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- Gunpowder on the lips: prohibitions and omens of the third day of Carnival, funny pictures
Gunpowder on the lips: prohibitions and omens of the third day of Carnival, funny pictures
On Wednesday, February 26, the third day of Maslenitsa Week will begin. It was popularly called a Delicacy, or a Fast medium. This day is considered one of the most fun and satisfying in Narrow Maslenitsa. The main traditions of the celebration are associated with the mother-in-law and son-in-law, who spend a Treat together: the wife's mother arranges a feast, treating the son-in-law with pancakes. One tradition says that the more generous a mother-in-law's reception is, the stronger the family relationship between wife and husband will be. For more information about what customs and prohibitions existed on the third day of Maslenitsa, see the Izvestia article.
February 26 is the third day of the Carnival week — A treat
Maslenitsa is an ancient Slavic holiday, which has its roots in the period of paganism. Initially, the celebration was associated with the veneration of the sun god Yarila and symbolized the arrival of spring and the awakening of nature. In those days, Maslenitsa was celebrated with noisy festivities, songs, dances and the obligatory burning of an effigy of winter, which personified the cycle of renewal and fertility. The main treat of the holiday was pancakes. According to one version, their round shape and golden color were associated with the sun, so people believed that the more pancakes they ate, the warmer and more productive the year would be.
After the adoption of Christianity in Russia, Maslenitsa acquired church significance, becoming the preparatory period before Lent, which in 2025 will begin on Monday, March 3.The Orthodox Church preserved many folk traditions, but filled them with a new meaning: pancakes became a symbol of sacrifice and memory of the deceased, and festive feasts reminded of the importance of family unity. According to the church calendar, Shrovetide week is commonly called Meat Week, or Cheese Week. On holidays, believers already refuse meat dishes, but they can enjoy dairy products until the fast begins.
In 2025, Carnival began on February 24 and will end on March 2. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are called Narrow Maslenitsa — on these days you can still do household chores. From Thursday, a Wide Carnival begins, when people finish their housework and fully devote themselves to fun, festivities and entertainment.Every day of Shrovetide week has its own name and special meaning.
Monday, February 24, is a meeting. On this day, festive preparations began: people built snow slides, set up swings, baked the first pancakes and invited guests. Traditionally, the first pancake was given to beggars or commemorated the dead.
Tuesday, February 25, is the Sweepstakes. On this day, entertainment began, skiing from the mountains, festivities and fairs. Special attention was paid to young people — screenings, dating and matchmaking were organized, since Maslenitsa was considered a good time to find a bride and groom. They usually got married after Easter, on Krasnaya Gorka.
Wednesday, February 26th, is a treat, or a Fast Wednesday. The third day of Maslenitsa is dedicated to treats and family feasts, and its main action is the mother-in-law's feast for the son-in-law. It was for the abundance of delicious dishes that the holiday was called "Dainty" — on this day, the housewives tried to set the table as richly as possible.It was believed that a good mother-in-law should invite her son-in-law for pancakes, treat him to the best dishes, show care and hospitality. The richer the table was, the stronger the family relationship became. Special attention was paid not only to the food itself, but also to the atmosphere: funny stories were told at the table, jokes were made, games were arranged and they had fun.
The name "Fast Wednesday" is due to the fact that on this day they ate fast (not lean) food — dairy, flour, vegetable and fish dishes. It was the last day of the Narrow Carnival, when, along with the festivities, it was possible to do household chores, because from Thursday any work stopped, the main activities were festivities, roller coasters, fist fights and various rituals related to the departure of winter.
What can and cannot be done on the third day of Carnival in 2025
The third day of Maslenitsa Week was considered a time of hospitality on the part of the mother-in-law. On this day, she was supposed to invite her son-in-law to visit, treat him to pancakes and other Pancake dishes, demonstrating her affection and care. The ancestors believed that such a ceremony helps to strengthen family relationships and bring relatives closer together.
The tradition of inviting a son-in-law to pancakes for a Treat originated in ancient times and was considered an important family ritual. The young man, having married the daughter of the hostess, became a part of her family. Maslenitsa provided an opportunity to establish relations between newly minted relatives. If the mother-in-law and son-in-law had a good relationship, she could bake a "test" pancake with a bitter filling or with salt to test how patient and benevolent he was. The wife's mother could also test her son-in-law's eloquence and intelligence by asking him to sing a ditty or tell her why he loves his wife. After all the trials, the mother-in-law put her son-in-law in the best place at the table, praised him and treated him to delicious pancakes with different fillings, each of which had a special meaning. They put it on the table:
— pancakes with honey — a symbol of sweet and peaceful life;
— pancakes with sour cream — a sign of prosperity and comfort in the house;
— pancakes with caviar — a symbol of wealth;
— pancakes with cottage cheese — for health and good family happiness;
— pancakes with mushrooms or fish — to luck and prosperity.
The more diverse the table was, the more respect the mother-in-law expressed to the son-in-law. The son-in-law, in turn, had to show gratitude: to praise his mother-in-law's culinary talents, give a small gift and try to eat a lot of treats.It was believed that the more pancakes he ate, the warmer his relations with his relatives would be. If the relationship between the son-in-law and the mother-in-law was strained, then the Treat was the right time for reconciliation. It was believed that if a mother-in-law and son-in-law quarreled over a Treat, peace between them would not be soon.
In addition to family feasts, the third day of Maslenitsa was a time of noisy festivities. Fairs, booths, and theatrical performances were held in towns and villages. Pancake feasts were organized for the Treat, where not only the family was treated, but also neighbors, the poor and orphans. It was believed that feeding a hungry person on this day was the key to happiness and well—being in the house. Pancake competitions were also held, for example: who will eat a stack of pancakes faster or be able to catch a pancake in the air after tossing it. Many girls used pancakes to tell fortunes: they put a ring under one pancake from a stack, and whoever got it was supposed to get married soon.
On the third day of Maslenitsa, there were certain prohibitions that concerned both household chores and relationships with loved ones. People believed that violating these rules could lead to trouble, illness, family quarrels, or crop failure.It was believed that if you refused treats on this day, especially pancakes, you could incur poverty and misfortune. Special attention was paid to the son-in-law's treats: if he refused his mother-in-law's pancakes, it was considered a bad sign, promising major discord in the family.
The housewives had to bake pancakes in abundance and generously treat them to everyone who came into the house. If someone saved or hid pancakes to keep them only for themselves, it was considered a bad deed. They said, "As you feel sorry for pancakes, so prosperity will begin to feel sorry for itself." The manifestation of greed on this day promised poverty in the future.
It was forbidden to engage in physical labor on a fast Wednesday: it was forbidden to wash, chop firewood, do construction work or repair inventory. Work related to yarn, thread and needles was strictly prohibited, as the ancestors believed that this would "confuse" luck and family happiness. Carnival is a celebration of joy, fun and communication, therefore, on this day it was forbidden to show despondency, complain about life and swear with loved ones.It was believed that if you quarrel over a Treat, the conflict can drag on for a whole year.
On the third day of Maslenitsa, it was customary to have fun with family and friends. Staying alone for a long time was considered a bad omen: a person could incur poverty and loneliness for many years. This was most feared by unmarried girls who believed that loneliness on this day could delay the wedding for many years. Since pancake pancakes were considered a symbol of the sun, abundance and family well-being, their leftovers could not be thrown away. Our ancestors believed that this could lead to financial difficulties. The remaining pancakes were either given to beggars or fed to animals to ensure prosperity in the house. They talked about a treat: "What's on the table is on my mind." If you complained about the food that day, you could cause famine and crop failure.
Despite the fact that hard work was forbidden that day, it was impossible to refuse help to those who needed it. If neighbors came in for groceries or needed support, it was important to provide assistance. It was believed that this good deed would bring prosperity and peace to the home. If one of the relatives or friends offered to reconcile, it was impossible to reject his request. It was believed that if a person does not forgive offenses on Shrovetide, then there will be many quarrels and troubles in his life.
Lakomka: folk signs today, February 26
On the third day of Maslenitsa, people paid special attention to the weather signs. It was believed that the events of that day could predict the near future. If it was clear and sunny in the morning, they expected a warm spring, and a strong wind promised changeable weather with frequent rains in April.
A blizzard or snowfall foreshadowed late spring and cold summer, and severe frost for a hot summer season. Special attention was paid to the behavior of birds: if sparrows were stirring in the snow, they were waiting for an early warming, and if magpies were sitting closer to home, frosts were approaching.
Many omens on Wednesday were associated with pancakes. The ancestors believed that if the pancake batter was homogeneous and airy, the year was expected to be fruitful, and if the pancakes were thin and pale, there would be few grains and potatoes. If someone dropped a pancake that day, they expected changes, and if it fell for half a year when it was turned over, it could cause losses or minor troubles.If the first pancake turned out smooth and golden, it was believed that the year would be happy, and if burnt, it would be difficult but interesting.
The third day of Maslenitsa: pictures, postcards, GIFs, greetings
It is customary to spend a treat noisily and cheerfully. On this day, relatives and friends congratulated each other with Shrovetide sayings, songs and ditties. They described the essence of a Fast—paced environment - the arrival of a son-in-law to his mother-in-law for pancakes.
Oh, you're a Dainty Wednesday!
An oily frying pan!
As it happened from the old days —
We're going to my mother-in-law's for pancakes!
The frying pan lets out the heat,
The pancake is blushing,
Wednesday-Maslenitsa awaits —
The son-in-law is coming to his mother-in-law as soon as possible!
Oh, you're a Treat, Wednesday!
Pancake spirit flies there,
Where the blush is hot
Mother-in-law's pancakes, grub!
Wednesday is a day of lavish treats,
Pancakes, fun, treats!
Son—in-law rushes to his mother-in-law light -
Delicious slides are waiting in his hand!
Dainty, golden day,
Pancake, rosy, intoxicating!
Mother-in-law greets, beckons with pancakes,
Son-in-law will sit at the table with a smile!
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
