What is Christmas Eve and when do they start? Traditions, fortune-telling on a suitor for Christmas time

What is Christmas Tree? These are holy days, more precisely, a whole complex of winter period, which consists of 12 festive dates. As they say, it lasts "from star to water". That is, it begins at the time when the first star appears on Christmas Eve, and continues until the water is consecrated for Baptism. Since ancient times, a lot of traditions and customs are associated with such a period as Christmas trees. When festivities begin, what are the traditions and customs, how do they guess at this time? All the answers to the questions are presented in the article. We will not only take a closer look at what the Christmas Eve is, but we also learn a little history about this magical period.

The history of the Svyatok

The tradition to bind the days between the two greatest religious holidays was established in the 5th century. How did this happen? How did you start celebrating Christmas? The feast of the Epiphany in the church began to be widely celebrated in the 4th century, and it happened on January 6. This day was dedicated to three evangelical events: the Nativity of Christ, the worship of the Magi, the Baptism of Christ. However, by the end of the 4th century, in some churches in the East, Christmas began to be celebrated on December 25, separately from the Epiphany. As a result, in 451, a separate celebration of this date was allowed within the framework of the Christian church, but they were officially established for all 12 holy days in the period between Christmas (Epiphany) and Epiphany. That's how Christmas trees appeared. The holiday of Christmas is celebrated not all in January, but about this special period is known to almost everyone.

Magical power of the period

For each person this time is associated with different traditions. What is Christmas tree for believers? This is primarily a visit to the temples, fasting, the opportunity to purify yourself, to get rid of sins. And what are Christmas trees for most people? This is a fun and stormy period associated with rituals, rituals, festivities. According to popular beliefs, during Christmas time the old solar year goes away, and the new one opens. It is in these days that the evil force is activated, incomprehensible and mysterious events occur all the time. It is believed that the souls of the dead people are next to the living at a time like Christmas. When holidays begin, divination starts, rituals that can predict the future, open the veil over the unknown.

Traditions of celebration

In the old days on the very first day Svyatok lit a fire and supported it until the end of the period. Even today, in some rural settlements, people are happy to support the traditions of their ancestors. On the same evening, everyone changed into festive outfits, sang, danced, went home with carols. It was believed that such rituals would give the owners of the house a good harvest and prosperity next year, so the carolers could enter any house without knocking. Who wants to live poorly?

Still there is a tradition not to sweep the dung from the house from Christmas Eve until January 14, and then all the garbage must be burned at a time. During this period, special attention was paid to dreams. It was believed that Christmas Christmas trees - this is the time of prophetic visions.

A little about holidays

Christmas with carols and costumes was described a little above, but we can not say what other days of the period are marked. For example, on January 8 it was necessary to read the women in labor and midwives. It's logical - Christ has just been born, therefore, we must pay tribute to all women who have children, and those who are also involved in this action.

On January 11, they honored the memory of the babies killed by Herod. The church mourned for the 14,000 martyrs who were killed by the order of the king, who wanted to destroy Jesus.

On January 16, it was decided to apply for help and support to the housekeeper. Lyuli were sure that it was on this day that evil witches spoil the livestock, and only a small bearded brownie can help.

Ends Christmas time on January 19, the feast of Epiphany. On the reservoirs and to this day they make a hole in the form of a cross, then the priest sanctifies it, and after that everyone can swim there.

Fortune-telling at the Priest

During this period, as we have already said, many were not averse to turning to the dark forces to find out the answers to the questions of interest. Especially often, young girls gathered together and wondered about the condemned, although one could do it alone at home. Let's consider the most popular fortune-telling on a suitor for Christmas.

We acquire a deck of cards

This divination should be done on the night before Christmas. The girl should, before going to sleep, pull out the diamond king from the deck and put the card under her pillow. This night, as always, the lady should look great. Therefore, before going to bed, you need to comb your hair, wash, even apply a light make-up. After this, it is necessary to turn from the heart to the higher forces, ask them that this night in your dreams came the deceased. Now you can go to bed. It is believed that the person you see in night dreams will become your destiny.

Onions will help you learn the name

This fortune-telling will be especially useful for those representatives of the fair sex who have several candidates for the role of a betrothed, but to choose among them the best is difficult. To do this, you need to take as many bulbs as you have boyfriends, and sign them or designate them in any way so that each vegetable is "in charge" for a certain man. On the first day of Christmas, put the bulbs in the water and wait until the first of them sprouts. As soon as this happens, look at the signature. Whose name is on this vegetable, that person will be stripped. Divination is of great strength and significance, since the whole process takes place at a magical holy time, which means that the reliability of fortune telling is very high.

The Rooster will tell the future

This method is suitable for those girls who like to guess not alone, but in the company, and you can do it on any of the Christmas evenings, although, of course, it is desirable for Christmas. So, all the fair sex, wishing to learn about the future of a widow, should get together in one house and "count." Then you need to scatter on the floor wheat or any other cereal, which you feed your bird. At midnight, the cock should be "called" into the house. Now it remains only to watch him closely. If he was hungry and stuck absolutely all the grains, then this year's girlfriend, who spilled food on the floor, will put on a wedding dress. If the bird is full, and a few grain grains are still left, then the one that corresponds to the number of grains absorbed by the bird will enter into the marriage. But if the cock is not hungry and does not eat at all, then it will be necessary to repeat the divination for the next year, since none of the attending bride's attire is to wear this year.

We are fortunetelling with the help of hair

This method is suitable for those girls who already meet with the guy and make plans for the future, but something they do not give rest, some doubt lives in the heart. Better to tell fortunes and be calm for your fate. Here only in advance be stocked by a hair from a head of the groom. So, take a shallow bowl, pour water into it, add here a pinch of ash, sugar and salt. Thoroughly mix everything and set aside for a while to the side, so that the liquid "calmed down". As soon as this has happened, put a hair of a mated and his own into the water. Now hide the container from prying eyes until the morning, and then interpret the result. If the hairs are not only close, but even intertwined, then you are the bride of this young man. If they are in the water far from each other, then you knowingly worried, the relationship is not destined to develop further.

Wish, have fun in this period, create your own family traditions and customs!