What are family traditions. Types of family traditions. Family traditions: what is it

14.05.2019

Each nation has its own way of life, customs, its own unique songs, dances, fairy tales. Every country has favorite dishes, special traditions in table setting and food preparation. There is a lot in them that is expedient, historically conditioned, corresponding to national tastes, lifestyle, climatic conditions.

For thousands of years, this way of life and these habits have evolved, they contain the collective experience of our ancestors.

Culinary recipes formed over the years as a result of centuries of evolution, many of them are excellent examples right combination products according to taste, and from a physiological point of view - according to the content of nutrients.

The way of life of a people is formed under the influence of many factors - natural, historical, social, etc. To a certain extent, cultural exchange with other peoples also influences it, but alien traditions are never mechanically borrowed, but acquire local national flavor on new soil.

Since the time of medieval antiquity, rye, oats, wheat, barley, millet have been cultivated in our country, for a long time our ancestors borrowed the skills of making flour, mastered the "secrets" of baking various products from fermented dough. That is why pies, pies, pancakes, pies, kulebyaki, fritters, pancakes, etc. are essential in the food of our ancestors. "from dough - on spring holidays, etc.

No less typical for Russian traditional cuisine are dishes from all kinds of cereals: various cereals, krupeniks, pancakes, oatmeal jelly, casseroles, pea-based dishes, as well as lentils.

In the more northern parts of our country, dishes made from millet are of particular importance. This tradition has deep historical roots. Once among the Eastern Slavs, who came to these lands in the VI century AD. and lived predominantly in forest areas, millet was cultivated as the main agricultural crop.

Millet served as a raw material for making flour, cereals, brewing beer, kvass, making soups and sweet dishes. This folk tradition continues to this day. However, it should be borne in mind that millet is inferior to other cereals in its nutritional value. Therefore, it should be prepared with milk, cottage cheese, liver, pumpkin and other products.

Not only grain crops were cultivated by our ancestors. From antiquity, through the centuries, they have come down to our days and have become the main crops in our garden. ancient rome, like cabbage, beets and turnips. The most widely used in Russia was sauerkraut, which could be preserved until the next harvest. Cabbage serves as an indispensable snack, seasoning for boiled potatoes and other dishes.

cabbage soup from various kinds cabbages are a well-deserved pride of our national cuisine, although they were prepared in ancient Rome, where a lot of cabbage was specially grown. It's just that many vegetable plants and recipes "migrated" from Ancient Rome through Byzantium to Russia after the adoption of Christianity in Russia. The Greeks created Russia not only writing, but also passed on a lot of their culture.

In our time, cabbage is especially widely used in cooking northern and central regions Russia, the Urals and Siberia.

Turnip in Russia until the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. was as important as the potato is today. Turnips were used everywhere and many dishes were prepared from turnips, stuffed, boiled, steamed. Turnips were used as a filling for pies, kvass was prepared from it. Gradually, from the beginning to the middle of the 19th century, it was replaced by much more productive, but much less useful potatoes (practically, this is empty starch).

But the turnip contains in its composition very valuable biochemical sulfur compounds, which are regular use in food excellent immunostimulants. Now the turnip has become a rare and piece product on the Russian table - on sale for it and the price is determined not by kilograms, but by the piece.

After the transition to potatoes, Russian cuisine has significantly lost its high quality. As well as after the practical rejection of Russian table horseradish, which is also an indispensable tool for health, but retaining its beneficial features no more than 12-18 hours after preparation, i.e. requiring preparation shortly before serving. Therefore, the modern store-bought "horseradish in jars" does not have such properties or the proper taste at all. So if now in Russia Russian table horseradish is served to family table, then only on great holidays.

For some reason, the swede is not mentioned in the ancient sources, probably because before the swede was not distinguished from the turnip. These root crops, once widespread in Russia, currently occupy a relatively small part in vegetable growing. specific gravity. They could not stand the competition with potatoes and other crops. However, the peculiar taste and smell, the possibility of various culinary uses, transportability, and storage stability suggest that turnips and rutabaga should not be abandoned at present, since they give a very special taste to many dishes of Russian folk cuisine.

Of the vegetable crops that appeared in Russia later, it is impossible not to name the potato. In the very early XIX in. potatoes made a real revolution in the traditions of the Russian table, potato dishes gained wide popularity. In the spread of potatoes and its popularization great merit belongs to the famous figure of culture of the XVIII century. A.T. Bolotov, who not only developed the agricultural technique for growing potatoes, but also proposed the technology for preparing a number of dishes.

Animal products have not changed much. From time immemorial, our ancestors consumed the meat of cattle ("beef"), pigs, goats and sheep, as well as poultry - chickens, geese, ducks.

Until the 12th century horse meat was also used, but already in the 13th century. it has almost fallen into disuse, tk. The "extra" horses from the population began to be taken away by the Mongol-Tatars, who needed the horses more. In manuscripts of the XVI-XVII centuries. ("Domostroy", "Painting for the Tsar's Meals"), only separate delicacy dishes from horse meat (jelly from horse lips, boiled horse heads) are mentioned. In the future, with the development of dairy cattle breeding, milk and products derived from it were increasingly used.

Forestry was a great and essential addition to the economy of our ancestors. In the annals of the XI-XII centuries. talking about hunting grounds - "goshawks", later manuscripts mention hazel grouse, wild ducks, hares, geese and other game. Although there is no reason to believe that they were not eaten before from the most ancient times.

Forests occupy vast areas in our country, especially in the north of the Urals and in Siberia. The use of the gifts of the forest is one of the characteristic features of Russian cuisine. In the old days, hazelnuts played an important role in nutrition. Nut butter was one of the most common fats. The kernels of nuts were crushed, a little boiling water was added, wrapped in a rag and put under oppression. The oil gradually dripped into the bowl. Nut cake was also used for food - added to cereals, eaten with milk, with cottage cheese. Crushed nuts were also used to prepare various dishes and fillings.

The forest was also a source of honey (beekeeping). Various sweet dishes and drinks were prepared from honey - honey. At present, only in some places in Siberia (especially in the Altai among the local non-Russian peoples) the methods of preparing these delicious drinks have been preserved.

However, from the most ancient times and before the advent of mass production of sugar, honey was the main sweet among all peoples, and on its basis, even in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and ancient Rome prepared a wide variety of sweet drinks, dishes and desserts. Also, not only Russians, but all peoples who had fish at their disposal, from time immemorial ate caviar.

The very first artificially cultivated fruit tree in Russia was cherry. Under Yuri Dolgoruky, only cherries grew in Moscow.

The nature of Russian folk cuisine was largely influenced by the geographical features of our country - the abundance of rivers, lakes, seas. It is the geographical location that explains the number of various types of fish dishes. In the diet, a lot of river fish species, as well as lake ones, were quite common. Although there are many more different fish dishes was still in ancient Greece and, especially, in ancient Rome - the creator of the foundations of the modern wealth of European cuisine. What were the culinary fantasies of Lucullus worth! (Unfortunately, his many recipe records have been lost.)

In Russian cuisine, a large assortment of products was also used for cooking. However, it is not so much the variety of products that determines the specificity of the national Russian cuisine (these products were also available to Europeans), but the methods of their processing and cooking technologies. In many ways, the originality of folk dishes was determined precisely by the peculiarities of the Russian stove.

There is reason to believe that the design of the traditional Russian stove was not borrowed. It appeared in Eastern Europe as a local original type of hearth. This is indicated by the fact that among the peoples of Siberia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, the main types of ovens were open hearths, as well as an outdoor oven for baking bread or a tandoor for baking cakes. Finally, archeology provides direct evidence of this. During the excavations of Trypillia settlements in Ukraine (3rd millennium BC), not only the remains of furnaces were found, but also a clay model of the furnace, which made it possible to restore their appearance and structure. These adobe stoves can be considered the prototype of later stoves, including the Russian stove.

But the design of the samovar was borrowed by the Russians from the Persians, who in turn took it from the Arabs. (However, Russian nesting dolls were also borrowed from the Japanese in 1893, and their mass production was already established in 1896.)

But we should not try to artificially "clear" our table from dishes once borrowed from other peoples, which have long become familiar to us. These include, for example, pancakes (borrowed in the 9th century from the cuisine of the Varangians along with compotes and dried fruit broths), cutlets, meatballs, langets, steaks, escalopes, mousses, jelly, mustard, mayonnaise (borrowed from European cuisine), barbecue and kebab (borrowed from the Crimean Tatars), dumplings (borrowed from the Mongols in the 12th century), borsch (this is the national dish of Ancient Rome, which came to Russia along with Orthodoxy from the Byzantine Greeks), ketchup (an invention of the cooks of the English navy) and others.

Many dishes that have now become traditional Russian were invented by French restaurateurs who worked in Russia in the 19th century and created the foundations of modern Russian cuisine (Lucien Olivier, Yar, etc.).

In the process of historical development, nutrition has changed, new products have appeared, and ways of processing them have improved. Relatively recently, potatoes and tomatoes appeared in Russia, many ocean fish have become familiar, and without them it is already impossible to imagine our table. Attempts to divide Russian cuisine into old original and modern are very conditional. It all depends on the availability of products available to the people. And who will say now that dishes with potatoes or tomatoes cannot be national Russians?

The culinary use of pineapples during the time of Catherine II and Prince Potemkin (this lover of cabbage stalks, which he did not part with and gnawed constantly) is curious. Pineapples were then chopped and fermented in barrels, like cabbage. It was one of Potemkin's favorite vodka snacks.

Our country is vast, and each region has its own local dishes. In the north they like cabbage soup, and in the south - borscht, in Siberia and the Urals they don’t holiday table without shaneg, and in Vologda - without fishmen, on the Don they cook fish soup with tomatoes, etc. However, there are many common dishes for all regions of our country and many common methods of their preparation.

Everything that was formed at the initial stage of the Russian culinary tradition remains unchanged to this day. The main components of the traditional Russian table: black Rye bread, which remains a favorite to this day, a variety of soups and cereals prepared almost every day, but not at all according to the same recipes as many years ago (which require a Russian oven, and even the ability to manage it), pies and others countless products made from yeast dough, without which no fun is complete, pancakes, as well as our traditional drinks - honey, kvass and vodka (although all of them are also borrowed; in particular, bread kvass was also prepared in ancient Rome).

In addition, with the arrival of Orthodoxy from Byzantium in Russia, a lenten table was formed.

The main advantage of Russian cuisine is the ability to absorb and creatively refine, improve the best dishes of all nations with which Russian people had to communicate on a long historical path. This is what made Russian cuisine the richest cuisine in the world. And now, not a single nation has worthy dishes that would not have analogues in Russian cuisine, but in a much better performance.

4. Traditions of receiving guests

In the seventeenth century, every self-respecting city dweller, and even more so if he was also wealthy, could not do without festive feasts, because this was part of their way of life. Preparations for the festive feast began long before solemn day- they cleaned and tidied up the whole house and yard in the most thorough way, by the arrival of the guests everything had to be perfect, everything had to shine like never before. Ceremonial tablecloths, dishes, towels were taken from the chests, which were so carefully stored for this day.

And the place of honor of the head of this entire responsible process, as well as the purchase and preparation of festive events, was monitored by the mistress of the house.

The host also had an equally important duty - inviting guests to a feast. Moreover, depending on the status of the guest, the host either sent a servant with an invitation, or went himself. And actually the event itself looked something like this: she went out to the assembled guests in festive attire the hostess greeted them, bowing at the waist, and the guests answered her with a bow to the ground, followed by a kissing ceremony: the host invited the guests to honor the hostess with a kiss.

The guests in turn approached the hostess of the house and kissed her, and at the same time, according to the canons of etiquette, they held their hands behind their backs, then bowed to her again and accepted a glass of vodka from her hands. When the hostess went to a special women's table, this served as a signal for everyone to sit down and start eating. Usually the ceremonial table stood stationary, in the "red corner", that is, under the icons, near the benches fixed to the wall, sitting on which, by the way, at that time, was considered more honorable than on the side ones.

The meal itself began from the fact that the owner of the house cut off and served each invited guest a slice of bread with salt, which symbolized the hospitality and hospitality of this house, by the way, today's hospitable traditions originate from that time. As a sign of special respect or affection for one of his guests, the host of the ceremony could himself put some food from a special plate that was specially placed next to him, and, with the help of his servant, send it to the guest of honor especially, as if emphasizing his attention more given to him.

Although the tradition of welcoming guests with bread and salt has come to us since then, the order of serving dishes in those days was noticeably different from what we are used to today: first they ate pies, after a dish of meat, poultry and fish, and only at the end of the meal taken for soups.

Serving Order

When all the participants in the meal were already seated in their places, the host cut the bread into pieces and, together with salt, served each guest separately. With this action, he once again emphasized the hospitality of his home and deep respect for all those present.

At these festive feasts, there was always one more thing - the so-called oprichny dish was placed in front of the owner and the owner personally transferred the food from it into shallow containers (flat dishes) and passed it along with the servants to special guests as a sign of absolute attention to them. And when the servant conveyed this peculiar gastronomic message from his master, as a rule he said: "May you, sir, eat to your health."

If we, by some miracle, could move in time and find ourselves in the seventeenth century, and why not, if the second miracle happened, we would be invited to such a celebration, we would not be a little surprised by the order of serving dishes to the table. Judge for yourself, now it’s normal for us that first we eat an appetizer, after soup, and after that the second and dessert, and in those days pies were served first, then meat, poultry and fish dishes (“roast”), and only then , at the end of dinner - soups ("ear"). After resting after soups, for dessert they ate a variety of sweet snacks.

How they drank in Russia

The traditions of drinking in Russia, preserved and extant, have their roots in ancient times, and in many homes today, as in the distant past, to refuse food and drink means offending the owners. The tradition of drinking vodka not in small sips has also come down to us and is widely practiced, as is customary, for example, in European countries, but in one gulp, immediately.

True, the attitude towards drunkenness has now changed, if today to get drunk means to deviate accepted norms decency, then in those days of boyar Russia, when it was considered mandatory, and a non-drunk guest had to at least pretend to be one. Although it was not necessary to get drunk quickly, but to keep up with all the participants in the feast, and therefore a quick drunkenness at a party was considered indecent.

Royal feasts

Thanks to many old manuscripts that have come down to us, we are well aware of the festive and everyday table of the tsar and the boyars. And this is due to the punctuality and clarity of the performance of their duties by court servants.

The number of all kinds of dishes at royal feasts and at the feasts of rich boyars reached one hundred, and in special occasions could reach half a thousand, and they were brought to the table in turn, one at a time, and the precious gold and silver dishes with the rest of the dishes were held in their hands by the servants standing around the table.

Peasant feast

But the traditions of feasting and eating were also not so rich strata of society, and were not only among the rich and noble members of society.

Representatives of almost all segments of the population considered it obligatory to gather at the banquet table on the occasion of all significant events in life, be it weddings, christenings, name days, meetings, seeing off, commemoration, folk and church holidays...

And of course, this tradition has come down to us almost unchanged.

Russian hospitality

Everyone knows about Russian hospitality and it has always been so.

As for food, if guests come to the house of a Russian person and find the family at dinner, they will certainly be invited to the table and seated at it, and the guest is unlikely to have the opportunity to refuse this.

Solemn dinners and feasts in honor of the reception of foreign guests were arranged with particular breadth and scope, they were intended to demonstrate not only the material capabilities of the royal hosts (who had completely robbed their own people), but also the breadth and hospitality of the Russian soul.

5. Traditions of the Russian Orthodox festive feast

The Orthodox festive feast has kept many traditions, customs and rituals for a long time. characteristic feature Orthodox holidays was that they were family holidays. All family members and close relatives gathered at the table. Table etiquette was very restrained and strict. They sat decorously at the table, and they tried to conduct serious and kind conversations. Revelry and drunkenness, especially on fasting days, were considered a great sin. As St. Theodore of Edessa wrote, “Spend the holiday not in wine drinking, but in the renewal of the mind and spiritual purity. Filling the womb with food, you will anger the One to whom the holiday is dedicated.

An obligatory element of the holiday is prayer. It is believed that food prepared with prayer always succeeds, and prayers before and after eating food and others addressed to God Holy Trinity, the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Cross, will bring health, peace and joy.

For the Orthodox holiday table are characteristic traditional dishes corresponding to the holiday being celebrated. For many holidays, strictly defined ritual dishes were intended, and often they were prepared only once a year. They knew in advance and waited for the stuffed piglet, goose or turkey, honey or poppy seed cake, fluffy and ruddy pancakes on the table, colored eggs and cookies...

Celebrated Orthodox holidays plentiful and rich table. Both wealthy and poor families put on the table all the best that was in the house. Especially for the holidays, a variety of products were purchased in advance and stored in home pantries.

Gourmet dishes were prepared for the festive table, adhering to the rule: “A man eats at home, and he regales himself at a party,” and the housewives tried to show off their culinary skills. The assortment of appetizers and dishes, especially cold ones, was varied and wide. folk traditions often prescribed for which holiday how many of them should be. Most of the food and drinks were immediately put on the table. It was considered obligatory to try all the dishes that were on the table.

Much attention was paid to the decoration of the festive table. It was covered with a beautiful, as a rule, embroidered or snow-white tablecloth and served with the best dishes and cutlery, decorated with flowers, greenery, paper ribbons, garlands. Candles were an indispensable attribute of the festive table, which gave the feast a special solemnity and symbolized the religious nature of the holiday.

The traditions and customs of the festive feast have changed and been updated over the centuries. Each generation sought to preserve both the ancient pagan traditions and the Orthodox, and to bring something of their own. And modern generations are no exception to this rule.

The Russian people are representatives of the East Slavic ethnic group, the indigenous inhabitants of Russia (110 million people - 80% of the population Russian Federation), the largest ethnic group in Europe. The Russian diaspora has about 30 million people and it is concentrated in such states as Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, in countries former USSR, in the US and EU countries. As a result of sociological research, it was found that 75% of the Russian population of Russia are followers of Orthodoxy, and a significant part of the population does not identify themselves with any particular religion. national language Russian people is the Russian language.

Each country and its people have their own meaning in modern world, concepts are very important folk culture and the history of the nation, their formation and development. Each nation and its culture is unique in its own way, the color and originality of each nation should not be lost or dissolved in assimilation with other nations, the younger generation should always remember who they really are. For Russia, which is a multinational power and home to 190 peoples, the issue of national culture is quite acute, due to the fact that in recent years its erasure is especially noticeable against the background of the cultures of other nationalities.

Culture and life of the Russian people

(Russian folk costume)

The first associations that arise with the concept of "Russian people" are, of course, the breadth of the soul and fortitude. But national culture people form, it is these character traits that have a huge impact for its formation and development.

One of distinguishing features The Russian people have always been and are simplicity, in the old days Slavic houses and property were very often plundered and completely destroyed, hence the simplified attitude to everyday life. And of course, these trials, which befell the long-suffering Russian people, only tempered his character, made him stronger and taught him to get out of any life situations with his head held high.

Kindness can be called another of the traits that prevail in the character of the Russian ethnos. The whole world is well aware of the concept of Russian hospitality, when "they will feed and drink, and put to bed." The unique combination of such qualities as cordiality, mercy, compassion, generosity, tolerance and, again, simplicity, very rarely found in other peoples of the world, all this is fully manifested in the very breadth of the Russian soul.

Diligence is another of the main features of the Russian character, although many historians in the study of the Russian people note both her love for work and huge potential, and her laziness, as well as complete lack of initiative (remember Oblomov in Goncharov's novel). But all the same, the efficiency and endurance of the Russian people is an indisputable fact, against which it is difficult to argue. And no matter how scientists all over the world would like to understand the "mysterious Russian soul", it is unlikely that any of them can do it, because it is so unique and multifaceted that its "zest" will forever remain a secret for everyone.

Traditions and customs of the Russian people

(Russian meal)

Folk traditions and customs are a unique connection, a kind of "bridge of times", linking the far past with the present. Some of them are rooted in the pagan past of the Russian people, even before the baptism of Russia, little by little their sacred meaning was lost and forgotten, but the main points have been preserved and are still being observed. In villages and towns, Russian traditions and customs are honored and remembered to a greater extent than in cities, which is associated with a more isolated lifestyle of urban residents.

A large number of rituals and traditions are associated with family life (this includes matchmaking, wedding celebrations, and the baptism of children). Carrying out ancient ceremonies and rituals guaranteed a successful and happy life in the future, the health of descendants and the general well-being of the family.

(Colorized photograph of a Russian family in the early 20th century)

long time ago Slavic families were distinguished by a large number of family members (up to 20 people), adult children, having already married, remained to live in home, the head of the family was the father or elder brother, they all had to obey and unquestioningly fulfill all their orders. Usually, wedding celebrations were held either in the fall, after the harvest, or in the winter after the Feast of the Epiphany (January 19). Then very good time for the wedding began to be considered the first week after Easter, the so-called "Red Hill". The wedding itself was preceded by a ceremony of matchmaking, when the groom’s parents came to the bride’s family together with his godparents, if the parents agreed to give their daughter in marriage, then the bride was held (acquaintance of the future newlyweds), then there was a rite of conspiracy and handshaking (the parents decided on issues of dowry and the date of the wedding festivities ).

The rite of baptism in Russia was also interesting and unique, the child had to be baptized immediately after birth, for this godparents were chosen, who would be responsible for the life and well-being of the godson all his life. At the age of one, the baby was put on the inside of a sheepskin coat and sheared it, cutting off a cross on the crown, with such a meaning that impure forces could not penetrate his head and would not have power over him. Every Christmas Eve (January 6), a slightly grown godson should bring godparents kutya (wheat porridge with honey and poppy seeds), and they, in turn, should give him sweets.

Traditional holidays of the Russian people

Russia is a truly unique state where, along with the highly developed culture of the modern world, they carefully honor the ancient traditions of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, which go back centuries and keep the memory of not only Orthodox vows and canons, but also the most ancient pagan rites and sacraments. And to this day they celebrate pagan holidays, people listen to signs and centuries old traditions, remembers and tells his children and grandchildren old traditions and legends.

Main national holidays:

Christmas January 7
Christmas time January 6 - 9
Baptism January 19
Pancake week from 20 to 26 February

Forgiveness Sunday ( before Great Lent)
Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter)
Easter ( the first Sunday after the full moon, which occurs no earlier than the day of the conditional spring equinox 21 March)
Red hill ( first Sunday after Easter)

Trinity ( Sunday of Pentecost - 50th day after Easter)
Ivan Kupala July 7
Day of Peter and Fevronia July 8
Ilyin's day August 2

Honey Spas August 14
Apple Spas August 19
Third (Bread) Spas August 29
Veil day October 14

There is a belief that on the night of Ivan Kupala (from July 6 to 7), once a year, a fern flower blooms in the forest, and whoever finds it will gain untold wealth. In the evening, large bonfires are kindled near rivers and lakes, people dressed in festive old Russian robes lead round dances, sing ritual chants, jump over the fire, and let wreaths flow, hoping to find their soul mate.

Pancake week - traditional holiday Russian people, celebrated during the week before Lent. A very long time ago, Shrovetide was rather not a holiday, but a rite, when the memory of departed ancestors was honored, coaxing them with pancakes, asking them for a fertile year, and spending the winter by burning a straw effigy. Time passed, and the Russian people, thirsting for fun and positive emotions in the cold and gloomy season, turned sad holiday into a more cheerful and daring celebration, which began to symbolize the joy of the imminent end of winter and the arrival of the long-awaited warmth. The meaning has changed, but the tradition of baking pancakes has remained, exciting winter activities: sledding and horse-drawn sledge rides, the straw effigy of Winter was burned, the whole Shrovetide week a relative went to pancakes either to the mother-in-law or to the sister-in-law, the atmosphere of celebration and fun reigned everywhere, various theatrical and puppet performances were held on the streets with the participation of Petrushka and other folk characters. One of the most colorful and dangerous entertainments on Maslenitsa was fisticuffs, they were attended by the male population, for whom it was an honor to take part in a kind of “military business”, testing their courage, courage and dexterity.

Christmas and Easter are considered especially revered Christian holidays among the Russian people.

Christmas is not only Holy holiday Orthodoxy, it also symbolizes the rebirth and return to life, the traditions and customs of this holiday, filled with kindness and humanity, high moral ideals and the triumph of the spirit over worldly concerns, in the modern world are re-opened to society and rethought by it. The day before Christmas (January 6) is called Christmas Eve, because the main dish of the festive table, which should consist of 12 dishes, is a special porridge "sochivo", consisting of boiled cereals poured with honey, sprinkled with poppy seeds and nuts. You can sit down at the table only after the appearance of the first star in the sky, Christmas (January 7) is a family holiday, when everyone gathered at the same table, ate holiday treat and gave gifts to each other. 12 days after the holiday (until January 19) are called Christmas time, earlier at this time the girls in Russia held various gatherings with fortune-telling and rituals to attract suitors.

Bright Easter has long been considered a great holiday in Russia, which people associated with the day of general equality, forgiveness and mercy. On the eve of Easter celebrations, Russian women usually bake Easter cakes (festive rich Easter bread) and Easter, clean and decorate their homes, young people and children paint eggs, which, according to ancient legend, symbolize the drops of blood of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross. On the day of Holy Easter, smartly dressed people, meeting, say “Christ is Risen!”, Answer “Truly Risen!”, Then follows a triple kiss and the exchange of festive Easter eggs.

The rich and varied culture of the Slavs managed to preserve most of the rituals and customs. The Russian people have always been original and honored their traditions from time immemorial. Over time cultural heritage underwent significant changes, but still the centuries-old ties were not lost, in the modern world there is room for ancient legends and superstitions. Let's try to remember the most important customs, rituals and traditions of the Russian people.

Through me

The basis of the centuries-old culture of the Slavs has always been the family, clan, continuity of generations. The rites and customs of the Russian people were part of a person's life from the moment of his birth. If a boy was born, he was traditionally swaddled in his father's shirt. It was believed that in this way he takes over all the necessary masculine qualities. The girl was wrapped in her mother's clothes so that she would grow up to be a good housewife. From an early age, children revered their father and unquestioningly fulfilled all his requirements and wishes. The head of the family was akin to God, who gave continuation to his family.

In order for the child to receive a blessing from higher powers, not to get sick and develop well, the father presented his heir to the deities. First of all, he showed the baby to Yarila, Semarglu and Svarog. The Gods of Heaven should be giving their patronage to the baby. Then came the turn of Mother Earth, or, as she was otherwise called, the Goddess Mokosh. The child was put on the ground and then dipped into the water.

Bratchina

If you delve into history and look for what rituals and customs of the Russian people were the most cheerful and crowded, then bratchina will take one of the main places. It was not a spontaneous gathering of people and mass celebrations. This ritual has been in preparation for months. Especially for the bratchina, livestock were fattened and boiled in large volumes beer. In addition, the drinks included wine, mead and kvass. Each guest was required to bring food. The place for the celebration was chosen by all honest people. A random person could not get to the brotherhood - everyone had to receive an invitation. At the table, the most honorable places were occupied by people whose merits were evaluated most highly. Buffoons and songwriters came to entertain the feasters. The festivities could last several hours, and sometimes several weeks.

Wedding

Today's youth does not even suspect that everything wedding traditions came from ancient times. Some have undergone changes, some have remained the same as in the days of our ancestors. Of all the rites and customs of the Russian people, the wedding is considered the most fascinating.

According to a long tradition, it had several stages. Matchmaking, bridegroom, conspiracy, pre-wedding week, bachelorette and bachelor parties, howling, picking up the wedding train, wedding, wedding feast, testing the young, retreats - without these important components, it is even impossible to imagine marriage in Russia.

Despite the fact that now this is much easier, some wedding customs, rituals, proverbs of the Russian people continue to live. Who is not familiar with the expression: "You have a product, we have a merchant"? It is with these words that the groom's parents come to woo.

And the tradition of bringing a young wife into the house in her arms is associated with the desire to deceive the brownie. So the husband circled the owner of the house around the finger, making it clear that he was bringing in the hands of a newborn family member, and not a stranger. Vytye now can cause horror, but before, not a single preparation for a wedding could do without this ceremony. They lamented and wept for the bride, as in our time for the dead.

The ceremony with the shedding of young people with grain has come down to our days - for large families and wealth. In ancient times, bells on the wedding train were used to scare away evil spirits, and now they have been replaced cans tied to the bumper of a car.

Theft and ransom of the bride are also old Russian customs. The composition of the dowry also did not undergo significant changes - feather bed, pillows, blankets, and now parents give the bride before the wedding. True, in ancient times, the girl herself had to make them with her own hands.

Christmas rites

After the establishment of Christianity in Russia, new church holidays appeared. The most beloved and long-awaited is Christmas. From January 7 to January 19, Christmas celebrations were held - a favorite youth fun. All the legends, superstitions, rituals and customs of the Russian people associated with these days have come down to our time.

Young girls gathered in small groups to tell fortunes about their betrothed-mummers and find out from which end of the village to expect matchmakers. by the most extreme way to see your chosen one was considered a trip to the bath with a mirror and a candle. The danger lay in the fact that it was necessary to do this alone and at the same time take off the cross.

carols

The culture, customs and rituals of the Russian people are closely connected with the world of nature and animals. In the evenings, young people went caroling. Dressed up in animal skins or bright costumes, they knocked on houses and begged for treats from the owners with carol songs. It was fraught to refuse such guests - they could easily destroy the woodpile, freeze the door or create other minor pranks. Caroling guests were treated to sweets, and it was always believed that their wishes (generosity) for the whole year would provide prosperity and peace in the house, save the owners from ailments and misfortunes. The custom of dressing up as animals is rooted in paganism - so it was possible to scare away evil spirits.

Superstitions and signs for Christmas

It was believed that to lose a thing on the eve of a holiday means to suffer losses all year. Dropping or breaking a mirror is in trouble. Many stars in the sky - for a big harvest. Do needlework on Christmas Eve - get sick all year.

Pancake week

the funniest and delicious holiday in Russia actually has a rather gloomy interpretation. In the old days, these days they commemorated the dead. Actually, the burning of an effigy of Maslenitsa is a funeral, and pancakes are a treat.

This holiday is interesting because it lasts a whole week, and every day is dedicated to a separate ritual. On Monday, they made a scarecrow and rode it on a sleigh throughout the village. On Tuesday, mummers went all over the village and gave performances.

A distinctive feature of this day was considered "bearish" entertainment. The trained owners of the forest staged whole performances, portraying women in their usual activities.

On Wednesday, the main festival began - pancakes were baked in the houses. Tables were set up on the streets and food was sold. It was possible to taste hot tea from a samovar under the open sky and eat pancakes. Also on this day, it was customary to go to the mother-in-law for refreshments.

Thursday was a special day when all the fellows could measure themselves against the heroic strength. Shrovetide fisticuffs attracted guys, everyone wanted to show their prowess.

On Friday, pancakes were baked in the son-in-law's house, it was his turn to treat all the guests. On Saturday, the daughters-in-law received guests from among the husband's relatives.

And Sunday was called "forgiveness." It is on this day that it is customary to apologize for insults and visit the cemetery to say goodbye to the dead. The effigy of Maslenitsa was burned, and from that day it was believed that spring had come into its own.

Ivan Kupala

The customs, traditions and rituals of the Russian people associated with this holiday have survived to this day. Of course, a lot has changed, but the basic meaning has remained the same.

According to legend, on the day of the summer solstice, people tried to appease the great celestial being so that it would give them a good harvest and ward off illnesses. But with the advent of Christianity, Kupala joined with the feast of John the Baptist and began to bear the name Ivan Kupala.

This holiday is most interesting in that the legends speak of a great miracle taking place on this night. Of course, we are talking about the flowering of the fern.

This myth led many people to wander through the forest at night in the hope of seeing a miracle for several centuries. It was believed that the one who sees how the fern blooms will find out where all the treasures of the world are hidden. In addition, all the herbs in the forest acquired a special medicinal power that night.

The girls wove wreaths of 12 different herbs and let them float down the river. If he drowns, expect trouble. If it swims long enough, get ready for the wedding and prosperity. To wash away all sins, it was necessary to bathe and jump over the fire.

Day of Peter and Fevronia

Tradition says that Prince Peter fell seriously ill and saw prophetic dream about the fact that the maiden Fevronia will help him heal. He sought out the girl, but she demanded that he marry her as payment. The prince gave his word and did not keep it. The ailment returned, and he was forced to ask for help again. But this time he kept his promise. The family was strong and it was these Saints who became the patrons of marriage. The original Russian holiday is celebrated immediately after Ivan Kupala - on July 8th. It can be compared to Western Valentine's Day. The difference lies in the fact that in Russia this day is not considered a holiday for all lovers, but only married people. All future spouses dream of getting married on this day.

Saved

This is another sweet holiday, the roots of which go back to ancient times. On August 14, Russia celebrates Honey Spas. On this day, honeycombs are filled with sweet treats and it's time to collect the viscous amber-colored liquid.

August 19 - Apple Spas. This day marks the arrival of autumn and the beginning of the harvest. People rush to the church to bless the apples and taste the first fruits, since it was forbidden to eat them until that day. It is necessary to treat all relatives and friends with fruits. In addition, apple pies are baked and treated to all passers-by.

Nut Spas begins on August 29. From that day on, it was customary to dig potatoes, bake pies from fresh bread flour, and store nuts for the winter. Passed across the country big holidays- festivities were held in the villages before harvesting, and fairs were held in the cities. On this day, birds begin to fly to warmer climes.

cover

On October 14, people said goodbye to autumn and met winter. It often snowed that day, which was compared to the bride's veil. It is on this day that it is customary to enter into marriages, because the Intercession gives love and happiness to all people in love.

There are special rituals for this holiday. For the first time, women made a fire in the stove, symbolizing the warmth and comfort in the house. It was necessary to use branches or logs for these purposes. fruit trees. In this way, a good harvest could be ensured for the next year.

The hostess baked pancakes and Pokrovsky loaf. It was necessary to treat the neighbors with this bread, and hide the leftovers until Lent.

Also on this day, one could ask the Mother of God for protection for children. The woman stood up with the icon on the bench and read a prayer over her family. All the children fell on their knees.

Young girls and boys arranged gatherings. It was believed that everyone who married on this day, the Mother of God gives protection.

You can learn more about all the traditions in the Foundations of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics (ORCSE) training course. The customs and rituals of the Russian people are revealed there with maximum precision and described in accordance with historical facts.

Traditions are not only what distinguishes one nation from another, but also what can unite the most different people. Family traditions of the Russian people are the most interesting part of history and culture Russian state which acquaints us with the experience of our ancestors.

Let's start with the fact that the family traditions of Russia have never done without the science of genealogy: it was a shame not to know the genealogy, and the most offensive nickname was considered "Ivan, who does not remember kinship." Compilation of a detailed pedigree family tree was an integral part of the traditions of every family. When cameras appeared, people began to compile and then store family albums. This custom has successfully come down to our days - probably, most of them have old albums with photographs of relatives dear to their hearts, perhaps already deceased. By the way, to honor the memory of your relatives, to commemorate those who left this world, also belong to the original Russian traditions, as well as constant care for elderly parents.

The transfer of things belonging to distant (and not so) ancestors to their descendants can also be called a long-standing Russian tradition. For example, great-grandmother's box or great-grandfather's watch are family heirlooms that are kept long years in a secluded corner of the house ... The history of things becomes not only the property of a single family, but also the history of the people and the entire Motherland as a whole.
There is also lovely custom name the child after one of the family members (there are so-called "family names"). In addition, our a unique tradition patronymic assignment is considered. When a baby is born, he immediately receives a part of the name of the clan according to the “nickname” of his father. The patronymic distinguishes a person from the namesake, sheds light on kinship (son-father) and expresses respect. To call someone by their patronymic means to be polite to them. The name can also be given according to church books, calendars, in honor of the saint who is honored on the child's birthday.

But family traditions, examples of which are practically not found at present, are old professional dynasties (that is, when all family members were engaged in one kind of activity). Whole dynasties of hereditary bakers, confectioners, military men, shoemakers, carpenters, priests, artists are known.

And, of course, the most beloved are family holidays, because the traditions of the old Russian feast are still strong in us. In Russia, they prepared ahead of time for the reception of guests, carefully cleaning not only the house, but also the yard. All incoming guests were greeted with bread and salt, then the hostess came out, bowed to everyone from the waist, and the guests answered her in the same way. Then everyone sat down common table, sang songs in chorus, and the owners treated everyone with their dishes (porridge, cabbage soup, fish, game, fish, berries, honey) ... It is worth noting that tablecloths, towels and dishes stored in chests and sideboards for special occasions were used for table setting. It is curious that many modern housewives observe some customs from ancient times ...
Author: Rimma Sokolova

Tradition, custom, ritual is an age-old connection, a kind of bridge between the past and the present. Some customs are rooted in the distant past, over time they have changed and lost their sacred meaning, but they are observed at the present time, passed on from grandparents to grandchildren and great-grandchildren as a memory of their ancestors. In rural areas, traditions are observed more widely than in cities, where people live apart from each other. But many rituals have become so firmly established in our lives that we perform them without even thinking about their meaning.

Traditions are calendar, associated with field work, family, pre-Christian period, the most ancient, religious, which entered our life with the adoption of Christianity, and some pagan rites were mixed with Orthodox beliefs and changed somewhat.

calendar rites

The Slavs were pastoralists and farmers. In the pre-Christian period, the pantheon of Slavic gods included several thousand idols. The supreme gods were Svarozhichs, the progenitors of all living things. One of them was Veles, the patron of cattle breeding and agriculture. The Slavs made sacrifices to him before the start of sowing and harvesting. On the first day of sowing, all the villagers went out into the field in new clean shirts with flowers and wreaths. Sowing was started by the oldest resident of the village and the smallest, they threw the first grain into the ground.

Harvesting was also a holiday. All, even the old and sick, the inhabitants of the village gathered at the border of the field, a sacrifice was made to Veles, most often a large ram, then the strongest and handsome men and young guys with braids in their hands and at the same time passed the front page. Then the girls and young women, always fast and healthy, tied the sheaves and placed the money. After a successful cleaning, a rich table was laid for all the inhabitants of the village, at the head of the table they placed a large sheaf, decorated with ribbons and flowers, which was also considered a sacrifice to the god Veles.

Maslenitsa also belongs to the calendar rites, although at present it is already considered half religious holiday. In ancient times, this rite called Yarilo, the god of the sun and heat, on which the harvest directly depended. That is why the custom was born on this day to bake pancakes, fatty, ruddy, hot as the sun. All people danced round dances, which are also a symbol of the sun, sang songs praising the power and beauty of the luminary, and burned an effigy of Maslenitsa.

Today Maslenitsa has lost its pagan meaning and is considered almost a religious holiday. Every day pancake week has its purpose. And the most important day is Forgiveness Sunday, when you should ask all your family and relatives for forgiveness for involuntary offenses. Sunday is the turning point Great Lent, the strictest and longest, when believers refuse meat and dairy food for seven weeks.

Christmas rites

When Christianity was firmly established in Russia, new church holidays appeared. And some holidays that have a religious basis have become truly popular. It is to these that the Christmas festivities that take place from January 7 (Christmas) to January 19 (Epiphany) should be attributed.

At Christmas time, young people went from house to house with performances, other groups of guys and girls caroled, girls and young women guessed in the evenings. Be sure all the villagers participated in the preparations for the holidays. Cattle were slaughtered and special dishes were prepared. On Christmas Eve, January 6, the evening before Christmas, they cooked uzvar, a sweet compote with rice, cooked cheesecakes and pies, sochevo, a special dish of cabbage with grain.

Young people sang special humorous carols, asked for treats, jokingly threatened:

"If you don't give me a pie, we'll bring the cow by the horns."

If treats were not given, then they could play a trick: close the pipe, destroy the pile of firewood, freeze the door. But that was rare. It was believed, and still is considered, that generosity, songs with wishes of happiness and prosperity, and grain brought into the house by guests bring happiness to the house for the whole New Year, relieve diseases and misfortunes. Therefore, everyone tried to treat the visitors to their heart's content and distribute generous gifts to them.

Young girls most often guessed at fate, at suitors. The most daring people used to read fortune-telling in a bath with a mirror by candlelight, although this was considered very dangerous, because in the bath they removed the cross from themselves. The girls brought armfuls of firewood into the house, according to the number of logs, even or odd, it was possible to say whether she would get married this year. They fed the chicken with counted grain, drowned the wax and considered what he predicts for them.

family rituals

Perhaps most of the rituals and traditions are connected with family life. Matchmaking, weddings, christenings - all this required the observance of ancient rituals that came from grandmothers and great-grandmothers, and their exact observance promised a happy family life, healthy children and grandchildren.

Slavs used to live big families where adult children who already had their own families lived with their parents. In such families, three or four generations could be observed, families included up to twenty people. such an elder big family usually there was a father or older brother, and his wife was the head of the women. Their orders were carried out unquestioningly along with the laws of the government.

Weddings were usually celebrated after the harvest or after Epiphany. Later, the most successful time for weddings was Krasnaya Gorka - a week after Easter. Myself wedding ceremony took quite a long period of time and included several stages, and hence a large number of rituals.

The bridegroom's parents came to woo the bride together with godparents, less often other close relatives. The conversation had to start allegorically:

“You have goods, we have a merchant” or “Did a heifer run into your yard, we came for it.”

If the bride's parents agreed, it was necessary to hold a bridegroom where the bride and groom would get to know each other. Then there will be collusion or handshake. Here, new relatives agree on the wedding day, dowry, and what gifts the groom will bring to the bride.

When everything was discussed, her girlfriends gathered at the bride’s house every evening and helped prepare the dowry: weaving, sewing, knitting lace, embroidering gifts for the groom. All girl gatherings were accompanied by sad songs, because no one knew what fate the girl would have. In the house of her husband, a woman was expected to work hard and complete submission to the will of her husband. On the first day of the wedding, the songs sounded mainly lyrical, majestic, farewell laments. Upon arrival from the church, the young were met on the porch by their parents with bread and salt, and the mother-in-law had to put a spoonful of honey in her newly-born daughter-in-law's mouth.

The second day is completely different. On this day, according to custom, the son-in-law and his friends went "to the mother-in-law for pancakes." After a good feast, the guests dressed up, covered their faces with bandages or linens and drove around the village, visiting all the new relatives. This custom is still preserved in many villages, where on the second day of the wedding, costumed guests harness themselves to the cart and roll new matchmakers through the streets.

And, of course, speaking of customs, one cannot skip the rite of baptism of an infant. Children were baptized immediately after birth. To perform the ceremony, they conferred for a long time, choosing godparents. They will be the second parents for the child and, along with them, are responsible for the life, health and upbringing of the baby. Godparents become godfathers and maintain friendly relations with each other all their lives.

When the child turned one year old, the godmother would put him on a turned-out sheepskin coat and carefully cut off a cross in his hair with scissors on the crown of his head. This was done so that the evil spirits did not have access to his thoughts and further actions.

On Christmas Eve, the grown-up godson always brought kutya and other treats to the godfather, and the godfather presents him with some sweets in return.

mixed rites

As we have already said, some rituals originated in the pre-Christian period, but continue to live to this day, having slightly changed their appearance. So it was with Shrovetide. The rite is widely known - the celebration of the night on Ivan Kupala. It was believed that only on this one day of the year the fern blooms. Whoever can find this flower that cannot be handed over will be able to see the treasures underground, and all secrets will be revealed before him. But only a person who is pure in heart, without sin, can find it.

In the evening, huge bonfires were lit, over which young people jumped in pairs. It was believed that if the two of you, holding hands, jump over the fire, then love will not leave you for the rest of your life. They danced and sang songs. The girls wove wreaths and floated on the water. They believed that if the wreath swims to the shore, then the girl will remain single for another year, if she drowns, she will die this year, and if she goes with the flow, she will soon get married.