What are family traditions. Smart family rituals: what brings us closer and strengthens our relationship

Most families have their own overt or unspoken traditions. How important are they to raising happy people?

Traditions and rituals are inherent in every family. Even if you think that there is nothing like this in your family, most likely you are a little mistaken. After all, even the morning: "Hello!" and evening: Goodnight!" It is also a kind of tradition. What can we say about Sunday dinners with the whole family or the collective production of Christmas tree decorations.

To begin with, let's remember what such a simple and familiar word “family” means from childhood. Agree, there may be different variants on the topic: and "mom, dad, me", and "parents and grandparents", and "sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, etc." One of the most popular definitions of this term reads: “A family is an association of people based on marriage or consanguinity, connected by a common life, mutual moral responsibility and mutual assistance.” That is, these are not just blood relatives living under the same roof, but also people who help each other and are mutually responsible. Family members in true understanding of this word, they love each other, support, rejoice together on cheerful occasions and grieve on sad ones. They seem to be all together, but at the same time they learn to respect the opinions and personal space of each other. And there is something that unites them into one whole, inherent only to them, in addition to the stamps in the passport.

This “something” is family tradition. Remember how in childhood you loved to come to your grandmother for the summer? Or celebrate birthdays with a large crowd of relatives? Or decorate the Christmas tree with mom? These memories are filled with warmth and light.

What are family traditions? Explanatory dictionaries say the following: “Family traditions are the usual norms, behaviors, customs and views adopted in the family that are passed down from generation to generation.” Most likely, these are the habitual standards of behavior that the child will carry with him into his life. future family and pass it on to your children.

What do family traditions give people? First, they contribute to the harmonious development of the child. After all, traditions involve the repeated repetition of some actions, and, therefore, stability. For a baby, such predictability is very important, thanks to it, over time, he ceases to be afraid of this big, incomprehensible world. Why be afraid if everything is constant, stable, and your parents are nearby? In addition, traditions help children see in their parents not just strict educators, but also friends with whom it is interesting to spend time together.

Secondly, for adults, family traditions give a sense of unity with their relatives, bring together, strengthen feelings. After all, these are often moments of pleasant pastime with those closest to you, when you can relax, be yourself and enjoy life.

Thirdly, it is the cultural enrichment of the family. It becomes not just a combination of separate "I", but a full-fledged cell of society, carrying and making its contribution to cultural heritage countries.

Of course, this is not all the "pluses" of family traditions. But even this is quite enough to think: how do our families live? Maybe add some interesting traditions?

Family traditions in the world there is a huge variety. But still, in general, we can try to conditionally divide them into two large groups: general and special.

Common traditions are traditions found in most families in one form or another. These include:

• birthday celebrations and family holidays. This tradition is sure to be one of the first significant events in a baby's life. Thanks to such customs, both children and adults receive many "bonuses": anticipation of the holiday, good mood, the joy of communicating with the family, the feeling of being needed and important for loved ones. This tradition is one of the warmest and most cheerful.
• Household duties of all family members, cleaning, putting things in their places. When a baby is taught to do his household duties from an early age, he begins to feel included in the life of the family, learns to care.
• Joint games with children. Both adults and children take part in such games. Doing something together with children, parents show them an example, teach them different skills, show their feelings. Then, as the child grows older, it will be easier for him to maintain a trusting relationship with mom and dad.
• Family dinner. Many families honor the traditions of hospitality, which helps to unite families by gathering them at the same table.
• Family Council. This is a “meeting” of all family members, at which important issues are resolved, the situation is discussed, further plans are made, the family budget is considered, etc. It is very important to involve children in the advice - this way the child will learn to be responsible, as well as better understand his relatives.
• Traditions of "carrot and stick". Each family has its own rules, for which it is possible (if possible) to punish the child, and how to encourage him. Someone gives extra pocket money, and someone gives a joint trip to the circus. The main thing for parents is not to overdo it, excessive demands from adults can make a child inactive and lethargic, or, conversely, envious and angry.
• Rituals of greeting and farewell. Wishes good morning and sweet dreams, kisses, hugs, meeting when returning home - all this is a sign of attention and care from loved ones.
• Days of memory of deceased relatives and friends.
• Joint walks, trips to theaters, cinemas, exhibitions, travel trips - these traditions enrich the life of the family, make it brighter and richer.

Special traditions are special traditions that belong to one given family. Perhaps this is a habit on Sundays to sleep before dinner, or go on a picnic on weekends. Or home theater. Or hiking in the mountains. Or…

Also, all family traditions can be divided into those that have developed on their own and deliberately brought into the family. About how to create new tradition we'll talk a little later. And now let's consider interesting examples family traditions. Perhaps you will like some of them, and you want to introduce it into your family?

How many families - how many examples of traditions can be found in the world. But sometimes they are so interesting and unusual that you immediately start to think: “But shouldn’t I come up with something like that?”.

So, examples of interesting family traditions:

• Joint fishing until the morning. Dad, mom, children, night and mosquitoes - few will dare to do this! But on the other hand, a lot of emotions and new impressions are also provided!
• Family cooking. Mom kneads the dough, dad twists the minced meat, and the child makes dumplings. Well, so what, which is not quite even and correct. The main thing is that everyone is cheerful, happy and soiled in flour!
• Quests on the occasion of a birthday. Each birthday person - whether it be a child or a grandfather - is given a card in the morning, according to which he is looking for clues leading him to a gift.
• Trips to the sea in winter. Collect backpacks with the whole family and go to the sea coast, breathe fresh air, have a picnic or spend the night in a winter tent - all this will give unusual sensations and unite the family.
• Draw postcards for each other. Just like that, without a reason and special artistic talent. Instead of being offended and pouting, write: “I love you! Although you are sometimes unbearable ... But I am also not a gift.
• Together with the kids, bake shortcakes for the feast of St. Nicholas for orphans. Joint selfless good deeds and trips to Orphanage help children become kinder and more sympathetic, and grow up to be caring people.
• Night story. No, not just when a mother reads to her baby. And when all adults read in turn, and everyone listens. Light, kind, eternal.
• Celebrate the New Year every time in a new place. It does not matter where it will be - on the square of a foreign city, on top of a mountain or near Egyptian pyramids, the main thing is not to repeat!
• Evenings of poems and songs. When the family gets together, everyone sits in a circle, composes poetry - each line by line - and immediately come up with music for them, and sing along with the guitar. Great! You can also arrange home performances and puppet theater.
• “Putting” gifts to neighbors. Going unnoticed, the family gives gifts to neighbors and friends. What a pleasure to give!
• We speak kind words. Every time before eating, everyone says nice words and compliments to each other. Inspiring, right?
• Cooking with love. "Did you put love?" “Yes, of course, I will now. Give it to me, please, it's in the locker!
• Holiday on the top shelf. The custom is to meet all the holidays on the train. Fun and on the move!

In order to create a new family tradition, you need only two things: your desire and the principled consent of the household. The algorithm for creating a tradition can be summarized as follows:

1. Actually, come up with the tradition itself. Try to involve all family members to the maximum to create a friendly close-knit atmosphere.
2. Take the first step. Try your "action". It is very important to saturate it with positive emotions - then everyone will look forward to the next time.
3. Be moderate in your desires. Do not immediately implement a lot different traditions for each day of the week. It takes time for habits to take hold. Yes, and when everything in life is planned out to the smallest detail, this is also not interesting. Leave room for surprises!
4. Reinforce the tradition. It is necessary to repeat it several times so that it is remembered and began to be strictly observed. But do not bring the situation to the point of absurdity - if there is a blizzard or a downpour on the street, it may be worth refusing to walk. In other cases, the tradition is better to follow.

When a new family is created, it often happens that the spouses do not have the same ideas about traditions. For example, in the groom's family, it is customary to celebrate all the holidays in the circle of numerous relatives, and the bride met these events only with her mother and father, and some dates could not be coped with at all. In this case, the newlyweds may immediately brew a conflict. What to do in case of disagreement? The advice is simple - only a compromise. Discuss the problem and find the most suitable solution for both. Come up with a new tradition - already a common one - and everything will work out!

In Russia, from time immemorial, family traditions have been honored and protected. They are a very important part of the country's historical and cultural heritage. What family traditions were in Russia?

Firstly, important rule for each person there was knowledge of his family tree, moreover, not at the level of “grandparents”, but much deeper. Each noble family had genealogical tree, a detailed genealogy, carefully kept and transmitted stories about the life of their ancestors. Over time, when cameras appeared, the maintenance and storage of family albums began, passing them by inheritance to younger generations. This tradition has come down to our times - many families have old albums with photographs of loved ones and relatives, even those who are no longer with us. It is always pleasant to reconsider these “pictures of the past”, to rejoice or, conversely, to feel sad. Now, with the widespread use of digital photographic equipment, there are more and more frames, but most often they remain electronic files that have not “flowed” onto paper. On the one hand, it is much easier and more convenient to store photos in this way, they do not take up space on the shelves, do not turn yellow over time, and do not get dirty. Yes, and you can shoot much more often. But even that trepidation associated with the expectation of a miracle has also become less. After all, at the very beginning of the photo era, a trip to family photo was a whole event - they carefully prepared for it, dressed smartly, everyone walked joyfully together - why not a separate beautiful tradition for you?

Secondly, honoring the memory of relatives, commemoration of the departed, as well as care and constant care for elderly parents has been and remains a primordially Russian family tradition. In this, it is worth noting, the Russian people differ from European countries where the elderly are mainly cared for by special institutions. It is not for us to judge whether this is good or bad, but the fact that such a tradition exists and is alive is a fact.

Thirdly, in Russia since ancient times it has been customary to pass on from generation to generation family heirlooms - jewelry, dishes, some things of distant relatives. Often young girls got married in the wedding dresses of their mothers, who had previously received them from their mothers, etc. Therefore, in many families there have always been special "secret places" where grandfather's watches, grandmother's rings, family silver and other valuables were kept.

Fourthly, earlier it was very popular to name a born child in honor of one of the family members. Thus appeared family names”, and families where, for example, grandfather Ivan, son Ivan and grandson Ivan.

Fifth, an important family tradition of the Russian people was and is the assignment of a patronymic to a child. Thus, already at birth, the baby receives part of the name of the genus. Calling someone by name - patronymic, we express our respect and courtesy.

Sixth, earlier very often the child was assigned church name in honor of the saint who is honored on the birthday of the baby. According to popular beliefs, such a name will protect the child from evil forces and help in life. Nowadays, such a tradition is observed infrequently, and mainly among deeply religious people.

Seventh, in Russia there were professional dynasties - whole generations of bakers, shoemakers, doctors, military men, priests. Growing up, the son continued the work of his father, then the same work was continued by his son, and so on. Unfortunately, now such dynasties in Russia are very, very rare.

Eighth, an important family tradition was, and even now they are increasingly returning to this, the obligatory wedding of the newlyweds in the church, and the baptism of infants.

Yes, there were many interesting family traditions in Russia. Take at least the traditional feast. No wonder they talk about the "broad Russian soul." But it’s true, they carefully prepared for the reception of guests, cleaned the house and the yard, set the tables with the best tablecloths and towels, put pickles in dishes stored especially for special occasions. The hostess came out on the threshold with bread and salt, bowed from the waist to the guests, and they bowed to her in return. Then everyone went to the table, ate, sang songs, talked. Eh, beauty!

Some of these traditions hopelessly sunk into oblivion. But how interesting it is to notice that many of them are alive, and they are still passed down from generation to generation, from father to son, from mother to daughter ... And, therefore, the people have a future!

The cult of family traditions in different countries

In Great Britain important point in the upbringing of a child is the goal to raise a true Englishman. Children are raised in strictness, they are taught to restrain their emotions. At first glance, it may seem that the British love their children less than parents in other countries. But this, of course, is a deceptive impression, because they are just used to showing their love in a different way, not like, for example, in Russia or Italy.

In Japan, it is very rare to hear a child crying - all the wishes of children under 6 years old are immediately fulfilled. All these years, the mother is engaged only in raising the baby. But then baby goes to school, where strict discipline and order await him. It is also curious that the whole large family usually lives under one roof - both old people and babies.

In Germany, there is a tradition of late marriages - it is rare for anyone to start a family before the age of thirty. It is believed that until this time, future spouses can realize themselves at work, build a career, and are already able to provide for their families.

In Italy, the concept of "family" is comprehensive - it includes all relatives, including the most distant ones. An important family tradition is joint dinners, where everyone communicates, shares their news, and discusses pressing problems. Interestingly, the Italian mother plays an important role in choosing a son-in-law or daughter-in-law.

In France, women prefer a career to raising children, so after a very short time after the birth of a child, the mother returns to work, and her child goes to kindergarten.

In America, an interesting family tradition is the habit of early childhood accustom children to life in society, supposedly this will help their children in adulthood. Therefore, it is quite natural to see families with small children both in cafes and at parties.

In Mexico, the cult of marriage is not so high. Families often live without official registration. But male friendship there is quite strong, the community of men supports each other, helps in solving problems.

As you can see, family traditions are interesting and cool. Do not neglect them, because they unite the family, help it become one.

“Love your family, spend time together and be happy!”
Anna Kutyavina for site site

Tradition, custom, ritual is an age-old connection, a kind of bridge between the past and the present. Some customs are rooted in the distant past, over time they have changed and lost their sacred meaning, but are observed at the present time, passed from grandparents to grandchildren and great-grandchildren as a memory of their ancestors. AT countryside traditions are observed more widely than in cities where people live apart from each other. But many rituals have become so firmly established in our lives that we perform them without even thinking about their meaning.

Traditions are calendar, associated with field work, family, pre-Christian period, the most ancient, religious, which entered our life with the adoption of Christianity, and some pagan rites were mixed with Orthodox beliefs and changed somewhat.

calendar rites

The Slavs were pastoralists and farmers. In the pre-Christian period, the pantheon Slavic gods included several thousand idols. The supreme gods were Svarozhichs, the progenitors of all living things. One of them was Veles, the patron of cattle breeding and agriculture. The Slavs made sacrifices to him before the start of sowing and harvesting. On the first day of sowing, all the villagers went out into the field in new clean shirts with flowers and wreaths. Sowing was started by the oldest resident of the village and the smallest, they threw the first grain into the ground.

The harvest was also a holiday. All, even the old and sick, the inhabitants of the village gathered at the border of the field, a sacrifice was made to Veles, most often a large ram, then the strongest and handsome men and young guys with braids in their hands and at the same time passed the front page. Then the girls and young women, always fast and healthy, tied the sheaves and placed the money. After a successful cleaning, a rich table was laid for all the inhabitants of the village, at the head of the table they placed a large sheaf, decorated with ribbons and flowers, which was also considered a sacrifice to the god Veles.

Maslenitsa also belongs to the calendar rites, although at present it is already considered half religious holiday. In ancient times, this rite called Yarilo, the god of the sun and heat, on which the harvest directly depended. That is why the custom was born on this day to bake pancakes, fatty, ruddy, hot as the sun. All people danced round dances, which are also a symbol of the sun, sang songs praising the power and beauty of the luminary, and burned an effigy of Maslenitsa.

Today Maslenitsa has lost its pagan meaning and is considered almost a religious holiday. Each day of the Maslenitsa week has its own purpose. And the most important day is Forgiveness Sunday, when you should ask all your family and relatives for forgiveness for involuntary offenses. Sunday is the turning point Great Lent, the strictest and longest, when believers refuse meat and dairy food for seven weeks.

Christmas rites

When Christianity was firmly established in Russia, new church holidays. And some holidays that have a religious basis have become truly popular. It is to these that the Christmas celebrations that take place from January 7 (Christmas) to January 19 (Epiphany) should be attributed.

At Christmas time, young people went from house to house with performances, other groups of guys and girls caroled, girls and young women guessed in the evenings. Be sure all the villagers participated in the preparations for the holidays. Cattle were slaughtered and special dishes were prepared. On Christmas Eve, January 6, the evening before Christmas, they cooked uzvar, a sweet compote with rice, cooked cheesecakes and pies, sochevo, a special dish of cabbage with grain.

Young people sang special humorous carols, asked for treats, jokingly threatened:

"If you don't give me a pie, we'll bring the cow by the horns."

If treats were not given, then they could play a trick: close the pipe, destroy the pile of firewood, freeze the door. But that was rare. It was believed, and still is considered, that generosity, songs with wishes of happiness and prosperity, and grain brought into the house by guests bring happiness to the house for the whole New Year, relieve diseases and misfortunes. Therefore, everyone tried to treat the visitors to their heart's content and distribute generous gifts to them.

Young girls most often guessed at fate, at suitors. The most daring fortune-tellers in the bath with a mirror by candlelight, although this was considered very dangerous, because in the bath they removed the cross from themselves. The girls brought armfuls of firewood into the house, according to the number of logs, even or odd, it was possible to say whether or not she would get married this year. They fed the chicken with counted grain, drowned the wax and considered what he predicts for them.

family rituals

Perhaps most of the rituals and traditions are connected with family life. Matchmaking, weddings, christenings - all this required the observance of ancient rituals that came from grandmothers and great-grandmothers, and their exact observance promised a happy life. family life, healthy children and grandchildren.

The Slavs used to live in large families, where adult children who already had their own families lived with their parents. In such families, three or four generations could be observed, families included up to twenty people. The elder of such a large family was usually the father or elder brother, and his wife was the head of the women. Their orders were carried out unquestioningly along with the laws of the government.

Weddings were usually celebrated after the harvest or after Epiphany. Later, the most successful time for weddings was Krasnaya Gorka - a week after Easter. The wedding ceremony itself took a rather long period of time and included several stages, which means that a large number of rituals.

The bridegroom's parents came to woo the bride together with the godparents, less often other close relatives. The conversation had to start allegorically:

“You have goods, we have a merchant” or “Did a heifer run into your yard, we came for it.”

If the bride's parents agreed, it was necessary to hold a bridegroom where the bride and groom would get to know each other. Then there will be collusion or handshake. Here, new relatives agree on the wedding day, dowry, and what gifts the groom will bring to the bride.

When everything was discussed, her girlfriends gathered at the bride’s house every evening and helped prepare the dowry: weaving, sewing, knitting lace, embroidering gifts for the groom. All girl gatherings were accompanied by sad songs, because no one knew what fate the girl would have. In the house of her husband, a woman was expected to work hard and complete submission to the will of her husband. On the first day of the wedding, the songs sounded mainly lyrical, majestic, farewell laments. Upon arrival from the church, the parents met the young on the porch with bread and salt, and the mother-in-law had to put a spoonful of honey in her new daughter-in-law's mouth.

The second day is completely different. On this day, according to custom, the son-in-law and his friends went "to the mother-in-law for pancakes." After a good feast, the guests dressed up, covered their faces with bandages or linens and drove around the village, visiting all the new relatives. This custom is still preserved in many villages, where on the second day of the wedding, costumed guests harness themselves to the cart and roll new matchmakers through the streets.

And, of course, speaking of customs, one cannot skip the rite of baptism of an infant. Children were baptized immediately after birth. To perform the ceremony, they conferred for a long time, choosing godparents. They will be the second parents for the child and, along with them, are responsible for the life, health and upbringing of the baby. Godparents become godfathers and maintain friendly relations with each other all their lives.

When the child was one year old godmother she put him on a twisted sheepskin coat and with scissors carefully cut off a cross in her hair on the crown of her head. This was done so that the evil spirits did not have access to his thoughts and further actions.

On Christmas Eve, the grown-up godson always brought kutya and other treats to the godfather, and the godfather presents him with some sweets in return.

mixed rites

As we have already said, some rituals originated in the pre-Christian period, but continue to live to this day, having slightly changed their appearance. So it was with Shrovetide. The rite is widely known - the celebration of the night on Ivan Kupala. It was believed that only on this one day of the year the fern blooms. Whoever can find this flower that cannot be handed will be able to see treasures underground, and all secrets will be revealed before him. But only a person who is pure in heart, without sin, can find it.

In the evening, huge bonfires were lit, over which young people jumped in pairs. It was believed that if the two of you, holding hands, jump over the fire, then love will not leave you for the rest of your life. They danced and sang songs. The girls wove wreaths and floated on the water. They believed that if the wreath floated to the shore, then the girl would remain single for another year, if she drowned, she would die this year, and if she went with the flow, she would soon get married.

The rich and varied culture of the Slavs managed to preserve most of the rituals and customs. The Russian people have always been original and honored their traditions from time immemorial. Over time, the cultural heritage has undergone significant changes, but still the age-old ties have not been lost, in modern world there was room for ancient legends and superstitions. Let's try to remember the most important customs, rituals and traditions of the Russian people.

Through me

The basis of the centuries-old culture of the Slavs has always been the family, clan, continuity of generations. The rites and customs of the Russian people were part of a person's life from the moment of his birth. If a boy was born, he was traditionally swaddled in his father's shirt. It was believed that in this way he adopts all the necessary masculine qualities. The girl was wrapped in her mother's clothes so that she would grow up to be a good housewife. From an early age, children revered their father and unquestioningly fulfilled all his requirements and wishes. The head of the family was akin to God, who gave continuation to his family.

For the child to be blessed higher powers, did not get sick and developed well, the father presented his heir to the deities. First of all, he showed the baby to Yarila, Semarglu and Svarog. The Gods of Heaven should be giving their patronage to the baby. Then came the turn of Mother Earth, or, as she was otherwise called, the Goddess Mokosh. The child was put on the ground and then dipped into the water.

Bratchina

If you delve into history and look for what rituals and customs of the Russian people were the most cheerful and crowded, then bratchina will take one of the main places. It was not a spontaneous gathering of people and mass celebrations. This ritual has been in preparation for months. Especially for the bratchina, livestock were fattened and beer was brewed in large volumes. In addition, the drinks included wine, mead and kvass. Each guest was required to bring food. The place for the celebration was chosen by all honest people. A random person could not get to the brotherhood - everyone had to receive an invitation. At the table, the most honorable places were occupied by people whose merits were evaluated most highly. Buffoons and songwriters came to entertain the feasters. The festivities could last several hours, and sometimes several weeks.

Wedding

Modern youth does not even suspect that all wedding traditions came from ancient times. Some have undergone changes, some have remained the same as in the days of our ancestors. Of all the rites and customs of the Russian people, the wedding is considered the most fascinating.

According to a long tradition, it had several stages. Matchmaking, bridegroom, conspiracy, pre-wedding week, bachelorette and bachelor parties, vytye, collection of the wedding train, wedding, wedding feast, test of the young, retreats - without these important components, it is even impossible to imagine marriage in Russia.

Despite the fact that now this is much easier, some wedding customs, rituals, proverbs of the Russian people continue to live. Who is not familiar with the expression: "You have a product, we have a merchant"? It is with these words that the groom's parents come to woo.

And the tradition of bringing a young wife into the house in her arms is connected with the desire to deceive the brownie. So the husband circled the owner of the house around the finger, making it clear that he was bringing in the hands of a newborn family member, and not a stranger. Vytye now can cause horror, but before, not a single preparation for a wedding could do without this ceremony. They lamented and wept for the bride, as in our time for the dead.

The ceremony with the shedding of young people with grain has come down to our days - for large families and wealth. In ancient times, bells on a wedding train were used to scare away evil spirits, and now they have been replaced by tin cans tied to the bumper of a car.

Theft and ransom of the bride are also old Russian customs. The composition of the dowry also did not undergo significant changes- feather bed, pillows, blankets and now parents hand over to the bride before the wedding. True, in ancient times, the girl herself had to make them with my own hands.

Christmas rites

After the establishment of Christianity in Russia, new church holidays appeared. The most beloved and long-awaited is Christmas. From January 7 to January 19, Christmas celebrations were held - a favorite youth fun. All the legends, superstitions, rituals and customs of the Russian people associated with these days have come down to our time.

Young girls gathered in small groups to tell fortunes about their betrothed-mummers and find out from which end of the village to expect matchmakers. The most extreme way to see your chosen one was considered to be a trip to the bath with a mirror and a candle. The danger lay in the fact that it was necessary to do this alone and at the same time take off the cross.

carols

The culture, customs and rituals of the Russian people are closely connected with the world of nature and animals. In the evenings, young people went caroling. Dressed up in animal skins or bright costumes, they knocked on houses and begged for treats from the owners with carol songs. It was fraught to refuse such guests - they could easily destroy the woodpile, freeze the door or create other minor pranks. Caroling guests were treated to sweets and it was always believed that their wishes (genuity) for the whole year would provide prosperity and peace in the house, save the owners from ailments and misfortunes. The custom of dressing up as animals is rooted in paganism - so it was possible to scare away evil spirits.

Superstitions and signs for Christmas

It was believed that to lose a thing on the eve of a holiday means to suffer losses all year. Dropping or breaking a mirror is in trouble. Many stars in the sky - for a big harvest. Do needlework on Christmas Eve - get sick all year.

Pancake week

the funniest and delicious holiday in Russia actually has a rather gloomy interpretation. In the old days, these days they commemorated the dead. Actually, the burning of an effigy of Maslenitsa is a funeral, and pancakes are a treat.

This holiday is interesting because it lasts a whole week, and every day is dedicated to a separate ritual. On Monday, they made a scarecrow and rode it on a sleigh throughout the village. On Tuesday, mummers went all over the village and gave performances.

A distinctive feature of this day was considered "bearish" entertainment. The trained owners of the forest staged whole performances, portraying women in their usual activities.

On Wednesday, the main festival began - pancakes were baked in the houses. Tables were set up on the streets and food was sold. could be under open sky taste hot tea from a samovar and eat pancakes. Also on this day, it was customary to go to the mother-in-law for refreshments.

Thursday was a special day when all the fellows could measure themselves against the heroic strength. Shrovetide fisticuffs attracted guys, everyone wanted to show their prowess.

On Friday, pancakes were baked in the son-in-law's house, it was his turn to treat all the guests. On Saturday, the daughters-in-law received guests from among the husband's relatives.

And Sunday was called "forgiveness." It is on this day that it is customary to apologize for insults and visit the cemetery to say goodbye to the dead. The effigy of Maslenitsa was burned, and from that day it was believed that spring had come into its own.

Ivan Kupala

The customs, traditions and rituals of the Russian people associated with this holiday have survived to this day. Of course, a lot has changed, but the basic meaning has remained the same.

According to legend, on the day of the summer solstice, people tried to appease the great celestial being, so that it would give them good harvest and took away sickness. But with the advent of Christianity, Kupala joined with the feast of John the Baptist and began to bear the name Ivan Kupala.

This holiday is most interesting in that the legends speak of a great miracle taking place on this night. Of course, we are talking about the flowering of the fern.

This myth led many people to wander through the forest at night in the hope of seeing a miracle for several centuries. It was believed that the one who sees how the fern blooms will find out where all the treasures of the world are hidden. In addition, all the herbs in the forest acquired a special medicinal power that night.

The girls wove wreaths of 12 different herbs and let them float down the river. If he drowns, expect trouble. If it swims long enough, get ready for the wedding and prosperity. To wash away all sins, it was necessary to bathe and jump over the fire.

Day of Peter and Fevronia

Tradition says that Prince Peter fell seriously ill and saw prophetic dream about the fact that the maiden Fevronia will help him heal. He sought out the girl, but she demanded that he marry her as payment. The prince gave his word and did not keep it. The ailment returned, and he was forced to ask for help again. But this time he kept his promise. The family was strong and it was these Saints who became the patrons of marriage. The original Russian holiday is celebrated immediately after Ivan Kupala - on July 8th. It can be compared to Western Valentine's Day. The difference lies in the fact that in Russia this day is not considered a holiday for all lovers, but only for married people. All future spouses dream of getting married on this day.

Saved

This is another sweet holiday, the roots of which go back to ancient times. August 14 Russia celebrates Honey Spas. On this day, honeycombs are filled with sweet treats and it's time to collect the viscous amber-colored liquid.

August 19 - Apple Spas. This day marks the arrival of autumn and the beginning of the harvest. People rush to the church to bless the apples and taste the first fruits, since it was forbidden to eat them until that day. It is necessary to treat all relatives and friends with fruits. In addition, they bake apple pies and treat all passers-by.

Walnut Spas starts August 29th. From that day on, it was customary to dig potatoes, bake pies from fresh bread flour, and store nuts for the winter. Great holidays were held all over the country - festivities were held in the villages before the harvest, and fairs were held in the cities. On this day the birds begin to fly to warmer climes.

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On October 14, people said goodbye to autumn and met winter. It often snowed that day, which was compared to the bride's veil. It is on this day that it is customary to enter into marriages, because the Intercession gives love and happiness to all people in love.

There are special rituals for this holiday. For the first time, women made a fire in the stove, symbolizing the warmth and comfort in the house. It was necessary to use branches or logs of fruit trees for these purposes. In this way, a good harvest could be ensured for the next year.

The hostess baked pancakes and Pokrovsky loaf. It was necessary to treat the neighbors with this bread, and hide the leftovers until Lent.

Also on this day, one could ask the Mother of God for protection for children. The woman stood up with the icon on the bench and read a prayer over her family. All the children fell on their knees.

Young girls and boys arranged gatherings. It was believed that everyone who married on this day, the Mother of God gives protection.

You can learn more about all the traditions in training course Basics religious cultures and secular ethics (ORKSE). The customs and rituals of the Russian people are revealed there with maximum accuracy and described in accordance with historical facts.

Among the Russian old-timers (especially among the Cossacks and peasants, who early received the land in possession, and then in the property), large (undivided) families were a common occurrence in the past. Not only parents, children and grandchildren lived together and managed jointly, but also several brothers, there could also be a sister with her husband-primak, orphaned nephews and other relatives. Often the family united up to 20 or more people. The head of the family team was the father or elder brother (highway, elder), the manager among women and authority among men was his wife. Intra-family life was determined by patriarchal foundations. The church itself prescribed women unquestioning obedience to their husbands. The daughter-in-law expected a difficult family life everyday work They were expected to be submissive and obedient. At the same time, all members of the family participated in the implementation of household chores, the most difficult field, forestry, and construction work lay on the men. Children were also involved in family affairs.

After the abolition of serfdom and the acquisition of land allotments, there was a tendency for the disintegration of large families. Settlers of the last decades of the XIX century. seldom dared to move in large numbers. At the same time, the residence of the eldest son with his parents remained a family tradition everywhere. Families of 7-9 people were common. In Stolypin's time, small families appeared along with them - 4-6 people.

wedding ceremonies

Weddings were usually celebrated in autumn or winter after Epiphany. The wedding ceremony consisted of several stages and took a long period of time. The godfather with the godmother or the boyfriend's parents came to woo the girl, less often - other relatives. They sat under the mother and started a conversation allegorically: "You have a product, we have a merchant" or "You have a chicken, we have a cockerel, we will bring them into one barn." If agreed, then a series of pre-wedding meetings took place: the bride’s bride, acquaintance with the groom’s household, conspiracy (drinking, handshaking), during which they agreed on the date of the wedding, the amount of the dowry, the size and content of the masonry - the groom’s monetary contribution and the clothes that he bought for the bride (it could be a fur coat, a coat, a silk dress, boots with galoshes, etc.). After that, preparations for the wedding went on for about a month. Throughout this period, the bridesmaids gathered in her house for evening parties, helping to prepare gifts for the wedding and a dowry: they sewed, knitted lace, embroidered.

All the rituals that were part of the wedding cycle were accompanied by songs according to the moment - sad, lyrical, laudatory, comic, farewell.

The playful nature of the wedding entertainment was fully manifested the next day, when the son-in-law, and after him all those present, went "to the mother-in-law for pancakes."

Among the Cossacks, for example, after noisy (with tossing and beating plates) fun in the mother-in-law's house, they dressed up in different clothes, painted or covered their faces with canvas, and with whoops, with songs, drove around the village on oxen harnessed to wagons - rydvans. We went to visit godfathers and other guests.

The wedding could last a week or more. Despite the limited number of invitees, almost everyone could be present, join in dances, performances, occasionally treat themselves.

Collectors of folklore note the impoverishment of wedding rituals in the 20th century, the disappearance of not only many sad, but also a number of playful moments from it. The composition of the participants expanded, but the wedding "roles" (except for the boyfriend) were lost. Ritual song folklore has gone into the realm of history.

The rituals, customs and traditions of the Russian people are rooted in distant old times. Many of them have significantly changed over time and have lost their sacred meaning. But there are some that still exist. Let's consider some of them.

The calendar rites of the Russian people are rooted in the days of the ancient Slavs. At that time, people cultivated the land and raised cattle, worshiped pagan idols.

Here are some of the rituals:

1. Sacrificial rites to the god Veles. He patronized pastoralists and farmers. Before sowing the crop, people went out into the field, wearing clean clothes. They decorated their heads with wreaths, they held flowers in their hands. The oldest villager began to sow and threw the first grain into the ground
2. The harvest was also timed to coincide with the festival. Absolutely all the villagers gathered near the field and sacrificed the largest animal to Veles. The men began to plow the first strip of land, while the women at that time gathered the grain and gathered it into sheaves. At the end of the harvest, they set the table with a generous treat, decorated it with flowers and ribbons.
3. Maslenitsa is a calendar rite that has survived to this day. The ancient Slavs turned to the sun god Yaril with a request to send a rich harvest. They baked pancakes, danced round dances, burned the famous Maslenitsa scarecrow
4. Forgiveness Sunday is the most important day of Shrovetide. On this day, people asked for forgiveness from relatives and relatives, and also forgave all insults themselves. After this day, Great Lent began.

Despite the fact that Maslenitsa has lost its religious meaning, people still take part in mass festivities with pleasure, bake pancakes and enjoy the coming spring.

Christmas traditions

It is impossible not to say about the Christmas rituals, which remain relevant to this day. They are traditionally held from January 7 to January 19 in the period from Christmas to Epiphany.

The sacred rites are as follows:

1. Kolyada. Youth and children go from house to house dressed up, and the residents treat them with sweets. Now they rarely carol, but the tradition has not yet become obsolete
2. Holy divination. Young girls and women gather in groups and arrange fortune-telling. Most often, these are rituals that allow you to find out who will become narrowed, how many children will be born in marriage, and so on.
3. And on January 6, before Christmas in Russia, they cooked compote with rice, cooked delicious pastries and slaughtered livestock. It was believed that this tradition helps to attract a rich harvest in the spring and provide the family with material well-being.

Now the Christmas rites have lost their magical sacrament and are used mainly for entertainment. Another reason to have fun in the company of girlfriends and friends is to arrange a group fortune-telling for the betrothed, dress up and carol on holidays.

Family rituals in Russia

Family rituals were given great importance. For matchmaking, wedding or baptism of newborns, special rituals were used, which were sacredly honored and observed.

Weddings, as a rule, were scheduled for a time after a successful harvest or baptism. Also, a favorable time for the ceremony was considered the week following happy holiday Easter. The newlyweds were married in several stages:

• Matchmaking. In order to marry the bride to the groom, all close relatives from both sides gathered together. They discussed the dowry, where the young couple would live, agreed on gifts for the wedding
• After the blessing of the parents was received, preparations for the celebration began. The bride and her bridesmaids gathered every evening and prepared a dowry: they sewed, knitted and wove clothes, bed sheets, tablecloths and other home textiles. Singing sad songs
• On the first day of the wedding, the bride said goodbye to girlhood. Girlfriends sang sad ritual songs of the Russian people, farewell laments - after all, from that moment on, the girl turned out to be in complete submission to her husband, no one knew how her family life would turn out
• According to custom, on the second day of the wedding, the newly-made husband, along with his friends, went to his mother-in-law for pancakes. They arranged a stormy feast, went to visit all the new relatives

When in new family a child appeared, he had to be baptized. The rite of baptism was performed immediately after birth. It was necessary to choose a reliable godfather - this person bore great responsibility, almost on a par with parents, for the fate of the baby.

And when the baby was one year old, a cross was cut off on his crown. It was believed that this rite gives the child protection from evil spirits and evil eye.

When the child grew up, he was obliged to visit his godparents every year on Christmas Eve with refreshments. And those, in turn, presented him with presents, treated him with sweets.

Watch a video about the rituals and customs of the Russian people:

mixed rites

Separately, it is worth talking about such interesting rituals:

• Celebration of Ivan Kupala. It was believed that only from that day on it was possible to swim. Also on this day, a fern bloomed - the one who finds a flowering plant will reveal all the innermost secrets. People made bonfires and jumped over them: it was believed that a couple who jumped over the fire, holding hands, would be together until death
• From pagan times came the custom to commemorate the dead. Per memorial table there must have been a rich meal and wine

To follow the ancient traditions or not is everyone's business. But you can not build them into a cult, but pay tribute to the ancestors, their culture, the history of their country. This applies to religious practices. Concerning recreational activities, such as Maslenitsa or the celebration of Ivan Kupala - this is another reason to have fun in the company of friends and soulmate.