The second day of Maslenitsa: traditions and signs

In Russia, Maslenitsa was celebrated with great fun and in large companies. The celebration lasted for several days, and each of them had its own special meaning and traditions. The second day of Maslenitsa was no exception.

The second day of Maslenitsa was a real holiday for young people. The Tuesday of this winter week is called Flirt. Its meaning was that it was on this day that you could try your luck and try to create your own family.

Since it was impossible to get married during the period of Lent, couples could only look at each other and conclude preliminary agreements. On Tuesday, large groups of boys and girls gathered early in the morning. Traditionally, they went tobogganing. Most often, they were accompanied by relatives in order to take a closer look at potential spouses in the same way.

By the end of the day, many were making their choice. The parents of the bride and groom negotiated the marriage. Very often, the wedding was scheduled for another holiday, but already falling on the Easter holidays: Krasnaya Gorka.

The scenario for the second day of Shrovetide was very simple. It is very important to have fun and spend time in the company on this day. After all, it was believed that if a person is sad at Flirting, he will spend the whole year in melancholy. Therefore, the festivities were noisy, with fairs, sledding and horse-drawn sledding. The sleds were sometimes replaced by wooden boards, which were watered and frozen. It was cold to ride them, but a lot of fun.

All this was accompanied by singing and dancing. An effigy of Maslenitsa was also carried on a sled. And in the late afternoon it was installed somewhere on a hill and round dances were taken around this symbol of the outgoing winter.This not only lifted the spirits, but, according to legends, helped to drive away all troubles and cold and attract warmth and good luck.

Bearish fun was also popular. The entertainment was extremely simple: performances of trained bears were organized on large squares. Another part of the traditional festivities on Zaigrysh is all kinds of relay races and competitions. Most often, young guys took part in them to demonstrate their strength and talent to potential brides.

As well as on the Christmas holidays, on the second day of Maslenitsa they dressed up in interesting costumes or simply put on masks. They can be bought or made by hand. Most often, masks were made funny so that one of their appearance would cheer up those around them.

Another important tradition has also survived. In Russia, it was customary to visit in the evening that day. The hostesses greeted the company with pancakes with a variety of fillings. The feast had to be plentiful and the atmosphere warm. They also believed on this day that the better the feast, and the more guests, the more luck will come to the house of the hosts of the holiday. Therefore, each guest had to eat at least 3-4 pancakes.

Girls in Russia were very fond of all kinds of fortune-telling. Especially those who helped to find out something about their future husband. Fortune telling on Shrovetide was rather unusual. The character of a young lady's man was determined by the type of pancakes with which filling the chosen one chose. The young man's taste preferences could tell about himself.

• Pancakes with caviar. A real Russian man, an ideal family man and a good owner, of course, preferred the classic pancakes with caviar. Such men were chosen by girls who wanted simple family happiness, but did not count on romance.
• Pancakes with curd. This delicacy was preferred by soft men who are easy to control in everyday life.
• Pancakes with butter. They were chosen by caring romantics.
• With red fish. This choice characterized the young man as an intellectual. Such guys were not particularly popular among village girls.

But, of course, this was only part of the traditional celebration, and did not affect the final decision about marriage.

Many signs are also associated with the second day of Maslenitsa week.

• For downhill slides, sledges or boards were chosen that glide best. After all, it was believed that the one who slides down the hill the farthest will have good luck in everyday life all year round. Therefore, the guys tried in this way to attract good luck to the whole family.
• The hostess, who was in charge of the feast, could hide coins in several pancakes. It was believed that whoever finds a coin will live in happiness and prosperity.
• Traditionally, they tried to predict the weather on this day. Frosty Tuesday promised a rich harvest and a very warm summer. If it rained in February, a large harvest of mushrooms should have been expected in summer. Hostesses could also influence family wealth. After all, it was believed that the more a woman cooks pancakes, the more satisfying the year will be.

The main thing on the second day of Maslenitsa was fun. But also on this day you could take care of your health and the health of your loved ones. On Zaigrysh, it is customary to cook herbal decoctions, some of which were even harvested to be used later as needed.

There were no special prohibitions on this day. As in all other days of Shrovetide week, it was no longer possible to eat meat on Tuesday. That is why pancakes were usually prepared with fish, caviar, butter or cheese. It was also forbidden to use foul language and swear. The last ban was perhaps the most difficult.Indeed, with all the abundance of delicious pancakes with a variety of fillings, you cannot overeat.

The second day of Maslenitsa week has always been a time for rest. The flirtation was a great reason to take a closer look at a potential soul mate and just have a good rest in a big company.

What to do on the second day of Maslenitsa, see the video.