Folk rituals, customs and signs for Christmas. January. Nativity. Signs, customs and traditions. The most important customs for Christmas Eve and Christmas

18.06.2019

Joyful mood, sparkling snow, the smell of pine needles and incense - what could be kinder than the atmosphere of the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ? It is not surprising that magic folk omens at Christmas for marriage, pregnancy, health, good luck, money on this magical day always come true, and young girls can find out on January 6-7 whether they are destined to meet their betrothed.

Folk omens for Christmas for marriage

Since ancient times, young girls have believed in the magical power of the Christmas holiday, carefully observing the signs and signs of marriage.

What Christmas signs on January 6-7 for marriage are there?

Losing a comb - to a whirlwind romance and marriage.
Young women should dress nicely before it gets dark outside. It is believed that those girls who did not have time to dress up will not marry successfully, and those who are already married will lose their spouse's affection.
Before the holiday, a rooster is brought home. If the bird runs to the table, the girl will soon marry, if to the door, she will be unmarried.

Rites and signs for Christmas for pregnancy

An important place is occupied by customs on Christmas and Christmas Eve associated with the conception of a child. Many people believe in the magical power of the holiday, observing the ceremonies and signs at Christmas for pregnancy.

Christmas signs and ceremonies for getting pregnant

If you ask the Virgin Mary for a child, then conception will definitely come. It is advisable to put a candle that will burn all night. After prayer, you should feed the dog with bread.
In order for pregnancy to occur, you need to eat eggs or grains, in an amount that is a multiple of the woman's age. You can use an egg.
You have to endure the entire service. Then, if you pray sincerely, pregnancy will come.
Already a pregnant woman should wash herself with holy water and wash her stomach with it. Then the holy powers will protect the fruit from the evil eye and bad energy.
You cannot knit on this day - a pregnant woman will wrap her baby with an umbilical cord.
A woman on demolition should not cut her hair - the child will be born mentally retarded.
If the year is a leap year, you cannot talk about your plans for having a baby - dark forces may overhear.
In order for the coveted news to visit the family as soon as possible, you need to feed the stray animals on the street at Christmas. If any of them follow you, feed him constantly or give him shelter. This can attract pregnancy.

Customs and signs at Christmas for health

In ancient times, there was no such effective medicine as it is now. Therefore, people believed in predictions and beliefs, which often came true, observed customs and signs at Christmas for health.

What signs on January 6-7 portend health?

Great attention should be paid to the collection of clean water. It's good if it comes from healing sources. Everyone in the house needs to wash their face with this water, and it can also be used to prepare Christmas meals. It is able to bring health to everyone who drank it.
If a sick person sneezes on Christmas Eve, this is a sign of recovery and a long life.
In order for the whole year to bring only health, it is necessary that all family members dance around the Christmas tree at Christmas.
If a wild animal has become attached to you, be sure to feed it. This is a sign that you will be healthy all year long.
On Christmas, you cannot sew, knit or mend things - this will cause blindness for you or someone from the family.
It is advisable that a man is the first to enter your house. If a woman comes in, this will lead to illness during the year at the hostess of the house.
If you stumbled on the way to church, you need to say: "Not to the Devil, but to God, he will save me." This ritual will protect you from disease in twelve years.
A kid who started walking on a holiday will be healthy and lucky.
If a seriously ill person starts talking about pancakes and horses on Christmas, this is a bad sign, he portends death.
If guests come to you three days after Christmas, you cannot open it right away - you can bring illness into the house. You have to wait until they call again.

Folk omens at Christmas for good luck

Luck and luck in life are the most desirable phenomena for any Russian person. People have a long history of believing in Christmas observance to attract success and listening to folklore at Christmas for good luck.

Rites and signs for good luck on Christmas and Christmas Eve

A bundle of straw brought home at Christmas is sure to attract good luck.
Candles, wreaths, bells and other decorations are sure to bring success to your home.
If you have spilled tea or coffee, success in business and new projects awaits you.
If you saw a hunchback, you are very lucky. You will be especially lucky to touch his hump, then you will be successful all year round.
It is also good luck to meet a big dog.
If you find ice floes in the well water, you will be successful.
If you light a candle on a festive evening in honor of deceased relatives, they will help attract good luck and prosperity to the family.
For good luck, the following ritual is carried out: a well-washed coin is put into the Christmas cake. A nut, raisins, dried fruit are also suitable. The one of the family members who is lucky enough to receive a piece with a surprise at the table will be happy all year.
To dream of a man on the night before Christmas means to be successful and happy all year.

Signs on Christmas Eve and Christmas on January 6-7 for money

By listening to signs and beliefs, many people are able to attract wealth and abundance into their home, creating the right energy at Christmas. It is enough to know some signs of Christmas Eve and Christmas to attract money.

What kind of Christmas signs will money bring?

For the whole year to be abundant, you need to invite your closest and dearest people home to Christmas and treat them generously.
For financial well-being in the year, you need to congratulate yourself and make a gift.
If you have entered the manure - rejoice, it is to prosperity.
Pets should be generously fed - the whole year will be generous to you financially.
On a holiday, you need to run out into the street naked in the cold and say: "There are a lot of pimples on my skin, so that I have so much money too."
Losing or stealing money on Christmas is hopeless, and finding money, on the contrary, is a profit.
If you saw a mouse on a festive evening, this is a financial loss.
On Christmas, you cannot take out a loan, borrow money, and you also don’t have to lend anything from your home. Thus, you give everything out of your hands.
Finding a piece of jewelry is a sign of financial success.
You cannot wear old clothes on a holiday, as this leads to financial losses and poverty.
At Christmas, you need to light as much fire as possible - candles, fireplaces, lamps. This will attract wealth to the house.
Snow on the morning of January 7 - in financial well-being and abundance.

Signs on Christmas night on January 6-7 for single girls

Unmarried girls have long believed in the power of Christmas night from January 6 to 7, predicting fate. There are many rituals and signs for young women who are able to predict the meeting with the betrothed.

Rites for young girls to get married

Unmarried girls and young women should pay attention to the passing man. They go out into the street at dusk. If a man comes from the north, then the girl will get married within a year. If from the south - it will remain in girls.
If you ask a passerby the name of the betrothed, then the husband will be with the same name.
When everyone sits down to sup, a girl or an unmarried man dreaming of marriage, having taken the first quick piece of food from the table in his mouth, should go out into the street without swallowing it. The name that he or she accidentally hears from passers-by will be the name of the bride or groom.

Signs on January 6-7 on Christmas Eve and Christmas

From ancient times, Christmas signs and predictions have come down to us on Christmas Eve and on the night of January 6-7 about yield, happiness and good news.

Signs of Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve

It is believed that the summer will be unusually fruitful if Christmas falls on a Sunday.
At Christmas, snowstorm and frost - spring will come early.
Frost on the ground and trees - to a rich harvest of wheat.
A large number of stars in the sky - for the harvest of buckwheat and peas.
The thaw at Christmas is towards the cold spring. But if it is frosty and snowy on Holy evening, then spring will come early and will be warm.
If a large object falls in the house - a picture, a clock or a shelf - this portends good news.
If a clock that stood for a long time suddenly went into Christmas - this is for travel and pleasant entertainment.
If during the preparation of the Christmas table the housewife's food falls, then this is a good yield.
It is believed that the year will be happy if a man comes into the house first on Christmas.
When baking Christmas bread, the hostess shouldn't talk. She needs to touch the icons, trees and plants in the garden with her hands smeared with dough. Then there will be a harvest in the year.
Dreams from January 6 to January 7 are prophetic. Therefore, they must be memorized and deciphered. To do this, you can put a dream book at the head of the bed and put a candle. In the morning, while the dream is fresh in the memory, it can be solved.
Children born on Christmas bring only happiness to the house.
At midnight it is imperative to open a window to let Christmas into the house. It is desirable that the head of the family does this.
For well-being and happiness during the year, cook twelve lenten dishes on Christmas Eve, and the next morning, on the seventh of January, there should be twelve fast dishes on the table.
In no case should you go hunting on Holy Eve and until Epiphany, as this is a great sin that brings grief.

We wish you that the frosty holy holiday of Christmas will bring health, luck, money and prosperity. Let the flame of candles envelop your home with its magical warmth, and signs for Christmas will make the most coveted dreams of unmarried girls about marriage and pregnancy come true.

From thoughts for every day collected by Leo Tolstoy

Whoever laid down his life in the light of reason and serves it, for that there can be no desperate situations in life, he does not know the torment of conscience, is not afraid of loneliness and does not seek a noisy society, - such has a higher life, does not run away from people and does not chase after them. He is not confused by thoughts about how long his spirit is enclosed in the flesh; the actions of such a person will always be the same, even in view of the imminent death. For him, one concern is to live reasonably in peaceful communication with people.

Marcus Aurelius

Popular name: Christmas, Christmas.

Traditions for January 7

From this day, Christmastide begins - the holy days associated with the events of the birth of our Lord. On these twelve days, it is customary to have fun, think only of good things and spend time with your family - after all, children are waiting for the holiday more than adults.

This is a time of joy, games and fun - there are other days of the year for worries and problems. On this day, one could get rid of unrequited love. They did it this way. They took a stone, which served as oppression in a tub of cucumbers or sauerkraut, put it in a fire burning in the oven and waited for it to heat up. Then a girl or a young man rolled him out onto a scoop, ran to the ice-hole and said: "My heart is in you, and yours is in stone!" - they threw him into the water. The red-hot stone should have split in an icy cut, if this happened, then unrequited love left the heart.

On this day, unclean spirits were swept out of the house. To do this, the hostess or the eldest woman in the house took a nettle broom, prepared in the summer, scalded it with boiling water and swept the litter from all corners and secluded places of the house. The holiday is impossible without a festive meal, and on this day twelve dishes must have been on the table - according to the number of the apostles. Most of them were meat - it was not for nothing that the slaughter of cattle was timed to coincide with Christmastide.

Usually they cooked juicy, kutya, pancakes, jelly, jellied fish, ham, boiled pork, side of lamb with porridge, homemade sausage, fried pig, pig stuffed with buckwheat porridge, goose or duck with Antonov apples, duck with cabbage, pies and gingerbread. But holidays are holidays, and they did not forget about business. Trees were cut down into log cabins in order to take them out of the forest through the snow, winter contracts and deals were concluded.

Signs for January 7

Drifts filled high - by a good year.

If there is a thaw, the spring will be early and warm.

Don't drink at lunchtime on Christmas - you will often drink in the haymaking.

On Christmas day, the owner is not fit to go out of the yard - the sheep will get lost.

0 Christmastide bent work does not work (hoops, runners, etc.), otherwise there will be no offspring of livestock.

Weave bast shoes - it will be born crooked; to sew for Christmas - a blind man will be born.

Dark Christmastide - dairy cows, Light Christmastide - nock chickens.

At Christmas, a blizzard - the bees will swarm well.

At Christmas, flask (frost) is a harvest for bread; the sky is starry - the harvest for peas.

If the path is good for Christmas - to the buckwheat harvest.

On the Holy shirt, though inferior, but little white; for Christmas, though harsh, but new.

The sun plays five times a year: at Christmas, Epiphany, Annunciation, Bright Resurrection, John's Birth.

The name of the day is Michael.

Most often, from childhood, Mikhail manifests such traits as mobility, curiosity, passion. The name inclines this person to good nature, but it often endows its owner with a fair amount of touchiness. Sometimes the feeling of resentment is so strong that Mikhail can let go of his hands, but soon he begins to regret what he has done, feels guilty and tries to make amends.

Mikhail is a calm, balanced person, in a family he is usually a good boss, at work he is a neat and diligent employee, but resentment can remain inherent in him throughout his life.

Mikhail, born in January, is a proud man, but his natural touchiness can seriously complicate his life and prevent the fulfillment of many far-reaching plans.

RECIPE OF THE DAY

Duck with salted mushrooms

Ingredients: duck - 1.5 kg, salted mushrooms - 400 g, onions - 1 pc., bacon - 200 g, parsley, caraway seeds - ½ teaspoon each.

Preparation

Wash the duck, dry, lightly salt. Finely chop the onion. Grind the bacon in a mortar with caraway seeds and parsley. Finely chop the salted mushrooms, add onion and bacon to them, mix, stuff the duck, sew up the hole or fasten it with toothpicks.

Grease the duck with sour cream or butter, put it back down on a baking sheet, add a glass of hot water and put in a very preheated (250 degrees) oven for about half an hour, and then bring it to readiness at a lower temperature (170 degrees).

Water the duck with juice and turn until it is browned on all sides. Serve with boiled potatoes.

January 7 is one of the main Christian holidays. It was installed in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary. The holiday is preceded by a 40-day fast.

Events of the Nativity of Christ

On the eve of the birth of Jesus, Joseph and the pregnant Mary went to Bethlehem for a census. They could not find a place to sleep in the city, as it was completely packed with people, and went into the barn, where they sheltered the cattle from the weather. And on that night the miracle of birth happened - the God-man was born. Maria, as if in a cradle, put the baby in a nursery (cattle feeder).

The first to know about the birth of the Savior were the shepherds, to whom the angel appeared. They came to the cave to bow to the baby. A new bright star lit up in the sky that night, which announced to the whole world about the great miracle that happened that night.

King Herod also learned the news of the birth of the Savior and ordered to kill all children under the age of two. Then the Angel appeared to Joseph and ordered him to flee with his family to Egypt, where they remained until Herod passed away.

The exact date of birth of the Messiah is unknown. The Catholic Church celebrates the holiday.

January 7: traditions and customs of the day

On this day, believers, remembering the great miracle of birth, gather in churches where festive services are held. Also on January 7, it is customary to visit or invite guests to your home. It is a good omen if two men are the first to enter the house that day. Then, within a year, there will be no quarrels and strife in the dwelling. But if a woman crosses the threshold first, then illness and misfortune await the household.

There are also certain prohibitions for this day. At Christmas, you cannot:

Guessing young girls, otherwise they will lose their fate. But on this day, you can make a cherished wish. According to legend, it will definitely come true.
Bathe. You need to take water procedures in advance. It is necessary to celebrate Christmas with a pure mind and body.
Deal with household chores. It is advisable to do all household chores on January 5th.
Women dye and cut their hair.
Conceive children. It is believed that otherwise the marriage will fall apart.
The hosts leave the table before the guests. There is an opinion that if the owner leaves the table before the guests, then he will be restless all year round.
Drink alcoholic beverages and water. On this day, you can drink tea, coffee, compote.
Places empty plates on the table. There must be at least something, but must lie on them.
Go hunting and kill animals.
Boil or drink jelly - to the deceased.
Taking out the trash.
Go to the forest and go fishing. Otherwise, you can disturb the mermaids and the goblin.
Swear and move to another place.
Buy a rope, otherwise there will be a hanged man in the house.
Celebrate the holiday alone.

Signs for Christmas on January 7

There are many signs associated with this bright holiday.

Signs for Christmas about the weather:

The thaw on this day promises a warm and early spring.
If frost hits, it will be cold on.
If the cat tears the walls with its claws, the weather will soon deteriorate. A cat curled up in a ball foreshadows the onset of frost.
It's good if it's snowing or lying on the ground. The more snow on January 7, the more favorable the year will be.
A clear sky and a bright moon on it - to severe frosts.
The starry sky and frost on the trees - for a good harvest.
If the holiday falls on the new moon, then there will be a lean year.
It's warm outside - spring will be cold.

Signs associated with the Nativity of Christ:

Breaking dishes at Christmas or spilling something is a quarrel.
To play a wedding on this day is a long and happy family life.
You need to sit down at the festive table only after the first star appears.
If a bird knocks on the window at Christmas, then you will receive good news.
All dishes on the table must be tasted.
Invite only people who are pleasant and dear to you to the celebration.
Pets on this day need to be well fed.
An item bought for Christmas will last a long time.
If a dog on a leash howls, then there will be trouble. To avoid misfortune, approach the animal, untie it and say: “ As the rope does not hold you, so the trouble will not hold on to my house».
A person who stumbled on the road to the church on January 7 may become very ill in 12 years. To prevent this from happening, you need to say: “ I'm going to God, he will save me ".

It also matters on what day the Nativity of Christ fell:

Monday - summer will be warm and will delight you with a large harvest of mushrooms;
Tuesday - a good year for marriage;
Wednesday - fishing and hunting will be successful;
Thursday - fortune will smile on unmarried girls;
Friday - winter will be long and summer will be short;
Saturday - there will be a lot of rain at the end of winter;
Sunday - the year will be good and will bring many joyful events to people.

A person born on January 7 will live a long and happy life. Jasper suits him as a talisman. This stone has been used since ancient times by magicians and sorcerers for various rituals. Jasper removes the negative energy accumulated in the human body, sharpens the gift of foresight and intuition.

Video: Do's and Don'ts for Christmas

The Nativity of Christ is one of the most important and significant holidays in the entire Christian world. In the old days, it was believed that it was on Christmas night that the heavenly gates were opened and believers could ask the Lord for the fulfillment of their cherished desires. So, on Christmas Eve, January 6, the whole family gathered for an evening meal, consisting of twelve lenten dishes - at the head of the table they put wheat kutya. According to tradition, it was necessary to try every dish, because from the next day the strict fast ended and Christmastide began on January 7. Since ancient times, many folk signs, customs and rituals have been associated with Christmas. What are the signs for Christmas? On our pages you will find a selection of the most famous signs that have not lost their relevance today - for unmarried girls for marriage, pregnancy, health, money and good luck. By looking closely at the weather and environment on Christmas Eve 2017, you can “predict” your destiny and future. Let only good omens accompany you, and the holidays will be joyful and fun!

Folk omens for Christmas for marriage

According to the beliefs of our ancestors, on Christmas night from January 6 to 7, you can slightly open the "door" to your future. Signs were especially popular among young people - unmarried girls were actively guessing about the betrothed and the upcoming marriage. Observing some rituals and folk signs at Christmas, you can find out about the future groom, possible children and their number, as well as the side where you will have to go to live after the wedding.

List of Folk Christmas Signs for Marriage

The girl threw the boot out of the gate, and then noticed in which direction the sock was directed - there she was to get married.
On the night of January 6-7, a rooster was brought into the house and released, and then the behavior of the bird was "deciphered" - if he approached the table, then the girl was expecting an early marriage. But a rooster that ran out into the street meant that this year the fortuneteller would remain unmarried.
In order to find out where the future groom will come from, you need to go outside on Christmas night and listen to the barking of dogs. There is a sign that a sound near "prophesies" a local husband, and if it is far away, one should wait for a visiting "fellow".
All girls dream of a happy married life. Therefore, at Christmas, they tried to open the "curtain" to the future - they walked under the windows of other people's houses and eavesdropped. If the conversations were cheerful or calm, this promised a happy marriage. But quarrels or just conversations with an unpleasant "tinge" were considered a bad omen - it would be hard to get married.

Signs and ceremonies for Christmas for pregnancy

The night before Christmas is considered an ideal time for special ceremonies and fortune-telling. At all times, girls and women are interested in the issues of marriage, family life and the birth of children - let's find out what Christmas signs are for pregnancy.

What are the signs for Christmas you can expect pregnancy in the new year

For the onset of the desired pregnancy on the evening before Christmas, we light a candle and say a prayer to the Virgin Mary - with a sincere request to become a mother.
With the rise of the first Christmas star, we go outside to feed the stray dogs. If the animal runs towards your house, you need to take it with you, or at least feed it - according to omen, this promises an early desired pregnancy.
There is a popular sign by which you can find out the sex of the unborn child. To do this, you need a silk thread or your own hair, which must be threaded through the eye of the needle. Then we take the thread in our right hand and place it over the palm of the left hand with the thumb set aside. We lower and raise the thread three times and note that if the movement of the needle resembles a pendulum, then we can expect the birth of a boy. Does the needle move in a circular manner? A little princess is on the way!

Signs for Christmas for health

In the old days, the topic of health was given special attention, because the life of our ancestors was difficult and full of work, and the level of medicine was low. Observing the signs at Christmas, people believed in their "prophetic" power, influencing many everyday events.

Collection of Takes and Rites for Christmas to Attract Health

We put a clove of garlic in every corner of the festive table - and no disease will "stick" throughout the year.
Early in the morning for Christmas, you need to bring home water, in which all family members should wash - by omen, this will bring health for the whole year.
On the eve of the holiday, the dwelling is decorated with fir branches, many candles and other Christmas attributes - to the happiness and health of all household members.
Gathering for the evening meal, the whole family should pray, asking the Lord for health and prosperity.
A talisman or amulet made on January 6 is able to heal from various diseases - for this you need to take a new linen towel and speak it. In case of illness, it is enough to wipe the person with such a towel so that any ailment begins to pass.
A domestic cat sitting under the table during a festive dinner is a sure sign for everyone present.

Folk signs and customs for Christmas for good luck and prosperity

The Nativity of Christ has long been considered one of the most important holidays, with its own traditions and foundations. With the appearance of the first evening star in the sky, Christmastide begins, filled with fun fun, fortune-telling, customs and omens. Many of the folk signs are traditionally associated with luck and prosperity - we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most popular of them.

What are the Christmas signs for good luck and prosperity?

Everyone present at the festive table should try all 12 dishes - in the evening on January 6 these are lean ones, and in the morning on the 7th they are light meals.
A popular omen says that it is better to celebrate Christmas in a big merry company - it bodes well, as well as the support of family and friends for the whole year.
In order to attract good luck in the new year, at Christmas you can delight yourself with the purchase of beautiful and useful things - this custom has not lost its relevance at the present time.
On Christmas night, the owner of the house can open the window and let in the holiday - it is believed that this will bring good luck and prosperity to all family members.
A dark-haired man who first entered the house on Christmas is a sign of good luck and success in all areas of life.
If a child is born in the house on the Christmas holiday, then this is considered a special sign that promises good luck, happiness and prosperity for many years.

Signs for Christmas on January 6 - 7 for money

Many look forward to Christmas with impatience and hope, to learn from the signs about their future in the new year. So, many are interested in signs of wealth - we have picked up several interesting beliefs about money and wealth. Following popular beliefs, you will definitely attract cash flow from coins and bills into your life.

List of Folk Christmas Takes to Money and Prosperity

The tradition of making a Christmas cake is directly related to the omen for money, because when baking it, you need to "hide" a coin inside. If you are lucky enough to find money in your piece, you can expect significant financial investments in the new year.
Observing the surrounding nature on Christmas Eve, you can find out if the next year will be prosperous in terms of money. If the night sky at Christmas is mesmerizing with a scattering of stars or there is heavy snow, then this is a sign of money.
For money to be found, you need to go out into the Christmas frost on the street without outerwear. When “goose bumps” start to go on the skin, we say the following words: “As there are a lot of pimples on my skin, so that there will be money this year”.

Ancient signs on Christmas night for single girls

Christmas night is a great time for fortune-telling, rituals and receptions for unmarried girls. Wanting to know about their future betrothed, girls "for marriageable years" celebrate a variety of events on Christmas Day. Today, many ancient signs remain relevant, so we bring to your attention the most famous ones.

What signs and ceremonies need to be carried out on Christmas - a girl for marriage

A girl who has lost any hair accessory before the Christmas holiday will certainly get married - and in the very near future.
Going to visit for Christmas, you meet the same stranger several times - a sign of marriage.
A male owner will appear in the house if your cat wants to slip out the door in the morning.
An unmarried girl is forbidden to sweep and take out the trash on the Christmas holiday, so as not to dismiss the groom from herself.
If a girl dreams of getting married this year, she must dress smartly - until the first star appears in the sky. Otherwise, marriage will have to wait.
For a girl who wants to know if she will meet a new love, you need to eat an apple. Then we count the remaining bones - if the number is paired and more than six, then the meeting with the betrothed will happen very soon.

Signs for Christmas and Christmas Eve

In ancient times, they believed that all the signs for Christmas and Christmas Eve come true, so they tried not to miss important signs of fate. Many signs and customs, known to our ancestors, have survived to this day - let's take a closer look.

Several important signs of Christmas Eve from January 6th to 7th

If a drunk person becomes the first guest in the house on Christmas, then throughout the year the family will be haunted by quarrels and discord. The woman who first crossed the threshold on Christmas night or morning - to gossip and adversity. The best omen is the visit of a boy or a man, as well as an old man - this promises well-being and longevity.
Your request to God will be heard if you say it 77 times.
On Christmas Eve, it is forbidden to borrow from the house anything related to fire - matches or a lighter. If this sign is neglected, misfortune can occur.

What are the popular signs for the Nativity of Christ? Here you will find a collection of the most famous signs of Christmas night from 6 to 7 January (Christmas Eve) - for pregnancy, for unmarried girls for marriage, for health, luck and money. Stick to Christmas traditions and customs, and in the new year all your wishes and dreams will come true!

Jan. 7. Nativity. Signs, customs and traditions

What is Christmas and how is it celebrated?

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the reign of Emperor Augustus (Octavius) in the city of Bethlehem. Augustus ordered a nationwide census to be made throughout his empire, which included Palestine at that time. The Jews had the custom of keeping popular censuses by tribes, tribes and clans, every tribe and clan had their own specific cities, therefore the Most Holy Virgin and her husband, the righteous Joseph, as descended from the clan of David, had to go to Bethlehem (the city of David) in order to bring and their names in the list of Caesar's subjects. In Bethlehem, they did not find a single empty seat in city hotels. In a limestone cave intended for a stable, among hay and straw scattered for feed and bedding for cattle, among strangers, on a cold winter night, the God-man, the savior of the world, was born. The Blessed Virgin, who painlessly gave birth to him, herself, without outside help, bandaged him and put him in a manger for sheep. That night, before the Bethlehem shepherds who were guarding their flock, the Angel of the Lord appeared and spoke of the great joy, the Birth of the Savior, and the shepherds were the first to bow down to the angelic gospel. At the same time, a wonderful star, ascending in the East, announced to the wise men, the wise men - the star-talkers about the Birth of the Savior of the world. Having gathered, the wise men set off for Bethlehem, and a wonderful star showed them the way. Entering the cave where the baby was lying, the Magi bowed to him and offered gifts: gold, as well as incense: incense and myrrh.

The holiday of Christmas Christ is considered in the church the greatest, universal and most joyful, which serves as the beginning and basis for other holidays.

The forefeast of the Nativity of Christ lasts five days (from 2 to 6 January). The afterfeast of the birth lasts six days and ends with the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord. Christmas is preceded by the Nativity Fast. This is the first of four annual fasts established by the Church to prepare for the meeting of the great holidays: the Nativity of Christ, Easter, the holy chief apostles Peter and Paul and the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is also called the Philip Fast, as it begins the day after the commemoration of the holy Apostle Philip (November 27). Fasting lasts forty days, until the eve of the Nativity of Christ (January 6), and therefore sometimes bears the name of the Lent, but only a small one, in contrast to the Great Lent - Great Lent.

Like all other Christian fasts, the Nativity Fast is primarily characterized by certain rules of abstinence from food. In terms of severity, it is inferior to both the Great and the Dormition fasts. The church charter prescribes the following abstinence rules to be observed on these days: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - dry eating, that is, eating boiled food is not allowed, and food can be taken once a day. On Tuesday and Thursday, a medium degree of abstinence is appointed, the so-called permission of wine and oil. The lightest degree of fasting is appointed on Saturday and Sunday: permission to fish. The last days of the fast, starting from January 2, are especially distinguished in severity: the charter on these days is forbidden to eat fish, even on Saturday and Sunday, if they fall during this period of fasting. On January 6, the strictest fast is prescribed: complete abstinence from food during the day.

A week before Christmas, the two-week New Year's festivities were opened - Christmastide. The first week of Christmastide was called Saints, and the second - Terrible evenings. The people were engaged in fortune-telling, carols, singing sub-dish songs, dressed as mummers.

The evening and night on the eve of the Day of Christmas is Christmas Eve, among the people it was also called a hustler, since they relied on him to cook kutya.

Folk omens and customs on January 7

Christmas Eve, Cotester.

Great importance was attached to the Christmas Eve dinner. The hut was carefully cleaned, the table was covered with a clean tablecloth, they ate in solemn and strict silence, while the peasants forced the children to climb under the table and “poke” chicken there so that the chickens were well fed.

The first pancake on Christmas Eve is for sheep.

On this night, the cattle are abundantly fed.

At Christmas, bonfires were burned on the doors, believing that deceased parents would come to warm up and that this fire would give birth to raging wheat.

If in kutya the sky is starry - a rich offspring of livestock and a lot of berries.

What is the rich opoka on the trees, so the color will be on the bread.

Clear days on Christmas fast - for a good harvest.

If the paths in kutya are black - the harvest for buckwheat.

How long is a blade of grass from under the tablecloth, so will flax (fortune telling).

If frost occurs before Christmas Eve, then bread is sown only until Peter's Day (July 12), and if frost occurs after Christmas Eve, then they sow bread after Peter's Day.

Before Christmas, all the trees in the gardens were tied with straw bales so that they would give birth well.

Signs for Christmas:

Snow on Christmas is a good year.

On Christmas day it is warm - the bread will be dark and thick.

From Christmas to Epiphany, it is a sin to hunt animals and birds. Misfortune will happen to the hunter.

At Christmas, a blizzard - the bees will swarm well.

If Christmas is a new month, then the year will be bad.

At Christmas, frost is a harvest for bread, a starry sky is a harvest for peas.

At Christmas it’s not good if the first woman to enter the hut (from outsiders) - in that hut the women will be ill all year.

When you break the fast, on the first day of Christmas, you cannot drink water at breakfast: you will often drink in the haymaking.

At Christmas, they put on a new shirt, a clean (but not new) shirt is impossible, otherwise expect a crop failure.

They entangle their legs on the table so that the cattle do not run.

They do not feed the chickens so that they do not dig gardens.

If the path is good for Christmas - to the buckwheat harvest.

For the sake of a large offspring of lambs, some put on a fur coat the first guest who came to "praise" on the day of the Nativity of Christ.

On Christmas day, the owner is not fit to go out of the yard - the sheep will get lost.