According to the Orthodox tradition, the Nativity of Christ falls on the night of January 6-7. On this day the Redeemer of all human sins, the Savior, was born, who gave rise to a new era and became one of the main figures in historical science and theology. Now we will consider how Christmas is celebrated in Russia in our time, what is the history of this celebration, its features, traditions, signs and much more.
Why exactly this date?
We will begin, perhaps, with a discussion of Christ's birthday. Why now all Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Christ in Russia on the night of January 6-7? According to some sacred sources, Jesus is considered the second Adam on Earth, the second and most valuable son of God. His first offspring, as you know, became the cause of the fall, for which he was expelled from Paradise. The second, on the contrary, atoned for all human sins and vices and was accepted into the Paradise of the Lord after the crucifixion. The Old Testament says that Adam was created on the sixth day of the existence of the world. Having drawn a similar analogy, people came to the conclusion that in the same way Jesus was born on the 6th day of the new year and new era.
The period of paganism in Kievan Rus
Almost 1000 years have passed since the birth of Christ to the date of the official Baptism of Rus . All this time, our country remained pagan, and, as it is easy to assume, traditions, temples, rites and other sacred rituals here were completely different. Nevertheless, from about the 300s, Christian communities began to form in Kiev, which, in their own way and according to their rules, celebrated Christmas in Ancient Russia. In those years, the main decoration of the houses was not a tree, as it became later, but a certain metal object. It could have any shape and size, the main thing is to fit under the table. All members of the family took turns sitting down and putting their legs to him. It was believed that iron gives a person his strength, strength and endurance. Another paraphernalia is an imitation of the manger of Jesus. Such miniatures have always decorated houses and streets for Christmas. Traditions in Russia also concerned holiday tables. During January 6, people did not eat all day, but sat down to dinner only for dinner. The main dishes were fish, flour products and sweets. Until the official baptism of the whole country, these traditions spread among the people and were firmly rooted in the minds of people.
Christmas in the 10th - 15th centuries
In 988 (approximate date), Vladimir the Red Sun baptized all of Russia. From now on, the official religion of the country was Orthodox Christianity, and all the holidays that representatives of this faith had long celebrated in other powers migrated to our lands. The first traditions of the celebration of Christmas in Russia appeared with them, which included the date and features of the kitchen, the type of decoration of houses and streets, and even the behavior of people. The main aspect of the time was that Christmas was inextricably linked with Shrovetide. This was a period of fasting during which it was forbidden to eat meat. And it was recommended to conclude business transactions, sell goods or buy something new. Also, people during this period made new acquaintances, baptized children and got married. In a word, any undertaking during the period from Christmas to Maslenitsa was doomed to success.
New trends of new centuries
Meanwhile, how Christmas is celebrated in Russia today and as it was in the 17-18 centuries, there is a significant difference. And what exactly is it, we will now consider. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Polish national tradition - the Nativity scene - penetrated into Russia. She quickly "transformed" in our country and became an integral part of Christmas in all cities and villages. The bottom line was that in a special box-scene, performances were played using dolls. Initially, they showed how little Jesus was born and how his parents shelter in a cave from Herod. Later, the script could be any, the main thing is that it imitate some segment of the Savior's life. Also in those years, those traditions of the celebration of Christmas in Russia that exist to this day are being established. In each house, a Christmas tree is decorated, which is a symbol of celebration. They hung biscuits in the form of cookies on it, set candles, decorated with cloth, ribbons, miniatures of the nursery in which Jesus was born.
Where did the gifts come from under the Christmas tree?
We all know how Christmas is celebrated in Russia today. This is a decorated Christmas tree, gifts, Holy Supper, fortune telling, carols and much more. But where did all this come from? Around the end of the 19th century - beginning of the 20th, people began to present each other with gifts not only a meal, but also valuable things, souvenirs. In a word, the people themselves have created a tradition of gifting each other. And in order to make it all look more mysterious, we decided to put such gifts under the Christmas tree. Very soon, an analogue of western Santa Claus appeared in the country - Grandfather Frost. How was Christmas celebrated in Russia at the end of the 19th century? About the same as today. Santa Claus gave gifts to children and adults, his image was the basis of the celebration, and almost all men dressed in red coats and clung to themselves long white beards to congratulate their own children.
The main traditions that are rooted in the people
In the past centuries, the Nativity of Christ in Russia was certainly accompanied by caroling. The rite was that young people visited the homes of all their acquaintances, friends, relatives and just neighbors. They sang folk songs on Christian themes that told about the Birth of the Savior. For this they were awarded all sorts of goodies. Another important tradition was the carrying of a kutya. The hosts who brought this Christmas dish had to try it and thank their guests. On the day after Christmas Eve, that is, January 7, everyone went to the obligatory church service, where they lit candles in the name of the Savior and all their relatives, living and dead.
Home decoration
Modern families, which can be attributed to believers, are well aware of how Christmas is celebrated in Russia today, and why traditions are such. The main thing is to properly clean the house before the celebration. You need to sweep out all the garbage and dirt, throw out the trash and old unnecessary things, put everything in order. After that, you need to start preparing your supper. Some regions of our country preferred to cook only Lenten dishes on this holiday - flour and all kinds of sweets. Most of the territory preferred dishes of pork, chicken, duck. The feast of the Nativity of Christ in Russia was always accompanied by a pie. It could be a kulebyak, cheesecake, kalachi or just pies. In Ukraine, most often cooked dumplings.
Fortune Telling on Christmas Eve
According to the stories of N.V. Gogol, it is possible to determine with precision how Christmas was celebrated in Russia in the past centuries and what rituals were the main ones that day. Girls are surely wondering about their future. Moreover, this action was not just mystical, but even frightening, which gave rise to many legends and fables. The most popular subject for fortune telling was a candle. She was kindled by the mirror, and a bowl of water was placed nearby. The girl tilted the candle above the water, and the wax fell down, forming figures. They predicted the future according to them, deciphering signs and intricate symbols in their own way. It was also believed that in the candlelight you can see the narrowed face in the mirror. But this fortune-telling was one of the worst, and not everyone practiced it.
Secular traditions
Today, in Russia, January 7 is considered officially a day off. This holiday is the second most important after Easter in the entire Christian world. It has an analogue in the Catholic states - the same Christmas, which, however, is celebrated on December 25. At Christmas, as in the distant ancient centuries, it is customary to go to church and attend a liturgy, which tells about the birth of the Savior, about his life and features. However, this event is not compulsory for all citizens, and not everyone attends it of their own free will. Nevertheless, sacred performances are organized near all the main temples of the cities, and everyone can take part in them.