Soon will come the New Year. We can not imagine odorless Mandarin and fizz of champagne by the glass. But it was not always so. One hundred, two hundred years ago, Ukrainians celebrate the New Year differently. And traditions in different towns and villages. How did the townspeople holidays?
The tradition to see off the old year and welcome the new formed for centuries, twisting a pagan and religious rites. A tree has not always been the main New Year's symbol, it replaced Didukh - a sheaf of hay.
Didukh and Old New Year
Ukrainians before the New Year was celebrated even in the winter. Say exactly when the pagan rusichi celebrated New Year's Eve, no one can. Annals have not kept it a single mention. After the baptism of Rus, established the celebration date – 1 March, as it was believed that on this day the Lord created the earth. there was no celebration of any special traditions. People were asked to spring them generously endowed, and all gave birth to living well. In the 15th century, the date was moved to September 1 (14 New Style). At the same time a symbol of the New Year
it becomes Didukh - it is made from the last sheaf of hay, which was collected in the field. The tradition of celebrating New Year from December 31 to January 1 brought Peter I in 1700. In Ukraine, the custom caught on even later. And since the calendar was carried out according to the Julian calendar, and celebrated, in fact, 14 January. Then we switched to the Gregorian calendar, and began to celebrate New Year's twice - on the night from 31 December to 1 January and from 13 January 14 (Old New Year).
How to celebrate the New Year one hundred years ago
Do Ukrainians loved New Year one hundred years ago? Rather, they treated him exactly. After the New Year was a supplement for Christmas - it is celebrated with the whole scope. Although the Christmas tree as a New Year's attribute, introduced by Peter I, put the house green beauty in 1900 could afford only the rich. It cost 10 to 20 rubles, at the same time to go to Italy for the holidays can be had for $ 100, one toy could reach the value of 2 rubles. Who "took out" his tree, decorated it with homemade toys: apples, nuts, mandarin oranges, candles, Christmas balls made even out of the ordinary newspaper.
Tables covered generously. For example, in Odessa New Year's menu You can find roasted pigs, grouse, pancakes with red and black caviar, roast goose, pies with various fillings, oranges and even pineapple. At the same time, citizens in western Ukraine, which celebrated Catholic Sylvester - so called New Year 31 December of January 1, covered the table a dish of cabbage, bigos, baked duck with apples, and the table was considered a king chocolate cake.
Family traditions of the past in the New Year
Christmas was a family holiday, but on New Year's Eve was made to walk for guests. For example, in western Ukraine citizens visited friends, went to celebrate the holiday in a boarding house in the mountains. Kiyani also walked the guests. Newspapers 1900s was told that people of Kiev to each other go to formal visits on holidays. They even joked that to get rid of unwanted guests can be hung up a sign, saying scarlet fever is raging in the house. At the same time the people of Kiev adored send postcards. In 1900, mail sent to 600 thousand Christmas greetings, with a population of 260 thousand people, of which slightly more than half were able to write.
Preparing for the Christmas and New Year holidays
As it is now, and more than a hundred years ago, the city held the fair. For example, we built the so-called "funny towns" with swings for children and entertainment for adults in Kiev. Later, towns began to leave in oblivion.
After the '17 New Year's stayed with us, even though it tried to ban together with the tree as a symbol of the "bourgeoisie." Some traditions are gone, some were - but that's another story, which requires a separate story.
You will also be interested to know 12 Christmas carols in Ukrainian and Russian language (text and video).
Photos from public sources
