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

Through me

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

For a child to receive a blessing from higher powers, did not get sick and developed well, the father introduced his heir to the deities. First of all, he showed the baby to Yarila, Semarglu and Svarog. The Gods of Heaven should be to give their protection to the infant. Then came the turn of Mother Earth, or, as she was otherwise called, the Goddess Makoshi. The child was put to the ground and then dipped in water.

Bratchina

If you delve into history and look for what rituals and customs of the Russian people were the most cheerful and populous, then the brotherhood will take one of the main places. It was not a spontaneous gathering of people and a mass festivities. It took months to prepare for this ceremony. Livestock was fattened especially for the brothers and beer was brewed in large volumes. In addition, the drinks included wine, mead and kvass. Each invitee had to bring a treat. The place for the celebration was chosen by all honest people. Random person could not get to the brotherhood - everyone had to receive an invitation. At the table, the most honorable places were taken by people whose merits were most highly appreciated. Buffoons and songwriters came to entertain the feasting. The festivities could last for several hours, and sometimes for several weeks.

Wedding

Modern youth do not even suspect that all wedding traditions came from ancient times. Some have undergone changes, some have remained the same as in the days of our ancestors. Of all the rituals and customs of the Russian people, the wedding is considered the most exciting.

According to a long tradition, it had several stages. Matchmaking, bride, conspiracy, pre-wedding week, bachelorette and bachelor parties, leaving, collecting the wedding train, wedding, wedding feast, trial of the young, bend - without these important components, it is even impossible to imagine marriage in Russia.

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

And the tradition of bringing a young wife into the house in his arms is connected with the desire to deceive the brownie. So the husband twisted the owner of the house around his finger, making it clear that he was bringing in a newborn family member, and not a stranger. Disposal now can be terrifying, but before, no wedding preparation was complete without this ceremony. They lamented and cried for the bride, as in our time for the deceased.

A ritual of shedding grain on young people has survived to this day - for large families and wealth. In ancient times, bells on the wedding train were used to scare away evil spirits, and now they have been replaced by tin cans tied to the bumper of a car.

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

Yule rites

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

Young girls gathered in small groups to tell fortunes on the bridegroom-mummer and to find out from which end of the village to wait for the matchmakers. The most extreme way to see your chosen one was to go to the bathhouse with a mirror and a candle. The danger was that it was necessary to do this alone and at the same time remove the cross from oneself.

Carols

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

Superstitions and omens for Christmas

It was believed that losing a thing on the eve of a holiday means suffering losses all year. Dropping or breaking a mirror is a disaster. Many stars in the sky - for a big harvest. Doing needlework on Christmas Eve is sick all year round.

Pancake week

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

This holiday is interesting because it lasts a whole week, and every day is dedicated to a separate ritual. On Monday they made a stuffed animal and rolled it on a sleigh throughout the village. On Tuesday, mummers walked around the village and gave performances.

A distinctive feature of this day was considered to be "bear" entertainment. The trained owners of the forest put on whole performances, portraying women at their usual activities.

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

Thursday was a special day when all the fellows could measure themselves against the heroic strength. Maslenitsa fistfights attracted the guys, each wanted to show his prowess.

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

And Sunday was called "Forgiven". It is on this day that it is customary to apologize for offenses and visit the cemetery to say goodbye to the dead. The Scarecrow of Maslenitsa was burned and from that day it was believed that spring came into its own.

Ivan Kupala

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

According to legend, on the day of the summer solstice, people tried to appease the great heavenly being, so that it would give them a good harvest and ward off disease. But with the advent of Christianity, Kupala united with the holiday of Ionna the Baptist and began to bear the name Ivan Kupala.

This holiday is most interesting because legends say about a great miracle that occurs on this night. Of course, it comes about the flowering of the fern.

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

The girls wove wreaths of 12 different herbs and let them float down the river. If he drowns, expect trouble. If you swim long enough - get ready for a wedding and prosperity. To wash away all sins from oneself, one had to bathe and jump over the fire.

Day of Peter and Fevronia

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

Saved

This is another one sweet holiday, whose roots go back to ancient times. On August 14, Russia celebrates the Honey Savior. On this day, the honeycombs are filled with a sweet delicacy and it is time to collect the viscous amber liquid.

August 19 - Apple Spas... This day marks the arrival of autumn and the beginning of the harvest. People rush to church to consecrate apples and taste the first fruits, as it was forbidden to eat them until that day. All relatives and friends should be treated with fruits. In addition, they bake apple pies and treat all passers-by.

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

Pokrova

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

There are also special ceremonies for this holiday. For the first time, women lit a fire in the stove, symbolizing the warmth and comfort in the house. Branches or logs of fruit trees had to be used for these purposes. So it was possible to ensure a good harvest for the next year.

The hostess baked pancakes and Pokrovsky loaf. This bread had to be treated to the neighbors, and the remnants had to be hidden until Great Lent.

Also on this day it was possible to ask the Mother of God for protection for children. The woman got up with the icon on the bench and read a prayer over her family. All the children knelt down.

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

You can find out more about all traditions in training course Fundamentals religious cultures and secular ethics(ORKSE). The customs and rituals of the Russian people are revealed there with maximum accuracy and described in accordance with historical facts.

The rituals, customs and traditions of the Russian people are rooted in the distant ancient times... Many of them have changed significantly over time and have lost their sacred meaning... But there are those that still have a place to be. Let's take a look at some of them.

Calendar rituals of the Russian people go back to the time of the ancient Slavs. At that time, people cultivated the land and raised livestock, worshiped pagan idols.

Some of the rites are:

1. Sacrificial rites to the god Veles. He patronized cattle breeders and farmers. Before sowing the crop, people went out into the field, wearing clean clothes. They decorated their heads with wreaths and held flowers in their hands. The oldest resident of the village started sowing and threw the first grain into the ground.
2. The harvest was also timed to coincide with the festival. Absolutely all villagers gathered at the field and sacrificed the largest animal to Veles. Men began to plow the first strip of land, while women at this time were gathering grain and collecting it in sheaves. At the end of the harvest, the table was laid with a generous treat, decorated with flowers and ribbons.
3. Shrovetide is a calendar rite that has survived to this day. The ancient Slavs turned to the sun god Yaril with a request to send a rich harvest. They baked pancakes, played round dances, burned the famous Maslenitsa effigy
4. Forgiveness Sunday is the most important day of Shrovetide. On this day, people asked for forgiveness from relatives and friends, and also forgave all insults themselves. After this day, Great Lent began.

Despite the fact that Shrovetide has lost its religious meaning, people are still happy to take part in mass festivities, bake pancakes and rejoice in the coming spring.

Christmas traditions

It is impossible not to say about the Christmas rituals, which remain relevant to this day. They are traditionally held from January 7 to January 19 between Christmas and Epiphany.

The Yule rites are as follows:

1. Kolyada. Young people and children go from house to house, mummers, and residents treat them to sweets. Nowadays caroling is rare, but the tradition has not yet outlived its usefulness.
2. Christmas divination. Young girls and women gather in groups and arrange fortune-telling. Most often these are rituals that allow you to find out who will be the betrothed, how many children will be born in marriage, etc.
3. And on January 6, before Christmas in Russia, they cooked compote with rice, cooked delicious pastries and slaughtered livestock. It was believed that this tradition helps to attract a rich harvest in spring and provide the family with material well-being.

Now the Christmas-tide rites have lost their magical sacrament and are used mainly for entertainment. Another reason to have fun in the company of girlfriends and friends is to arrange a group fortune-telling for the betrothed, to dress up and talk on holidays.

Family rituals in Russia

Family rituals were given great importance... For matchmaking, weddings or baptism of newborns, special rituals were used, which were sacredly honored and observed.

Weddings were usually scheduled after a successful harvest or baptism. Also, a favorable time for the ceremony was considered the week after happy holiday Easter. The newlyweds were married in several stages:

• Matchmaking. In order to marry a bride to the groom, all close relatives from both sides gathered together. We discussed the dowry where the young couple would live, agreed on gifts for the wedding
• After the parents' blessing was received, preparations for the celebration began. The bride and her bridesmaids gathered every evening and prepared a dowry: they sewed, knitted and weaved clothes, bed linen, tablecloths and other home textiles. Sang sad songs
• On the first day of the wedding, the bride said goodbye to girlhood. The girlfriends sang sad ritual songs of the Russian people, farewell cries - after all, from that moment the girl was completely subordinate to her husband, no one knew how her family life would turn out
• According to custom, on the second day of the wedding, the newly-made husband, along with friends, went to his mother-in-law for pancakes. They arranged a stormy feast, went to visit all the new relatives

When in new family a child appeared, he had to be baptized. The baptism was performed immediately after birth. It was necessary to choose a reliable godfather - this person bore great responsibility, almost on a par with the parents, for the fate of the baby.

And when the baby was one year old, a cross was cut off his head. It was believed that this rite gives the child protection from evil spirits and the evil eye.

When the child grew up, he was obliged to visit the godfathers with refreshments every year on Christmas Eve. And those, in turn, presented him with presents, treated with sweets.

Watch a video about the rituals and customs of the Russian people:

Mixed rites

Separately, it is worth talking about such interesting rituals:

• Celebration of Ivan Kupala. It was believed that only from that day it was possible to swim. Fern also bloomed on this day - whoever finds a flowering plant will reveal all the innermost secrets. People made fires and jumped over them: it was believed that a couple who jumped holding hands over the fire would be together until their death
• The custom of commemorating the dead has also come from pagan times. At the memorial table, there must have been a rich treat and wine.

Whether or not to follow ancient traditions is everyone's business. But you can not elevate them to a cult, but pay tribute to your ancestors, their culture, the history of your country. This applies to religious practices. Concerning entertainment events, such as Maslenitsa or the celebration of Ivan Kupala - this is another reason to have fun in the company of friends and soulmate.

Old Russian rituals originate in the days of paganism. Even Christianity could not destroy their power. Many traditions have come down to our times.

How did the old Russian rituals appear?

The most important Old Russian rituals are associated with elemental forces, or rather with their natural mystical side. The basis of the life of every peasant was hard land labor, so most traditions were associated with placating rain, sun and harvest.

During the seasons they used a certain amount of aimed at improving yields and protecting livestock. Among the most important ordinances, baptism and the sacrament are in the first place.

Caroling is a Christmas ritual, during which participants in the ritual receive treats for singing special songs in the homes of relatives and friends. It was believed that on Christmastide, the sun receives great amount energy to awaken the earth and nature.

Now caroling has remained a tradition associated with Slavic history, both in Ukraine and in Belarus. Fortune-telling is considered one of the components of the ritual. Many experts in the mystical sphere argue that during this period you can get the most accurate predictions.

The end of March is considered the equinox period, during which the Maslenitsa ceremonies are held. As impersonation pagan god Yarilo, pancakes are considered a traditional dish of this holiday.

Not a single Maslenitsa will be considered complete without burning the effigy on the last day of the celebration. The doll symbolizes the end of severe cold weather and the arrival of spring. At the end of the burning Shrovetide transfers its energy to the fields, giving them fertility.

In mythology, he is considered a powerful deity associated with the worship of the power of the Sun. In the early days, it was celebrated on the summer solstice, but over time it was associated with the birthday of John the Baptist. All ritual activities take place at night.

Flower wreaths, which are used for fortune-telling, are considered the symbol of the ceremony. On this day unmarried girls they let their wreath down the river to find the narrowed one with it.

There is a belief that a rare fern flower blooms on this night, pointing to ancient treasures and treasures. but common man finding it is almost impossible. Chants, round dances around the fire and jumping over the fire became an invariable part of the holiday. This helps to cleanse negativity and improve health. In addition, separate are held.

Among all kinds of ancient customs, you can stumble upon rather strange and incomprehensible rituals:

• Dreaming

This was the name of the intimate relationship between the father-in-law and the son's wife. This was not officially approved and was considered a minor sin. Fathers tried to send their sons under any pretext for a long time so that the daughter-in-law would not have the opportunity to refuse. In our time, law enforcement agencies deal with such things, and in those days there was no one to complain.

• Deadly sin

Now this sin can be observed in special films of German production, and many years ago it was arranged in Russian villages on. After the traditional activities, the couples left to look for fern flowers. But this was only an excuse to retire and indulge in carnal pleasures.

• Gasky

The custom is known from the words of the traveler Roccolini. All the young people of the village gathered in one house, sang songs and danced to the torch. When the lights went out, everyone began to be given carnal pleasures with the first that came to hand. Whether the traveler himself participated in such a ceremony is unknown.

• Baking

The ceremony was used in cases of the birth of a premature baby in a family. If the mother's body could not give the baby the necessary strength, then it should have been baked. The newborn was wrapped in unleavened dough, leaving one nose, and baked, pronouncing special words. Of course, the oven should be warm, then the bundle was laid out on the table. It was believed that this clears the baby of diseases.

• More frightened than pregnant

Our ancestors were very kind to childbirth. They believed that during pregnancy, the child goes through a difficult path to the world of the living. The birth process itself is very difficult, and the midwives made it even more difficult. They rattled and fired loudly near the woman in labor, so that it would be easier for the child to go out into the light when the mother was frightened.

• Salting

In addition to Russia, such a ritual was carried out in France and England. He envisioned adding strength to children from salt. The child was completely rubbed with salt and wrapped in a cloth, more prosperous people were buried in it completely. All the skin could peel off the child, but at the same time he became healthier.

• Dead Man's Rite

In another way, this ritual is called a wedding. Ancient times White dress and the veil was considered a burial garment. Marriage is associated with the new birth of a woman, but in order to be born again, one must die. Hence the belief that the bride should be mourned like a deceased. The groom, when transferring the ransom, seemed to be looking for her in world of the dead and brought out into the light. The bridesmaids acted as the guardians of the underworld.

A synthetic form of culture is rituals, customs, traditions and rituals, i.e. what are called patterns of behavior. Rituals are standard and repetitive team activities at set times and on special occasions to influence employee behavior and understanding of the organizational environment. The power of the ceremony is in its emotional and psychological impact on people. In the rite, there is not only the rational assimilation of certain norms, values ​​and ideals, but also empathy with them by the participants in the ritual action.

Rituals are a system of rituals. Even certain management decisions can become organizational rites that employees interpret as part of organizational culture... Such ceremonies act as organized and planned activities of great "cultural" significance.

V Everyday life enterprise rituals have a dual function: they can strengthen the structure of the enterprise, and on the other hand, by obscuring true meaning actions taken - to weaken. In positive cases, the rituals are stage performances works of fundamental importance. Rituals symbolize beliefs that play an essential role in an enterprise. In combination with outstanding events, rituals directly and indirectly highlight the image of the enterprise and the value orientations that dominate it.

Recognition rituals such as anniversaries, foreign service celebrations, public rewards, and incentive trips are all designed to demonstrate where the business is, what is rewarded and what is celebrated.

A similar function is performed by the so-called initiation rituals, which are customary to perform when joining a team. They must clearly demonstrate to the new member what is truly valued in the firm. If a freshly baked certified engineer who graduated from an elite university, in the very first days of his career in the company's representative office in South America a broom is handed over and it is proposed to start sweeping the room, then in young man this can cause frustration and confusion. At the same time, he is immediately given to understand that in this enterprise, in the first place, formal education is not appreciated, but personal participation in business. A parallel can be drawn with enterprises specializing in the production of high-quality products, where practically everyone, regardless of education, starts in the field of sales.

In the negative case, the relationship between rituals and value orientations is lost. In this case, the rituals turn into an unnecessary, prim and ultimately ridiculous formality, with the help of which they try to kill time, evade decision-making, avoid conflicts and confrontation.

The most typical example of this in ordinary life are negotiations on the conclusion of tariff agreements, especially when this was preceded by the performances of workers. Drama prohibits coming to an agreement during the working day. No, you have to fight all night, and the new tariff agreement must be signed as soon as possible before dawn, so that union representatives and employers, exhausted, can appear in front of the cameras in the first rays of the sun.

And in enterprises, one can often observe how rituals turn into an end in themselves, how they become ballast in the process of realizing the main active attitudes.

Ritual plays an important role in the culture of the enterprise. At the same time, it is necessary to check whether with their help value orientations are transmitted, which are also relevant for everyday life.

A custom is a form of social regulation of the activities and attitudes of people perceived from the past, which is reproduced in a certain society or social group and is familiar to its members. The custom consists in unswerving adherence to the precepts taken from the past. The role of custom can be various rituals, holidays, production skills, etc. Custom is an unwritten rule of conduct.

Traditions are elements of social and cultural heritage, passed down from generation to generation and preserved in a certain community for a long time. Traditions function in all social systems and are necessary condition their vital functions. A disdainful attitude towards tradition leads to a violation of the continuity in the development of society and culture, to the loss of the value achievements of mankind. Blind worship of tradition breeds conservatism and stagnation in public life.

Vintage wedding ceremonies

Wedding ceremonies in Russia took shape around the 15th century. The main components of wedding ceremonies are as follows:

Matchmaking – wedding ceremony, in which the preliminary consent of the bride's relatives to the wedding was obtained.

Bride- a wedding ceremony in which the matchmaker / (matchmaker), the groom, the groom's parents could see the future bride and evaluate her merits and demerits. The bride was arranged after the matchmaking, before the marriage.

Handicraft(conspiracy, binge, bracing, marriage, vaults) - part of the wedding ceremony, during which the final agreement on the wedding was reached.

Disposal- wedding ceremony, ritual crying. Happens on half of the bride. Its purpose is to show that the girl lived well in her parents' house, but now she has to leave. The bride said goodbye to her parents, girlfriends, will.

hen-party- a wedding ceremony, the day before the wedding, or the days from arm-wrestling to wedding.

Ransom, abuse- a wedding ceremony in which the groom took the bride out of the house.

The sacrament of the wedding

Church marriage or wedding is a Christian sacrament of blessing of the bride and groom, who have expressed a desire to live together as husband and wife during their subsequent life.

Wedding feast- a wedding ceremony in which the wedding was celebrated with food and drink with jokes and toasts.

Festive rites

Cover

V Cover day (October 14) the girls ran to church early and lit a candle for the holiday. There was a belief: whoever puts a candle earlier will get married earlier.

Soon, girls, Pokrov,

Soon we have a party

Soon, soon will play

Lovely talyanochka.

You will cheerfully carry the veil - you will find a friend.

In some localities, it is customary to put coins in glasses for the bride and groom. Newlyweds should keep these coins on their table under a tablecloth, which will always ensure prosperity in the house.

If a girl spills a drink on the tablecloth at dinner, this portends a drunken husband.

In other parts of the world, the newlyweds had to sleep on sheaves of rye. And these sheaves should be an odd number, say, 21. If this condition was met, it meant that they would not need anything.

On a holiday, girls go to church and put candles in front of the icon of the Intercession of the Mother of God and say: “Intercession - Holy Mother of God, cover my poor head with a pearl kokoshnik, a gold cuff. " And if at such a moment a bewildered guy would throw a veil over his head for a girl he liked, then she unquestioningly became his wife - noted one Arab writer who visited Russia in the 12th century.

Christmastide

Christmas divination

Young people of both sexes gather for the evening, take rings, signet rings, cufflinks, earrings and other small things and put them under the dish along with pieces of bread, on top of everything they pick clean towel, a napkin or a fly (a piece of cloth). After that, those participating in the fortune-telling sing a song dedicated to bread and salt and then other sub-dish (Christmastide, fortune-telling) songs. At the end of each, turning away from under the covered dish, they take out one object that came first to the arm. It's kind of like a home lottery. A song was applied to this rite, from the content of which a portent was derived. But since things taken out from under the dish do not always come across to those to whom they belong, the ransom of things is awarded on this occasion. The last one, who has taken out the last thing from under the dish, is usually sung a wedding song, as if heralding an imminent marriage. Then the ring is rolled along the floor, observing in which direction it will roll: if to the door, then for a girl - the proximity of marriage for a guy - departure.

New Year's fortune-telling

In order to find out what kind of bride or groom will be, large or small, you need to New Year go to the shed with firewood and immediately take a log. If large, then large, and vice versa.

If a girl cuts or pricks her finger until it bleeds new year's eve, she will definitely get married next year.

Freeze water in a spoon for the New Year: if the ice is convex and with bubbles - to a long life, if a hole in the ice - to death.

And here is how Bulgarian girls wondered on New Year's Eve: they gathered together somewhere at a source, at a well, scooped up in complete silence a bucket of water, which was attributed to a special magic power... In this bucket, each girl threw a handful of oats, a ring or a bunch with her own mark. The little girl took out these objects in turn, while singing special ritual songs: the words of the songs referred to the girl's future husband, whose ring was taken out. Then the girls took a little oats from the bucket and put them under their pillow in the hope that the betrothed would dream.

Not all fortune-telling was only of a love nature, it happened that the girls wondered about the weather in the coming year, and through this they made predictions for the future harvest.

Christmas

Before Christmas was coming Filippov post for 40 days. Meat was not eaten, they got along with fish. The whole house is fasting, and the old people are on Christmas Eve. The first pancake on Christmas Eve is for sheep (from the pestilence)

V Christmas eve(on the night of December 24-25) do not eat until the first star. On the first day of Christmas, figurines of cows and sheep are baked from wheat dough. They are kept until Epiphany, while on Epiphany, after the blessing of water, the hostess soaks these figures in holy water and gives them to livestock (for offspring, for milk yield).

Echoes of antiquity, the Slavic roots of Russians make themselves felt in modern life... For more than one century, Russians continue to celebrate pagan holidays, they believe in numerous folk signs and legends. Wherein modern culture Russians also retained later traditions and habits that originated in the early 20th century.

Christianity gave Russians such wonderful holidays as Easter, Christmas, and paganism - Shrovetide. Some pagan customs have also preserved modernity, among which the most popular are kaladovanie, and weddings.

During the celebration of Easter, Russians remember the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The day before Easter, Russians bake cakes (sweet bread) and paint eggs (one of the popular ways to paint an egg is to boil it in onion husks), which symbolize the body of Christ. These are such common rituals that atheists do not shy away from them. In the morning after the all-night vigils were held in all the churches (they last for a whole day) and religious processions around churches (starting at 12 o'clock at night), people gather to their relatives or loved ones to give a cake or a colored egg. Gifts are presented with the words: "Jesus is risen!", To which the recipient must answer: "He rose in truth!" and give in return either a cake or a painted egg. This custom is called "Christedness".

The egg, which was traditionally painted in red colors and its shades, has become an obligatory attribute and symbol of Christian Easter since the 12th century. In addition to painted natural eggs, special gift items were also prepared for Easter. precious metals, glass, crystal, porcelain with painting. Carl Faberge was the most successful in this craft. And the cake was always baked from round yeast dough, which symbolizes the shroud of Christ, according to legend, having the same round shape. During the meal, the cake is cut not lengthwise, but across, keeping the top intact in order to cover the rest of the sweet dish with it.

Kalyada (or kalyadki) are arranged during Christmas on the night of January 6-7. At this time, people did not sleep, but went from house to house, sang carols (ritual songs), for which guests were treated to various delicacies. Now this custom is widespread only in villages, but in old days tsars and nobles, who usually disguised themselves in carnival costumes, did not hesitate to take advantage of them. The poor, on the other hand, turned their clothes inside out and put on animal masks. The children especially liked to participate in the carriage, who were always treated to sweets for songs. Most lovely pagan holiday for Russians it is Shrovetide and New Year. During the first, people bake pancakes for a whole week. Now the tradition of burning an effigy of Maslenitsa has resumed. This ceremony symbolizes the arrival of spring and farewell to winter. Russians decorate a Christmas tree on New Years Christmas toys, homemade are very popular. On this night (from December 31 to January 1), Russians gather with families and companies in other people's apartments, drink a lot of alcoholic beverages and make a lot of wishes, since there is folk omen: "What you think of on New Year's Eve should come true in the future." On this day, Russians also remember one more sign: "As you spend the New Year, so will the next one." At 12 o'clock in the morning, Russians usually clink glasses and drink a glass of champagne, and after that they open gifts and dance.

Baptism is the oldest rite, which in the Orthodox and catholic church belongs to the category of sacraments. It means taking a person into the bosom christian church... After baptism, they say: "He became a man of God," that is, he joined religion. In the Orthodox Church, the baby is dipped in water three times, in the Catholic Church, it is simply poured over with water. It is customary to invite relatives and friends to christenings in Russia, to cover festive table... In addition, in Russia, at the christening of the baby, they choose godfathers and the mother, who are hereafter called "godfather" and "godfather" and who are called all further life the child to help him in all difficulties. Over time, this rite has not changed: people continue to enroll in the church, where the priest says the catechism prayer, blesses the water, puts the baby in a baptismal gown, presents pectoral cross, performs the sacraments of chrismation and baptism. Weddings in Russia, traditionally lasting 2-3 days, are usually concluded in autumn or winter, in between large fasts. The most popular period for weddings in Russia came after Christmas and lasted until the Pancake Day. was called "wedding". Now the most popular among newlyweds are spring and late summer or autumn. A modern wedding usually lasts.

The church wedding ceremony is becoming more and more popular, however, according to the law, it is possible only after registering a marriage in government agency- registry office. A wedding is a very beautiful and touching ceremony, when, standing under the aisle, young people take vows to be faithful in sorrow and joy. It is believed that after him, the spouses are more acutely aware of their belonging to each other and are tuned in for a long life together as in general, divorces Orthodox Church are prohibited. Before registration, the groom, who has come to take the bride to the church, must redeem her from the guests, he also goes through a lot of tests, which are a series of competitions, at the end of which the groom, by tradition, must pay with gifts or money to all the participants.

Traditionally, rings, dress and shoes for the bride are bought by the groom, and the bride's family provides her with a "dowry" - bed linen, dishes and furniture. On the wedding table, there must be dishes from a bird, symbolizing a happy family life... A wedding cake in Russia is called "kurnik". It is made from pancakes or sweet unleavened dough, sandwiched chicken meat, mushrooms, rice and other fillings. When the newly-made husband and wife come to the house of their parents, the groom, his mother meets with bread and salt, according to Russian tradition. All guests are watching who breaks off the largest piece of bread: he will be the head of the house. A modern wedding usually lasts 2-3 days.

One of the elements of Russian life is going to the bathhouse. Previously, Russians did this every day, as "bath therapy" helps with treatment colds as well as in relieving stress and mental disorders... Now this tradition has grown into entertainment. Now they go to the bathhouse once a week or a month to chat with friends and drink beer. Some modern saunas have cabins for one person, as well as for the whole company. The main attributes of a Russian bath: steam, birch or oak broom, fragrant tea with herbs, kvass or beer.

Ever since the days of the socialist system, Russians still have a lot of old habits and customs. The most common is to yield to public transport a place for the elderly and children, to cook jam in the summer and preserve fruits and vegetables, to live during holidays in country cottages, where everything you need to eat in summer period season. And also - go to visit not only on weekends and carry something "for tea", visit close friends or relatives without warning. Of the most ingrained customs, it is worth noting apartment living: almost 60% of Russians spend their entire life in one-room, two- or three-room apartments. Western tradition have your private house spread in the circles of only decently wealthy Russians.

Many Russians still "do not let" their children go to adult life until they start a family of their own. And only after that, many now married and married boys and girls begin to work to provide for a young family. As a rule, women in Russia get married at the age of 18-23. The age of a strong half of humanity is similar to their chosen ones.

In Russia, it is not customary to buy everything necessary for a newborn in advance, since in most cases young spouses hope for gifts from loved ones and relatives who, with their gifts, will cover all the necessary needs and expenses for the baby. Another family custom- to give the born child to the upbringing of the grandmother-mother-in-law. Moreover, she takes care of her grandson / granddaughter until the moment when baby will go to school. As for the relationship between a man and a woman, here a representative of the fair sex should not forget to give his companion a hand when she gets off a tram, trolleybus or taxi. He should also remember that a woman from Russia should always be escorted to the ladies' room, and then wait for her near this place. But most importantly, in Russia, men always pay for women when they go to a restaurant, diner, theater, cinema and other places.

Russians drink only hot tea, and they usually do this in the morning and deep in the night... In addition, they categorically do not accept obscene language and prefer to read all kinds of literature on public transport when they are leaving work or vice versa.