Snowman: history of appearance, symbol, day. Where did the snowman come from and what mystical meaning is hidden in it Snowmen in Russia - you give gender differentiation

There is very little left before the New Year. I was thinking how to close the publications of 2017 and suddenly I saw through the window how the children were making a snowman. This year we still have a shortage of snow, but even a small amount of it prompted the children to make a snow figurine familiar to everyone. It became interesting to me where this symbol of winter came from and what is the history of the snowman.

I am sure that for many, the snowman figurine is associated with something kind, cheerful, joyful. It can not be in any other way. I immediately recall the cartoons of Soviet times - “Snowman-mailer”, “When the Christmas trees are lit”, where the Snowman acts as the main assistant to Santa Claus. And postcards from the Soviet times - they often have a smiling snowman as a symbol of winter and the new year.

But everything is not so cloudless.

Historical reference books say:

• the author of the first snow figure was an Italian sculptor, architect, poet Michelangelo Buonarroti and it was in 1493
• in the 18th century, the mention of a beautiful huge snowman was recorded in a European record book
• the word snowman ("schneeman") originated in German.

But the first European snowmen were far from being friendly, they were made in large sizes in the form of snow monsters. In relatively warm Europe, severe frosts and blizzards rarely occurred. People not accustomed to harsh winters had a hard time enduring such natural disasters. Therefore, the snowman was a symbol of the harsh winter, which brings trouble, and sometimes a threat to human life and health.

There were signs regarding snowmen:

• it was impossible to sculpt snow figures on a full moon, this could provoke night fears, terrible dreams and troubles in life
• bad luck will haunt if you look at the snowman late at night from the window
• a bad sign, if a snowman meets a snowman at night, they tried to bypass him
• it was impossible to sculpt figures near churches, in places of execution and in a cemetery

In the 19th century, people rehabilitated snowmen and they became a fun attribute of the New Year and Christmas. They began to be considered the owners of the yards and were placed near the houses.

Snowman - a symbol of winter in Russia

There is no exact date for the appearance of a snowman in Russia, but what can we say for sure that it was before the arrival of Christianity, since a pagan note can be traced in this.

Unlike the European demonic note, in Russia it was believed that since snow falls from the sky, it means that the snow figure was sent by heaven. In Europe, the figures were exclusively masculine, and in Russia they believed that female spirits controlled blizzards and snows. "Father Frost", "Mother Winter" treated the winter period so respectfully. Therefore, they sculpted both Snowmen and Snow Babies. Apparently, therefore, only our Santa Claus has a Snow Maiden.

With the first snow in the yards, not one snow figure was sculpted, but three. One was responsible for the snowy, mild winter, the other for the future harvest. The third, the smallest, had a name - Kryshna, from the word roof, she was responsible for happiness in the house.

The mystical note in the image of the Snowman was present both in Europe and in Russia, so they dressed them with meaning:

In Romania, beads were made for the snowman from the heads of garlic, thereby protecting the household from diseases and evil forces.

Over time, they began to treat outfits more simply, they began to decorate snowmen with hats, scarves and other household utensils.

snowman day

From those ancient years to this day, both children and adults love to create snow figures. They organize various collective events, for example, in Moscow every year a parade of Snowmen is held in the estate of Father Frost.

There are also record figures:

• on the slopes of a ski resort in Austria, in the city of Galtür, a snowman flaunts with a height of 16 meters 70 centimeters.
• in the USA in 1999 they made a huge figure 37 m 20 cm high. The construction of such a giant took 6 thousand tons of snow.

International Snowman Day, there is such a holiday, it is celebrated on January 18th. The idea of ​​the holiday belongs to Cornelius Graetz,to a young man from Germany who collected over 3,000 images of snowmen. His collection was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2008.He proposed the date 18, since it looks like a snowman, and January, because at this time in many countries there is snow.
We can celebrate this day twice, because in Russia it is celebrated on February 28th.

This is the story of the appearance of a snowman, a symbol of winter and the New Year.

New Year's greetings

The New Year is already on the threshold, and this is the time to make wishes, the time to believe that nothing is impossible!

Since a snowman is a gift from heaven, according to an ancient legend, they were considered winter angels who can convey people's requests to God. It was necessary to mold a figure from fresh snow and whisper your desire to him. It was believed that as soon as the figurine melted, the wish would be taken upstairs and would soon be fulfilled.

So take your children and grandchildren, make snowmen, and may all your plans come true. In the meantime, you are here, I propose to play and find a panda among the snowmen in the picture.

Happy New Year from the bottom of my heart to the readers of the blog "At the Fireplace" and my friends who I have made thanks to my blog.

I wish you all a happy New Year's Eve. According to the eastern calendar, 2018 is the year of the Dog, let it be your faithful helper and friend, protect you from trouble. Happiness and health to you in the new year, let it be remembered for great achievements, joyful events, pleasant surprises. May you be surrounded by the love and care of loved ones.
Congratulate your family and friends on the New Year by sending an original audio greeting to your phone.

Elena Kasatova.
See you by the fire in 2018.

The snowman is the real spirit of winter! Russian winter transforms the world with its frosty breath. Everything becomes like a wonderful fairy tale: white fluffy snow is flying, the sleeping earth covered with a winter blanket sparkles in the sun ... And in every yard, as if by magic, funny snowmen wrapped in scarves appear.

This fun winter idea has been known to people for more than one century. But not many people know what kind of supernatural meaning the snowman had in the past ... Find out about it from our article and see photos that will surely make your mood festive and inspire your own creativity!

According to an old legend, at the end of the 15th century, around 1493, the Italian sculptor, architect and poet Michelangelo Buonarroti first made a snow figure. The image of a snow figurine first appeared as an illustration for a children's book with songs published in Leipzig.

The first snowmen were portrayed as unkind ferocious snow monsters of impressive size. This is no coincidence, because in those ancient times, ruthless winters with their severe frosts and dank blizzards brought a lot of trouble.

Most likely, it was then that beliefs appeared, according to which snow creatures pose a real threat to people. For example, it was believed that sculpting them on a full moon was dangerous: for a person, disobedience could turn into obsessive nightmares, nightly fears, and indeed all sorts of failures.

And in Norway there was a legend that it was dangerous to look at a snow figure late in the evening because of the curtain; besides, it was considered a bad sign to meet her on her way at night, it was recommended to bypass her.

It was only in the 19th century that snow creatures improved and soon became an indispensable attribute of Christmas and New Year. Greeting cards with a picture of a cute smiling snowman surrounded by cheerful children quickly gained popularity.

According to an old European parable, St. Francis of Assisi considered the creation of snow figures to be a kind of method of dealing with demons. And according to another Christian legend, snowmen are angels, because snow is a gift from heaven. This means that the snowman is none other than an angel who can convey people's requests to God. To do this, they sculpted a snow figurine from freshly fallen snow and quietly whispered their desire to it. They believed that as soon as it melted, the request would immediately be delivered to heaven and soon fulfilled.

In Europe, snowmen were always made near houses, generously decorated with garlands and household utensils, wrapped in scarves, and branched brooms were handed into hands.

In the details of their attire, a mystical character is guessed.

For example, a carrot was attached instead of a nose to propitiate the spirits that send harvest and fertility.

An inverted bucket on the head symbolized prosperity in the house.

Romania has long known the custom of decorating a snow figure with beads of garlic heads: it was believed that this contributes to the health of the household and protects them from the leprosy of dark power.

Wonderful children's fairy tales are dedicated to snowmen, the most famous of which is "The Snowman" by H. H. Andersen. In it, the dog told the snowman about her life, about people and about the stove, where she loved to warm herself so much as a puppy. And that too had an inexplicable desire to get closer to the stove, it seemed to him that something was stirring in him. For days on end, instead of enjoying the bitter cold, he yearned, looking at the stove through the window ... Spring came, and the snowman melted. And only then was an explanation for his sadness found: he was mounted on a poker, which stirred in him at the sight of his native stove.

In Russia, snow figures have been sculpted since ancient pagan times and revered as the spirits of winter. They, like Santa Claus, were treated with due respect and asked for help and to reduce the duration of severe frosts. By the way, snowmen and the Snow Maiden are our Russian property.

Our ancestors believed that winter natural phenomena - fogs, snows, blizzards - were commanded by female spirits, therefore, to show them their respect, they sculpted snow women. It is not for nothing that there are expressions “mother winter”, “father frost”. And the month of January is sometimes even called “snowman”.

Since ancient pagan times, in the understanding of the Russian people (as well as some peoples of Northern Europe), snowmen are angels descended from heaven. After all, snow is a gift from heaven. This means that the snowman is none other than an angel who can convey people's requests to God. For this little snowman, they sculpted from freshly fallen snow and quietly whispered their cherished desire to him. They believed that as soon as the snow figurine melted, the wish would immediately be delivered to heaven and would soon come true.

Cute smiling toy snowmen have always been especially popular with children. In the glorious Soviet cartoons “The Snowman-Mailman”, “When the Christmas Trees Are Lighting up”, the snowman acts as a faithful helper of Santa Claus with the housework.

In the Soviet Union, snowmen were skillfully painted on greeting cards. According to Soviet greeting cards, it can be seen that the snowman was one of the most beloved New Year's characters.

Today, in our civilized world, the creation of snow figures remains not only a favorite activity for children, but also a publicly organized holiday. Around the world, records are being set for sculpting the largest snowmen.

The highest snowman in Europe flaunts on the slopes of a ski resort in Austria, in the city of Galtür: its height has reached 16 meters 70 centimeters.

Snowman - a simple figure, but his story has a certain meaning. Why exactly such a snowman, as we know him, accompanies winter and New Year holidays?

For the first time snowmen are mentioned in the Book of Hours in the 14th century. On the old lithographs of Europe, get ready to be surprised, snowmen are depicted as scary creatures (unfortunately, the lithographs themselves cannot be found). Winter time in the Middle Ages was a real test for the population. Then the snowman was an expression of danger and fear, they were accompanied by bad beliefs. It was impossible to sculpt on a full moon, otherwise nightmares would occur. In Norway, there is a saying that it is dangerous to look at snowmen in the evening because of the curtains. And in general, it is undesirable to meet him after sunset.

Luckily, St. Francis of Assisi intervened in this terrible European story and declared snowmen to be creatures that protect against demons. The explanation was simple, snow is a gift from heaven, which means that the snowman is akin to an angel, protects people and can even convey their requests to heaven. To do this, they sculpted little snowmen and whispered wishes to them. After it melts, the wish will surely come true.

Since then, they have been sculpted near houses. Carrots instead of a nose "promised" a generous harvest next year. A bucket on the head is wealth in the house. And in Romania, garlic beads were hung on snowmen for the health of households.

A few photos of the first half of the 20th century.

Illustration for the children's book "Die Welt im Kleinen", 1867.

Fedot Vasilyevich Sychkov "Modeling a snowman", 1910

Name for the snowman strengthened in the 18th century from the German "schneeman". At the same time, snowmen were and are only in Russia. In the rest of the world, the snowman is always male. And in Russia, our ancestors believed that female spirits command fogs, snows and blizzards. Hence the "snow woman" - a native phenomenon, a female spirit that helps people. The "snowmen" were treated with respect and asked to reduce the time of severe frosts.

Painting by Sergei Glushkov.

Painting by Sergei Sviridov.

Another snow character close to us is the Snow Maiden. Snow girl. They have already found relatives for the Snowman and Snowwomen! The image of the Snow Maiden from a folk tale was studied by A. N. Afanasyev (“Poetic views of the Slavs on nature”, 1867). The Snow Maiden is an exceptionally kind character to people. This is not an evil winter, but a gentle helper. The image of a revived snow girl is also found in the fairy tales of the peoples of the north. But ... we are already far from the Snowman.

One of the first images of the Snow Maiden. Painting by Vasnetsov.

By the 18th century, the European snowman had "kindled up". With the beginning of technological progress, winter no longer carried so many trials, life became relatively easier. And at the end of the 19th century, it acquired its classic form of three snow globes. Here the snowman constantly appears on Christmas cards surrounded by children and is gaining popularity as an attribute of the New Year holidays.

Postcards used to congratulate each other in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

And a couple more funny photos.

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According to European legend, snowmen were invented in the 12th century by the knight Giovanni Bernardoni - they are also Saint Francis of Assisi. According to the life of the saint, Francis, struggling with the demons that tempted him, began to sculpt snowmen and call them his wife and children. In the modeling of a snowman, the prototype of the creation of man is guessed, only now the act of creation belongs to the man himself.

In addition, snowmen with brooms - weapons were the guards of the dwelling, not letting evil spirits go there. Also in the countries of Northern Europe, people made snowmen on the eve of Christmas and as traps for demons - an evil spirit that mistakenly took a snowman for a person, moved into a pile of snow and could no longer free itself until spring itself. Because of this, in Norway, snowmen began to be called "white trolls." There was a legend that one could not look at them late at night because of the curtain in the window. But in Romania, there is a custom to decorate a snowman with "beads" of garlic heads, as this contributes to the health of the household and protects them from vampires, ghouls, werewolves.
In Russia, they also made snowmen and snowmen. Snowmen were revered as the spirits of winter, to them, as well as to Frost, they raised a request for help, mercy and a decrease in the duration of cold weather. Perhaps that is why a broom is given to the "hands" of the snowman - so that he can safely fly into the sky when he pleases. With snowmen, the story is special. Since in Russia it was once believed that the air was inhabited by heavenly maidens who commanded fogs, clouds, snows, the pagans held solemn rituals in their honor. To propitiate the heavenly inhabitants, they sculpted snowmen, as if exalting the heavenly nymphs on earth.

Snowmen received their canonical appearance - a body made of three snow globes, a nose made of carrots, a bucket on their heads - only in the 19th century. At the same time, snow creatures “broke up” and became an indispensable attribute of Christmas and New Year, a kind of symbol of winter holidays. But before that, snowmen would hardly have seemed kind creatures to us.
The modern snowman