What date is the old New Year celebrated and how is it done?

Despite the fact that the old New Year cannot be called an official holiday, in many Russian families it is customary to gather at the table on the evening of January 13th. Its celebration, of course, is not regulated by any rules, but a number of customs regarding the date still exist.

The Old New Year is recognized for the most part in the CIS countries, since the origin of the holiday is associated with a change in chronology that happened during the Soviet era. It all started with the fact that in the 18th century almost all European states began to function according to the new style, that is, the Gregorian calendar. In Russia, until the XX century, the Julian calendar was used, that is, the state lived according to the old style and did not keep up with Europe for 13 days. In the winter of 1918, the ruling body came up with a radical reform - to jump over to the Gregorian calendar in one day. It turns out that Soviet citizens fell asleep on January 31, and woke up on February 14.

So spontaneously, another reason for celebration appeared: New Year's Eve - December 31, according to the old style, turned into January 13, and January 1, in turn, on the 14th of the same month.

Old New Year is seen off in the post-Soviet space on the night of January 13-14.

The custom of glorifying the old New Year was previously adhered to in all corners of the Soviet Union. At present, at night from 13 to 14 January, people gather not only in Russia, but also in Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. This date is endowed with a special meaning in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. Surprisingly, the double New Year is recognized in several other countries, albeit on other days and for other reasons. For example, Serbs have the Serbian New Year, and Montenegro has a Correct New Year. In Belgorod on the night of January 13-14, even fireworks are arranged.

Similar customs exist among the inhabitants of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, who adhere to the Berber calendar, but they spend the second New Year on January 12th. A delicious dinner prepared for guests always contains chicken meat, sweets and dried fruits. January 14 is considered a magical eve in Romania, Greece and several regions of Sweden.

A closed Welsh community in Wales hosts Hen Galan on January 13 - a day of good neighbors and open doorsaccompanied by songs, carols and homemade alcohol. There is an old New Year in Japan, but it is called "Rishyun" and is celebrated on February 4. In some regions of Switzerland, the old St. Sylvester's Day is celebrated on January 13, and those who celebrate are trying to dress up in unusual costumes.

I must say that not everyone celebrates the old New Year, and certainly not on such a scale as New Year or Christmas.

Most people see off the old New Year without any special ceremonial actions: they just gather at a laid table, have fun and, perhaps, listen to the chimes. It doesn't even matter what kind of clothes and makeup turn out to be: it is allowed to use the recommendations for the New Year or just limit yourself to a beautiful image. However, it was previously believed that by this day you should definitely buy new clothes.

However, some celebrants still prefer to devote time today to the rituals associated with St. Basil's Day or Vasily's Day, which begins on January 14th. For example, Earlier on this day, in honor of the holiday of agriculture, a sowing ritual was carried out - hence its popular name "Ovsen". Children with sentences scattered grains of wheat, rye and oats around the house. After that, the hostess collected them and put them in storage before sowing.

In some villages, young men did this. On the morning of January 14, they traveled home with pockets and sleeves filled with grains of barley, wheat and oats, and sprinkled them on the floor. The process was accompanied by ritual songs with wishes. The owners generously thanked the sowers with goodies and money, and then they collected the spilled grain from the floor with their hands and combined it with the material for the next sowing.

Another important rite was the preparation of porridge. At about 2 am, the oldest woman took out cereals from the store, usually buckwheat, and the older man took water from a well or a river. While the stove was burning, it was not allowed to touch them. Then everyone, young and old, sat down at the table, and the main hostess began to knead the porridge, pronouncing special words. Then those present got up, and the pot with a bow was removed into the oven.

The finished porridge was considered by the whole family: if it turned out to be velvety and loose, then you can expect a fruitful and successful year. Such a "happy" dish was eaten at the festive table. If the substance climbed over the walls of the dishes or the pot even became covered with cracks, it was immediately thrown away and they began to prepare for misfortune.

On Vasilyev's day, it was customary to walk around the neighbors to keep the peace and feast on pork dishes. Usually, guests were offered pies, as well as boiled and baked pork legs, although any dishes containing this meat in the composition could be suitable.In addition, the table was always decorated with a pig's head, because Saint Basil was the patron saint of pig breeding.

By the way, there was a special meaning in who will be the first to visit. Everyone hoped for a suitable person - a young man from a large and respected family with a wealthy household. In some villages, carols were also present at the festival - people who went from house to house and performed carols. The owners of the ritual songs with wishes of happiness were always required to be presented with food or money.

Young guys sometimes stole gates or gates in the courtyards of the girls they liked. To get the property back, the owners had to pay off with money or alcohol. In some houses, on the eve of the holiday, a sheaf of last year's spikelets, called "didukh", was installed. At the end of all the events, he was burned with the belief that the ritual would protect the house from trouble.

From the still operating traditions, one can name the modeling of dumplings with surprises for the old New Year. It is not known for certain where this custom came from, but today it is observed in many regions of the country. At first, the whole cheerful company is engaged in modeling, and then during a feast they find out who will come across a subject that predicts the future. The coin symbolized wealth, the thread symbolized travel, the button symbolized new clothes. Anyone who found a bean in his dumpling could prepare for replenishment in the family, and who found a black pepper pea - for adventure.

Everyone sat down at a rich table in the evening of January 13th. This time was called generous, and therefore the refreshment was required to be prepared accordingly. Those celebrating Vasilyev's Day believed that what the table would be like would be the coming year. The main place at the feast was occupied by lusciousness, rich in nuts, honey, dried fruits and halva. In addition, the Caesaret piglet, rooster or hare must be served.

The filling chosen for the pies played an important role. For example, in order for the next 12 months to turn out to be monetary, it was necessary to use cabbage, and dill promised good health to everyone sitting at the table. The feast was also attended by generous kutia made from whole grains of buckwheat or wheat. It was usually mixed with meat and lard, or displayed with jam or honey.

Christmastide is still going on on the eve of the old New Year, so many girls wondered and wondered about the groom. The easiest way was to comb your hair before going to bed and put a comb under the pillow with the call of the betrothed-mummer. MIt was also possible to take advantage of such traditional attributes of rituals as holy water, candles, mirrors, paper and needles.

The girls went out into the street and watched which animal they met first, poured heaps of grain at the gate or put fragments of a broom in a plate of water overnight. It was believed that the message received on that night would certainly come true.

Old New Year is also the day of the embodiment of a huge number of signs. For example, if it snows or is foggy on that day, the year will be fruitful and, therefore, financially successful. The man who entered the house first brings good luck, but the woman who entered the first, especially a girl of childbearing age, is a symbol of impending misfortune. It is very bad if the first to come to visit is an old maid, an old man, a widow or a cripple.

On the eve of the old New Year, it was required to ask for forgiveness from all acquaintances, dress up in new clothes and repay all debts so as not to be in debt for the whole next year. Those whose birthday was on January 14 were additionally recommended to hang a jasper stone around their neck. During the holiday, they did not lend money, but the return of their amount was considered a good sign.