Most people nowadays believe that Christmas and the Carols are inextricably linked. In fact, since pagan times, when Christianity was not even adopted in Russia, and people believed in different gods, there already existed such a tradition as Kolyada. This holiday was dedicated to the heavenly god Dazhdbog.
Ancient people believed that after the winter solstice the god of heaven wakes up, and the length of the day begins to increase, and the nights decrease. Our ancestors were grateful to Dazhdbog and began to praise him with the help of ritual songs - carols.
Since then, many customs have been forgotten and changed, but nevertheless we adhere to many traditions, although in a slightly different form, now.
The essence of the holiday
Kolyada is a holiday of the Slavs, the popular name of Christmas and Christmas time, which lasts today from January 7 to January 19 (Baptism).
The main purpose of Kolyada is to conduct ceremonies dedicated to the Christmas Eve. The main traditions that have been preserved to one degree or another in our time are:
- putting on a variety of outfits, in particular made of animal skins and horns, the use of masks;
- caroling, performance of carol songs;
- Thanksgiving carollers and giving them sweets, food, coins and other things;
- games of young people;
- fortune telling unmarried girls.
Kolyada is the holiday that was the largest and most important in winter since the time of the Gentiles, just as Christmas is now for all Christians.
When celebrate the holiday of Kolyada
Kolyada is a holiday of the Slavs, the date on which Christmas time began (December 25 is the day of the winter solstice), and they lasted until January 6. Thus, even before the adoption of Christianity, the people held rites of Kolyada, praising the god of heaven - Dazhdbog.
What date was celebrated after the adoption of Christianity? Pagan celebrations merged with the birthday of Jesus Christ, and Christmas time was already celebrated from December 6 to 19, i.e. from Christmas to Baptism. These Christmas traditions have been preserved to this day.
The relationship of the solstice and carols
Kolyada festival was celebrated in honor of the rebirth of the sun on the day of the winter solstice. December 25, people did not just celebrate the New Year - they believed that on this day the birth of a new star and agricultural activity was taking place.
A. S. Famintsyn, in a book entitled “Deities of the Ancient Slavs” written in 1884, indicated that in the ancient scriptures there are references to two gods - Kupala (the god of the summer solstice) and Kolyada (the god of the winter solstice).
A.N. Afanasyev in the book "Poetic views of the Slavs on nature" mentioned that the sun was the personification of a happy and divine life. The solar deity was considered the brightest, kind and merciful; in that it encourages all living organisms to life, provides food and help to people.
It was believed that the luminary was inextricably linked with fate, so a man asked for his help when difficulties and failures pursued him. Also, the sun was supposed to withstand evil, darkness and cold.
Thus, the Slavic festival of Kolyada and the performance of carols are rituals dedicated to the god of the sun, which show the special attitude of our ancestors to the luminary.
Interpretation of the holiday name
Kolyada is a pagan holiday, and its name goes back to ancient times.
One of the versions of the origin of the word “Kolyada” insists that it came from “colo” - “sun”. It protected people from darkness, and on December 25 a new and young luminary was born, which helped increase the daylight and decrease the night.
Dmitry Shchepkin had a different opinion, and it consists in the fact that the word "Kolyada" means "circular food or circular dishes," "going around." This can be explained by the fact that caroling companies went to the nativity scene in all yards, danced and sang carols, they were rewarded with goodies for this, and afterwards they ate together the food that they had conjured.
In addition, there are opinions that "Kolyada" comes from the words:
- “deck” - lighted stump;
- “colo” - round, wheel;
- from the Latin word "calendar", that is, "the first day of the month."
In the etymological dictionary, the meaning of the word is explained as “a custom that is associated with the beginning of the year”, which is characteristic of pre-Christian times, and after the adoption of Christianity, the Kolyada Slavic holiday was introduced to the birthday of Jesus Christ.
According to the ethnolinguistic dictionary (Slavic antiquities), the word has pagan roots. And Strakhov claims that in Kolyada there is nothing pro-Slavic and pagan, and this term was adopted as an expression of the clergy (literally: "gifts or offerings that were collected by the clergy" or "content for the New Year").
How did you prepare for the holiday of Kolyada?
Kolyada is the holiday that was the largest and most important for the people. Based on this, it can be argued that prepared for it in advance and carefully. Ordinary people (even from the poorest families):
- cooked a large number of dishes, in particular with meat, and for this they pricked a pig;
- cleaned thoroughly throughout the house;
- steamed well in the bath;
- Prepared new outfits, in particular for caroling.
One thing has remained unchanged: since ancient times, and now we strive to meet the New Year holidays cleansed both physically and spiritually.
How has Koleda been celebrated since ancient times?
Most ethnographers agree that even in pre-Christian times there was such a custom as Kolyada. The history of the holiday is interesting and fascinating, many traditions and rituals have survived to our time, but some have lost their force and have been changed.
Celebrations and ceremonies of Kolyada were held in the following order:
1. The first part of the celebration was that a large number of people came to pagan temples (temples) in order to perform the ritual of sacrifice and communicate with the gods, to become closer to them.
As the legends say, people gathered near rivers, in forests, near fires and thanked and praised their gods, asked for repentance and future benefits. At the same time, their faces were decorated, masked, hides and other clothes were dressed on them, they held spears, shields and horns of animals in their hands, made sacrifices and divined.
For the ritual of sacrifice and fortune-telling, a sorcerer was needed - a man who maintained contact with the gods. In the family, this role was played by an older man. Before fortune telling, sacrifices were usually performed by birds or animals. In this case, blood was poured and sprayed around to drive away evil spirits. Parts of the animal that were not intended for food were buried in the ground, burned in flames, or drowned in a river.
The elders killed the pet, asking the gods. At this time, young girls and guys both divined and performed the carols, which praised Kolyada, the god of the young Sun.
2. The second part of the Kolyada was dedicated to a universal meal. People ate food that was sacrificed, drank in turn from the bowl, which was passed around. At the same time, carols were performed, praised the gods Navi and Prav and asked for help for good people.
3. In the third part of the celebration there were so-called “games”: people performed various songs, danced to Slavic folk instruments.
The Carol (Solstice) festival had its own customs and peculiarities the next day:
- First, children of several people went caroling. They took 2 pies with them, which they divided equally into everyone and ate after carols.
- Then came the young girls (future brides) and sang ritual songs. They were given them all with several executioners and gingerbread.
- At the end, all the women and men go to caroling, they were also given both kalachi and gingerbread.
Holiday Carol Script
And today, how is the holiday celebrated? Kolyada passes in a whirlwind of ritual festivities. The scenario was and remains the following, despite the additions and changes that are made by different peoples:
1. On Christmas Eve (January 6), people did not eat anything until the evening. But as soon as the first star appeared in the sky, they sat down with the whole family for dinner. On the table this evening there should be 12 dishes, of which kutya and dried fruit (apples and pears) are obligatory, as well as rich meat dishes (pancakes, stuffed cabbage, dumplings, home-made sausage).
It has long been a tradition among our ancestors to put hay under a tablecloth, which was supposed to lie there until January 14 - Shchedretsa.
2. The next morning - January 7 - comes the biggest winter holiday of the Nativity of Christ. On this special day, it is customary to go to the godchildren and give them presents.
After lunch, young girls and boys dress up in different animals and gypsies and in groups of 10-15 people go with carols. One of the company of carollers should dress up as a goat. In some regions (in particular, in Western Ukraine) it is customary to walk with a large makeshift star. The carollers sing songs praising the earth, asking for a good future, dancing and having fun. For this, the owners generously thank them and give different goodies and money.
It was believed that if the owners didn’t unlock the door with carols, this could impose misfortune on the family and poverty.
3. The next after Christmas was the day of St. Stepan. It was on this day that the owner had to fully pay off his workers, and they, in turn, could express everything that had accumulated over the past year. Then they decided whether to conclude a new agreement to continue cooperation or to diverge.
City residents celebrated this Slavic holiday (Kolyada) a little differently. His scenario was as follows:
- holding a festive program and festivities in the park and in the city center;
- organization of the fair;
- Ball and dances (arranged for wealthy citizens).
Children, as today, could enjoy the Christmas tree, gifts, go to performances and dance programs.
4. Shchedrets was also celebrated on January 14. On this day, not only sang and danced, but also chose the most beautiful girl in the village. She was dressed up, put on a wreath, ribbons, she led a team of beauties who walked around the yards and were generous. On this day, the hosts tried as best as possible and bestow gifts on those who are generous, so that the coming year will be successful and rich.
Place of Kutya during Christmas carols
The holiday of Kolyada among the ancient Slavs did not take place without kutya. There were 3 special saints in the evening, for each of which they prepared ceremonial cereal, and different:
1. Lenten with nuts, dried fruits, poppy seeds and uzvar was prepared on the first Christmas eve - January 6. Such porridge was called a great kutya.
2. January 13 - on the eve of the New Year according to the old style - they prepared the second kuti, which was called rich or generous. On this day, all sorts of fairly satisfying dishes were served, and even the porridge was seasoned with fat, lard, butter and meat.
3. The third kutia - on the eve of Epiphany on January 18 - was called hungry and was, like the first, lean, cooked on water. There was a tradition that the head of the family went out that evening and drew crosses at all gates, wickets and doors to protect the inhabitants of the house and family from evil spirits, troubles and bad weather.
The Kolyada holiday in Russia during the Soviet era was practically not celebrated, but in the 60s Slavic traditions began to revive, and in the 90s they began to return to Russian families in full swing. Today they sing carols on Holy evening - from January 6 to 7, and many customs return: children and young people dress up in holiday dresses, take a star with them, and learn ritual songs. The owners, in turn, try to generously thank the carols so that the year is successful and rich.
Fortune telling place on holidays
Fortune-telling on holidays Kolyada occupied a special place, they were usually carried out from the evening on the eve of Christmas until January 14 (New Year's Eve). It was believed that it was on these days that girls could find out their fate and reveal the secret of the future, see the groom and even predict the date of the wedding. There were many rituals. The most popular of these are the following:
1. The girl was to go out into the yard and throw a boot with her left foot over the fence. Then see how he fell. If the toe to the house, then this year she will not marry, if in the opposite, then looked in which direction the boot points - say, from there and you need to wait for the narrowed.
2. They took 2 needles, smeared them with fat or lard and dipped them in water. If they were drowning right away, then the unsuccessful year was foreshadowed, and if they stayed afloat, and even connected, then it was worth waiting for a rich year and soon marriage.
3. Guessed and logs. A young girl from a woodcutter pulled out one stump blindly and carefully examined it. If he was rough, then he would be narrowed with an unsightly appearance, if smooth and even, then the future husband will be beautiful and handsome. A lot of knots on the stump indicated that the guy will be from a family with many sisters and brothers. If you come across a crooked and twisted log, the groom will be with external defects (curve, pockmark, etc.)
4. Fortune telling on the rings. It consisted of pouring any cereal or rye, wheat into the sieve, putting 4 kinds of rings here: metal, silver, with a pebble and gold, and mixed all this well. For this fortune-telling, a company of unmarried girls gathered, each of whom scooped up one handful of contents:
- if only grain came across, then this year the girl will not marry at all;
- if a simple metal ring, then she will marry a poor guy;
- if the ring is silver, then the groom will be simple;
- a ring with a pebble predicted family life with a boyar;
- a golden ring - a sign that a girl will marry a merchant.
5. There is also such a fortune telling, for which you need to take a bowl and fill it with grain, prepare pieces of paper, on one of which write the cherished name of the narrowed one, leave the rest empty. Take handfuls of grain and see from what time the desired leaf comes across:
- if from the first, then the girl should wait for a quick matchmaking;
- from the second - so you have to face some difficulties;
- from the third - the young one is deceiving you, it is better not to believe his words;
- from the fourth - the guy is completely indifferent to you.
Young girls also wondered:
- at midnight in the bath;
- with a mirror, expecting to see him narrowed;
- on water and candles.
One of the main traditions was wheel riding. To do this, a large wooden circle in the form of a wheel was set on fire and rolled uphill and from the mountain. Here you can clearly see the connection between Slavic traditions and the rites of Kolyada, because the burning wheel, of course, symbolized the sun, and by the fact that it was rolled uphill, they helped to add light day.
Carol History
Christmas carols were usually not sung in the house, but right under the windows. Young girls asked permission to enter and then sang "grape", widespread in the North. Here caroling was presented not with cakes or sweets, but with ceremonial cookies in the form of animals, birds. Such crusts were made from long-stored dough, they were valuable and expensive for each family, because they were stored throughout the year so that household utensils would not get lost on the way home and multiply. They made such cookies before, but with the image of symbols that were addressed to the gods (sign of Rod or the Sun).
The ritual of caroling was carried out for a week, starting from December 25 (Christmas according to the Julian calendar). The main attributes of such a procession were:
1. The star. They made it out of strong paper - large, about one meter in size (about 0.7 meters) - and lit it with a candle. The star was eight-pointed, painted with bright colors.
2. Nativity scene. It was made of a box with two tiers, in which were placed figures of wood depicting the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Under the windows, the carollers performed short prayer chants, and only one of the group, with the permission of the owner, could enter the house and receive treats and small money.
Kolyada is a holiday during which 5-10 groups with a star could visit one yard in large villages of Russia, and the hosts tried to generously bestow each of them.
Pagan holiday roots
So what is Kolyada? The essence of the holiday is as follows: this is a list of ancient Slavic rituals that glorify and praise the pagan god of the young sun. According to many sources, Kolyada was still the god of merry feasts.
The main version of the origin of the holiday is that it was praised for the sun on the winter solstice. There was even a legend in this regard. The serpent Korotun devoured the Sun, and the goddess Kolyada helped people and gave birth to a new, young luminary - Bozhich. People try to help the goddess and protect the newborn from the snake through singing and loud shouts, dressing in scary costumes from the skins of animals and using horns. With Christmas carols, youth walks in all yards to report that a new young sun was born.
After the adoption of Christianity, the church in every possible way prohibited the practice of caroling and worship of the gods, but it was not possible to completely eradicate the ancient traditions and rites. Therefore, priests and believers began to walk around the yards, announcing that Jesus Christ was born and praising him. These customs have survived to our time. Although the owners often did not endow such carols at all, on the contrary, they tried to avoid. In Polesie, believing carollers were not allowed to go to the house, as it was believed that millet would not be productive, and those who carolled according to the old tradition were generously rewarded and thanked.