Public holidays are in any country. But also each nation has its own holidays, which came from the depths of centuries, remembered for their traditions. Public holidays are of great importance both for the whole state and for every family. In the old days, people said: “We work hard for a whole year so that we can have a good rest and have fun on holidays.”
The most famous and respected national holidays of Russia are, of course, winter Christmas, spring Pancake week, which marks the arrival of warm days, the bright holiday of Easter, the summer Trinity and the day of Ivan Kupala. Many of them are associated with nature, its awakening, flowering, harvesting of rich crops. On a holiday, people especially vividly felt the fullness of life, internal unity with each other, a special attitude. And, of course, all public holidays were imbued with a number of
customs, traditions, rituals.
It is impossible to imagine a snowy Christmas 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 Day, the Christmas tree was brightly decorated, as well as “roes” - a very tasty cookie in the form of various pets. They treated their neighbors and all friends. Whoever eats some kind of “roe” will have positive qualities of this animal all year long.
What Russian people did not hear about the wide Maslenitsa with its songs, dances, fairs, round dances? At Shrovetide it was possible to taste the most delicious pancakes with various fillings, ride a roller coaster on a sled, and on the last day of the Shrovetide a scarecrow was burned - this was the victory of spring over the annoying winter.
Easter is perhaps the most famous religious holiday. On this day, in all houses cakes and Easter cakes are baked, eggs are painted in anticipation of the end of Great Lent. On the
Holy Trinity houses, courtyards, temples are decorated with flowers, freshly cut grass, twigs of birch. It was on this day that unmarried girls wove wreaths, and then divined 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 the morning, and then jump over them, pour water on each other, throw wreaths into the fire.
By value, Easter was considered the most important holiday. Great - all the other holidays listed. There were also the so-called "half-holidays" in each village, which marked the beginning or end of peasant work.
Well, and, of course, public holidays suggested relaxation for the body and soul, that is, complete freedom from hard work. Mowing, harvesting, spinning, sewing, sweeping a hut, chopping wood was considered inadmissible. People dressed their best clothes, went to visit each other, had fun, visited fairs, watched performances of booths and puppet theaters. They could be severely punished for non-observance of holiday etiquette: for example, they could impose a fine or even publicly whip them in the square.
Here they are, public holidays in Russia!