Folk holidays in Russia

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

There are public holidays in every country. But also every nation has its own holidays, which came from the depths of centuries, remembered for their traditions. Folk holidays are of great importance both for the whole state and for every family. In the old days, people used to say: “We work hard all year round so that we can have a good rest and have fun during the holidays.”

The most famous and revered folk holidays in Russia are, of course, winter Christmas, spring Maslenitsa, which marks the arrival of warm days, the bright holiday of Easter, the summer Trinity and Ivan Kupala's day. Many of them are connected with nature, its awakening, flourishing, harvesting a rich harvest. On the holiday, people especially vividly felt the fullness of life, inner unity with each other, a special attitude. And, of course, all folk holidays were permeated with a number of customs, traditions, rituals.

Snowy Christmas is impossible to imagine without carols, with which the mummers walked around the village. Entering each house, they wished the owners prosperity and well-being, and in return received a generous treat. As on New Year's Eve, the Christmas tree was brightly decorated, and "roes" were baked - very tasty cookies in the shape of various domestic animals. They were treated to neighbors and all friends. Whoever eats some “roe” will have the positive qualities of this animal all year long.

What Russian person has not heard of the wide Shrovetide with its songs, dances, fairs, round dances? On Maslenitsa, one could try the most delicious pancakes with various fillings, go sledging down the hills, and on the last day of Maslenitsa week, a straw effigy was burned - this was the sign of the victory of spring over the boring winter.

Easter is perhaps the most famous religious holiday. On this day, Easter cakes and cottage cheese Easter are baked in all houses, eggs are painted in anticipation of the end of Lent. On the Holy Trinity, houses, yards, churches are decorated with flowers, freshly cut grass, birch twigs. It was on this day that unmarried girls wove wreaths, and then guessed at them, trying to find out their fate. And the holiday of Ivan Kupala was marked by fun and mass festivities. On this day, it was customary to burn bonfires until morning, and then jump over them, pour water on each other, and throw wreaths into the fire.

Easter was considered the most important holiday. Great - all other listed holidays. There were also so-called "semi-holidays", each village had its own, which marked the beginning or end of peasant work.

And, of course, folk holidays meant rest for the body and soul, that is, complete freedom from hard work. Mowing, harvesting, spinning, sewing, sweeping the hut, chopping wood was considered unacceptable. People dressed in their best clotheswent to visit each other, had fun, visited fairs, watched performances of booths and puppet theaters. For non-observance of festive etiquette, they could be severely punished: for example, they could impose a fine, or even publicly beat them with whips in the square.

Here they are, folk holidays in Russia!