Christmas is one of the main Christian holidays along with Easter. The traditions of its celebration date back to the mid-4th century. Since ancient sources do not give the exact date of the birth of Jesus Christ, the church timed the day of its celebration to coincide with pagan celebrations. Therefore, traditions bear the imprint of ancient folk beliefs. And signs for Christmas allow us to predict many events and phenomena of the coming year.
Orthodox Christians celebrate this day according to the Gregorian calendar on January 7th. In ancient Rus', its celebration coincided with Christmastide, which began at the end of December and lasted the first week of January. Catholics and most Protestants celebrate Christmas on December 25th.
Traditions and rituals
Each nation has its own traditions of holding happy holiday. But there is also general rules preparation and celebration of the Nativity of Christ.
Christmas post
The holiday is preceded by a forty-day fast - a time of spiritual and physical cleansing. At this time, a person refuses to eat food of animal origin (meat, eggs, milk). But its main purpose is to cleanse the mind and soul from evil, anger, lustful thoughts, and fill them with goodness and light.
It was not customary to get married on the days of fasting, since this was a time of abstinence. Orthodox Church recommended that the laity pray more, confess more often, read the Holy Scriptures and spiritual literature, and show attention and love to their neighbors.
Attributes of Christmas
It’s impossible to imagine celebrating Christmas without a few must-have elements. Among them:
- A decorated Christmas tree is like a tree of heaven. In ancient times, it was decorated with paper flowers, apples, and gingerbread cookies. Christmas decorations have changed, but, as before, there must be an eight-pointed one at the top of the tree. Star of Bethlehem, symbolizing the birth of the Savior.
- Advent wreaths are a Lutheran tradition that has spread throughout the world. Wreaths were made from different breeds coniferous trees, decorated with wooden figurines, ribbons, and candles. Usually they were placed above the doors, on the wall, or on the holiday table.
- Bells were once a pagan attribute of this Christian holiday. Our ancestors believed that in the short December days the sun died and the evil spirit became very strong. Customs prescribed to make noise and ring bells to drive him out. The ringing of bells in modern churches welcomes and glorifies the birth of Jesus Christ.
- In pagan times, lit candles symbolized the victory of the forces of light and good over dark forces. For Christians, this is a symbol of the star that lit up in the sky at the moment of the birth of Jesus Christ. Over time, less fire-hazardous electric garlands began to be used to decorate the premises. But every home still lights a candle for Christmas.
- Nativity scene - live pictures (theatrical performances) or compositions based on the biblical story of the birth of the Savior. An obligatory element of the nativity scene was a manger with the baby Jesus, pets, and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Besides, Christmas means a lot of gifts. In the pre-digital era, the symbol was Christmas cards, which were signed and sent to family and friends before the holiday. In some countries, plants are obligatory attributes of celebrations: holly, mistletoe, holly. Holiday treats for kids include a Christmas mint candy in the shape of a shepherd's crook.
Christmas Eve
This is the name of the evening before Christmas - January 6th. They fast all this day (“until the first star”). Adults and children dressed in festive outfits. The table was covered with a white tablecloth (symbolic hay was placed under it). The family usually gathered for dinner, but it was customary to invite lonely acquaintances and neighbors. There was a belief that on Christmas Eve God himself could come to the house under the guise of a wanderer or a beggar, so any unexpected guest was welcomed.
Traditionally for festive table They prepared twelve dishes, the main ones being kutia (sochivo) for the Orthodox and wafers (symbolic bread) for the Catholics. Sochivo is a treat made from wheat, rice or lentils, flavored with honey, raisins, and nuts. After prayer and breaking the wafers (eating kutya), they proceeded to the remaining dishes in a certain sequence: appetizers (fish, salads), warm lean borscht or soup, pastries, sweets. We had to try all the treats on the table. The meal ended with the exchange of gifts.
Prophetic dreams
In Rus' it was believed that people dream about Christmas prophetic dreams. At this time, the subconscious is most susceptible to all kinds of influences; it can give answers to the most intimate questions. Dreams are very symbolic. They tried to remember and interpret them. A candle and a dream book were placed next to the bed so that immediately after waking up, they could predict the future based on what they saw in the dream.
The interpretation depended not only on the content of the dream, but also on the mood with which they woke up. By folk beliefs the dreamed animal indicated the character of the future chosen one. If at night you dreamed of a man with whom you walked arm-in-arm, this meant an imminent marriage. Bright star, full bucket, Christmas decorations dreamed of wealth, prosperity, good luck.
Fortune telling and rituals
Despite church prohibitions, on the eve of the holiday, girls performed fortune telling.
Most were interested in the question of whether they would be able to get married soon. There were many ways of fortune telling - on straw, in the snow, with a mirror, hats. One way is to go outside at midnight and listen to the sounds. Hear the ringing of bells, a man's conversation - for a quick happy marriage, the sounds of a quarrel and curses do not bode well. To find out the name of the betrothed, you had to find out the name of the first person you met on Christmas night.
They performed fortune-telling, predicting the future. Various items were placed in cups, salt, sugar, bread, and water was poured. Then, with their eyes closed, they chose: the ring foreshadowed a wedding, bread - prosperity, salt - misfortune, water - a smooth flow of life without change.
On Christmas night they did money rituals. A green candle, a paper bill under a candlestick, and a correctly read spell promised quick profit (a green candle is used in many rituals to attract money).
Signs of Christmas
This Christian holiday has a special magic. Christmas signs will help predict changes in the weather, family and personal life, and in everyday life.
Weather
Our ancestors paid attention to the weather and the behavior of animals on Christmas Day. Based on this, it was possible to predict weather changes in the near future and the harvest.
- a frosty Christmas foreshadowed severe cold at Epiphany;
- severe frosts could be expected if the sky was clear and the moon was bright;
- harbingers of a fruitful summer - the starry sky and frost on the branches;
- if Christmas falls on a new moon, there will not be a good harvest;
- heavy snow on January 7 - for a prosperous year;
- The Christmas snowstorm foreshadowed a big honey harvest.
Many Christmas signs were associated with pets. For example, if a cat is in front of holidays sharpened its claws on the walls, it means the weather will worsen, and if it curls up into a ball, the temperature will drop, expect severe frosts.
Life
For the owners, it was important who would be the first to enter the house on a holiday. If it was two men, then you can hope for good luck, peace and mutual understanding in the family. A woman comes - expect strife and illness. Getting married on this day promised a long and happy family life.
The following were considered bad omens:
- broken dishes or spilled drinks - to a quarrel;
- a howling dog means trouble; to prevent it, you need to release the animal from the leash with the words: “Just as the rope does not hold you, so trouble will not hold on to my house”;
- stumbled on the way to church - to a severe illness in 12 years (the verbal formula “I’m going to God, he will save me” will save me from illness).
A very good Christmas omen was the birth of a lamb.
Analogies were drawn between the biblical stories about the birth of Christ in a shepherd’s cave and rest in a sheep manger. The offspring symbolized profit in the house, a wonderful harvest.
If there is no peace in the family, on Christmas night they put a bucket of water outside. In the morning, frozen water was placed on the fire, and a plot for reconciliation was read over it. The water was used for cooking and washing my husband’s clothes. It was believed that if you ask God for something at three o’clock in the morning, you will definitely get what you want.
Day of the week
The day of the week on which Christmas fell mattered:
- Monday promised summer warmth and a fruitful mushroom season;
- Tuesday gave young couples hope for happy marriage, concluded in the current year;
- Wednesday foreshadowed good luck for hunters and fishermen;
- Thursday promised the girls a quick successful marriage (or the appearance of a betrothed);
- Friday indicated that the cold weather would linger and the summer would be short;
Signs for money // Signs for health // Signs for Christmas
There is a special magic in this holiday. By observing ancient customs, we not only preserve the connection between generations, but also the desire to bring goodness and joy to this world.
There are many signs and customs associated with Christmas - they were given Special attention. It was believed that as Christmas went, so would the year.
The Nativity of Christ occupies an important place in the lives of many people; it is a holiday of love, warmth, faith, goodness and happiness.
January 7 is the best time to visit and receive guests. It is important that you should communicate better at Christmas only with those people who can bring you happiness - happy families, or those families who are expecting an addition, or have already born new member families. As a rule, edible gifts are given at Christmas. Be sure to bring kutya, sweets, jam and pickles. You can also give a toy if it is a child, or some kind of winter accessory.
Nowadays, of course, you can get by with a phone call, the main thing is to let the people you care about know that you remember them and wish them the best. Be sure to congratulate all your friends and family on this holiday; Christmas greetings filled with joy and warmth will help people become brighter, happier and forget about everyday problems and worries.
At Christmas it is customary to light more candles, lights, a fireplace - if you have one. Candles bring warmth and wealth into your home. If you have pets, then at Christmas you need to feed them abundantly - then the whole year will be satisfying and successful financially.
One special candle must be lit for deceased relatives - then they will help you attract good luck and prosperity in the coming year.
Christmas is a great time for shopping, big and small. Buying something good for Christmas is a great omen and a sign that the purchase will serve you faithfully.
From Christmas until Epiphany, throughout all the days of Christmastide, certain prohibitions apply, which are determined by centuries-old ideas about the holiday as a stop of time, a certain temporary pause, during which one cannot engage in productive labor and everything that is associated with birth, beginning, development. Therefore, a significant part of the prohibitions concerns crafts related to spinning, sewing, knitting, weaving, braiding, that is, everything related to thread (rope). The thread is a symbol of life and destiny.
On Christmas, you can't do any cleaning or housekeeping chores. This day is created for peace and joy. It’s even better if you don’t clean up until January 14th (the next day of the old New Year). All garbage collected on January 14 should be taken outside and scattered to the wind, or burned. According to signs, after this no evil spirits will bother you for a whole year.
You can't swear on a holy day. He who swears takes away the hope of salvation from his ancestors.
There is a widespread belief associated with the arrival of the first guest. If you are inviting guests over for Christmas, see who enters your home first. If a woman enters first, then the women of your family will be sick all year.
Christmas rules also applied to clothing: on Christmas, another tradition has long been followed: to wear only new clothes. Not clean, washed, but new, not yet worn. And don't sit at the Christmas table dressed in black. Our ancestors believed that such people would face failure in business in the new year.
It is not recommended to guess at Christmas - 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 on the so-called Christmastide - from January 8 to Epiphany, it is not for nothing that fortune telling at this time is called that - Christmastide.
You can't drink water on Christmas, so remove all mineral water from the table. There is coffee, tea and other great drinks. To be honest, this sign is a little strange, but it’s better not to drink water than to suffer for an unknown reason all year.
7 The Seven Blessings of Christmas
The number seven is considered sacred. There is a belief that whoever has done seven blessings in 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 given to someone who arouses sincere sympathy in the soul, accompanying the alms with a silent prayer. You can also give seven useful gifts. As a rule, these were towels, and when giving them, the giver must say the words: “I give towels, I will die in good time, I will correct evil with good, I will guide my kind (my family) to happiness.” On Christmas we greet each other with the words: “Christ is born!” and we respond to these words: “We praise Him!”
Ritual
At Christmas, many different rituals have long been performed, but in order not to be accused of obscurantism at all, do the nicest ones that are not tied to magic - it doesn’t matter whether it is black or white. For example, starting from January 7, for forty (!) days (this period is called peace - our ancestors believed that during this time angels help people in all matters), every morning, when you wake up, make a new wish - imagine how much good will come into your life!
Signs and superstitions
At Christmas, folk signs and superstitions acquire special power, as if nature itself and every object are trying to tell us something: how to live, what to fear. Here are just a few of them.
A sign of prosperity. If you lose any item at Christmas, this means that you may face losses next year. But if you find a thing or something else jewelry, then money is already rushing towards you in full sail!
A sign for good luck. If you accidentally spilled tea or coffee at the Christmas table (this does not apply to alcohol), then this is good news and great success for all your endeavors.
Money signs for Christmas
On Christmas Eve (January 7 to 19), look at nature. If the sky is most often strewn with stars, or it snows often, or there is a lot of frost on the trees, the year will be rich, satisfying, and profitable. If it snows on Christmas Day itself, this is a very good omen and promises a successful year.
If there is a new moon in the sky on Christmas Day, the year will be extremely unlucky financially.
The most monetary sign of Christmas is also a tradition. A coin is baked into the pie - and whoever gets a piece with a coin will have great financial luck in the New Year.
May the coin end up in your piece of Christmas pie!
The holiday of the Nativity of Christ has existed for a very long time and numerous signs for Christmas have been developed:
Signs for Christmas
Girls shouldn't tell fortunes at Christmas;
Both young and old, go to the market, buy more cheerfully, do not regret rubles;
For Christmas, festive halves are laid in the upper room: on a white field - blue flowers;
Blizzard on Christmas Eve - there will be early leaves;
You cannot do household chores on Christmas Day;
If there is frost on the trees in the first days of the Christmas holidays, there will be a good harvest of bread;
Signs for Christmas. If Christmas is warm, spring is cold;
You can't drink water during Christmas dinner; those who don't drink won't want water when there's nowhere to get it;
From Christmas Eve the sun goes into summer and winter goes into frost;
On Christmas Day there are stars in the sky or it often snows and there is a lot of frost on the trees - the year will be fruitful;
The day is warm - the bread will be dark and thick;
Snowstorm - bees will swarm well;
The sky is starry - the harvest for peas;
From Christmas to Epiphany it is a sin to hunt in the forest - misfortune may happen to the hunter;
Christmas signs
Signs for Christmas. You can't sew on Christmas Day, otherwise someone in the family will go blind. On Christmas Eve (January 6) - the eve of the great holiday of Christmas - they fast all day (“until the first star”) and prepare festive clothes. It was believed that one should not celebrate Christmas in black (“come to the feast in sad clothes”).
On Christmas Eve in Rus', the custom of caroling was observed. Guys and girls got together and went from house to house, singing carols and begging the owners for food and money. There was even a special ritual that was observed on the “holy evening” - Christmas Eve. Before the first star appears, the table is set and dinner begins - “supper”. Usually on this day it is customary for the whole family to gather at the parental home and celebrate Christmas.
From the “holy evening” until January 14, housewives do not sweep dirty linen from the hut, so that later all the garbage collected in a heap can be burned in the yard. On Christmas night, according to popular belief, all sorts of miracles happen.
It is believed that on this night the heavens “open”, all earthly waters, sources, springs and wells are endowed with magical healing powers, and if someone makes a wish on this night, it must come true. There is a custom to go out into the field at midnight on Christmas Day and look into the sky: the heavenly heights of unimaginable beauty open to the eyes of people living a righteous life.
On Christmas Eve, in many houses, hearths and fireplaces are lit, and a wooden block, previously coated with honey and sprinkled with grains, is placed on the fire. They try to keep the fire in the hearth all Christmastide until the old New Year. The whole family gathers at the table, and if they invite guests, they make wishes about good fortune and misfortune for the whole year when welcoming the first guest.
It is with him that all the events that happen in the new year are associated. Therefore, at Christmas we always tried to invite only the closest people who could bring happiness. For the Christmas table, they bake a pie with a coin inserted into it (or a raisin, a peppercorn, a nut, etc.). The owner of the house divides the pie, and the lucky one will be the one who gets a piece with a surprise.
Christmastide in Rus' has always been considered one of the most happy Holidays. Throughout the entire week of Christmastide, people tried to live in a special way, marking each day with peculiar signs and fortune telling. They were especially attentive to the dreams, visions and signs that they acquired on Christmastide. special meaning. It was believed that on Christmas Eve, from January 6 to 7, people usually have prophetic dreams, especially when the moon is waxing, therefore, in order to remember the dream, they put a candle at the head of the bed and put a dream book so that
In the morning, immediately look into it and unravel the dream you had.
And yet, the main rite performed on Christmastide was the famous Yuletide fortune-telling. In Bulgaria there was a custom of Christmas fortune-telling with a well. At midnight, the girls gathered and, in complete silence, scooped up a bucket of “silent” water, which had magical powers, from the well.
Each girl threw a handful of grains, a ring or a bouquet with her mark, as well as other items into the bucket. They were taken out by a little girl (disinterested party) while singing ritual songs, the content of which correlated with the pulled out object. These objects were then placed under the pillow to see the betrothed in a dream.
In our country, there have long been numerous Christmas signs. It was believed that if the holiday coincides with Sunday, then the summer will be abundant, with lots of fruits and honey; and if it’s Monday, then the winter will be good and the spring will be wet.
If the day is warm - there will be a harvest, if there are drops - there will be good buckwheat, and a snowstorm will rise - there will be swarming of bees.
If the sky is starry, there will be a lot of berries and a rich offspring of livestock.
You can't sew on Christmas Day to avoid going blind.
For Christmas, wear a new shirt: if you wear just a clean shirt, but not a new one, then there will be a crop failure.
From Christmas to Epiphany, you cannot hunt animals and birds: misfortunes happened to those who hunted, many froze in the forest.
To meet with dignityChristmas, needmust have at home:
Advent wreath (symbol of the light that comes into the world with the birth of Christ),
Bells (needed to drive out an evil spirit),
Christmas candles (with their help, the forces of darkness and cold are expelled),
Christmas cards.
New Year's signs
Here in Russia there are certain New Year's signs:
1. The last glass on New Year's Eve will bring good luck to those who drink it.
2. How New Year If you meet, you will spend the whole year like this.
3. If on the first day of the New Year a merchant gives the goods to the first buyer he meets very cheaply, then the whole year will be a successful trade.
4. On New Year's Day severe frost and a small snowball - to the grain harvest, and the warmth and lack of snow in the yard on that day was feared more than a fire, since it was sure sign future crop failure and famine.
5. Whoever’s pockets are empty on New Year’s Day will spend the entire year in need.
6. If you do hard work on the first day of the New Year, the whole year will pass without rest.
7. On New Year's table there should be an abundance of food and drinks, then the family will have prosperity all year.
8. If you wear something new for the New Year, then the coming year will be successful.
9. If the first day of the year is fun, then the whole year will be like that.
10. Before the New Year, you cannot wash dirty linen in public, otherwise whole year there will be no home well-being.
If on New Year's night a strange guest comes to you
Someone with a white beard, wearing a red fur hat,
With a long staff in hand and gifts in a bag,
With a loud laugh, with a kind look...
So you don’t need to drink anymore!
12.V New Year's Eve starry sky - for a harvest of berries and mushrooms.
13. You cannot borrow money on New Year’s Eve under any circumstances, so that the entire next year not be in debt.
14. If there are guests on New Year’s Day, then there are guests all year round.
Winter signs
Here you can see a kind of calendar that lists winter signs.
December - signs
December 7th. Katerina Sannitsa. They opened the cab and celebrated the festivities. Catherine's festivities, fortune telling, first sleigh rides, gathered in long journey with goods.
9th December. Yuryev day. Yuri Kholodny. The ancient term for the transfer of peasants from one master to another, prohibited by the cathedral code of 1649. “Here you go, grandma, and Yuri’s day!”, “There are two Yuri in Rus' - one is a cold (winter) Yuri, the other is a hungry (spring) Yuri.”
Winter signs December 13th. Day of St. Andrew the First-Called. Listen to the water (quiet water - good winter; noisy - frosts, storms, blizzards).
December 19th. Nikola winter. It's time for Nikolsky frosts. Two Nikolas: one with grass, the other with frost. As much as Nikola the Winter will give snow, so much Nikola the Spring will give herbs.
If the snow falls right up to the fence, it’s a bad summer, but if there’s a gap, it’s a fruitful one.
December. Spiridon Solstice. The sun is for summer, winter is for frost. A bear in a den turns over on its other side. If the sun is bright and radiant, the New Year will be frosty and clear, and if it is gloomy and there is frost on the trees, it will be warm and cloudy. After the Solstice, at least at a sparrow's leap, the day will come.
December 29th. Ageev day. On Agea there is frost on warm Christmastide (January 7), but if it’s frosty, it will last until Epiphany (January 19).
January - signs
1st of January. If the night of January 1st is starry, then there will be a large harvest of berries in the summer. As is the first day of January, so is the first day of summer.
Winter signs January 6th. Christmas Eve. Frost is coming. Winter is not frolicking in the forest, but right on our noses. A clear day means a good harvest. If the paths are black, there is a harvest for buckwheat. The firmament is starry - a berry year awaits and there is a large offspring for the livestock. The day arrived on the chicken foot.
Jan. 7. Nativity. The snowdrifts are piled high - for a good year. If there is a thaw, spring will be early and warm.
January 7-14. Christmas time. In advance, logs were prepared in the forests for log houses in order to transport them through the snow to the estates.
January 8. Women's holiday, porridge holiday. On the holiday of porridge, everyone goes with a spoon - a full ladle will not disperse the family. They do carpentry and play musical instruments.
January 12. Anisya winter. Guest, guest, come to the threshold. In front of the guest there are mushrooms, pickles, and the brew from the oven on the table with swords.
13th of January. Vasiliev evening. Generosity. Gardeners shake snow off apple trees at midnight for harvest. If at night the wind blows from the south, the year will be hot and prosperous, from the west - to an abundance of milk and fish, from the east - expect a fruit harvest.
January 14. New Year. Vasiliev's day. Basil the Great. It's the middle of winter. If there is fog - for the harvest.
January 15. Sylvester. Chicken holiday. The children are given clay roosters. January drives the blizzard seven miles away.
January 18. Epiphany Christmas Eve is a hungry evening. A full month means a big spill. They collect snow for whitening canvases and for baths.
January 19. Epiphany. Epiphany frosts. At night the sky opens (clears). If there is a snowstorm, then take revenge on it in three months. People call this day Epiphany. If the day is warm - the bread will be dark, that is, thick, cold, clear - the summer will be dry, cloudy and snowy - expect a bountiful harvest. Epiphany under the full month - there will be great water. Dogs bark a lot - there will be a lot of game and animals.
January 21. Emelyan Zimny. Emelyan, make a snowstorm." A blizzard in winter is a custom. They judge the nature of winter definitively. If it blows from the south, it promises a stormy summer.
January 23. Gregory - Summer index. frost on trees, stacks and stacks - to a wet and cold summer.
The 25th of January. Tatyana's Day. The sun will peek through - the early arrival of birds, snow - a rainy summer.
January 30. Anton Perezimny. Perezimnik - will reassure, warm, and then deceive - everything will be covered with frost. Don't trust warm weather in winter.
January 31st. Afanasy Lomonos. Afanasievsky frosts. Clematis freezes his nose. Crows fly and circle in flocks - to frost. Frost doesn't like to joke.
How to properly celebrate Christmas. What not to do. Christian traditions and customs. Signs for Christmas. How to wish Merry Christmas.
On the night of January 6-7, the entire Orthodox world celebrates the Nativity of Christ - one of the most important Christian holidays.
This is a holiday symbolizing renewal. After all, it was the birth of Christ that proclaimed a new, bright era for humanity. It is no coincidence that a new calendar was even established - from the Nativity of Christ.
The birth in the flesh of Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary is one of the miracles revealed by the Lord to humanity. Therefore, on the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, everyone expects a miracle and prays that the next year will be better and happier than the outgoing one.
This bright holiday in Orthodoxy is one of the twelve lordly holidays and is preceded by a 40-day Nativity Fast.
Christmas celebrations begin on January 6th with the appearance of the first star in the sky. As you know, after the birth of Jesus, the first people to come to worship him were the shepherds, notified of this event by the appearance of an angel. According to the Evangelist Matthew, a miraculous star appeared in the sky, which led the Magi to the baby Jesus.
Everything about Christmas
Christmas Eve is called Christmas Eve. In Russian, the name comes from the word “sochivo”. It means soaked grains of wheat - a prototype of the well-known kutya. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Eve on January 6th.
On Christmas Eve, an All-Night Vigil with Great Compline is served, at which prophecies about the Nativity are sung and read.
Around midnight, Matins begins, which is performed according to the rites of the great holidays. On it they read fragments of the Gospel about the Nativity and sing the canon “Christ is born...” - one of the most beautiful canons in Orthodox worship. Next they serve the festive Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
The All-Night Vigil is a liturgical service that consists of Vespers and Matins, which received these names based on the time they took place. Before the holidays, morning and evening services are combined into the so-called “all-night vigil,” that is, prayer that continues all night. This prayer happens only twice a year - at Christmas and Easter. Before Christmas, at the All-Night Vigil, they serve not Vespers, but Great Compline: it is performed after Vespers served on Christmas Eve, hence the name.
What to cook for Christmas:
It is customary to place 12 dishes on the Christmas table, and Kutya decorates the table. On January 6, Lent ends and Christmas Eve begins.
Each housewife prefers her own recipe for preparing Kutia, reports the Rosregistr website. There are a great many recipes. The simplest one: take the cereal and soak it overnight, then cook until tender and add all sorts of sweets. So, for example, you can take rice, honey and marmalade, as well as millet, poppy seeds and honey, some even cook kutya from pearl barley and millet. You can add marmalade or candied fruits to Kutya.
It is also customary to serve Uzvar, a dried fruit compote, on the Christmas table.
On Christmas Day itself, believers celebrate and feast - “break their fast”; it is already allowed to eat not only fasting food, but also “meat” food.
Traditional on the Christmas table are a variety of pork dishes: jellied meat, roasted pig, stuffed pig's head, roast. Baked poultry and fish, fried and baked meat in large pieces are also served on the Christmas table, since the design of the Russian oven made it possible to successfully prepare large-sized dishes. Finely chopped meat and offal were cooked in pots along with traditional porridge. A variety of pies are also filled with meat: rolls, cheesecakes, koloboki, kulebyaki, kurniks, pies, etc. They prepare casseroles and pancakes. In addition to meat fillings, a variety of vegetable, fruit, mushroom, fish, curd and mixed fillings are prepared.
Folk traditions of celebrating Christmastide from Christmas to Epiphany are rooted in Slavic customs winter solstice celebrations. Mandatory attributes of the holiday were dressing up (massaging using skins, masks and horns), caroling (visits to houses by a group of fellow villagers who performed “well-wishing” sentences and songs addressed to the owners of the house, for which they received treats), carol songs, or carols, youth games and fortune telling.
Christmastide began on Christmas Eve with dinner with Christmas kutya and porridge, pie with pretzels, and for the holiday they baked figurines of animals from wheat dough, which were used to decorate tables, hut windows and which were sent as gifts to relatives and friends.
When the family gathered at the table, the elders remembered the year - all the good and bad in the past year. At the end of the meal, the children took part of the remaining kutya to grandparents, as well as to the poor, so that they too could celebrate Christmas. In some places, food and tablecloth were not removed from the table until the morning, believing that the souls of the deceased parents would come to the table to also eat.
Then the mummers, dressed in sheepskin coats with the wool upside down and animal masks, in order to be unrecognized, staged dances in houses and on the streets, staged skits and entire performances. At the end of the 17th century, nativity theater came from Poland to Russia: in a special den-box, scenes about the birth of Jesus Christ and other scenes were acted out with the help of dolls.
Echoes of pagan beliefs were also evident in the fact that it is customary to tell fortunes on Christmastide. In some villages, straw was burned on Christmastide - according to legend, dead ancestors came to warm themselves by the fire at these moments. The Church, not approving witchcraft superstitions and pagan rituals, assimilated “harmless” customs, and they organically entered people’s life.
For Christmas, the owners always cleaned the house, washed in the bathhouse, laid out a clean tablecloth, stocked up on new clothes, which they put on at the beginning of the day, and invited single people to Christmas dinner. But in some places, superstitions associated with the holiday were also widespread: they did not drink plain water at breakfast, since it was believed that a person who drank water on Christmas morning would be thirsty all summer.
What not to do at Christmas:
On pain of all sorts of troubles, nothing could be bent, weaved or sewed on Christmas Day. The legs of the dining table were tied to each other with a rope so that the cattle would not run away from the herd. The remains of the evening meal were taken outside the fence - “so that the wolves would not harm the peasant cattle.”
A popular proverb says: Whoever slaughters cattle on Christmas Day will die in three years.
You cannot lend anything related to fire on Christmas Eve, for example, a flint, matches, a lighter, a bucket of coal or firewood, etc., otherwise misfortune will befall you.
Never sew, wash your hair, do laundry or lend money on three-day holy holidays (Christmas, Easter and Trinity), otherwise you will set yourself up for tears and poverty.
On Christmas Eve, do not borrow bread, salt or money from home, otherwise all the goods will pass through your hands. They do not cut hair or spin wool. Do not wash or boil laundry. Believers must finish all dirty work by this day on Maundy Thursday, and whoever “pulls” dirt on Christmas Eve will sit in it for the whole year.
You cannot sit at the Christmas table in mourning, that is, in black clothes - you will invite disaster.
If on this bright day a dog howls in your yard, then there will be trouble. To get rid of it, you need to immediately go up to the dog, untie it and say: “Just as the rope doesn’t hold you, so the trouble wouldn’t hold on to my house!”
Do not buy ropes on January 8, the second day of Christmas, so that there will never be someone hanged or strangled in your family. Do not cook or eat jelly on this day, so as not to invite the deceased into your house.
On the ninth of January, the third day of Christmas, do not chop wood under any circumstances before sunset.
Things to do for Christmas:
According to popular beliefs, in order for your loved ones to be happy and healthy throughout the whole year, on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ on January 7, ask the oldest member of the family to treat all relatives with milk. When bringing milk to someone, he must say every time: “The Lord was born, the people were baptized. May you be cheerful and healthy. Amen".
On the eve of Christmas in the old days, food was taken out and left for people in need or treats were distributed - it was believed that in this way all deceased ancestors who did not have time to eat before their death satisfied their hunger. After the festive feast, food was not removed from the table so that the souls of dead relatives would also eat the festive food, and for this they would pray for you.
In a family where there is no peace and harmony, on Christmas night they put a bucket out in the cold, and in the morning they put it on the fire and say: “The ice will melt, the water will boil, and [so-and-so]’s soul will ache for me.” This water is given to the husband to wash his face or in the form of tea/soup, and they also wash the husband’s underwear in it. Holy Christmas water always helps a woman's troubles.
Ask God for what you really need at Christmas. Ask seventy-seven times and it will be given to you. Whoever asks God for something at three o'clock in the morning on Christmas Day will be given it.
If on Christmas night you look for a flying star in the sky and make a wish, then it will definitely come true.
On January 7, in the cold, jump out into the street lightly and, as soon as goosebumps appear on your body, say: “As there are so many pimples on my skin, so that I have so much money too.”
Signs for Christmas:
♦ If a drunk person shows up at your house first, the whole coming year will be filled with noise and quarrels. If a woman crosses your threshold first, then this is a sign of gossip and failure. If a man or boy - to prosperity. If an old man or woman - to a long life. If a bird knocks on your window, this is surprising news. If a beggar or a beggar woman comes to you, it means loss and need. If several people appear at once - to a rich life.
♦ If a man is the first to come to you on Christmas morning, wear plain clothes on this day, if a woman wears a colored dress, so that the whole year goes well.
♦ When a family sits down at the table on Christmas Day and when the first star appears, they begin to have supper, then an unmarried girl or an unmarried guy from this family, taking the first non-lenten piece into his mouth, must keep it on his tongue and not swallow until, going outside, by chance will not hear any name from people passing by. It was believed that the bride or groom would have the same name. People say that this sign has come true more than once.
♦ Cucumbers will be strong and crispy if you pickle them on the exact day of the week that Christmas was this year. A good housewife keeps the salt taken on Maundy Thursday in a secluded place for this purpose.
♦ It’s a good, good omen if during the Christmas feast a domestic cat sits under the table - this means that this year none of those sitting at the table will die.
♦ If two people come to you on Christmas morning, there will be no death, divorce or separation in your home for a year.
♦ If someone spills or breaks something in your house on this day, then the whole year will be turbulent for your family.
♦ If a person goes to church on Christmas Day and stumbles, then twelve years later, every day, he will get sick. To prevent this from happening, you must immediately say: “I am not going to the devil, but to God, He will save me.”
♦ On the ninth of January, be sure to visit your godfathers and parents.
♦ A child who takes his first steps independently on January 10 will be healthy, beautiful and live a long life.
♦ If a sick person sneezes loudly on the third day of Christmas, he will soon recover and live for a long time. If a person who is seriously ill starts talking about pancakes or horses on this day, then he will soon pass into another world.
♦ On the tenth of January, do not put out the dough or kneading bowl.
♦ On the eleventh of January, do not give your husband a towel, otherwise he will begin to loosen his hands.
♦ After they knock on your door or call on January 11, do not open it immediately. Wait until they knock or call a second time, otherwise you will invite illness into the house.
♦ If Christmas Day falls on a Monday, then many men will die that year. If Christmas Day coincides with Tuesday, an even number of guests are invited to the table so as not to invite poverty into the house. If Christmas falls on a Saturday, then this year many old people will die before the next Christmas.
♦ If a midwife was called to a woman in labor and she gave birth to a child on Christmas Day, then the midwife would never take even a penny for her labors; moreover, she was obliged to become the baby’s godmother. This custom was never violated; the old people knew: whoever takes money for childbirth will spend it on a coffin for themselves.
Merry Christmas greetings:
♦ Merry Christmas! Happy bright day!
May you be lucky in everything on this day!
Let joy come into your home,
New car - in the garage,
Profitable work - in the house,
And there are many, many children in it!
♦ Let the Christmas miracle
Will give you its warmth,
May it never be bad
Meet every day with goodness!
♦ The star of goodness and magic has lit up ‒
Merry Holy Christmas!
May God protect and people help!
Let the starlight in your soul not fade away!
May your home be filled with happiness and wealth!
Love, health, peace! Merry Christmas!
♦ Let the night sparkle with magic,
A flock of snowflakes rushes upward.
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you smiles and joy.
Flow of divine love
Let it flow with wonderful light,
And the Lord will bless you
Health, happiness and success!
♦ We wish you a Merry Christmas
Smiles, sincere laughter,
Good health, success
And a lot of good things.
Let the blood flow in the heart,
And the joy lasts forever.
And may they be with you forever
Hope, faith and love!
♦ Merry Christmas to you
And I want to wish from the bottom of my heart,
So that life is full of happiness,
So that you don’t know adversity and sorrow!
I wish you to come true
All your hopes and dreams,
To pure love and tenderness
You could always enjoy!
♦ May the bright holiday of Christmas
Everything you dreamed about will come true!
Let there be a lot of joy, goodness in the house,
And let the heart not know sadness!
I wish you many fabulous miracles,
Warmth of love, spiritual purity!
And let the snowflakes fall from the sky,
Keeping the peace of heavenly beauty!
♦ It's Christmas again ‒
Celebration of the Heavenly Forces!
On this day Christ came
To save our world from evil.
Glory to Him eternal,
Conqueror of darkness!
Congratulations with all our hearts
With this great joy!
♦ The flickering of candles warms the house
And sparkles with gold,
When have a magical Christmas
The Lord will appear!
He gave his life for us -
We must remember this
And what he bequeathed to the people -
Execute diligently!
May it protect your peace
From shutter to threshold
Long-suffering love
Simple faith in God!
♦ The star lit up ‒ Christ was born ‒
And the world was illuminated with love!
Let happiness enter every home!
Have a wonderful bright Christmas!
♦ Today Christ appeared to us,
To teach people Love.
Friends, let's celebrate everything
And let's become at least a little kinder!
♦ Let the snowflake ring
Announcing the birth
And fill you with delight
Your mood!
After all, today is Salvation,
Love's triumph ‒
The saint is coming
Christ's Christmas!
♦ When the snow covers the ground,
And Christmas will come again
Raise a glass to happiness,
For peace, for friendship, for love!
And so that without grief and doubt
May you live many bright days!
Preserve comfort and family peace
And respect from friends!
♦ Merry Christmas,
What is already knocking on the house!
Open the doors wider
You are to Love, Hope, Faith!
Fur Christmas trees
The whole house smells
Every needle
Whispers: "Merry Christmas!"
Let grievances and losses
They fly away like leaves!
Let luck come through the door
On the bright holiday of Christmas!
♦ Congratulations on Christmas!
Let a miracle happen in your life!
May joy, inspiration and goodness
They will be able to live in your house!
♦ Today is the Birthday of Christ ‒
Good news is sweeping across the planet!
I wish you Christmas this holiday
Consent and joy without end!
♦ Happy New Year!
Happy New Year's treat!
Happy New Year's Eve!
Merry Christmas!
Let everything be fine in the family,
And luck will be nearby!
May your health be good,
Happiness - bright, incomparable!
♦ Christmas has come to your home,
Happiness spread all around!
Let smiles soar in it,
And I also wish you:
Kindness and beauty
So that all your dreams come true,
May your health not fail you
And let good luck come!
A joyful mood, sparkling snow, the smell of pine needles and incense - what could be kinder than the atmosphere of the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ? It is not surprising that magical folk signs at Christmas for marriage, pregnancy, health, luck, money always come true on this magical day, and young girls can find out on January 6-7 whether they are destined to meet their betrothed.
Folk signs for Christmas for marriage
Since ancient times, young girls have believed in the magical power of the Christmas holiday, carefully observing the signs and omens for marriage.
What Christmas signs exist for marriage on January 6-7?
- Losing a comb - to whirlwind romance and marriage.
- Young women should dress nicely before it gets dark outside. It is believed that those girls who did not have time to dress up will not get married successfully, and those who are already married will lose their spouse’s favor.
- Before the holiday they bring home a rooster. If the bird runs to the table, the girl will soon get married, if to the door, she will be unmarried.
Rituals and signs for Christmas during pregnancy
An important place is occupied by customs on Christmas and Christmas Eve associated with the conception of a child. Many people believe in magical power holiday, observing rituals and signs for Christmas during pregnancy.
Christmas signs and rituals for getting pregnant
- If you ask the Virgin Mary for a child, then conception will definitely occur. It is advisable to light a candle that will burn all night. After prayer, you should feed the dog bread.
- In order for pregnancy to occur, you need to eat eggs or grains in an amount that is a multiple of the woman’s age. You can use an egg.
- You need to survive the entire service. Then, if you sincerely pray, pregnancy will occur.
- An already pregnant woman should wash herself with holy water and wash her stomach with it. Then holy powers will protect the fetus from the evil eye and bad energy.
- You can’t knit on this day - the pregnant woman’s baby will be wrapped in the umbilical cord.
- A pregnant woman should not cut her hair - the child will be born mentally retarded.
- If it is a leap year, you cannot talk about your plans for the birth of a baby - dark forces may overhear.
- In order for the desired news to reach your family as quickly as possible, you need to feed stray animals on the street on Christmas Day. If one of them follows you, feed it constantly or give it shelter. This can attract pregnancy.
Customs and signs at Christmas for health
In ancient times, there were no such effective medicines as there are now. Therefore, people believed in predictions and superstitions, which often came true, and followed customs and signs for health at Christmas.
What signs on January 6-7 foretell health?
- Very great attention You need to pay attention to getting clean water. It’s good if it comes from healing sources. This water should be used to wash everyone in the house, and you can also use the water to prepare Christmas dishes. It can bring health to everyone who drinks it.
- If a sick person sneezes on Christmas Eve, this means recovery and a long life.
- In order for the whole year to bring only health, it is necessary that all family members dance around the Christmas tree at Christmas.
- If a wild animal has become attached to you, be sure to feed it. This is a sign that you will be healthy all year.
- On Christmas you cannot sew, knit or darn things - this could lead to blindness for you or someone in your family.
- It is advisable for a man to enter your house first. If a woman comes in, it means illness for the owner of the house for a year.
- If you stumbled on the way to church, you need to say: “Not to the Devil, but to God, he will save me.” This ritual will protect you from illness after twelve years.
- A baby who started walking on a holiday will be healthy and lucky.
- If a seriously ill person starts talking about pancakes and horses on Christmas Day, this is a bad sign; it foretells death.
- If guests come to you three days after Christmas, you cannot open it right away - you can attract diseases into the house. You have to wait until they call again.
Folk omens for good luck on Christmas Day
Luck and luck in life are the most desirable phenomena for any Russian person. People have long believed in observing Christmas rituals to attract success and listen to folk signs at Christmas for good luck.
Rituals and signs for good luck on Christmas and Christmas Eve
- A bunch of straw brought into the house on Christmas Day will definitely attract good luck.
- Candles, wreaths, bells and other decorations are sure to bring success to the house.
- If you spill tea or coffee, success in business and new projects awaits you.
- If you saw a hunchback, you are very lucky. It will be especially lucky to touch his hump, then you will be successful all year.
- Meeting a big dog also brings good luck.
- If you find pieces of ice in well water, you will be successful.
- If you light a candle in honor of deceased relatives on a festive evening, they will help attract good luck and prosperity to the family.
- For good luck, the following ritual is performed: a well-washed coin is placed in the Christmas cake. Nuts, raisins, and dried fruit are also suitable. The family member who is lucky enough to receive a surprise piece at the table will be happy all year.
- Seeing a man in a dream on the night before Christmas means being successful and happy all year.
Signs for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on January 6-7 for money
By listening to signs and beliefs, many people are able to attract wealth and abundance into their home, creating the right energy at Christmas. It is enough to know some signs of Christmas Eve and Christmas to attract money.
What Christmas signs will bring money?
- To make the whole year abundant, you need to invite your closest and dearest people home to Christmas and treat them generously.
- For financial well-being this year, you need to congratulate yourself and give a gift.
- If you have stepped into manure, rejoice, this will bring you prosperity.
- Pets should be generously fed - the whole year will be generous to you financially.
- On a holiday, you need to run out into the street naked in the cold and say: “There are so many pimples on my skin, so that I have so much money too.”
- Losing or stealing money on Christmas means hopelessness, but finding money, on the contrary, means profit.
- If you see a mouse on a festive evening, this means financial losses.
- On Christmas, you cannot take out a loan, borrow money, and you should not lend anything from your home. This way you give everything from your own hands.
- Find jewel- to financial success.
- You should not wear old things on holiday, as this leads to financial losses and poverty.
- On Christmas you need to light as much fire as possible - candles, fireplaces, lamps. This will attract wealth to the house.
- Snow on the morning of January seventh - in financial well-being and abundance.
Signs on Christmas night January 6-7 for unmarried girls
Unmarried girls have long believed in the power of Christmas night from January 6 to 7, predicting fate. There are many rituals and signs for young women who are able to predict a meeting with their betrothed.
Rituals for young girls to get married
- Unmarried girls and young women should pay attention to a passing man. At dusk they go outside. If a man comes from the north, the girl will get married within a year. If from the south, then he will remain a girl.
- If you ask a passerby the name of your betrothed, your husband will have the same name.
- When everyone sits down to dinner, a girl dreaming of marriage or unmarried man Having taken the first small piece from the table into his mouth, he must go outside without swallowing it. The name that he or she accidentally hears from passers-by will be the name of the bride or groom.
Signs January 6-7 for Christmas Eve and Christmas
From ancient times, Christmas signs and predictions have come down to us on Christmas Eve and on the night of January 6-7 about productivity, happiness and good news.
Signs of Christmas night and Christmas Eve
- It is believed that the summer will be unusually fruitful if Christmas falls on a Sunday.
- There is a snowstorm and frost on Christmas - spring will come early.
- Frost on the ground and trees - to a rich harvest of wheat.
- A large number of stars in the sky means a harvest of buckwheat and peas.
- A thaw at Christmas means a cold spring. But if it’s frosty and snowy on Holy Evening, then spring will come early and be warm.
- If a large object falls in the house - a painting, a clock or a shelf - this portends good news.
- If a clock that has been standing for a long time suddenly goes on Christmas Day, this is a sign of travel and pleasant entertainment.
- If, while preparing the Christmas table, the housewife's food falls, then this means a good harvest.
- It is believed that the year will be lucky if a man is the first to enter the house on Christmas Day.
- When baking Christmas bread, the housewife should not talk. She needs to touch the icons, trees and plants in the garden with hands smeared in dough. Then there will be a harvest in the year.
- Dreams from the sixth to the seventh of January are prophetic. Therefore, they must be remembered and deciphered. To do this, you can put a dream book at the head of the bed and light a candle. The next morning, while the dream is fresh in the memory, it can be solved.
- Children born on Christmas bring only happiness to the house.
- At midnight, you must open the window to let Christmas into the house. It is advisable that this is done by the head of the family.
- For well-being and happiness throughout the year, prepare twelve fasting dishes on Christmas Eve, and the next morning, January 7th, there should be twelve fasting dishes on the table.
- Under no circumstances should you go hunting on Holy Evening and until Epiphany, as this is a great sin that brings grief.
We wish you that the frosty holy holiday of Christmas brings health, luck, money and prosperity. Let the flames of candles envelop your home with their magical warmth, and let the signs for Christmas make your most cherished dreams come true unmarried girls about marriage and pregnancy.
