You must return Santa Hharkus.
- What for? For the sake of peace, goodwill and the stall of magical buberets? Yes, everyone does not care! He is just an old fat clown that makes people having fun in the passion! And I survived all this for some old man who climbs on children's bedrooms?
- NOT. For the time that the sun rose.
Terry Pratchett "Santa Hryakan"

Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Par Noel, Saint Nicholas - Winter gifts donors with good children (in fact - to all in a row) flooded the entire Okolochristicist world. These characters make the most cold and grim time of the year a little magic, help brighten the endless expectation of spring. But at the very beginning of its ancient history, they were the same cold and gloomy. Humanity has passed a long way before the beginning to celebrate the victory over its winter fears.

Dead Moroza

The north the people lived, the more difficulties they had relationships with nature. And those intricate it was presented to the personification of the natural forces with whom they have to fight to survive. It is to the embodiments of the winter caressing the image of a bearded pre-fermented with a bag of gifts. Only in antiquity it was not good at all, and the gift in his arsenal was one: the chance to survive another winter. Insome gift for time when forty years were considered an old age.

Frost, snow and ice, winter deaf darkness in the minds of our ancestors were associated with death. In the Scandinavian myths, the kingdom of the dead is located on Obelag, where the terrible goddess Hel is the prototype of the Snow Queen from Andersen's fairy tale. The houses of modern grandfathers are also placed in the north: Lapland, Greenland, Alaska, North Pole, Polyus of the Cold Oymyakon in Yakutia ... Russian Great Ustyug of the Vologda Region Yes Belarusian Belovezhskaya Pushcha is perhaps the most southern places where the grandfather has been invented. Fortunately, modern grandfathers frost do not want to kill us. And our ancestors - wanted. And those cherry as they could, bother with victims.

On the long night of the year - in the winter solstice, from December 21 to December 22 - the ancient Germans and Celts celebrated the Holiday Yol (Yule). It was something to rejoice: after this night, the sun "turned to the spring", and the day began to lengthen. People decorated at home by evergreen holly branches, ivy and mistletoe, drank hotly with spices, burned in the fireplace Special "Yolskaya Polyente", went to visit the neighbors. These customs after the Christianization of Europe became the attributes of Christmas and New Year, coming a little later than Jole.

Yolskaya Polynoye is not only a decoration, but also the traditional Christmas dessert (roll with cream)

The image of Wotan-Wanderer has become a popular illustration for the history of Eternal Jew

Hermann Yol was dedicated to Widu (he alone), the God of wisdom, the lord of life and death. According to the legend, for the first time retold by Jacob Grimm, Wotan jumps on this night across the sky at the head of the wild hunt, entitled to his retinue of careless travelers. Perhaps it is here that the tradition "Christmas - Family Holiday" is rooted: all members of the family should sit at the native focus on the longest night of the year, and not hang around the roads. Watna was often portrayed with a long-working old man, leaning on a spear, in a raincoat and a wanderer hat - will learn a grandfather Frost in Tulup and with the staff? Wotu on yol brought victims - it is reliably known that these were horses and pigs, but it is possible that in the deepest antiquity of the victims were human.

Slavic frost (Mraz) also demanded victims. The echoes of the ceremony of the human sacrifice can be seen in the fairy tale "Morozko". Remember the girl who almost frozen to death, but then generously gave a reward for meekness? So, the young virgins, whom every winter sent to the forest as a victim of the winter God, really frozen to death. But in the pagan consciousness, such death meant introduction to the very natural strength, which everyone was afraid. And if Morosko accepted the sacrifice - it means that this year he will be kind.

In the Ukrainian and Belarusian villages in the 19th century, frost was ritually "invited" on Christmas kits (sweet wheat porridge with dried fruits) - the harmless equivalent of the human sacrifice. If you remember that Susta was also a traditional dish in Slavic glazing, the ritual acquires an extra depth, turning into a way of communication with the spirits of the dead ancestors.

But how are these capricious and insatiable elements turned into good and generous donors? To make it happen, another, not a pagan character should appear in world mythology.

In the book of Terry Pratchette "Santa Khryakak" the missing spirit of the sufferness replaces death - because anthropomorphic personals should help each other

Santa Wonderwork

In the third century of our era in the Roman province of Likia, that in Malaya Asia, the young man lived, Nikolai, who since childhood decided to devote himself to religion. When his parents died, he distributed all his considerable inheritance by the poor, and he himself went to his studies to the uncle-bishop, which later had his own hand to the priests. Over time, Nikolai became a bishop of the worldly, loved by the people for kindness and generosity to those in need. And he manifested this generosity to this generosity - but still for some reason it became known that it was the bishop's mysterious benefactor.

One of the legends about Nicolae says that he heard about three sisters-beauties, whose father was poor and could not give them a dowry, so instead of issuing her daughters married, found them to sell them into a public house. To save girls from this fate, Nikolai collected three bags with gold and threw them into the house of the sisters - according to various versions of the legend, the window or chimney. And these piles were pleased with stockings posted near the leaf for drying.

Image of St. Nicholas in the Catholic Tradition. By the way, like Wotan, he is considered a patron of travelers.

In memory of the generosity of St. Nicholas - and Holy He was named after his life - the day of his memory (December 6, or on December 18 for a new style) became a holiday in which giving gifts and help the poor, ritually communicating to the truly Christian lifestyle who led the bishop-unprecedented officer. Children were told that the gifts brings Holy Nikolai himself - a good gray-robed old old man in the long-robe of the bishop attire and a high headdress (miter). In order for the gift to be in a baby sock, which was specially hung by the fireplace, Saint Nikolai allegedly rises to the roof of each house and descends along the chimney.

In the Reformation Epoch, when Protestants fought with the Catholic custom of honoring the saints as with idolatry, the ritual of gift gifts has shifted for Christmas - in memory of the gifts that brought the baby to the Three Magicians. Saint Nicholas fell into disfavor, preserved as a chief Christmas benefactor in several countries. Now many Polish, Ukrainian, Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, Croatian and part of Dutch children receive the main gifts "For good behavior during the year" not for Christmas or New Year, but on the day of memory of St. Nicholas - December 18. However, some manage to be able to give the parents to the gift for all winter holidays. If you remember yourself with a child, you should know how it is done.

In the Netherlands and Belgium of St. Nicholas accompanies the Black Peter-servant-MAVR, leading his pedigree from one of the christmas commander's christmas.

The holiday comes to us

From Holland, St. Nicholas moved to America - along with the wave of Dutch immigrants in the XVIII century. They called him Sinterklaas - from here and the name of the name "Santa Claus" occurred. True, at first it was so called only in New York, which originally belonged to Holland and was called a new Amsterdam. English Puritans who divided the northeast of the current United States with the Dutch, Christmas did not notice - they generally had problems with fun.

In 1821, Sinterklaas for the first time sits in Sani, damaged deer

Father Christmas Sample 1836 more reminds God of wine and fun Dionysus (Bahus)

But in the English folklore there was an old character named Father Christmas (Father Christmas), symbolizing a non-Christian custom to uninimedly share with her neighbors, but rather a pagan love for rampant fun during the holidays. Father Christmas was represented by a thick bearded man in a short campcoller on the fur, a fan of drinking beer, to eat tightly and fell under the planny melodies. In the Victorian era, when the influence of Protestants in England has weakened (the majority has managed to emigrate to America), the Father Christmas got another and the mission to give children gifts. And in America, his appearance and love for fun ("Ho-ho-ho!") Got a synenchlaus that turned into Santa Claus. Red color clothes - that's all that remains in America from Bishop Nicholas.

In 1821, Sinterklaas appeared on the pages of the children's book of an unknown author "New Year's gift to children from five to twelve years", and in 1823 - in the poem of Clarker Clarker Mura "Visit of St. Nicholas", now famous for American children as "night before Christmas". It is written on behalf of the Father of the Family, who wakes up in the Christmas night and watches, as Santa Claus's Santa Claus, harnessed deer fly, and how Santa himself descends along the fireplace tube to decompose gifts for children in stockings waved by the fireplace.

In the poem of Mura, names of eight deer from Santa Strip are named: Danecher, Dancer, Prisser, Vixen, Comet, Kyupid, Dorder and Blitzen. The six first - English (rapid, dancer, hill, frisky, comet, cupid), the last two are German (thunder and lightning). The ninth and chief deer Rudolph appeared more than a hundred years later, in 1939, in the poem of Robert L. Maa. The feature of Rudolph is a huge shining nose, which he illuminates the road with the whole harness.

This scene has been repeated constantly - on Christmas cards, in cinema and cartoons, as well as in the stories of parents who want their children to believe in Santa Claus, and not to painful searches for gifts in the bustling of pre-Christmas sales. A tradition appeared to leave the fireplace in the fireplace in the fireplace. Yes, Santa Claus became part of the culture of all English-speaking countries, returning through the ocean to his Praodin Britain, and from there, coming to Australia. By the way, in 2008 he was given Canadian citizenship.

And in the fact that Santa became known to the world, it is necessary to blame the deity of the twentieth century - His Majesty Marketing. In the 1930s, a fun rosy old man in red and white clothes began to appear in Coca-Cola advertising. At the same time, the actors depicting Santa began to work in the degraded shopping centers and on Christmas fairs - to communicate with children, listen to their cherished wishes and unobtrusively promote the goods.

This advertisement was already so massable that he gave rise to a steady urban legend, as if the canonical appearance of Santa Claus was invented by Coca-Cola. In fact, in the XIX - early XX century, he often appeared on the illustrations in such a form. Yes, and in advertising, his appearance for the first time used not "Coca-Cola" - Santa and before it had to promote mineral water and ginger el.

Wati beard

The history of the domestic Santa Claus is in the form in which we know it, also has few years. Back in the XIX century, he was a character of Russian folklore and children's books (for example, the fairy tales of the Moroz Ivanovich's fairy tales), from time to time he looked at the public children's chips - but rarely. Parents in the Russian Empire told the children that the gifts brings them the baby Jesus, or honestly admitted that they would give them themselves. Pagan frost did not approve of the Orthodox Church, and the children were afraid of the bearded old man - in their consciousness, frost was a harsh winter lord from fairy tales. When in 1910, such a grandfather appeared on a festival in one kindergarten, a dried song on the verses of Nekrasov "Not the wind rages over Bor", the kids flew out of fear. The educator had to remove the fake beard from the actor so that the frost would look humble.

Meeting Morozko and meek Padderman performed by Ivan Bilibina

The 1917 Revolution almost put a cross on a winter holiday: Christmas, like the other dates of the church calendar, the Bolsheviks decided to write off in the pit. Trees and other ritual winter envelopery were dealt with the life of a new Soviet state - in 1929, Christmas officially became the usual working day.

But in the 1930s, they began to refuse. In November 1935, Stalin pronounced the famous phrase: "Living has become better, comrades! Living has become more fun. " Taking this opportunity, a candidate for the members of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) Pavel Postyyshev, who dreamed of returning a holiday to children, in December spoke in the Pravda newspaper with a proposal: to organize festive trees for Soviet children, clearing them from religious attributes. So the Christmas Star of Bethlehem has turned into a five-pointed Soviet, instead of Christmas, it was decided to massively celebrate the New Year, the shinties with traditional rude in costumes became New Year's carnival. The atmosphere of the holiday changed: Christmas was a quiet family celebration, the new year was supposed to celebrate noisy and fun.

Illustration of the 1950s to the fairy tale Vladimir Odoevsky "Moroz Ivanovich"

The problem was only with Santa Claus: the children were still afraid of the old man in white clothes. To soften the effect, in support, he was issued granddaughter Snow Maiden, gently calling frost "grandfather", and a whole suite of forest animals. In addition, in fabulous ideas that were played in the children's Christmas trees, Santa Claus performed a good wizard, such a gandalf, saving the New Year from Kozhey Baba Yaga, Leshgo, the wickedness of the immortal and other unclean. Little little, for two decades, Santa Claus in the Soviet Union became the same harmless, albeit a powerful goodness as Santa Claus in the West. Only dresses it is usually not in red, but in white and blue - shades of snow-covered winter twilight. Only in recent years, frost sometimes appears in red, and his headdress acquires the features of the Mitra of St. Nicholas.

If the Snow Maiden is the granddaughter of Santa Claus, then who is her parents? This question is asked all the kids, barely learned to understand the related links. Apparently, the Snow Maiden is not melting a pale beauty from the fairy play of Ostrovsky (in the play, she was called daughter Frost and Spring, not granddaughter), and one of the girls who once brought a sacrifice. He calls her granddaughter only because in age she is good for his granddaughter.

* * *

New Year's trees - everything that remains in our culture from the ancient ritual of winter meeting and frost matches to be really kind. In this holiday, there are all the necessary attributes and ritual actions: decorated with a Christmas tree as an embodiment of the world tree and the symbol of immortality (because evergreen), driving rounds (ritual dance, symbolized the sun in Indo-European culture), playing a mystery about the victory of light above darkness ... Everything serves that The goals with which our ancestors brought victims to wow or frost: fearlessly to meet with the cold death face to face and in honest battle to win the right to survive another winter.

How to hang on New Year's Eve. It depends on this, whether the spring sun will take up.

"Hello, Grandfather Frost, a beard of wool! Did you bring gifts to us? Very waiting for the guys! " - These lines are familiar to us from the kindergarten! Most of us perceive this comrade as a fabulous character, which appears for the New Year and distributes gifts to obedient kids. Let's look more detailed who is Santa Claus and where he came from.

When did the image of Santa Claus appear?

Slavs were able to personify almost all natural phenomena. Frost was also not deprived of such an honor. It was represented as a Beloborovoy Old Man in the fur coat, which was owner of the jellows and winter cold. You can hear frost in the winter forest when he "crackles yes sicks, jumping from the tree on the Christmas tree." He usually came from the north. Different Slavic tribes were called frost in their own way: Crachun, Morozko, Karachun, Student, Zyuzya, etc.

In general, the Slavs frost was in honor, because it was believed that the cold snowy winter would provide a good harvest. Therefore, there was a rite called "Clikhanya Claus" when he was treated with ritual food in the form of pancakes and cute.

Many information about the frost can be leaning from folk creativity. In many fairy tales, he experienced the main character who could be generously gifted or frozen to death.

Many writers of the 19th century described this character in their fairy tales, relying on Slavic mythology. At the same time, Happy New Year or Merry Christmas, he was not associated, but some attributes of modern Santa Claus had already had. In the Soviet film "Morozko" you can see directly such a character.

But still, starting from the second half of the 19th century, Santa Claus began to compare with New Year's holidays. So he began to play the role of the "Christmas grandfather", which is similar to Nicholas in the West, gave gifts to obedient Russian children.

Already at the beginning of the 20th century, Grandfather Frost was very similar to the contemporary, but with a bias to Christmas traditions. but in 1929, Komsomol strictly-setting banned christmas celebration And, accordingly, Moroz Ivanovich went on vacation for several years.

The revival of Santa Claus in the usual form has happened to the new 1936 year! At the same time, the first Christmas tree was officially held in the Soviet Union, where he appeared along with the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden. It is worth noting that Santa Claus wondered as a character designed for a children's audience.

By the way, in the USSR tried to introduce such a character like a boy of the New Year, which appeared as a grand receiver.

What does a real Santa Claus look like

Western culture sometimes makes it confuse the appearance of our Santa Claus with the attributes of Santa Claus. Let's deal with how should the Russian New Year's grandfather look like.

Beard

Long thick beard has always been an integral attribute of our Santa Claus at all times. In addition, the beard indicates his age, it also symbolizes wealth and wealth. Interestingly, the Slavs were frost with a beard to the legs.

Shuba

Grandfather must wear a red fur coat, embroidered silver and confused by swan down. Do not forget about the mandatory presence of a traditional ornament, for example, in the form of gous or stars. Today, fur coats and blue, and white, and even green, but such an outfit, including historians, criticize, insistent on the fact that for our frost canonic acts exactly.

Cap

Santa Claus carries a header of a semi-molded shape, like a boyar, however, on its front part there must be a triangular cutout. Color, ornament, tearing - everything must fit the fur coat. Any caps with a tassel - this is to Santa.

Footwear and other accessories

Today, many grandfathers wear sneakers and leather shoes, which is completely unacceptable. It must be flare or boots shied by silver. Belt (not belt!) Must be white with a red ornament, which symbolizes the connection with the ancestors. Mittens should also be white, symbolizing the holiness and purity that Grandfather Frost gives out of her hands.

Staff

Slavic Morozko used a stick to publish a characteristic knock, later the staff was used to create cold and freezing those who did not check. Staffing on the canon should be crystal or at least silver under crystal. He has a twisted handle and ends with a stylized image of the moon or a bull head.

A bag with presents

Santa Claus comes to the children not with empty hands, but with a whole bag of gifts. Its color is also red too. By definition, the bag is magical, since the gifts in it do not end, at least until he is in his hands at his grandfather.

Well, now I am dressed in Santa Claus, you will know what to navigate.

Character of Santa Claus

Unlike the Western counterpart, Santa Claus is not an avid merchant. He is pretty severe, but at the same time kind and fair. Santa Claus still loves to experience people and only then give gifts, but he does not freeze anyone, but just knows how you behaved last year, and asks to tell the poem.

In many cultures there is a character that gives children gifts for the new year or Christmas. The most famous all over the world is Santa Claus, which is the post of a good donor in Western Europe and the United States.

We will not hold a detailed comparison of Santa Claus and Santa, just remember that sani of our donor harnessed the top three, it does not climb on the pipes, does not smoke the tube and do not wear glasses. In addition, our grandfather does not bubble with elves, because he has a granddaughter Snow Maiden.

A few words about the Snow Maiden

There is no direct analogy with Slavic mythology Snow Maiden, although there is an opinion that this is one of the girls who frozen frost. The first mentions of the Snow Maiden appear in Russian folklore, where it is described as a revived girl who was made of snow. Later, she appears like a daughter of Santa Claus, but eventually got an option with his granddaughter.

Today, the Snow Maiden is an indispensable assistant Santa Claus on all New Year's holidays.

Conclusion

Santa Claus is really a national heritage, because people of different eras worked above. Still in Slavic tribes, the harsh owner of the jury, which appears in oral folk creativity, and in the fairy tales of Russian writers. He reached us in the form of a good grandfather, who gives children gifts for the New Year.

On the eve of the New Year, almost everyone, from a child to a pensioner, is waiting for some magic. Children are waiting for gifts under the Christmas tree from Santa Claus, and those who are older - from the bosses, government, etc. But for some Santa Claus prepares something bright and interesting, and others ... you know. By the way, before Santa Claus did not really love.

Good Grandfather Frost was not always kind. He was afraid. Who is a real Santa Claus? How is he connected with paganism? What did he wear in the bag? Below we will tell you who he from where it appeared and why modern Santa Claus is very different from legends.

This Santa Claus is first mentioned where enough cold winters. It is believed that the Vologda region became the place of the appearance of the legends and the first legends about the Sedovlas of Starta. Santa Claus in paganism was a fairly cruel deity. He was told about children and passed to each other in the works of the Folk Folklore, also talked about the observations of the ancestors.

In the pagan mythology of our ancestors, many could become his prototype. Consider a few examples who came up with Santa Claus and what the origins of this grandfather. For example, God Zvydov managed the Winter Union. The legends say that when it shakes a beard, then snow fell. Winter elements were his retinue that accompanied him in the campaigns.

The next deity was called the winter. It was a gray old old man with a beard. It was not a headdress, legs without shoes, wore a male in his hands. People believed if they see him in the village, then there would be a strong fortune. They told the children about him so that they were stuck. For example, he could draw patterns on glass and frozen water in reservoirs.

Fiercely evil spirit Karachun. It was believed that he ruled the dungeon, he ordered a cold. He could freeze a person, deprive life. In the past it was believed that Santa Claus is connected with the world of the dead. Proof is that on New Year's time the spirits returned to the world of living. There was a rite during the New Year, according to which people presented gifts to the spirits. These were traditional carols.

The youth dressed in twisted Tulups and masks, and one of them should not have been talking. Called his grandfather. The rest for the songs and wishes asked me to food. Chants considered themselves messengers who helped people abandon the Lut Frost. Residents left Kisel on the table as a guard.

Fierce was frost - Trescun. He formed Cracking frosts and became the prototype of the real Santa Claus of our time. On the windows, he also painted unusual drawings, the surface of the rivers turned into a mirror for the sky, and a place for children's fun.

Who is Santa Claus in our time?

Nowadays, since the 19th century, works began to appear with such a good character like "Grandfather Frost". It became the impression of a positive wizard, who gave the children generous gifts from their wide bag. By the way, we'll talk about the bag slightly lower.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the idea of \u200b\u200bgood grandfather was fully entered into life. The hero became traditional for the new year. Thus, the story of Santa Claus in a modern good understanding begins from the 20th century, i.e. relatively recently. Today, any child knows where Santa Claus lives and ready to ask for various gifts. Who could imagine how much a look at the evil spirit can change over time.

Legends: who is a real Santa Claus

In ancient times, everyone was afraid of Santa Claus. They told the legend in which he was the thief of children, kidnapped them and endured in a bag. Initially, it was for this purpose that a bag was needed, and not for gifts.

who is a real Santa Claus

Tradition to give gifts has appeared long ago. It is believed that the beginning of this tradition was laid on some Nikolai. His family was secured. He compared the poor people and helped them. For good and disinterested affairs, he was canonized and built in the saints. By the way, now in honor of him there is a separate day.

There is a legend, according to which Nikolai heard the conversation of the poor man, about heavy life, that not to feed the daughters and therefore would have to give them. There was no way out because of their poverty. Then Nikolai decided to join the house imperceptibly, put a bag of coins. In the morning the girls were very happy from what they saw, their shoes and socks were with gold coins. From that time, the custom appeared, hiding in stockings gifts to children and hang candy on the Christmas tree. They called them before gifts from Nicholas. Also, such "Nicholas" hide under pillows.

A little about Snow Maiden

West is bigger than Christmas. In Russia, in Russia, the new year consider the main winter holiday. Santa Claus visits all children. Snow Maiden comes with him, which was first heard at the end of the 19th century. The works of many domestic writers created the impression of the good assistant grandfather.

In fact, the Snow Maiden was independently. The exact appearance of Snow Maiden and Santa Claus, as a whole, is not known. Some think she is the sister of the joy. The name of her Kostroma. Always walked in white, in his hands a twig of oak, loved to drive away the dances. She resurrected and became a spirit.

Appearance of Santa Claus and "Company"

On external features it is not difficult to distinguish. A real outfit of Santa Claus consists of: warm fur coats of blue, red or white; On the head, the hat shines with crystals; Wears staff, as well as gifts in the bag. The memorable was the way of movement. To do this, used the top of white horses with sleigh. The grandfather did good deeds, Snow Maiden helped him in this. In his power, it was a request, to fulfill a desire to give a gift.

The modern dress of Santa Claus includes: a warm hat with fur, without unnecessary decorations, a very long fur coat, thick and fur. The fur coat was white, then blue, now red. On the hands of big mittens. There is no belt on the belt, although it used to be. On the legs wears warm felt boots from wool. His nose is red, as in the north is cold. Beard long, white, fluffy in volume. It always carries a bag with gifts, it is assumed that he chooses without looking, but always guess who is intended. The staff bears in the hands to easier to move through the drifts to frost. Moves on horseback, it happens on the woods on skis and checks his possessions.

Santa Claus and Santa Claus

Now let's talk about Competit from Santa Claus. Santa Claus has information about himself, he knows him for a long time. It differs from the New Year's heroes of other countries. According to the main signs of the appearance, it is also unique. His beard was always considered thick, gray and long to the floor. Shirts, pants were an ornament of geometric shapes. The fur coat is always a long, embroidered with silver thread patterns. The cap is necessarily in this color as a fur coat. Trepal mittens. The belt is allowed, but it is not recommended. White boots with silver patterns. Staff from Crystal, or to look like their crystal. On horseback there were always bells. Children usually told the description of Santa Claus, as he moves. The children went outside, listened to the ringing of bells.

If you compare with Santa Claus, then Santa Claus is strict, fair, on holidays he gives a chance to correct the actions of children and get gifts, and Santa is not. He in stockings of good children will put a gift, and bad coal. Santa does not fulfill the winter duties on the stray of river ice, does not draw patterns on the windows.

Santa Claus and Santa Claus - Differences

Santa Claus almost fully consists of a businessman's personality, so this image is often removed in advertising. Santa Claus gives gifts to everyone. Leaves under the New Year tree. To get gifts, children tell the learned poems. On the one hand, the correct promise of Santa Claus so that the children seek to earn gifts. On the other hand, children are always Skodniki.

Children know that Santa Claus is a lord of water, as it turns it into ice, snow, frost, fog. He knows how to sfing with ice various reservoirs, snow covers the forest, field. Animes uses trees as decoration. Controls also change the day and night in the winter, in the north day short, the night lasts more. So exactly at that time he makes his affair about nature. The moon and stars are subordinate, they decorate the sky on his orders. According to his cracker, the Northern Light appears. This is interesting to the good wizard for the defensive.

What's from Santa Claus in our time?

Modern Santa Claus collected everything. From Nicholas took what gave gifts. From deities appearance, compliance with the Governing Winter Kingdom. So his children are represented. They consider it the most powerful and only wizard who comes to them into the house reads their desires, leaves a gift. They are asked to search for ways to see it in their home.

In our time since 1999, there is a project called "Santa Claus" in Veliky Ustyug. Although the first birthplace was Arkhangelsk.

November 18 is the project. Now at this time celebrate the birth of a winter wizard. The opening of the housing of Santa Claus took place in 1999, namely December 25th. The city began to visit tourists from different cities of the country. Letters began to come from children. There are many people in the project.

In 2004, they built mail for letters Santa Claus. Two years later, built more buildings, namely the fairy tale path. For lovers of winter hobbies, a rink is built. The Botanical Garden collected rare plants, and the timing of creativity, the timing of Snow Maiden open for inquisitive children.

In 2008, the residence received the status of a budgetary institution. All year there are various festivals, concert programs, city excursions, master classes on the crafts. The greatest fun is in the New Year holidays. Children participate in winter fun, admire ice figures, visit the fairy tale path, possibly ride on snowmobiles, sled dogs, deer, horses. You really get into a fairy tale where everything is possible. The magic atmosphere reigns. You can see the real outfit of Santa Claus, consider the summer and winter image, to visit his house. Tourists near the magic will remember many fabulous heroes.

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Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Par Noel, Saint Nicholas - Winter gifts donors with good children (in fact - to all in a row) flooded the entire Okolochristicist world. These characters make the most cold and grim time of the year a little magic, help brighten the endless expectation of spring. But at the very beginning of its ancient history, they were the same cold and gloomy. Humanity has passed a long way before the beginning to celebrate the victory over its winter fears.

The north the people lived, the more difficulties they had relationships with nature. And those intricate it was presented to the personification of the natural forces with whom they have to fight to survive. It is to the embodiments of the winter caressing the image of a bearded pre-fermented with a bag of gifts. Only in antiquity it was not good at all, and the gift in his arsenal was one: the chance to survive another winter. Insome gift for time when forty years were considered an old age.

Frost, snow and ice, winter deaf darkness in the minds of our ancestors were associated with death. In the Scandinavian myths, the kingdom of the dead is located on Obelag, where the terrible goddess Hel is the prototype of the Snow Queen from Andersen's fairy tale. The houses of modern grandfathers are also placed in the north: Lapland, Greenland, Alaska, North Pole, Polyus of the Cold Oymyakon in Yakutia ... Russian Great Ustyug of the Vologda Region Yes Belarusian Belovezhskaya Pushcha is perhaps the most southern places where the grandfather has been invented. Fortunately, modern grandfathers frost do not want to kill us. And our ancestors - wanted. And those cherry as they could, bother with victims.

On the long night of the year - in the winter solstice, from December 21 to December 22 - the ancient Germans and Celts celebrated the Holiday Yol (Yule). It was something to rejoice: after this night, the sun "turned to the spring", and the day began to lengthen. People decorated at home by evergreen holly branches, ivy and mistletoe, drank hotly with spices, burned in the fireplace Special "Yolskaya Polyente", went to visit the neighbors. These customs after the Christianization of Europe became the attributes of Christmas and New Year, coming a little later than Jole.

Yolskaya Polynoye is not only a decoration, but also the traditional Christmas dessert (roll with cream)

The image of Wotan-Wanderer has become a popular illustration for the history of Eternal Jew

Hermann Yol was dedicated to Widu (he alone), the God of wisdom, the lord of life and death. According to the legend, for the first time retold by Jacob Grimm, Wotan jumps on this night across the sky at the head of the wild hunt, entitled to his retinue of careless travelers. Perhaps it is here that the tradition "Christmas - Family Holiday" is rooted: all members of the family should sit at the native focus on the longest night of the year, and not hang around the roads. Watna was often portrayed with a long-working old man, leaning on a spear, in a raincoat and a wanderer hat - will learn a grandfather Frost in Tulup and with the staff? Wotu on yol brought victims - it is reliably known that these were horses and pigs, but it is possible that in the deepest antiquity of the victims were human.

Slavic frost (Mraz) also demanded victims. The echoes of the ceremony of the human sacrifice can be seen in the fairy tale "Morozko". Remember the girl who almost frozen to death, but then generously gave a reward for meekness? So, the young virgins, whom every winter sent to the forest as a victim of the winter God, really frozen to death. But in the pagan consciousness, such death meant introduction to the very natural strength, which everyone was afraid. And if Morosko accepted the sacrifice - it means that this year he will be kind.

In the Ukrainian and Belarusian villages in the 19th century, frost was ritually "invited" on Christmas kits (sweet wheat porridge with dried fruits) - the harmless equivalent of the human sacrifice. If you remember that Susta was also a traditional dish in Slavic glazing, the ritual acquires an extra depth, turning into a way of communication with the spirits of the dead ancestors.

But how are these capricious and insatiable elements turned into good and generous donors? To make it happen, another, not a pagan character should appear in world mythology.

Santa Wonderwork

In the third century of our era in the Roman province of Likia, that in Malaya Asia, the young man lived, Nikolai, who since childhood decided to devote himself to religion. When his parents died, he distributed all his considerable inheritance by the poor, and he himself went to his studies to the uncle-bishop, which later had his own hand to the priests. Over time, Nikolai became a bishop of the worldly, loved by the people for kindness and generosity to those in need. And he manifested this generosity to this generosity - but still for some reason it became known that it was the bishop's mysterious benefactor.

One of the legends about Nicolae says that he heard about three sisters-beauties, whose father was poor and could not give them a dowry, so instead of issuing her daughters married, found them to sell them into a public house. To save girls from this fate, Nikolai collected three bags with gold and threw them into the house of the sisters - according to various versions of the legend, the window or chimney. And these piles were pleased with stockings posted near the leaf for drying.

Image of St. Nicholas in the Catholic Tradition. By the way, like Wotan, he is considered a patron of travelers.

In memory of the generosity of St. Nicholas - and Holy He was named after his life - the day of his memory (December 6, or on December 18 for a new style) became a holiday in which giving gifts and help the poor, ritually communicating to the truly Christian lifestyle who led the bishop-unprecedented officer. Children were told that the gifts brings Holy Nikolai himself - a good gray-robed old old man in the long-robe of the bishop attire and a high headdress (miter). In order for the gift to be in a baby sock, which was specially hung by the fireplace, Saint Nikolai allegedly rises to the roof of each house and descends along the chimney.

In the Reformation Epoch, when Protestants fought with the Catholic custom of honoring the saints as with idolatry, the ritual of gift gifts has shifted for Christmas - in memory of the gifts that brought the baby to the Three Magicians. Saint Nicholas fell into disfavor, preserved as a chief Christmas benefactor in several countries. Now many Polish, Ukrainian, Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, Croatian and part of Dutch children receive the main gifts "For good behavior during the year" not for Christmas or New Year, but on the day of memory of St. Nicholas - December 18. However, some manage to be able to give the parents to the gift for all winter holidays. If you remember yourself with a child, you should know how it is done.

In the Netherlands and Belgium of St. Nicholas accompanies the Black Peter-servant-MAVR, leading his pedigree from one of the christmas commander's christmas.

The holiday comes to us

From Holland, St. Nicholas moved to America - along with the wave of Dutch immigrants in the XVIII century. They called him Sinterklaas - from here and the name of the name "Santa Claus" occurred. True, at first it was so called only in New York, which originally belonged to Holland and was called a new Amsterdam. English Puritans who divided the northeast of the current United States with the Dutch, Christmas did not notice - they generally had problems with fun.

In 1821, Sinterklaas for the first time sits in Sani, damaged deer

Father Christmas Sample 1836 more reminds God of wine and fun Dionysus (Bahus)

But in the English folklore there was an old character named Father Christmas (Father Christmas), symbolizing a non-Christian custom to uninimedly share with her neighbors, but rather a pagan love for rampant fun during the holidays. Father Christmas was represented by a thick bearded man in a short campcoller on the fur, a fan of drinking beer, to eat tightly and fell under the planny melodies. In the Victorian era, when the influence of Protestants in England has weakened (the majority has managed to emigrate to America), the Father Christmas got another and the mission to give children gifts. And in America, his appearance and love for fun ("Ho-ho-ho!") Got a synenchlaus that turned into Santa Claus. Red color clothes - that's all that remains in America from Bishop Nicholas.

In 1821, Sinterklaas appeared on the pages of the children's book of an unknown author "New Year's gift to children from five to twelve years", and in 1823 - in the poem of Clarker Clarker Mura "Visit of St. Nicholas", now famous for American children as "night before Christmas". It is written on behalf of the Father of the Family, who wakes up in the Christmas night and watches, as Santa Claus's Santa Claus, harnessed deer fly, and how Santa himself descends along the fireplace tube to decompose gifts for children in stockings waved by the fireplace.

In the poem of Mura, names of eight deer from Santa Strip are named: Danecher, Dancer, Prisser, Vixen, Comet, Kyupid, Dorder and Blitzen. The six first - English (rapid, dancer, hill, frisky, comet, cupid), the last two are German (thunder and lightning). The ninth and chief deer Rudolph appeared more than a hundred years later, in 1939, in the poem of Robert L. Maa. The feature of Rudolph is a huge shining nose, which he illuminates the road with the whole harness.

This scene has been repeated constantly - on Christmas cards, in cinema and cartoons, as well as in the stories of parents who want their children to believe in Santa Claus, and not to painful searches for gifts in the bustling of pre-Christmas sales. A tradition appeared to leave the fireplace in the fireplace in the fireplace. Yes, Santa Claus became part of the culture of all English-speaking countries, returning through the ocean to his Praodin Britain, and from there, coming to Australia. By the way, in 2008 he was given Canadian citizenship.

And in the fact that Santa became known to the world, it is necessary to blame the deity of the twentieth century - His Majesty Marketing. In the 1930s, a fun rosy old man in red and white clothes began to appear in Coca-Cola advertising. At the same time, the actors depicting Santa began to work in the degraded shopping centers and on Christmas fairs - to communicate with children, listen to their cherished wishes and unobtrusively promote the goods.

This advertisement was already so massable that he gave rise to a steady urban legend, as if the canonical appearance of Santa Claus was invented by Coca-Cola. In fact, in the XIX - early XX century, he often appeared on the illustrations in such a form. Yes, and in advertising, his appearance for the first time used not "Coca-Cola" - Santa and before it had to promote mineral water and ginger el.

Wati beard

The history of the domestic Santa Claus is in the form in which we know it, also has few years. Back in the XIX century, he was a character of Russian folklore and children's books (for example, the fairy tales of the Moroz Ivanovich's fairy tales), from time to time he looked at the public children's chips - but rarely. Parents in the Russian Empire told the children that the gifts brings them the baby Jesus, or honestly admitted that they would give them themselves. Pagan frost did not approve of the Orthodox Church, and the children were afraid of the bearded old man - in their consciousness, frost was a harsh winter lord from fairy tales. When in 1910, such a grandfather appeared on a festival in one kindergarten, a dried song on the verses of Nekrasov "Not the wind rages over Bor", the kids flew out of fear. The educator had to remove the fake beard from the actor so that the frost would look humble.

Meeting Morozko and meek Padderman performed by Ivan Bilibina

The 1917 Revolution almost put a cross on a winter holiday: Christmas, like the other dates of the church calendar, the Bolsheviks decided to write off in the pit. Trees and other ritual winter envelopery were dealt with the life of a new Soviet state - in 1929, Christmas officially became the usual working day.

But in the 1930s, they began to refuse. In November 1935, Stalin pronounced the famous phrase: "Living has become better, comrades! Living has become more fun. " Taking this opportunity, a candidate for the members of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) Pavel Postyyshev, who dreamed of returning a holiday to children, in December spoke in the Pravda newspaper with a proposal: to organize festive trees for Soviet children, clearing them from religious attributes. So the Christmas Star of Bethlehem has turned into a five-pointed Soviet, instead of Christmas, it was decided to massively celebrate the New Year, the shinties with traditional rude in costumes became New Year's carnival. The atmosphere of the holiday changed: Christmas was a quiet family celebration, the new year was supposed to celebrate noisy and fun.

Illustration of the 1950s to the fairy tale Vladimir Odoevsky "Moroz Ivanovich"

The problem was only with Santa Claus: the children were still afraid of the old man in white clothes. To soften the effect, in support, he was issued granddaughter Snow Maiden, gently calling frost "grandfather", and a whole suite of forest animals. In addition, in fabulous ideas that were played in the children's Christmas trees, Santa Claus performed a good wizard, such a gandalf, saving the New Year from Kozhey Baba Yaga, Leshgo, the wickedness of the immortal and other unclean. Little little, for two decades, Santa Claus in the Soviet Union became the same harmless, albeit a powerful goodness as Santa Claus in the West. Only dresses it is usually not in red, but in white and blue - shades of snow-covered winter twilight. Only in recent years, frost sometimes appears in red, and his headdress acquires the features of the Mitra of St. Nicholas.

If the Snow Maiden is the granddaughter of Santa Claus, then who is her parents? This question is asked all the kids, barely learned to understand the related links. Apparently, the Snow Maiden is not melting a pale beauty from the fairy play of Ostrovsky (in the play, she was called daughter Frost and Spring, not granddaughter), and one of the girls who once brought a sacrifice. He calls her granddaughter only because in age she is good for his granddaughter.

New Year's trees - everything that remains in our culture from the ancient ritual of winter meeting and frost matches to be really kind. In this holiday, there are all the necessary attributes and ritual actions: decorated with a Christmas tree as an embodiment of the world tree and the symbol of immortality (because evergreen), driving rounds (ritual dance, symbolized the sun in Indo-European culture), playing a mystery about the victory of light above darkness ... Everything serves that The goals with which our ancestors brought victims to wow or frost: fearlessly to meet with the cold death face to face and in honest battle to win the right to survive another winter.

How to hang on New Year's Eve. It depends on this, whether the spring sun will take up.

Can someone from children or adults imagine such a favorite and long-awaited holiday of the New Year without the most important guest of the grandfather Frost. All people are waiting with an equal impatience of both of them. The capricious queen from the Fairy Tale "Twelve Months" claimed that there would be no new year until Snowdrops bring her. But in reality the new year does not occur until the guests will not comply with the most desirable guest - Grandfather Frost.

But what is the story of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden? How did Santa Claus appear and his granddaughter? Did he always be a grandfather? There are more people who are more interested in what gifts in the bag, and older children already want to know about him and his companion more.

The story of the appearance of Santa Claus - Good grandfather goes far back in the past, there is no definite opinion, who exactly became his prototype. There are several versions and legends discovering the secret of the appearance of a magical character:

Lord of Colds

Related characters appeared long ago in ancient Russian legends. People believed that the Lord of Colds wanders the fields and forests, bunned by their snow, knocking the staff, freezes the river and lake, draws patterns. They called this Lord of Frost, grandfather student, Morozko, Grandfather Trescun or Moroz Ivanovich. This gray old old man is not only freezing, he also looks after nature, helps to relive the plants and animals frosty winter. Morozko did not give children with gifts and did not congratulate a happy new year, his main task was care of nature.

Spirit of ancestors

Ancient people believed that the spirits of the dead care are alive and protected by nature. As a sign of gratitude, people committed a kind of rite, depicting the spirit of the dead, and went home. For this they received remuneration from the owners. The oldest person among all the quaruses portrayed the Terrible Spirit, for which his grandfather was called. Probably, he could be the predecessor of Santa Claus, with the difference that the participants of the rite received the hotels, and Santa Claus, on the contrary, brings them.

Ancient Varuna

In the rites of antiquity, which come for the winter solstice, during the shield, depicting the sun, was taken to draw his legs. This meant that now all the roads are open before the sun. Now the sun begins his new journey in a circle, which increases the light day and frees the nature of snow and ice. By analogy with the ancient Varuna, Santa Claus contributes to this, which also connects the world of living and the dead and helps the souls of the dead to return to Earth with rain or snow. It is from Varuna, a winter guest who, known to us, adopted the custom to judge people in actions and give deserved, to be strict and fair judge.

Angry frost

There are several versions, according to which the prototype is expensive grandfather were completely opposite characters. According to one legend, he is known as the evil and cruel deity, the Lord of the cold and blizzards, the great northern elder who drops people, and one day it freezes the young widow and leaves the orphans of her children. According to another version of the pagan peoples, Santa Claus received sacrifices on Earth, stolen young children and carried them in his bag.

St Nicholas

According to one of the versions, many features of Santa Claus were inherited from a real person who else to our era, good and disinterested Nicholas. Living in prosperity, he willingly helped those who have gotten in trouble, he paid special attention to children. Everyone knows that Nikolai helped collect dowry for his daughter a poor peasant, he threw a bag with coins into chimney, and the coins fell into the girl's sock drying near the fireplace. This legend laid the beginning of the tradition to hide surprises - "Nicholas" in children's socks. For the kindness of Nikolai began to call holy. And in many countries the custom has been fixed to make gifts for Christmas holidays.

Image and clothing

Previously, Santa Claus was portrayed in completely different clothes, which was fundamentally different from the familiar dress. It is now hard to imagine that once Santa Claus was dressed in a raincoat. Then the artists worked in the way and outfit, and at the end of the 19th century he wore a red fur coat with a white fur finish. Later was created the image of a good-natured older-fat man with a gray beard characteristic of his age.

Now the grandfather known to us has such special signs:

Hair and long beard to the floor (The same character in all collective images of the character) - thick, gray-colored, symbolize power and happiness.

Shirt and pants - White color with the same snow-white pattern, symbolize purity. Mistakenly dress grandfather in red pants.

Shuba - Very long and exclusively red, with a flock of swan fluff and decorated with a silver pattern. A short Toulip and fur coats of other colors belong to the wardrobe of grandparents from other countries.

Cap - Red, without brushes and pompons, with a flock of swan fluff, decorated with pearls and a silver pattern, with a triangular neckline.

Mittens - Be sure white, and not red, decorated with silver pattern, symbolize cleanliness.

Belt - White color with a red pattern, symbolizing the unity of the past and present.

Footwear - Valenki or red or silver boots.

Staff - It has a vituy silver handle, with a bull head or a month at the top, which symbolizes fertility and power, the staff can freeze the shockless kids and helps move around the snowdrifts.

Bag - bottomless, full of gifts, be sure red.

Who is the Snow Maiden?

If, with the advent of the Frost's grandfather, everything is very difficult and confused, then the story of his granddaughter Snow Maiden is known - this is the heroine of the New Year's play, which so loved the audience that her image is popular for more than a hundred years. Although there was an image of a girl in a white fur coat and before - he existed in the folk folklore and called this girl with a snowy, Snow Moon. Its name happened from the word "snow", because this girl from the snow was born.

Sometimes it is depicted by a young girl, sometimes a little girl, because there is a version that Snow Maid is a daughter of the grandfather Frost, but we know her like the granddaughter of a fabulous grandfather.

Whatever it was, no children's matinee costs without it, it is she who helps the kids to call Santa Claus for a holiday, it is she who is his permanent companion and assistant.

On the holidays

For the holiday of Santa Claus, it time to get around every house, but he does not invite anyone to visit to visit, so no one knows his exact address. People who believe in magic suggest that his house is far in the north, in the country of ice and eternal winter. Many believe that grandfather can well live in the North Pole or that his house in Lapland. Santa Claus will feel comfortable in any country where winter rules all year round.

The grandfather arrives at the sleds flying through the air, which are harvested with three horses, can also come on skis or on foot. If someone had to see him on deer, keep in mind that in front of you Santa.

Santa Claus comes to the children comes with the Snow Maiden, who comes from his granddaughter. It has a snow-white clothing, with a silver ornament, and on the head it wears a crown having 8 rays. The image of Snow Maiden is very close to children, it takes an active part in New Year's games and contests and helps the children to call the frost grandfather for a holiday.

The appearance and character of Santa Claus were collected from many good and evil, real and fictional characters. Having passed a long way, he appeared before us a symbol of power, good, justice and holiness. Meeting with him marks the beginning of a new period in the life of a person and the entire planet, in which there will be only good, kind and best.