What is old new. Old New Year. In which other countries celebrate the Old New Year
Old New Year is an unofficial, but unusually warm, joyful and magical holiday, which is celebrated on the night of January 13-14. This additional New Year was the result of a change in the order of the chronology, so it can be considered a cultural-historical phenomenon.
Where did this holiday come from?
The confusion with the celebration of the Old New Year began in 1918, when the Gregorian calendar was introduced instead of the Julian calendar, and the concept of "old" and "new" style entered our lives. At the same time, the day that for centuries was considered the first of January, “moved” in the calendar to January 14th. For those who did not want to change their habits, he remained a holiday.
In addition, celebrating the New Year from January 13 to 14 turned out to be more logical for Orthodox believers, who are used to celebrating it 6 days after Orthodox Christmas. But they tried not to celebrate the holiday from December 31 to January 1, because it fell on the Advent, when you can’t set the festive table, you can’t drink wine and you won’t have fun. And in general, in public consciousness Since the 19th century, the New Year has been considered a merry and exuberant holiday.
“The New Year is the same as the campaign of mummers in the village,” writes in his essay historian Lev Lurie. - This is the time when people can behave as if indecent. After the New Year, the time for girl fortune-telling comes at all. They guessed, of course, about the suitors - they let the rooster peck oats, drowned the wax, put papers with the names of potential suitors into the pelvis, used a mirror. Divination traditions are pagan, they were not only not welcomed by the Orthodox Church, but also prohibited. Of course, during the fast it was clearly inappropriate to do all this.
Why do we still celebrate it
By the way, there is no scientifically based date for the beginning of the new year. This is the subject of a social contract. It is simply more convenient for people to unify the calendar and assume that in all countries the calendar new year begins on the night of December 31 to January 1.
So, why not stop at this beautiful date? After all, now even Orthodox believers do not refuse to celebrate the New Year together with everyone. However, the annual Polls of the Levada Center show that the tradition of celebrating the Old New Year in our society not only does not die out, but only grows stronger from year to year. The number of people who celebrate this holiday is growing and is last years already from 43 to 47% of the respondents.
Scientists believe there are several reasons for this. The first is that our culture traditionally welcomes everything that confirms the idea of the mystery of the Russian soul. “Our people generally like the idea that Russia has its own unique third way,” says expert of the Center for Political Technologies, social psychologist Alexei Roshchin. - Therefore, we have our own specific holiday - the Old New Year. This allows us to feel that we stand out against the backdrop of globalization.” However, in fairness it should be said that the Old New Year is celebrated not only in Russia, but also in most CIS countries, as well as in the former republics of Yugoslavia.
The second reason, according to psychologists, lies in the fact that our long cold winter and lack of light provokes us to seasonal blues. And the holidays the best remedy to fight her. Festive garlands, multi-colored lanterns, cheerful mess, a feast, a desire to treat yourself to food and alcohol. So we grab every opportunity not to fall into winter depression. How else can you defeat her
The third source of why we so want to extend the New Year holidays follows from the previous one. “The fact is that the New Year holidays are best suited to feel like children and pamper our “inner child”, which is hidden in the soul of each of us,” says psychologist Oksana Poleshchuk. - A Christmas tree, tangerines, snow, a skating rink, a cafe, a cinema, the opportunity to just have fun, be reckless, push the burden of daily responsibility, relax, sit in front of the TV, eat what you want, not counting calories, and finally, just do nothing. Many of us, in fact, do not have enough of this, and after the holidays such a lack is felt most acutely.
There are even wonderful poems by Yunna Moritz about this, which Sergey Nikitin set to music, and the result was an unusually lyrical, wonderful song:
He's old, he's old, he's not new at all,
And still we are children, we are on the Christmas tree,
And we fly for this ghostly additive,
For the irrevocable and unique,
Add us at least the Old New Year.
Make your dreams come true
Finally, an important reason for the growing popularity of the Old New Year is that in our fragmented world, people are increasingly experiencing a lack of human understanding every decade. And so we are increasingly in need of warm unhurried fellowship. Best of all - at the festive table, in the circle of the closest and most understanding people. Maybe that is why the holiday from December 31 to January 1 remains violent and cheerful, with shooting and dancing until the morning. But the Old New Year is now assigned, rather, the role of a quiet, sincere, warm and magical holiday.
So if you feel that you celebrated the New Year not the way you would like, but “like people do”: with reckless running around the shops and bowls of salads, then you still have a chance to realize your hidden desires and celebrate the Old New Year like this as you wish. Or just dream, release your dreams into extraordinary distances, believe in miracles and return at least for a while to such a wonderful world - the world of childhood!
Tatyana Rubleva
It is customary to celebrate the New Year in Russia for a long time and on a grand scale - in January we have a rest for more than a week. However, the festive mood persists even after the end of the official holidays, because on the night of January 13-14, the whole country celebrates the Old New Year. Kultura.RF tells about when and how the holiday with such a controversial name appeared.
New Year pre-revolutionary postcard. Russia, before 1917.
The old New Year came into our culture along with the old style of reckoning.
In 1918, the Bolshevik government decided to change the calendar. Royal Russia lived according to the Julian calendar, and Europe - according to the Gregorian. The first was created in the Roman Empire and was based on ancient Egyptian astronomy. The Gregorian calendar was more accurate; it was created in the 16th century, taking into account the latest knowledge about the structure of the universe. The difference between the two systems of calculation was 13 days and created inconvenience for the conduct of international political and economic affairs and led to funny incidents in Everyday life. For example, according to the dates on the postmarks, it turned out that the telegram was received in Europe a few days earlier than it was sent in Russia.
The transition to the Western European calendar took place on February 14, 1918. According to the decree, the main goal of the entire project was "the establishment in Russia of the same calculus with almost all cultural peoples."
An unusual holiday appeared - the old New Year, that is, the New Year according to the old style, which was not forgotten by the people. However, they celebrated the old New Year not on such a large scale as the night from December 31 to January 1.
The Russian clergy did not agree with the transition to the new style and did not abandon the Julian calendar. But this was not so important for the Bolsheviks, who had already signed the Decree on the separation of the church from the state and the school from the church. The old style has become informal.
Today, the Russian Orthodox Church still uses the Julian calendar. Therefore, Christmas in our country is celebrated on January 7, and in Catholic countries - on December 25. The New Year, or rather the New Year, the Orthodox Church celebrates on September 14 (September 1, according to the old style) - not from the Nativity of Christ, but from the creation of the world. During the secular New Year holidays, believers keep the Nativity Fast.
Directly on January 1, the holy martyr Boniface is commemorated, to whom one should pray in order to get rid of drunkenness (the disease of wine drinking).
Contrary to popular belief, the tradition of celebrating the Old New Year exists not only in our country. There are similar holidays in the countries of the former USSR, as well as in Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Algeria, Tunisia and many other countries. In all states, the appearance of an unusual date is associated with transitions to different calendars, but each country has its own traditions. In the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, for example, old St. Sylvester's Day is celebrated on January 13, dressing up in fancy dress and wishing each other a Happy New Year. In Macedonia, carnivals are held on the New Year according to the old calendar. There is an analogue of our holiday in Wales - the Hen Galan festival. It also means the beginning of the New Year according to the Julian calendar, and on this day children can “carol” - go from house to house and receive sweet gifts.
In Russia, according to statistics, the old New Year is celebrated by about half of the country's population, gathering at the festive table. And a number of museums and cultural organizations dedicate thematic exhibitions to the holiday.
After the usual New Year has died down, and the streets are filled with people again, do not rush to say goodbye to the festive mood, another important winter holiday is ahead - the Old New Year. This date is celebrated on the night of January 13-14. And, like any holiday that has taken root among the Slavs, the Old New Year keeps a lot of traditions.
In Belarus and Ukraine, this holiday is known as "Generous Evening", and in Russia - "Ovsen". According to the old chronology, this day fell on January 1 and was called Vasilyev's day, since it was the day of memory of Vasily the Great, and the eve of the memorial day, respectively, on December 31, was Vasilyev's evening.
Why the Old New Year is called There is no special meaning in the name of this holiday. This day is called so only because, according to the Julian calendar, the New Year fell from January 13 to 14. Today we use the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in 1918, which is why the holiday is called the "Old" New Year.
In addition, according to the calendar tradition, Christmas must precede the New Year.
Where the Old New Year is celebrated Previously, the Old New Year was celebrated in all countries of the Soviet Union. Today this holiday exists in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
This tradition has been preserved in Switzerland, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia. In the latter, for example, this holiday is called the Serbian New Year. On the night of January 13-14, fireworks are traditionally fired on the square in Belgrade.
In Japan, the Old New Year is called "risshun" - the beginning of spring, it is celebrated not in the middle of winter, but on February 4th.
Holiday Rules
For this holiday, they also bought good beautiful clothes. The evening of January 13 was called "generous", and therefore the table was laid accordingly. People believed that what the table would be like the year would be. In the morning, women had to cook porridge made from whole grains of wheat. Porridge was seasoned with lard or meat. Or served with jam or honey. The housewives also baked pies, pancakes or dumplings.
Since St. Basil was considered the patron saint of pig breeders, the main dish on festive table were pork dishes.
In the evening, the people went to the neighbors to celebrate the Old New Year in the world. It was considered especially important that the “necessary” person come first to the house, and this was a young man from a large respected family with a large household. In the morning, young people jumped over the burning sheaves of hay to drive away evil spirits.
In some villages carolers went to the festival. The performers of carol songs were traditionally presented with treats.
Old Belarusian folk rite"Carol Tsars"
Traditional signs for the Old New Year The signs of this holiday were associated with both the weather and the New Year's table. For example, if the cooked festive porridge turned out to be lush, beautiful and tasty, then you need to wait for a good year. If the pot cracked in the oven or the porridge came out tasteless, you have to wait for a bad year.
It was also believed that if the wind blows from the south at night, then the next year will be prosperous and warm, if from the west - you need to wait for an abundance of milk, as well as fish, but if from the east, then there will be a good harvest of fruits in the year.
People said about the night: "Vasil's night is starry - to the harvest of berries." So that in general the harvest was definitely a success, in the morning they shook off fruit trees. If the weather is frosty, but dry in the morning, then you should not expect much mushrooms next year.
Signs for the Old New Year - 2018
Those born on January 14, 2018 should wear a jasper stone for good luck and wealth. Also, before the evening of January 13, it is necessary to remove the holiday tree from the house and distribute all debts so as not to be indebted for the whole of 2018. And, of course, it is necessary to make peace with everyone with whom they were in a quarrel, and to forgive everyone who was offended.
What should be on the table for the Old New Year According to ancient traditions, on the table in Vasiliev evening there should have been a generous kutya or juicy. Halva, nuts, honey and raisins were not spared: the more generous the dish, the richer and richer the new year.
In addition, there was always a pig, a rooster or a hare on the table. All three meats carried a different meaning: pork promised wealth, rooster dishes - freedom, and hare - success in all matters.
It was also important what was included in the filling of holiday pies and, most importantly, dumplings for the Old New Year. For example, stuffed mushrooms - for a long and happy life, meat - for well-being, rice - for well-being, cabbage - for money, and dill - for good health.
What not to do on St. Basil's Day
A week before the Old New Year, it was impossible to dress up in new clothes, this can only be done on the holiday itself. On this day, you can’t say congratulations with the negative particle “not” - this can frighten away desire and good luck. Also, you can’t celebrate this holiday exclusively in a female company - this way you can bring on an unlucky year.
On the festive table there should not be crayfish and other creatures that move back, as it is possible to transfer past problems to the New Year. It is also strictly forbidden to clean this day, because you can take good luck and happiness out of the house.
Fortune-telling for the Old New Year Girls on the night of January 13-14, fortune-telling on various subjects. Vasiliev evening was considered the most successful for predictions. People believed that everything that was foretold and thought at that time would come true. However, the Orthodox Church does not approve of fortune-telling.
What dates our history does not contain! The Old New Year holiday is not in any calendar of the world, but for almost a century it has been celebrated in our country and in some states of near and far abroad. Almost two weeks after the first of January, the fun at the Christmas tree is back. The current dual tradition is very surprising to foreigners, and not all of our compatriots know why this is happening. Where did the custom of celebrating the Old New Year come from? What date is it marked? We will understand in our article all the mysteries of the appearance of this amazing holiday.
Change of chronology
Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the Julian calendar operated in Russia. Back in the sixteenth century, astronomers recognized it as erroneous, and the countries of Europe began to live according to the Gregorian, introduced by Gregory XIII. The thing is that the year has a different average duration, and therefore a difference in dates gradually arose.
By 1917 there was a discrepancy of as much as thirteen days in Russia and Europe. Having come to power, the Bolsheviks carried out numerous changes and reforms, including the issue of bringing time into one format with the European one. The decree on the transition of Russia to Russia issued by Vladimir Lenin in 1918 eliminated the confusion in numbers, and the whole world began to live according to one chronology.
Such is the history of the holiday. Old New Year, as we see, arose due to a change in the calendar. Instead of moving the event from one date to another, in the current historical situation, there is another reason for celebration. Now we have two opportunities to meet the coming year, you can do it in the old and new style.
Origins - in church traditions
The Julian calendar is preserved in Russian Orthodox Church, which to this day calculates everything only on it. Keeping the traditional time, the so-called "old style", the Russian Church rejects the European chronology. Since the worldly new year falls on January 14, the Old New Year can be called the New Year in the old style. This day before the revolution was considered the first day of January. Historically, our ancestors, having switched to a new calendar, did not depart from the previous one. This is the secret of the two New Year holidays in our country and some neighboring states.
Is it possible to have a feast during Lent?
For Orthodox people, this January 1 falls on the time of the strict Christmas fast. During this period, believers refuse meat, fast food and entertainment. These prohibitions are ending only therefore, on January 14, the Old New Year becomes a truly special day when you can enjoy life and enjoy the holiday. In European countries, Catholic Christmas is celebrated on December 25, so the New Year's table can be safely covered with any dishes.
Second chance, or to be continued...
Surprisingly, since 1918, traditionally and annually, people celebrate the Old New Year. What date to celebrate this holiday, today even children know.
What is the secret of the popularity of the holiday, it is definitely difficult to answer. For some, this is the Orthodox New Year, for others it is an occasion to gather the whole family at the table, for others it is an opportunity to complete what they did not have time to do before January 1.
The pre-New Year fuss and hype subsided, there is no more running around the shops in search of gifts and products, and a person has a unique chance to prolong the charm of the holiday. If you met the chiming clock on December 31 with your family, then this time you can have a party with friends, or vice versa. If, setting the table at the end of last year, you prepared a traditional Olivier salad and herring under a fur coat, then on this day you can experiment with new dishes.
What to do on the Old New Year?
It's no secret that television has become an integral part of our lives. TV programs, programs and films are watched by the whole country. Prepared especially for New Year's Eve, some shows may be of interest. If you missed a holiday movie or program last time because of a trip to the Christmas tree or a noisy feast, then you should not be upset: television people, perfectly understanding this moment, usually repeat their program on the evening of January 13. Each family can come up with their own traditions for celebrating the Old New Year.
Carol came - open the gate
Mid-January is Yuletide time. They begin on Christmas Eve and last for two weeks, until Epiphany. Being in the middle, the holiday divides Christmas time into two halves. The first week was called "Holy Evenings". This time is dedicated to the birth of Christ. But the second week was called "terrible evenings." Ancestors believed that evil spirits were walking these days. People turned to fortune-telling, remembered different rituals. On the Old New Year, on Christmas Eve and on the eve of Epiphany, it was customary to carol.
This folk action was something like a fun carnival. Youth and children dressed up in various costumes, masks and walked through the village. Stopping at each house, they sang special songs. Moreover, they were performed both on Christmas and on Epiphany, and not only on the Old New Year.
The history of the origin of the word "kolyada" is associated with the Latin term calendae, which translates as "the first day of the month." The semantic meaning has gradually changed, and now it means funny songs that mummers sing under the windows of houses, while collecting alms - treats.
The sheepskin coat - inside out, the bag - in the hands, and let's go around the yards!
For this fun, young people usually gathered in a whole group. A “mekhonosha” was necessarily appointed, who was responsible for a large basket or bag, where the treats brought by generous hosts were stored. Most often dressed up in animals, for example, a bear, a wolf or a goat. They also dressed up with all sorts of evil spirits, for example, the devil or Baba Yaga. At the same time, complex costumes were not required, the reincarnation took place literally due to improvised materials. The sheepskin coat was turned inside out and tied with a simple rope, the face was smeared with soot, coal or sprinkled with flour.
To treat the caroler - to live with dignity for a year: signs for the Old New Year
The carolers praised the owners, their generosity, house, livestock and yard, congratulated them on the holiday, wished them health, wealth, a bountiful harvest, and for this the owners presented them with pies, pancakes and other goodies. Such treats were prepared in advance and in large quantities. It was considered to ignore the carolers. Those owners who regretted the treats, the mummers not only sang ditties ridiculing greed, but could also do mischief by bringing down a pile of firewood, tying the doors with a resin rope, or in other ways. It happened that a merry procession forgot to go into a house, accidentally skipping it. Such an incident was considered a harbinger of something bad. In the dwellings, which during the year were visited by a disaster that claimed someone's life, the carolers did not enter at all.
Protection from dark forces
Naturally, such dressing up in all sorts of evil spirits was not welcomed by the Church and was considered a diabolical undertaking. Therefore, at the end of Christmas time, carolers washed themselves with holy water and hurried to pray for sin in the temple of God. Since ancient times, people have tried in every possible way to protect themselves and their home from various troubles, for this there were special conspiracies. On the Old New Year, for example, it was supposed to take 3 lit candles to protect against the evil eye, damage and misfortunes and read the following words near the entrance to the house: “Happiness is in the house, all troubles are out! Whoever thinks evil, he will return three times. Whoever wants to jinx it, trouble will find it. And the Lord will protect this house, Saint Basil will look after it. Amen". These conspiracies for the Old New Year were repeated not only at the doorstep, but also at every window in the house. In the old days, people adhered to such rituals very strictly.
Folk omens for the Old New Year
As you know, there are events that contain unusual days and associated with them. The history of the holiday is also noted in it. The Old New Year is celebrated on January 14 and is called according to the folk calendar - Vasiliev Day. People noticed that if the weather was frosty and with little snow, then this promised a bountiful harvest. The thaw on this day was perceived as a harbinger of a cold and lean summer. There were other signs as well. On the Old New Year, a blizzard broke out - nuts will be born.
"Avsen, avsen, you walked all over..."
Vasily's Day was a holiday of agriculture, in connection with this he met merrily: calendar songs were sung, round dances were performed, people started dancing. Traditional rituals were also used. On the Old New Year, sowing was carried out, wheat grain was scattered in the house. They also prayed that she would be born this summer.
The holy martyr Basil was considered the patron of not only agriculture, but also pig breeding, whose day was celebrated on the Old New Year. The story goes that the owners prepared meat dishes, pies, pork jelly. It was believed that this would bring health and happiness to all households. In addition, it was necessary to treat guests with meat, so that night people went to each other - and congratulate, and taste goodies.
What kind of porridge you make, so you will spend a year
Another interesting tradition has been preserved by the history of the holiday. Old New Year was a day of predictions. At night, elderly members of the family, a man and a woman, prepared ritual porridge. First, they waited until the stove heated up, and then they filled the cereal with water and put the pot in the stove overnight. By the way the porridge turned out, they determined what the coming year would be like. A whole pot and fragrant and crumbly porridge foreshadowed a happy future and a good harvest. Such a dish was eaten in the morning. If the cereal was out of the pot, running over the edge, or the vessel itself cracked, poverty and a lean year awaited the owners. In this case, the ritual porridge was not eaten, but immediately thrown away.
Even in ancient times, people said: "As you meet the year, so you will spend it." This statement, which has come down to our days, calls us to lay a plentiful table with treats and dishes on a holiday and have fun, inviting wealth, prosperity and health to our home.
: what is this holiday and how did it appear. The time is approaching for a completely unique holiday. Such a holiday is the Old New Year. In 2018, as usual, it is supposed to be celebrated on the night of January 13-14.
Old New Year is a relatively young holiday. It appeared not so long ago and is not an independent holiday. Old New Year is a holiday that arose as a result of the transition from one calendar to another, that is, from the Julian to the Gregorian. This happened in Soviet Russia in 1918 by Lenin's decree. Until now, Russia, like other countries of the former Soviet Union, celebrates the New Year twice. However, many people mistakenly believe that only the countries of the former USSR celebrate the Old New Year. In a number of other countries, citizens also celebrate the New Year twice.
According to the current Gregorian calendar, we met the New Year 2018 on the night of December 31 to January 1. And on the night of January 13-14, 2018, we will celebrate the onset of the New Year "according to the old style", that is, the Old New Year.
It is worth noting that opinions about the celebration of the Old New Year are different. Some people are happy to gather a festive feast on this day, lay a rich table, invite guests. Others, on the contrary, do not take the Old New Year for a full-fledged holiday, and therefore do not celebrate it at all. In this situation, there are no tips and recommendations. Everyone has the right to determine for himself whether or not to celebrate the Old New Year on the night of January 13-14, 2018.
