New Year Santa Claus. Good Santa Claus

Caroling at Christmas is quite fun and funny - have you tried it? What is Kolyadka and where did this tradition come from - going home on Holy Evening and singing merry carols? Nowadays, not every parent can answer this question. Let's try to figure out how and when to carol at Christmas. We have also selected a collection short carols for children that are quite easy and quick to learn.

Where did the tradition of caroling come from?

Kolyada (koleda) is a holiday of our ancestors, the ancient Slavs, associated with winter solstice and meaning birthday solar year. After the birth of Christ, it was associated with Christmas, however, the tradition and meaning remained the same. They sing carols on Holy Evening, January 6, and already in the morning of January 7 they wish Merry Christmas and sing Christmas songs.

Many people confuse schedrovkas with carols, but these short funny songs have a difference. They go generously under the Old New Year, January 13, and caroling before Christmas, January 6. By the way, only boys or young men can be generous - it is believed that it is the man who enters the house who will bring wealth and prosperity.

In contrast to generosity (January 13) and sowing (at dawn on January 14), when, when wishing for goodness and prosperity, they “sow and sow” cereals or grains, during caroling they simply sing songs and wishes, and for their efforts the carolers receive treats in the form candies, cookies and coins. Unfortunately, today many do not know how to properly sing carols on Holy Evening.

In the old days, mostly young boys and girls went to caroling: dressed in special costumes, they walked from courtyard to courtyard and sang funny songs and wishes - carols. However, adults were also not forbidden to join the group of young people.

How to carol at Christmas on January 6

Nowadays, the tradition of caroling at Christmas is still popular, especially in small towns, villages and villages. For children this is fun fun, for adults - a great chance to spend time with a child and learn a couple of carols with him.

They start caroling after the first star rises - according to tradition, it signifies the birth of Jesus. But nowadays it’s enough to wait until it gets dark. For caroling, you need to make an eight-pointed “guiding” star (can be made of paper or wire, decorated with sparkles or tinsel) - a symbol of Christmas. Having knocked on the house, you must ask permission to “carol” and only then start singing songs and telling stories. In carols, they usually wish goodness and prosperity to the owners, and for this they receive sweets and coins, which the owners must put or throw into a bag. Moreover, it is believed that the more generous the owners are, the more prosperous their life will be in the new year.

At least three people go caroling, each with their own purpose:

• Chief among the carolers - star. They call him that because he is the one who carries the star, enters the house first and begins to sing a carol. Most often, this is a guy with a beautiful and sonorous voice who knows the text of carols better than anyone else. It is he who begins his song, and the rest must pick it up.
• Second in importance among carolers - bell ringer. He carries a bell and rings it to “notify” the arrival of carolers.
• The "junior" in rank among the carolers - mechonosha- he carries a large bag into which the owners will throw treats and sweets. By the way, it’s precisely throwing, because carolers should not take anything from their hands.

You are also allowed to walk in large groups, but you can’t sing carols one by one: Kolyada should be enjoyed by everyone together!

In the old days, to sing carols, they wore special costumes and animal masks: a bear, a goat, a ram - this is how the Slavs tried to “appease” Kolyada. That is why carolers were called “mummers.”

Now you can just wear Russian folk costumes. If this is problematic, buy ready-made animal masks.

Short carols for children at Christmas

Of course, the more interesting and longer the carol, the more generously the owners should reward the carolers. But it’s not easy for little children to learn a long song or poem, so kids are allowed to read short carols at Christmas:

Conducted and celebrated since ancient times, he was given great value. Absolutely all the people sang, danced, feasted, rejoiced and had fun.

A little bit of history

The famous holiday is named after the great god Kolyada, for Slavic people he was one of the main ones. Historical records say that he gave humanity a calendar, and they learned to use dates. This god has helped many ordinary people, farmers, warriors, protecting everyone from death. In many images you can see Kolyada with a sword, but he was not in a militant mood: the blade of his weapon was aiming down towards the ground. He tried to convey to many that there is no need to constantly fight, everything can be resolved according to the laws established from above. After all, there are other important things to do in life.

The emergence of a great holiday

Another name is the holiday of Kolyada: the day of change or Menari. There is a story that in ancient times people fell into the kingdom of death. After staying there for some time, they were released. In order to prevent them from being imprisoned back, they began to pay off with various sweets and all kinds of objects. Their relatives greeted them with fun, songs and festivities. Since then, people began to annually celebrate this important day, which later received the name Kolyada.

The meaning of the celebration of Kolyada for the Slavic people

The holiday of Kolyada was considered the main event in winter time among the village people. It was held from December to January, starting from the 22nd until the 7th, until the day of the Nativity of Christ. Great people the Slavs celebrated it for more than one day. All residents began preparations much earlier than the grandiose event. The housewives put the house in order, cleaned and took out all the garbage, washed all the objects, tried to put everything beautiful and elegant in appearance. Young boys and girls sewed interesting and mysterious outfits and made masks. The day before the start, it was necessary to go to the bathhouse and wash off all the dirt in order to be bright and clean on the holy holiday. They took out and put on the most beautiful clothes and commemorated the departed people. Kolyada was one of the main holidays among the Slavs; no one dared to miss it for any reason.

The celebration of Kolyada is associated with the Great Solstice Day, when all the people emerge from the winter darkness and the day becomes longer than the night. In this way, people show their joy that spring will soon come and the sowing season will begin. They all thank God for everything he gives them: sun, water, large harvests, healthy livestock. No one forgot about the Kolyada holiday, everyone was looking forward to it.

Sequence

The celebration of Kolyada begins with setting a large table. Straw is laid first. This serves as a symbol for the favorable development of cows, for obtaining good and tasty milk, so that the animals are not eaten by predators. Afterwards, a festive tablecloth is laid and various dishes are served.

First of all, you need to taste kutya (porridge), leave some grains in the plate. After finishing the meal, you need to throw them right up to the ceiling. This was a fortune telling for high productivity and rapid growth of domestic animals (cows, sheep, chickens and others). The remains of the porridge were collected and fed to the chickens in the yard, so that on that day they would be completely satisfied and lay a lot of eggs. The straw was taken to the barn with the animals, thereby protecting them from all sorts of diseases, so that the livestock would bear offspring. This is how the first Kolyada ended.

Continuation

The second day began with paying off debts and expressing all grievances. After which it was necessary to immediately make peace and forgive each other for everything. On this day, the young people put on animal costumes and walked around the village with loud and sonorous songs, wishing everyone good health, a large harvest, less illness and grief. In turn, people in whose yards wishes were heard were supposed to give sweets to the singers. When all the bags were full of goodies, the youth went to some house. There they continued to celebrate, have fun and eat goodies. The Kolyada celebration lasted a whole week, everyone had fun before the hard work began.

Folk festival traditions

Since ancient times, the holiday of Kolyada among the Slavs has been magic. At this time, all the most mysterious, mysterious and inexplicable things happen. People have many beliefs about how to attract happiness, good luck, health, and family well-being. U unmarried girls Another entertainment was fortune telling. They found out whether a young husband would appear this year, what kind of character he would have, appearance(hair color, body type). Sometimes even guys guessed, but this is a rarer occurrence, although everyone is interested in knowing their future.

The Kolyada holiday mostly takes place on the street. All the villagers come out of their houses, light fires and dance around it, singing loud and sonorous songs. Almost the whole day passes in fun, both young and old ride on sleighs, children run around with bags, collecting sweet treats and shouting various poems about the holiday Kolyada. These days no one is sad, because people believe: if they rejoice at the great god Kolyada, he will take care of their harvest, livestock, and there will be delicious food and drinks on the table all year round.

An ancient holiday in modern life

To date great holiday becomes a thing of the past, all traditions are forgotten, modern metropolis Many people don’t even know that there is a winter period when people sing carols. Only in villages do residents try not to forget the holiday of Kolyada and have fun as before.

To ensure that the great celebration does not disappear after some time, Kolyada is popularized in many places today. The holiday script helps you get acquainted with all the intricacies of village life. It is carried out in kindergartens, schools, higher education educational institutions. They take ancient traditions as a basis and add something new that they are already accustomed to. This is how people get acquainted with the traditions of the great Slavic people. Now the description of the Kolyada holiday has changed; in ancient times the customs were slightly different.

How to celebrate Kolyada?

Celebrating Kolyada, holiday script in Russian can be found in large numbers and they are all slightly different. But the essence remains the same - this is caroling among neighbors.

To carry out it is necessary to recruit several participants, who must receive in advance a piece of paper with the name Kolyada, a holiday script, where there is detailed description. Having learned all the words of poems and songs, they begin the fun itself. You can learn a few dance moves, which will be a huge plus.

1. All participants put on costumes (prepared in advance) and go to the guests. A cheerful song should sound loud and clear in front of the house so that everyone understands that people have come to carol.
2. Then the action takes place in the hut (house). The caroling participants begin to praise the owners, wish them well, great success, health. All this is in song form.
3. Next appears negative character who is trying to cause mischief and ruin the celebration. To make it disappear, you need to play a game in which good defeats evil. The holiday is filled with fun, joy and laughter again.
4. After all the games, the hosts present the carolers with sweets and thank them for their congratulations. In response, songs sound again and everyone disperses.
5. Sometimes the action ends with tea with guests.

You can celebrate from December 22 to January 7, choosing any day. IN modern world The celebration of Kolyada takes place in one day. The fun begins during the day, everyone sings and dances, recites poems and ditties, holds feasts, setting a generous and rich table, and treats the neighbors. Something interesting begins at night. Young people go from house to house and sing carols. In turn, the owner of the house must treat the guests to something. If he refuses and drives away the caroling people, they may become upset and ruin something, take a chicken from the yard or a vessel. This is considered a punishment for such an owner who does not respect ancient traditions.

Where are the sources of information?

If you want to know a lot of details, information about the Kolyada holiday is stored in the experience of grandmothers. They clearly remember all the fun. Older people will tell in detail what songs were sung in their times, what they were treated to and what games they played.

It is always useful to read a little about this interesting and fun holiday of Kolyada. And hold it annually, thereby telling children about ancient history in a humorous and cheerful manner. Another advantage is the development of children in physically. They will participate in fast-paced outdoor games. In addition to everything, you can play on fresh air. Children and adults can have a lot of fun at the Kolyada festival.

Since ancient times, January has been considered a festive, riotous, cheerful and even mystical month among the Slavic people. Not only New Year's celebrations are significant winter month, but also the accompanying rituals and traditions. Fortune telling, making wishes, caroling and generosity.

Now, unfortunately, many traditions have sunk into oblivion, but in some places they are still unchanged and are held every year. Carols, beloved not only by children, but also by many adults - what is it? How to carol correctly and what is the meaning of this ritual, let's figure it out.

Carols: what is it?

The younger and younger generation has a vague idea of ​​what the ritual of caroling is. But many people don’t know how to spell “carol”.

So what is this January event? In general, carols are native Russian ritual chants that are performed only on Christmas Eve. On Holy Evening, our ancestors united in groups of several people, dressed up in whatever way they wanted, put on makeup and went to the houses of acquaintances, friends and just strangers to perform those very ritual songs.

You can compare caroling with the modern European holiday - Halloween, or All Saints' Day. The similarities include going from house to house, singing traditional songs and wearing costumes, which are a must.

History of origin

It is customary to divide this ritual into two forms:

• Christmas, which is held directly on the holiday of the Nativity of Christ.
• Sowing, which is carried out in the old New Year and is involved in the fertility of the coming harvest.

If the first type of carols is Christian, then the second has pagan roots and is directly related to the influence natural forces. "Kolyada" is the name of the pagan goddess of fertility. Every year, on the day of the winter equinox, the ancient inhabitants of Rus' revered this goddess, asking her for a good harvest.

As soon as the state accepted Baptism, the rite acquired a Christian character. It has become customary to go caroling at Christmas. Gradually, the Christmas ritual began to overshadow the pagan one. The first option is especially common in southern regions countries.

The melody and words of the pagan ritual were simple and easy to remember. Christian ones have acquired a somewhat more complicated character. But if you listen to the words and motive, you can note that most carol songs are of Ukrainian origin.

In Rus' it was customary to sing carols not individually, but in groups. Moreover, there was a condition that had to be met: adults should be separated from children and teenagers.

It was believed that if the house was visited large number carolers, then the year will be successful for the owners. And the owners had to thank the guests - give them treats, which were put into one bag. Afterwards, all the gifts were not shared, but were eaten by all the carolers.

The ritual lasted for a period New Year's holidays. It was imperative to know how to carol correctly.

When is it customary to perform rituals?

January is the month when carols are celebrated. They last from the end of the Christmas service until Epiphany. But this does not mean that people go from house to house all week and sing ritual songs. These events are held only twice, slightly different from each other.

On January 7, Christmas caroling takes place, and on January 14, pagan caroling takes place. The last rites are also called sprinkling or bounty. The meaning of these events is somewhat different.

Christmas carols

The night from January 6 to 7 is the time for Christmas carols. But before going to the “event,” people waited for the first star to appear in the sky. As soon as the herald of the beginning of the holiday shone, families gathered at the table to taste the traditional dish - kutya. As soon as the meal was over, no one thought about sleep; on the contrary, the fun was just beginning. People gathered in groups, dressed up and went caroling.

How to carol correctly at Christmas will be discussed further.

Generosity for the Old New Year

A lot of confusion has arisen around the ritual of caroling. Many people are confused when to go to perform the ceremony: on Christmas or on the old New Year? We’ll talk about how to carol correctly later.

So, from January 6 to 7, the ritual of carols is performed, and on January 13, sowing or generosity is performed. Now this is also a rarity, but previously it was held annually on Generous Evening - the eve of the old New Year.

As a rule, it was young people, mostly girls, who went to give. They brought millet with them and sprinkled it on the floor of the owners of the house, while reciting appropriate rhymes or songs. This sprinkling procedure corresponded to the wish for fertility.

There were no special requirements for the clothing of the generous. If they wished, the girls could dress in the costumes left over from the carols, or they could simply dress up in festive attire.

Good evening, generous evening,

Good health to good people.

What have you cooked, auntie?

What did you bake, auntie?

Carry it quickly to the window.

Don't pinch, don't break,

But in general, come on.

Also on the night of the old New Year, it was customary for girls to tell fortunes about their betrothed. Fortune telling at this time was considered as reliable as possible.

How to carol correctly?

The ritual must be accompanied by certain procedures, without which it loses its meaning. Christmas carols are performed as follows:

1. A company of several people gathers, the more the better. According to tradition, as was customary since ancient times, children walked separately from adults.
2. Each caroler was assigned a role. The one who would be responsible for carrying the bag of gifts was chosen.
3. Nowadays, those who go caroling wear costumes according to their own preferences. But in fact, this process also has mandatory conditions.
4. Each group of carolers must have the Star of Bethlehem, which the person in charge had to carry on a high stick. It was this symbol that personified the Birth of Christ. The star was made by hand. In the process of needlework they used various items, which were bright and shiny so that the symbol could be seen from afar. A star could have any number of ends, but it was believed that the more there are, the more wishes there will be. In addition, many decorated it with paintings, icons and placed candles in the center. The bearer of this symbol walked in front or in the first rows of carolers. With its shine, the star was supposed to notify people about the beginning of Christmas and carols.
5. How to carol correctly at Christmas? Words are one of the main attributes of carols. It was songs or poems chanted that were a symbol of the ritual. In them, the mummers expressed their wishes or, conversely, in a comic form threatened the owners with dirty tricks in the absence of treats.

How to carol correctly: words necessary for the ritual

Christmas carols are always rhymes and songs. There were huge amount, but the content always carried a wish for happiness, fertility, as well as a call for immediate treats for carolers, otherwise the owners would face punishment for their stinginess. The mummers carefully thought out how to carol at Christmas and what to say, because their success with their owners depended on it.

Here are examples of several sayings during the ceremony:

Good auntie,

Give me a sweet little cake.

Kolyada-molyada,

On the eve of Christmas,

Give it, don't break it,

Give everything whole.

If you drop a little one,

You can’t even pray to God.

Won't you serve me some flatbread?

Let's break the windows.

Won't you serve me the pie?

Let's lead the cow by the horns.

Or here:

The sparrow flies

Twirls his tail,

And you people know

Cover the tables

Receive guests

Happy Christmas!

It was necessary to repeat rhymes or songs repeatedly, cheerfully, with enthusiasm and, most importantly, goodwill. They were never performed alone. The most vocal ones were chosen, and they sang carols. Songs were sung along the entire route, notifying residents that caroling time had begun and that it was time to prepare treats and welcome guests. The singing was accompanied by dancing, playing the musical instruments.

Going from house to house as mummers was one of the main conditions. The group of carolers should have included the following characters: a goat, a bear, buffoons and angels. The goat was chosen to be active, cheerful young man, who was supposed to dance merrily in front of the guests. The goat itself personified fertility, and its dances symbolized scaring away evil spirits. Great success had those companies in which many characters were present. “Christian” carolers were always invited to come into the house, treated after the performance and thrown gifts into a bag. The entry of the mummers into the house meant letting happiness, success and health into it.

Those who sow, or give, usually put on what was left over from the carols. But it was also often possible to see people dressed in a sheepskin coat turned inside out, and on their heads there was a mask of some kind of monster. This outfit was no coincidence. He personified the risen dead, who helped the owners' house acquire fertility and scare away evil spirits. Those who were generous were not allowed beyond the threshold of the house. They were met at the entrance and presented with gifts there.

But dressing up as monsters also carried some consequences for the mummer. On the night of Epiphany, he had to plunge into the ice hole three times, completely regardless of the severe frost. In this way, he washed away the sin of trying on the appearance of a dead man.

Meeting of carolers

It’s also worth talking about how to properly greet carolers.

In Rus', the owners of houses expected carolers as something important on Christmas evening, bringing goodness and joy to every home. And the owners themselves had to open their hearts to those who came and treat them kindly.

After the mummers knocked on the door, the owners prepared a treat or money and received the guests. The carolers sang songs and danced. At the end of the ceremony, the owners of the house poured gifts into a bag, wished them all the best, and in return received the same warm words of wishes.

Now the visit of carolers is an unexpected phenomenon in Russian families. Only small quantity people are waiting for their arrival, having previously bought sweets. Most people prefer not to open the door. The ritual gradually disappears, and people looking askance at the costumed people.

Nativity scene, carols: what do they have in common?

The ritual described is a kind of prototype of such an event as a nativity scene (theatrical traveling performance). Through the nativity scene, people told listeners the gospel story about the birth of Christ, using dolls.

In ancient times, the nativity scene moved from one village to another, from city to city, gathering a huge number of believers. Unlike nomadic theaters and circuses, the nativity scene was assembled only on Christmas Eve.

And finally

Unfortunately, such a colorful and cheerful process as carols has practically died out in Russia. One of the very few places where you can still find the ritual of caroling is Western Ukraine. In our country, the process of going door to door has been preserved in some villages, but even there it is no longer carried out so accurately, missing some traditions. Therefore, few people know how to go caroling correctly.

Nowadays, caroling can be seen in theatrical performances, which are held during the New Year celebrations. It was there that the ritual was recreated down to the smallest detail.

New Year is knocking on the door,
Santa Claus is on the doorstep,
I don't believe my eyes:
He brought me gifts!

He is the most important wizard,
New Year's Eve,
He is the kindest and most glorious,
Winter, fairy-tale hero!

I'll tell him: "Thank you
For the gifts that you brought!
Be healthy and happy,
The best Santa Claus in the world!”

Good Grandfather ear Frost,
He brought us gifts
And candy and a toy,
And a baby elephant and a pig.
Happy New Year, Santa Claus!
Warm up your red nose!

I'll tell you a secret:
There is a Wizard in this world,
He has a long fur coat,
He is not familiar with sports
Doesn't play phones
He only walks once a year,
Loves the Christmas tree and children,
He carries a supply of candy
And a bag of toys
With dolls, with firecrackers.
Arrives in a bright sleigh
And he brings us gifts.
So who are we waiting for here?
His name is Santa Claus!

Hello, Grandfather Frost!
Your nose is cold.
You are beautiful and big.
We will make friends with you!

We will sing songs with you
And we will read poetry to you,
Have a wonderful New Year
He walked slowly into our house!

The New Year has come,
Santa Claus came to our door,
He has a big bag
Apparently, there is my gift!

Santa Claus came to the holiday,
And he brought it with him in a bag
Laughter, fun, joy, happiness,
And gifts for the kids.

Santa Claus, you have come!
We've been waiting for you
All day, haven't slept since morning
The Christmas tree was decorated.

I learned the poem in the morning,
I was wearing knee socks.
She cleaned and swept.
By evening I was tired.

Santa Claus, tell me
Was it not in vain that I tried?
Did you bring a gift?
Did I wait for him?

Where do you go, Santa Claus?
We are looking forward to seeing you!
Of course you will come to us
New Year's Eve!

We honor the poem
Let's dance in circles!
And your huge bag
We'll keep it for ourselves!

Good grandfather Freezing
Gives us a miracle from the stars,
Magic from lights
White snow from the clouds!

Gives a beautiful Christmas tree
And a snowflake in the air,
Gives a holiday to the children,
Gives joy in December!

Santa Claus is a great grandfather,
Dressed in a warm fur coat!
With a beard and a bag,
He comes to every home!
Fulfills all dreams
Expect him to visit you too!

Santa Claus is the best
He is not an ordinary wizard.
There is a huge bag behind my back,
With a snow-white beard!

Come visit soon
Friends have been waiting for you.
Children, fathers, mothers are waiting.
In general, our whole family!

Stay with us for a while,
Have some tea and pie
And then we’ll put you in the sleigh
And you'll rush to your new home!

With a long white beard,
In a red fur coat,
Like the king of snowdrifts
He greets children tenderly.

Children are waiting for him with love
At every point on the planet,
To kind Santa Claus
He brought them a lot of happiness!

Santa Claus in a shaggy fur coat
It comes to us only in winter.
And my own granddaughter
He often takes it with him.

He hides his smile
In a lush white beard,
And he brings us gifts,
Although sometimes they are not the same.

He is cheerful
He is a good man
Holiday
Without it - nothing:
Because he's gifts
Carries it to everyone
In boxes - bright!