How the New Year appeared for children. New Year holiday: history, traditions, New Year celebration. Unusual traditions and customs for the New Year

New Year in Russia has been celebrated on the night from December 31 to January 1 for more than 300 years. Until the 15th century in Rus', 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 moving New Year's celebrations to January 1st. The decree turned out to be very funny, in our modern opinion:

“Since people in Russia count the New Year differently, from now on, stop fooling people and count the New Year everywhere from the first of January. And as a sign of good beginnings and fun, congratulate each other on the New Year, wishing prosperity in business and in the family. In honor of the New Year, make decorations from fir trees, amuse children, and ride down the mountains on sleds. But adults should not commit drunkenness and massacres - there are enough other days for that.”

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

Although, in fairness, it must be said that the “winter” New Year in Rus' had difficulty making its way. If it weren’t for the tough character of Peter, who literally forced his subjects to celebrate the new holiday with FUN, if it weren’t for the ingenuity of Elizabeth I, who began to organize magnificent masquerade balls at court and free holidays for the people, it is unlikely that this tradition would have taken root. For many years, residents of All Rus' wanted to celebrate the New Year the old fashioned way, on September 1st. Generations changed until this now beloved holiday took its rightful place in the calendar of the most solemn dates.

New Year traditions in Rus'

It is curious that in the Peter the Great 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, and eggs. As a matter of fact, any edible things that had a round shape. The tradition of drinking champagne also did not exist until the mid-18th century: it appeared only after the defeat of 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, New Year became one of the most beloved and long-awaited holidays. Lush mass celebrations, balls, feasts (always with roasted pigs and radishes), and public Christmas trees are held throughout the country. Another constant symbol of the New Year appears - Santa Claus. True, his popularity is not so great yet, and his constant companion, his granddaughter Snegurochka, also does not accompany him yet.

How the New Year was celebrated in the 20th century

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

Since 1935, the New Year in Russia has received a second life. Gradually, those 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: preparing Olivier salad for the New Year, however, not with hazel grouse, as was customary among the French, but with ordinary boiled sausage. It was during these years that the Soviet New Year acquired two more main symbols, Father Frost and the Snow Maiden.

New Year is a holiday forever

These days, New Year's celebrations take center stage on 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 banned and again reborn from the ashes. A holiday that, despite all the trials, has managed to maintain its charm and appeal over the centuries. A holiday that will live as long as we and our Earth exist.

Photobank Lori

A little history
New Year is the most favorite holiday for millions of people from different countries. This is one of those few days of the year when almost the whole world is doing the same thing: everyone is watching the clock, drinking champagne and rejoicing in the new year as if there was a real possibility that for some unknown reason it will not come.

The secret of such popularity is very simple: New Year's midnight is the time when even adults are allowed to believe in miracles. This “resolution” comes from such a depth of centuries that it is difficult for us to imagine: it is believed that the New Year is one of the very first holidays of all mankind. The earliest documentary evidence dates back to the third millennium BC; it is certain that the New Year was celebrated, for example, in Mesopotamia. But historians believe that the holiday is even older, which means that our New Year traditions are at least 5,000 years old.

New Year, in the form in which we know it, comes from Ancient Egypt. For centuries, Egyptians celebrated the September flood of the Nile River, which marked the beginning of a new planting season and was an extremely important, vital event. Even then it was customary to organize night celebrations with dancing and music, and give each other gifts.

January 1 became the first day of the New Year under Julius Caesar: in the newly introduced calendar, this month was named after the two-faced god Janus, one head of which looks into the past, and the other into the future. It is believed that it was then that the custom of decorating houses appeared.

However, throughout the world, the New Year was celebrated for many centuries either at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn - in accordance with agricultural cycles. In Rus', for example, until the 15th century, the beginning of the year was celebrated on March 1.

In 1600, the holiday was moved to autumn, and another hundred years later, at approximately the same time as throughout Europe, Peter I issued a decree on the general celebration of the New Year on January 1. He also ordered fireworks and folk festivals to be held on this day.

There is a legend that when England switched to celebrating the New Year in January, the women of the kingdom rebelled: they considered the government’s intention to add several months of age to each of them as unfair. The men laughed, but did not change their decision.

Throughout the Christian world, the New Year is a slightly secondary holiday; Christmas is considered the main winter event. This is why residents of most European countries give each other gifts on December 25, and also have family dinners on Christmas Eve.

This was the case in Russia, but during the era of the Soviet Union, celebrating church events was actually prohibited, and the New Year quickly became the most important and favorite of all legal holidays. It is precisely because of its own importance that, after the return of Christmas to the category of public holidays, we received the longest weekend in the world - 10 days.

Residents of most Western countries go to work on January 2. And those who celebrate the New Year according to the lunar or purely national calendar - the Chinese, Japanese, Jews - do not rest at all on these days. On January 1, adults go to the office and children go to school.

Children's New Year traditions from around the world
The French bake a bean into a New Year's pie: the one who gets it receives the title of “bean king” and the right to give instructions throughout the festive night. Adults try to figure it out so that the child gets the bean.

In Bulgaria, it is customary to organize New Year's celebrations for children. The kids make dogwood sticks, decorate them with red thread, a head of garlic, nuts, coins and dried fruits and run around with them. They go into neighbors’ houses and “knock” their owners’ backs with chopsticks: it is believed that such patting brings good luck, health and prosperity to a person.

The main character of the New Year's carnival in Colombia is the Old Year. He walks on high stilts through the streets and tells funny stories to children walking by.

In Norway, children expect gifts from a goat. Therefore, on the night before the New Year, they prepare a treat for her, leaving some hay in their shoes. In the morning, instead of dry grass, they find gifts in them.

In Cuba, before the New Year, children fill jugs, buckets, basins and bowls with water so that at midnight they and their parents can pour this water out of the windows. It is believed that in this way people thank the passing year for all the good things it has brought them.

Food is an important part of New Year's celebrations in Mexico. So, at exactly midnight, each child must receive and eat a large gingerbread doll.

Before understanding all the intricacies of organizing the New Year, it is worth understanding who we are trying to please. The power of the yellow earthen Pig will be replaced by the year of the White Metal Rat. Unlike the peace-loving and harmless Pig, the Rat has a capricious and difficult character.

The Rat is by nature pragmatic and looks at things soberly. She is smart and quickly adapts to new conditions, although she prefers not to leave her comfort zone. Sometimes she is characterized by some aggression, but is quite friendly.

Symbol of 2020 – White Metal Rat

According to the eastern calendar, a 12-year circular cycle begins. This means that the New Year must be celebrated on a grand scale, while all the requirements of the symbol of the year must be met.

To appease the wayward Rat, celebrate the New Year according to its rules:

The holiday feeling should be everywhere. The capricious Rat does not like mediocrity and dullness, but also does not like clutter. Although mice pull all valuables into their burrows, they do not tolerate outright trash and unnecessary things.
Make your own Christmas decorations. The practical Rat will appreciate your efforts. Let it be paper snowflakes or mouse figures cut out of cardboard, but with an unusual author’s approach.
Add light and fire to the interior. Garlands, candles, sparklers will create a festive atmosphere literally in a matter of seconds. Give preference to white and silver.
Make a cozy house for a rodent. Buy or make several figurines depicting the mistress of the year. Place them near the house and on the interior shelves. Using stencils, draw images of mice on the windows.
Decorate your home with a living forest beauty. If you have an artificial Christmas tree left, you can use it. At the same time, it should not shine with all the colors of the rainbow; the practical Rat will not tolerate variegation. Everything should look elegant and in the same style.

What color to celebrate New Year 2020

Next year the element of metal will reign. The color of the year is white and silver. Therefore, when decorating your New Year's decor, rely on white and metallic shades. Some may find this range boring, but don’t rush to draw conclusions. Milk, ivory, ivory, ash, antique white, gray and silver - all these shades will attract the attention of the Rat. It is in these colors that you should greet the coming year 2020.

On the one hand, the Rat likes comfort and coziness, on the other hand, she loves everything luxurious and expensive. Therefore, a festive outfit should be elegant and made in the same style. This rule also applies to interior design.

What clothes to wear to celebrate New Year 2020

When all the preparations are left behind, the main question arises: what to wear to celebrate the New Year? The answer is simple: women must look chic and sophisticated, but in no way provocative or cheap.

Clothes should be comfortable, not restrict movement, emphasize the strengths of the figure and diplomatically hide the weaknesses. Open shoulders, small cutouts, décolleté – be sure to use something from the arsenal of real seductresses. But remember - the practical Rat will not tolerate excessive frankness, everything should be in moderation.

Many people think that the Rat is an unattractive animal, but one can argue with that. Despite the fact that the expression “rat tail” is negative, you cannot do without a beautiful hairstyle and makeup. So don’t delay organizing the holiday, so that you have time to get yourself in order and have a good rest.

Read more about creating a New Year's look

New Year's manicure ideas

If the fun on the occasion of the main holiday of the year will take place with friends, you only need to think about the outfit and gifts in advance. But if the New Year's Eve is planned at your home, you will have to make a lot of effort. After all, it is up to you, the mistress of the house, how you will celebrate the New Year.

Despite the fact that the Rat, although he pulls all the valuables into his hole, he also loves to take a walk. Therefore, the choice of place to celebrate the New Year 2020 does not matter. You can celebrate with a cheerful company or with your family. The main thing is not to spend the holiday alone. After all, by nature, the Rat is a sociable creature, and really appreciates good fun.

Interior design rules

When decorating your interior, focus on practical, simple things. When decorating your home, you should bring peace and tranquility to it. But the holiday should be held in joy; sitting decorously at the table will quickly lead the perky Rat into despondency. If you are planning to celebrate the New Year at home, you will be interested to know about:

DIY crafts for the New Year

Is it necessary to think through a New Year's scenario?

The New Year's Eve scenario needs to be thought out in advance. The wayward character of the Rat will not tolerate mediocrity; it loves surprises. So it would be quite appropriate to organize a themed party, warning guests in advance about what outfits and props will be required.

If this option is too difficult for you, you can organize a small quest, original surprise competitions, and humorous duels.

On the Internet you can find ready-made scenarios for holding a New Year's party, based on the number of guests and their age. The main thing is not to be bored all night in front of the TV, otherwise the whole 2020 will be so boring.

Unusual traditions and customs for the New Year

The tradition of annually calculating the patron animal of the coming year came to us from China. According to the Chinese calendar, 2020 comes into force only on January 25, 2020, so on this day it is worth getting together for a festive dinner with the whole family, preparing delicious dishes.

In different countries, the coming of next year is associated with many unusual signs. For example, in Cyprus, in the last seconds of the outgoing year, the lights are turned off to be turned on in the New Year as a symbol of happiness, good luck and peace.

In Japan, there is a sign that you need to meet fire signs on your doorstep with money in your pockets. If they see the shine of coins, they will add more, but otherwise they may consider such a gesture as disrespect for themselves and leave the house forever.

Mexicans believe that while the chimes are ringing, you need to make 12 wishes and eat the same number of grapes. If you have time, all your wishes will come true in the new year!

Now about the most pleasant thing - about gifts

Residents of every country in the world have their own unique preferences when choosing gifts. In the UK, New Year is considered one of the most expensive, since giving all sorts of little things is considered bad manners here. Men receive expensive leather goods, women receive branded perfumes or jewelry. The French consider perfume an intimate gift: only the husband can buy it for his wife. In India, it is not customary to pamper children with expensive gifts: most often, under the supervision of their parents, they select sweets, flowers and small gifts by touch from a common pile lying on a tray.

The tradition of giving small souvenirs and postcards depicting the symbol of the year came to us from Japan. There, such things are considered more important than any other gifts.

Have you already chosen gifts for your family and friends? We have prepared an interesting article for you on choosing New Year's gifts.

What to give for the New Year?

That's basically all you need to know about preparing for the New Year 2020.

And on New Year's Eve, forget about any rules, barriers and restrictions - have fun, laugh, dance. Believe in luck so that it will accompany you throughout the next year.

Photobank Lori

A little history
New Year is the most favorite holiday for millions of people from different countries. This is one of those few days of the year when almost the whole world is doing the same thing: everyone is watching the clock, drinking champagne and rejoicing in the new year as if there was a real possibility that for some unknown reason it will not come.

The secret of such popularity is very simple: New Year's midnight is the time when even adults are allowed to believe in miracles. This “resolution” comes from such a depth of centuries that it is difficult for us to imagine: it is believed that the New Year is one of the very first holidays of all mankind. The earliest documentary evidence dates back to the third millennium BC; it is certain that the New Year was celebrated, for example, in Mesopotamia. But historians believe that the holiday is even older, which means that our New Year traditions are at least 5,000 years old.

New Year, in the form in which we know it, comes from Ancient Egypt. For centuries, Egyptians celebrated the September flood of the Nile River, which marked the beginning of a new planting season and was an extremely important, vital event. Even then it was customary to organize night celebrations with dancing and music, and give each other gifts.

January 1 became the first day of the New Year under Julius Caesar: in the newly introduced calendar, this month was named after the two-faced god Janus, one head of which looks into the past, and the other into the future. It is believed that it was then that the custom of decorating houses appeared.

However, throughout the world, the New Year was celebrated for many centuries either at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn - in accordance with agricultural cycles. In Rus', for example, until the 15th century, the beginning of the year was celebrated on March 1.

In 1600, the holiday was moved to autumn, and another hundred years later, at approximately the same time as throughout Europe, Peter I issued a decree on the general celebration of the New Year on January 1. He also ordered fireworks and folk festivals to be held on this day.

There is a legend that when England switched to celebrating the New Year in January, the women of the kingdom rebelled: they considered the government’s intention to add several months of age to each of them as unfair. The men laughed, but did not change their decision.

Throughout the Christian world, the New Year is a slightly secondary holiday; Christmas is considered the main winter event. This is why residents of most European countries give each other gifts on December 25, and also have family dinners on Christmas Eve.

This was the case in Russia, but during the era of the Soviet Union, celebrating church events was actually prohibited, and the New Year quickly became the most important and favorite of all legal holidays. It is precisely because of its own importance that, after the return of Christmas to the category of public holidays, we received the longest weekend in the world - 10 days.

Residents of most Western countries go to work on January 2. And those who celebrate the New Year according to the lunar or purely national calendar - the Chinese, Japanese, Jews - do not rest at all on these days. On January 1, adults go to the office and children go to school.

Children's New Year traditions from around the world
The French bake a bean into a New Year's pie: the one who gets it receives the title of “bean king” and the right to give instructions throughout the festive night. Adults try to figure it out so that the child gets the bean.

In Bulgaria, it is customary to organize New Year's celebrations for children. The kids make dogwood sticks, decorate them with red thread, a head of garlic, nuts, coins and dried fruits and run around with them. They go into neighbors’ houses and “knock” their owners’ backs with chopsticks: it is believed that such patting brings good luck, health and prosperity to a person.

The main character of the New Year's carnival in Colombia is the Old Year. He walks on high stilts through the streets and tells funny stories to children walking by.

In Norway, children expect gifts from a goat. Therefore, on the night before the New Year, they prepare a treat for her, leaving some hay in their shoes. In the morning, instead of dry grass, they find gifts in them.

In Cuba, before the New Year, children fill jugs, buckets, basins and bowls with water so that at midnight they and their parents can pour this water out of the windows. It is believed that in this way people thank the passing year for all the good things it has brought them.

Food is an important part of New Year's celebrations in Mexico. So, at exactly midnight, each child must receive and eat a large gingerbread doll.

Celebrating the New Year has a special value for every person. Many associate this event with the crunch of snow underfoot, the smell of tangerines and spruce, and a warm homely atmosphere. Children's laughter, chimes, fireworks and a richly decorated table are the main attributes of the holiday. Each of us remembers our own New Year's tale - a special New Year that remains in our memory for the rest of our lives. But few people thought about where the tradition of celebrating the New Year came from. A short excursion into history will help us understand what, where it came from and what it ultimately turned into.

Let's go back to basics

Peter the Great invited the residents of Russia to celebrate the New Year. In 1699, he issued a decree according to which on the night of January 1 of each year (according to the Julian calendar) all residents of the country celebrate the arrival of the new year. The public festivities lasted 7 days - during this period, guns thundered near the Kremlin every evening, and volleys of smaller guns were fired in private courtyards. The gates of the houses were decorated with spruce and juniper branches, and resin barrels hung on the pillars, which were set on fire and added solemnity to the holiday. Already in those days, it was customary to decorate spruce trees with wooden toys, nuts and all kinds of sweets. All innovations were borrowed from European neighbors. Until this point, the New Year was celebrated in September - during the collection of taxes and harvest.

The New Year was celebrated in a similar way for several centuries, until the 1918 revolution, when New Year's festivities were completely banned. Only in 1937 was the tradition revived, and in 1947 January 1 was declared a day off. Since then, the New Year's weekend has evolved and gradually developed into a real vacation, which, today, lasts up to 10 days.

Traditions of our days

For more than 3750-0_bgblur_00 years, Russians have been celebrating the New Year, and during this period many traditions, both European or American, and native Soviet ones, have joined the celebration. The symbol of the holiday was a grandfather with a white beard, whose name is Father Frost.

The Russian Father Frost also appeared for a reason - this is a modified version of the American Santa Claus. Santa Claus has an assistant - a girl made of snow named Snegurochka. Every year, starting from the first days of December, this couple attends various New Year’s events that are held in kindergartens, schools, and cultural centers. Children traditionally dance around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, recite poems, sing songs and receive wonderful gifts from Grandfather Frost. The atmosphere of a real holiday reigns around - carnival costumes, confetti and tangerines delight children and are remembered for many years.

Since 1998, the Russian Father Frost has settled in a city called. There is his residence, a souvenir shop and a post office. A large number of letters from Russian children come to Veliky Ustyug from all over the country, and not a single letter remains unanswered. In their letters, children ask for what they miss. These are mostly toys, but there are also touching letters that make not only Santa Claus, but also all his assistants cry.

What is customary to do for the New Year today?

It is customary to celebrate the New Year with family, relatives and close friends. Preparations for the celebration last throughout December. During this period, store windows are full of New Year's cards, gifts, and bright signs. The main squares of almost all Russian cities are decorated with huge fir trees, under which Father Frost and the Snow Maiden and various cartoon characters wander.

People are in pre-holiday euphoria and spend days planning their New Year's Eve celebrations. Gifts are purchased, a holiday menu is drawn up, and on December 31, almost all alcohol and delicacies suddenly disappear from the shelves of all stores in the country.

Recently, the New Year has been “repainted” in two main colors - red and green. Reindeer in sleds, an abundance of bells and New Year's wreaths appeared, which were also borrowed from abroad. There are also traditions that have been firmly rooted since the times of the USSR and are rightfully considered Russian - this is drinking champagne at the chime, the well-known Olivier salad on the table and sparklers, without which it is difficult to imagine New Year's festivities.

December 31 is the main day of preparation. On this day, people strive to complete all unfinished business, pay off debts, tidy up the house, and decorate the New Year tree. It is believed that entering the new year without closing the tails of the old, outgoing year is a bad omen. “How you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it,” says the most common saying circulating among the people. In many homes, decorating the Christmas tree becomes an annual tradition, and it is usually done by the whole family.

The spirit of the holiday is already in the air, pickled aromas are wafting from the kitchen, and children are singing the song “A Christmas tree was born in the forest” and hanging colorful balls and cones, candies, and silvery “rain” on the green branches. New Year's films are shown on TV all day long, which many Russians have already parsed into quotes and learned by heart. The good old “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”, “Gentlemen of Fortune”, “Girls”, “The Diamond Arm”, “Carnival Night” - this is not a complete list of cult films, without which not a single New Year is complete. Russia.

The culmination of New Year's Eve

Celebrating the New Year begins with seeing off the Old Year. Usually by 22-750-0_bgblur_00 the table is already set, the guests are dressed in festive clothes, and Blue Lights are broadcast in full swing on all TV channels. Those gathered at the table discuss the events of the past year, sum up the results and wish each other to increase their achievements and conquer new heights. On the table, as a rule, there is Olivier salad, Herring under a fur coat, jellied meat and cabbage rolls. Recently, having become fed up with the above-mentioned dishes, Russians began to prepare more sophisticated dishes, using either their imagination or drawing ideas from their foreign neighbors. The New Year's table must certainly be rich, this is another popular belief. In order not to go hungry in the coming year, you need to meet it well-fed and richly.

The culmination of the holiday is approaching - the New Year's speech of the head of state and the chimes. Typically, a speech addressed to citizens of the Russian Federation begins at 23-55 and is broadcast by the media. The head of state sums up the results, gives a brief report on the work done during the year and wishes everyone good luck and prosperity in the New Year.

The tradition of such an address was introduced by the speech of L. I. Brezhnev in 1976. During this time there were some incidents. Thus, in 1991, the President entrusted his speech duties to the famous satirist Mikhail Zadornov, and in 2750-0_bgblur_000, television viewers were treated to double congratulations. At noon, citizens were congratulated by President B.N. Yeltsin, who announced his resignation, and at midnight Russians celebrated the New Year with the new President, V.V. Putin.

Exactly at 750-0_bgblur_00-750-0_bgblur_00 the chimes ring out. These sounds encourage you to open champagne and make wishes. It is common to believe that a wish made at this moment will definitely come true. Some people manage to write it on a piece of paper during the chiming clock, burn it, and dissolve the ashes in a glass of champagne. According to some people, this ritual increases the likelihood that a wish will come true. Fireworks are launched en masse from all windows, joyful cries and congratulations can be heard in every home. Many people go out into the street and set off fireworks; in the squares people sing songs and congratulate each other. Anyone who sleeps through the New Year will be lethargic and sleepy in the coming year, for this reason people have fun until they drop, scattering home only in the morning.

As you can see, New Year celebrations in Russia have their own unique history. Russians have borrowed a lot, but there are also traditions that are unique to citizens of the Russian Federation. For example, what could be more beautiful than a Russian bath on December 31? With pure thoughts in a pure body, any holiday becomes brighter!

Celebrate with a light soul and heart, leave behind all the grievances of the past year, welcoming the New Year with a positive attitude and fresh strength. Give your loved ones a holiday at least once a year, but it's worth it. Gathering the whole family at one table is what is valuable, saying the main words of love to loved ones and relatives is what is irreplaceable, seeing tears of happiness in children’s eyes is something that no amount of money can buy! Be generous with your words and deeds, it will bring you good luck in the New Year!