Soon the New Year’s most awaited holiday in every family will knock on our door , during which even adults turn into children and often dress up as New Year characters. Under the chiming clock and falling snow flakes, each of us plunges into a winter fairy tale and forgets about all our troubles and disappointments. If the holiday has such an effect on adults, then imagine how much it means to children! New Year's characters, known to us from old tales, are an integral part of this holiday. But how much do we know about them? After all, it is quite possible that the history of these heroes contains many interesting facts. As you probably already understood, our article today is devoted to New Year characters and everything connected with them.
The main characters of the New Year holidays
When we talk about such an important holiday for every Russian person as the New Year, then before our eyes the images of the good-natured Santa Claus in a red coat, the beauty Snegurochka, the funny Snowman and the evil Snow Queen begin to float. Children's and adult New Year's scenarios with the characters listed by us are enjoying continued success. Therefore, at each holiday and corporate party you can always see one or two heroes of the winter celebration.
However, not only in our country they love to celebrate the coming of the new year. Around the world from the beginning of December to the beginning of January, a series of festive events lasts where their characters reign. Some of them have something in common with the heroes of Russian fairy tales, while others look incomprehensible and even somewhat exotic. These include the New Year's Fairy Befana from Italy, the Spanish Three Kings and the Dwarves of the Jolasweinars from Iceland. Without these New Year characters, it is difficult to imagine the winter holidays and the distribution of gifts for children.
Today we decided to gather all the main characters of the upcoming New Year and tell readers their interesting stories.
The most important fabulous New Year character: Santa Claus
How many names does this good wizard have! You won’t even name everything in an hour! However, this does not change the main essence of the holiday - without Santa Claus, children and adults will not see gifts, fun and various delicacies. However, this was not always the case, because two hundred years ago a good wizard was not at all such a welcome guest in every house. He was not at all associated with the New Year character, whom all the children of the country love and expect.
In fact, Santa Claus looked like an unpleasant old man of short stature, wandering through the endless Russian lands from November to March. He clearly did not like people and did his best to harm those who were outside the home at an inopportune hour. Santa Claus' favorite pastime was turning any living creatures into ice, and in his leisure time he happily dressed up trees in snow coats and hung funny icicles on twigs.
It is not known how the further life of this character would have developed if at the end of the nineteenth century he had not begun to be invited to New Year's trees. For some reason, everyone forgot about the not-so-good past of Santa Claus and assigned him the honorable mission of giving gifts. Over time, he picked up and turned into a caring wizard who enjoys communicating with the kids.
Who delivers gifts in Slovakia?
If we talk about the New Year characters similar to our Santa Claus, then we can call Santa Claus and St. Mikulas. The first hero is well known thanks to American culture, but very little is known about the second in Russia. Mikulash brings gifts to Slovak and Czech children, but he comes to them not at New Year's Eve, but at the beginning of December. It was at this time that most Europeans celebrate St. Nicholas Day, which is recognized as the once-living prototype of all winter wizards, who rewarded children for good behavior with gifts.
Saint Mikulas looks very similar to our Santa Claus, but behind his back he carries a box, and his main assistants are Angel and Damn. They are the ones who keep a list of obedient children and mischievous.
It is noteworthy that in European culture, two wizards give out gifts. Each country has its own, but the first always arrives in early December, and the second on the night of Catholic Christmas.
Snegurochka: investigate the pedigree
Without this New Year's character, children's matinees simply can not do. Cute girl in a white fur coat, embroidered with snowflakes and flowers, is the main assistant to Santa Claus in all his affairs. She communicates with animals, loves children and is always ready to come to the rescue of a young and inexperienced New Year. However, it is still unknown who she really belongs to the good wizard - daughter or granddaughter? Let's try to open the veil over this mystery.
If we turn to the era of paganism, we can find out that the Slavs greatly respected the formidable god Moroz. He was the son of the Storm Yaga, who was the oldest goddess of our ancestors. Frost himself was very harsh and unsociable, but his granddaughter Snegurochka loved people very much. In winter, she sometimes came to the villages and helped the housework of old people and single residents. But this is just one of the old legends.
According to another legend, the Snow Maiden is the daughter of Santa Claus and the Snow Queen. The two fell in love with each other, despite the fact that Chernobog himself was against their marriage. This deity led all the dark forces and was very feared in Russia. But his daughter, Snow Queen, turned out to be a very sincere girl, capable of love. Where then the fabulous mother of the Snow Maiden went, is not told in any of the legends. It is only known that the girl remained with Santa Claus and became his faithful and only assistant.
By the way, the Snow Maiden became a character in the New Year holidays only in Soviet times. Around the thirties of the last century, she first began to appear on Christmas trees and other celebrations.
Cute Snowman: the closest relative of Santa Claus
A snowman molded from three balls and with a carrot instead of a nose has become one of the most beloved children's characters of the New Year. But why did he become so close to the Russian soul?
The fact is that in the old days, snow women or snowmen were sculpted everywhere and gave them sacred meaning. During the thaw period, there were always three snow women in the villages. One was handed a broom in her hands, she was supposed to drive away winter and snow. The second was considered the patroness of the future autumn harvest and grain was always scattered around it. The third snow woman was made smaller than the rest and beautifully dressed up.
It is not known when the Snowman from a sacred symbol became a faithful assistant to Santa Claus, but for many years he has been strongly associated with children with the New Year and all festive events.
The Snow Queen
This evil sorceress often participates in New Year's performances and she came to us not at all from the tales of a Danish writer. Almost all northern peoples had a character who commanded blizzards, snowflakes and ice. For some, she bore the name of the Queen of the Night, while for others, for example, she was called the Polar Old Woman.
These heroes became the prototype of the Snow Queen. This sorceress usually comes to children's parties and does something bad. And then Santa Claus, the Snow Maiden and other characters correct everything that the evil sorceress did.
Befana sorceress: witch or fairy
Talking about the New Year holidays, one can not fail to mention foreign characters, who are loved by children in different countries of the world. In Italy, in early January, obedient guys eagerly await the fairy Befana. Kids know that in fact she is a good sorceress, although she looks pretty intimidating. She is usually portrayed as an old woman with a hooked nose, moving on a broomstick. A large sack dangles behind her, in which gifts and embers coexist. The last fairy throws to the mischievous, upsetting their parents throughout the year.
There are many legends about how the Befana fairy appeared. According to one of them, the magi did not take her with them when they went for the star of Bethlehem. Frustrated, she decided to give gifts to local children, which she still does.
Italians always leave a glass of wine and some snacks on the mantelpiece. If Belfana is satisfied with the treat, she will certainly help the hosts and sweep the floor.
Oldest Christmas characters
It is impossible to meet Santa Claus in Spain, but the Three Kings always come to good children there. Their prototypes were the very magicians who went to bow to the newborn Jesus.
The day in honor of the Kings is celebrated after the New Year, however, this holiday in European culture does not have such importance as in Russia, and is accompanied by colorful processions.
The holidays of January 6th pass, and on this day all the children receive their long-awaited gifts. In small towns, they are handed out right on the square, where three thrones are installed. Each of them sits in one of the Three Kings, and the children can sit on their knees to any of them.
Icelandic mischievous
Iceland has its own traditions of celebrating Christmas and New Year. The main characters of these days are the gnomes of Jolasweinara. They are very different from other characters in the holidays, as they have their own history.
According to ancient legend, thirteen Jolasweinars are the sons of a giantess who ate people, and one of the lazy people. Initially, the mischief-makers were depicted as trolls who came to local villages in mid-December. These New Year characters with their own hands did a lot of nasty things, including kidnapping children. Only obedient kids could avoid meeting with the Jolasweinars, because they never left home without parental demand.
Today, trolls have transformed into good gnomes who lay out gifts to children living in local villages.
Japanese winter wizard
Segatsu-san, that is the name of the good spirit of the New Year in Japan, never gives gifts, but nonetheless he is expected in every house. The fact is that a week before the holiday, he goes around all the inhabitants of the country and notes those who are especially preparing for his arrival. On New Year's Eve, Gods of Happiness come to these families, giving people their blessing for a long twelve months.
And a little more about the New Year ...
On the eve of the holidays, people spend so much effort on New Year's entourage that they lose the very feeling of a fairy tale. You can return it if you come up with a celebration script for your loved ones yourself.
Feel free to do something original. Let your house be filled with friends in carnival costumes, the kids will dress up as fairy-tale characters, and the evening will turn into a series of contests and fun competitions. Perhaps after such a holiday someone from the good wizards will surely drop in your house and bring happiness with them.