Why does Santa Claus come on New Year's Eve? How did Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden appear? Is it worth it to order a child actors for the New Year

There is a belief: how you celebrate the New Year, so you will spend it. Psychologists confirm this popular wisdom. Psychotherapists recommend spending the New Year holidays as interesting as possible in order to recharge with positive energy for the whole year.

The child lives inside each of us

One of the psychological concepts says that inside every adult, some part of him remains a child. And the more a person has the opportunity to manifest this childish part, the more happy he is. Because it is our inner child that is responsible for the state of happiness, the ability to rejoice, fall in love, and be creative.

Everything is possible in the New Year

Psychologists believe that in everyday life we ​​constantly suppress our inner child. We often do not live the way we really want, but perform the functions that are accepted in society. As we create a family, keep it safe, raise money, and fulfill our responsibilities, we often move further and further away from our inner child. He begins to fade in us. And gradually we cease to feel a sense of joy and happiness. Holidays are bland and boring. There is indifference to everything.

This is where the New Year comes to the aid of our inner child. The atmosphere of this holiday is always shrouded in mystery and a sense of magic. The New Year is a great occasion to let your inner child manifest as much as possible, to break out, to make a fuss, no matter how old you are in the past year. Psychotherapists claim that it is very beneficial for our body.

How to celebrate the New Year

Psychologists recommend celebrating the New Year outside the box. For example, instead of the usual feast, go to the skating rink. Or swim in the pool to the sound of the chimes. Especially if in the conditions of the "economic crisis" it was not possible to go on holidays to hot countries. You can also organize a horseback ride or a reindeer sleigh ride. In a word, do whatever you want! Have fun, as they say, from the heart, without thinking about what others will think about it.

Preparing for the New Year is an important stage

Psychologists believe that it is necessary to prepare for the New Year's Eve in advance. To do this, you need not only decorate the Christmas tree and buy food. It is very important to think about how the entertainment program will go. It is recommended to do this together with the participants in the celebration: distribute roles in advance. Firstly, it brings together and establishes emotional contact. Secondly, on New Year's Eve it should be fun and interesting for everyone. Then the atmosphere of the holiday is remembered for a long time.

According to experts, preparation for the holiday and its planning is also an important point in the psychotherapeutic effect on the body. When we prepare in advance for the celebration, we involuntarily activate in ourselves the expectation of some kind of miracle, which the New Year holidays inspired us from childhood.

Infox.ru editors wish you a Happy New Year! We wish you an interesting New Year holidays and become happier in the new year!

Dear friends, on the eve of the New Year holidays, I want to write some funny posts. I present to you the first one.

Have you ever thought about the question, who is Santa Claus, where did he come from? Why is the Snow Maiden her grandfather's granddaughter, and where are her parents? And why are we becoming more Americanized and forgetting our Santa Claus?

When I see the ubiquitous Santa, I honestly start to cringe. Why he? Why not ours? Why is our Santa Claus tall and serious, while the European Santa Claus is small, plump and funny; why only we had a Snow Maiden; and, in general, where do all these traditional symbols of the New Year holiday come from?

The eve of the New Year in Rus' was called Vasiliev evening (in honor of St. Basil the Great), or Kolyada. This evening divided the Christmas period into "holy evenings" and "terrible evenings." Vasiliev's evening was magical: evil spirits, sorcerers, walked around. The witches scurried about on their brooms and now and then stole the month, and at the same time, apparently, the master's cattle (judging by how carefully the peasants hid it on December 31). Remember the unforgettable "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" by N. Gogol.

Where did this good old man handing out gifts come from on New Year's Eve? Santa Claus, aka Frost-crack, aka Studenets, aka Frost-Red (Blue) nose - the prototype of the modern grandfather was by no means distinguished by a kind character. It was a stern god of winter, who reigned from November to March, a hero of remarkable strength: as he blows, spit - in an instant and chills a red-hot bath. He walked with a staff, fettered rivers with iron chains. The icicles were his tears, and the snow clouds were his hair. They feared him, they worshiped him ... He was married, according to some legends, to the feisty woman Zima (by the way, the word “winter” itself came from the ancient “khim” and meant “healer”, “sorcerer”; “damage”).

To appease the old man, the elder in the house on the eve of Christmas or New Year took a spoonful of kutya, went out to the threshold of the entrance hall and invited: “Frost, Frost! Come eat kissel! Frost, Frost! Do not beat our oats, flax and hemp in the ground!

After the revolution, the "traditional" New Year was not celebrated for seventeen years (it was seriously considered religious). On January 1, solemn subbotniks, demonstrations were held, and in one of the districts of Moscow, a New Year's performance was played with the main participants - "the old man of the 20th year" and "the young man in the New Year." Apparently, according to the old Russian tradition, a trial was played out, where “20 years” was accused of “failure”. But to all the accusations, the “old year” quite seriously and proudly answered: “I die calmly, with a rifle I cleared the way for peaceful construction” ...

It is known that in the 20s of the last century, the celebration of Christmas and New Year were banned by the Soviet authorities, and the festive spruce was declared a religious relic. However, already in 1936, under the pretext of caring for children, a special decree allowed the New Year's holiday, on which it was supposed to hold the familiar theatrical "New Year trees" for children. As often happens, the folk customs of the Christmas and New Year period, called Christmas time, seemed to be revived again in the celebration of the New Year, having acquired a natural transformation in Soviet times and replenished with new elements.

That's when they decided to revive the Christmas grandfather, who gives gifts to children. But so that this grandfather would not look like Santa Claus, he was created the way we remember from childhood (I will describe in more detail in the next post).

The Snow Maiden (aka Snegurka, aka Snezhevinochka) is also a mythological image, this is an echo of the legend about the origin of cloud spirits from ice and snow melting in spring. This kind, pretty girl is probably the only positive image of all winter Russian characters. She was born from snow: her grandfather and woman, who had no children, blinded her.
And why Santa Claus calls her granddaughter remains a mystery.

1. We must not forget that for many children, Santa Claus is an unfamiliar man in strange clothes who insistently demands some action. Last year, a whole campaign swept across the Russian regions, in which Santa Claus was declared an undesirable person in preschool institutions. Such a wizard can not only please the kids, but scare them, and his visit will not bring joy.

2. It's hard to believe, but the costume of Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden is a popular disguise among criminals. Intruders know that during this period, many families invite New Year's magicians to their homes, and they use this to break into the house. Back in 1978, the Moscow police were knocking themselves down, looking for a whole gang operating under the guise of Santa Clauses. Many years have passed since then, but criminal reports are full of reports of the adventures of false Santa Clauses and false Santa Clauses. And since you can never be sure who showed up at your doorstep, it might not be worth the risk.

3. It is well known that Santa Claus in our country is a drinker. Often involuntarily, because of the generosity of the Russians themselves, but this does not negate the fact that in the course of congratulations, the grandfather can easily get pretty drunk. If your plans do not include introducing a child to a mixture of magic and alcohol, you should seriously consider whether to invite Santa Claus home.

4. Santa Claus is not the cheapest pleasure. Inviting an incomprehensible subject who does not know how to connect two words means spoiling the holiday for yourself and your children. Of course, you can pick up at least a couple of folk artists, accompanied by a corps de ballet, who will play an enchanting performance in front of the child. Such a program will cost you a sum with four zeros, and in dollars. But even just high-quality Santa Claus with the Snow Maiden and a 30-40-minute show on New Year's Eve will cost quite a lot. You can, of course, choose cheaper dates, but with the same success you can send a child to a New Year's performance outside the home - it will come out cheaper. With the money saved, you can do something pleasant for all family members.

5. Sooner or later, the moment will come when the child will understand that the whole story about Santa Claus is nothing more than a fairy tale. The wizard's visit home, one way or another, inspires the child with confidence that the New Year's grandfather is real. Is it worth making future disappointment deeper?

6. Figure out what you believe. Like it or not, Father Frost is a partly pagan character, but more of a Soviet one. If you are taking a child to Sunday school and are trying to introduce him to religion, consider whether it is worth confusing the child with this strange character? Not a sin, of course, but still.

7. Don't underestimate your child. It is possible that he has already somehow “informed” Santa Claus about his desires, and is waiting for certain gifts that you may not know about. After all, if a child believes in a wizard, then he is convinced that he must fulfill wishes without intermediaries in the form of parents. As a child, you probably experienced a moment when, instead of a long-awaited bicycle, Santa Claus presented you with an educational book? If you do not want to force the child to experience the same sensations, do not call the magician home.

8. Do not shift the holiday for the child on someone else's shoulders. Many believe that by calling Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden, they “close” the issue of Happy New Year for children. Remember that kids see you busy at work, not much more often than the New Year's wizard. And if dad and mom play and sing New Year's songs with the child, it will bring great joy to the baby.

P.S. Most likely, at the moment, despite all of the above, you are looking on the Internet for the phone number of a company that provides Santa Claus at home. Therefore, just do everything to ensure that this visit does not have unpleasant consequences. And Happy New Year to you!

One of the warmest childhood memories for many people for life remains the New Year. And almost unambiguously, such concepts as “fairy tale”, “magic”, “miracles” are associated with it. Our educators and relatives gave us a real miracle in childhood. Now it's our turn to create it for our little ones.

Why do we need a fairy tale?

At the earliest stages of human development, mythological consciousness was inherent. Non-material beings, through the actions of which a person explained to himself almost all the phenomena of life, seemed as real as the surrounding people, nature and himself. The same principle works at the dawn of each individual life: for a small child, there are no boundaries between reality and a fictional world. And the parents of all peoples on Earth, intuitively recognizing this fact, begin the upbringing and education of young children from fairy tales.

And the New Year's legend in our culture is one of the most beautiful and valuable fairy tales, which is not just told, but woven into life, penetrates into it every year with a holiday and real magic.

It is the story about Santa Claus that forms in the psyche of a small person one of the indispensable protective mechanisms - faith in a miracle. This ability will serve him in good stead more than once in adulthood, when strength is needed to overcome events that are beyond human control and which cannot be overcome with the usual efforts.

Whatever adults say about their materialism, the subconscious belief in the possibility of miracles, laid down in childhood, plays a colossal role in life - including in the field of success. In addition, children with a developed imagination grow up to be more sociable and creative people. Literally at the beginning of the outgoing 2014, American neuroscientists published the results of a study that unequivocally confirmed that the more a child believes in winter wizards (Santa Claus, Santa Claus or someone specific to his culture), the smarter, happier and more successful he will become in the future. Belief in fairy tales and magic activates the imagination, and it contributes to the formation of important neural connections in the brain, developing memory and creativity.

Who is Santa Claus?

Talking about the New Year's wizard with a bag of gifts for children is easy. To help parents - a lot of fairy tales, poems, cartoons, themed books and children's performances. After all, we ourselves know this story from early childhood in great detail. It is more difficult to answer clarifying questions that arise in children.

- Where does he live?

In Russia, there is a wonderful story for all children - about Veliky Ustyug as the place of residence of Father Frost. We talked about his patrimony in the section "People & Brands". The baby can also hear about it on TV. You can write letters there. Every year, the Ustyug Grandfather travels to Russian cities and congratulates children at citywide holidays. If a child is already old enough to attend such an event on the main square of the city, then it will be very interesting for him to see the “real” Santa Claus.

- Does he have a wife and children?

Of course have. They are waiting for him at home. And Grandfather travels with his granddaughter Snegurochka, she is his main assistant in New Year's affairs.

- How does he manage to see all the children in one New Year's Eve?

He has a magical sleigh that rushes him at great speed.

- How does he enter the house unnoticed?

He's a magician. It can be invisible, it can fly in through a window or into a chimney when everyone is asleep. He will leave presents under the tree and move on to other children.

It is useful to make reciprocal gifts for Santa Claus with the child - crafts that the baby will make entirely with his own hands, drawings about winter entertainment and New Year's fun, home-made Christmas toys or a treat prepared by himself (milk poured into a mug and cookies laid out on a plate). Santa Claus will like all this very, very much, no matter how simple and clumsily done it may be. The main thing is that the baby knows that he is completely making a return gift himself - this will help to form in the child care for others, responsiveness and gratitude for the kindness of others. Most importantly, do not forget to remove children's offerings at night, it is important for the baby to see evidence that Grandfather really came.

How can I ask Santa Claus for what I want?

Of course, write him a letter before the New Year.

Be sure to write letters to Santa Claus with your child. First, you will know what kind of gift the baby wants to receive. Secondly, you can correct his desires if their fulfillment is impossible. Santa Claus does not give children magic wands, because fairy-tale creatures should do magic, and not all people in a row. An educator takes care of the children, a salesman works in a store, a teacher works in a school, and a magician fulfills wishes, everyone has their own profession. In order to fulfill our desires, we write letters to Grandfather.

- Why does he not always bring the gifts that I asked for?

Tell your child that Santa Claus always watches how children behave and what will be good for them. He will never give something dangerous like a real gun or a tiger, and most likely he will take into account that a whole mountain of ice cream can hurt his throat. In addition, Grandfather needs to give gifts to many children, including those who do not have mom and dad - so he cannot always give everyone a big and expensive gift. But be sure to prepare surprises for everyone. In the end, he could simply mix up or forget something - after all, there are so many children, and there is very little New Year's time.

- Why are there so many Santa Clauses, and why are they different on children's matinees and Christmas trees?

These are the helpers of the real Santa Claus. There are a lot of matinees, he alone cannot be everywhere at the same time. Therefore, there are people - actors - who help him congratulate the kids and give gifts. They dress up as Santa Claus and Snow Maiden and come to children's parties on the instructions of the real Santa.

- And one boy said that Santa Claus does not exist.

Many psychologists propose not to give an unambiguous answer to a direct question about the reality of mythological characters and fairy-tale phenomena. Ask a counter question: “What do you think?”, “What would you like?”. And if, from the answers, you understand that the child is clearly not yet ready to part with the fairy tale, then let Santa Claus continue to exist. In the end, you can always inform in a confidential whisper that Grandfather comes only to those who believe in him.

Is it worth revealing the truth?

Too early destruction of the myth is fraught with unpredictable consequences for the psyche. Of course, all children are different: someone will easily accept the idea of ​​a “non-existent” Santa Claus already at the age of six, but if a child still believes in a fairy tale at ten, it’s definitely not worth depriving him of this faith. Believe me, there will still be a lot of destroyers of legends in his life, but it is better if they are not parents. In the best case, sooner or later, understanding how things are in reality will come by itself without unnecessary stressful news.

Another huge plus of the New Year's legend is the formation and maintenance of family traditions. From birth, observing how holidays are celebrated at home, the child considers this way the only possible one. If an atmosphere of expectation of a miracle is created in the house for the New Year, then doubts about its possibility will not arise for a long time. And even if a child one day comes to you with “irrefutable evidence” that there is no Santa Claus, you can use the example of family holidays to explain that the elders always try to create a holiday and magic for the younger family members, and it’s no less pleasant to cook and give surprises and gifts than to receive them.

The material was prepared by teachers of the Center for Development and Education