife of Nicholas I), the spruce again became an important component of the holiday. First, the Christmas tree was installed in the Imperial Palace of Moscow, and next year the fluffy beauty could be seen in St. Petersburg.
According to another version, the first Christmas trees began to decorate in Russia by Russified Germans who lived about 200 years ago in the country. At the same time, it was customary to decorate the spruce with fruits and sweets. Later, the Russians adopted the European tradition of decorating a tree with glass toys painted with original ornaments and hanging colorful garlands on it.
The first public New Year's performance, the center of which was a spruce, took place in 1852 in the spacious premises of the Yekateringofsky railway station. In the future, not a single New Year in Russia was complete without charity trees, where children from poor families could receive gifts.
Festive table
The Russians' New Year's table is distinguished by an abundance of various dishes and snacks. The festive menu primarily includes:
- salads "Herring under a fur coat", "Olivier", "Vinaigrette", etc.;
- baked goose or duck stuffed with apples, buckwheat and mushrooms;
- meat and fish cuts;
- different varieties of fruits;
- side dishes of vegetables and cereals;
- sandwiches with red caviar or sprats;
- casseroles;
- desserts;
- champagne or wine.
New Year's Eve dinner begins at about eight o'clock in the evening, since you must first spend the old year and then start celebrating the new one. Often, after a plentiful feast, a significant amount of food remains, which is consumed for several more days.
The main characters of the holiday
Not a single Russian New Year can be imagined without Santa Claus and Snow Maiden. However, not everyone knows the history of the appearance of these characters. An interesting fact is that until Soviet times, Santa Claus was not the personification of kindness, justice and wisdom. This is due to the fact that in the minds of Russians who lived in the Peter the Great's era, the country's main New Year's grandfather was associated exclusively with the spirit of cold Studenets. The image of a stern old man who can freeze everything around him came from Eastern Slavic mythology and is firmly rooted in history as a negative hero.
Subsequently, the situation changed and Santa Claus acquired his modern features, remaining partly the prototype of Studenets. This is evidenced by the appearance of the grandfather and his attire. Every Russian child knows that you can write a letter to Santa Claus and even come to one of his residences and meet in person.
The Snow Maiden is considered the eternal companion of the New Year's wizard, whose image first appeared in the play by Alexander Ostrovsky. In accordance with the plot, the Snow Maiden, made of snow, was the daughter of the spirit of Spring and Frost. Gradually, the heroine of the Snow Maiden took on a real embodiment and began to appear in public with Santa Claus.
New Year traditions
The holiday is shrouded in various signs, beliefs and rituals. Among the most common:
- Christmas tree decoration. For Russian people, the process of decorating a New Year's tree is akin to a ritual. Toys are taken from the cabinets in advance, some of which may be inherited from previous generations. Children cut curly snowflakes from paper and hang them on branches. A star or just an original toy is placed on the top of the spruce.
- Watching your favorite movies and TV programs. All New Year's holidays on TV are famous old films and concerts with the participation of the best bands of the country. Traditionally, before the chimes, a five-minute address by the president of the country is broadcast on TV, which some Russians listen carefully, and most simply turn off the sound.
- Before the holiday, Russian people try to pay off their debts, improve relationships with family and friends, and are in a good mood. This is important, since the people of the country believe that as you celebrate the New Year, you will spend it.
- With the first strike of the chimes, one should make a wish, quickly write it down on a small piece of paper, burn it and throw the ashes into a glass of champagne. In this case, you must drink the drink until the last blow. If you did everything right, you can be sure that your plan will come true next year.
