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- Mysticism of the holiday on January 14: Old New Year - what you can not do, conspiracies and omens
Mysticism of the holiday on January 14: Old New Year - what you can not do, conspiracies and omens
After the New Year's holiday, Russians are waiting for another important holiday - the Old New Year. It is celebrated on a smaller scale than the main holiday on the night of December 31 to January 1, but still many people still celebrate the New Year twice. The date is associated with the transition of Russia from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, and today it also symbolizes the end of the January holidays and the beginning of an active working season in the new year. Read more about the history of the holiday, its traditions and celebration - in the material "Izvestia".
Old New Year: what is the holiday on January 14
Old New Year is always celebrated on the same date - on the night of January 13 to 14. It is associated with the transition of Russia from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, made in 1918.
The Russian Empire lived on the Julian calendar from 1700 to 1918, and the calendar itself appeared in 45 BC after the reform of the Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar. However, this calendar is not accurate enough, due to the fact that every 128 years it accumulates one extra day. It was replaced by a more accurate calendar - Gregorian, created in the XVI century. It was to him that Russia switched in 1918.
Details of the old New Year "Izvestia" told the candidate of cultural studies, associate professor of the Department of foreign languages and intercultural communication of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation Nina Kozlovtseva.
- Historically, the holiday is due to the difference in calendars - Julian (which corresponds to the so-called old style) and Gregorian ("new style"). The first was used in Tsarist Russia, the second - in Europe. The difference between them was 13 days, and this, of course, complicated international relations between Russia and European countries. For example, you can imagine the difficulties we have because of the time difference of even one hour, and here it is 13 days," the expert explains.
Nevertheless, the transition to the "new style" in Russia has not taken place in all spheres. In particular, it has not been accepted by the church. It is because of this that Orthodox holidays are celebrated in the "old style" and do not coincide with Catholic dates.
So, 13 days after the celebration of the New Year in Russia celebrate the old New Year, but it is not celebrated on such a large scale. Despite this, the Old New Year is still loved by many. At the same time, a similar day exists in other countries, for example, in the former Soviet Union, Serbia, Montenegro, Switzerland and other countries of the world.
In Russia, according to the VTsIOM survey from 2024, about 58% of citizens, that is, more than half of the population, planned to celebrate the Old New Year. However, over the years, celebrating is becoming less: in 2009, celebrated the old New Year 67% of respondents.
Analysts of the fintech company "YuMoneu" together with the analytical resource "Check Index" of the company "Platform OFD" conducted a survey of two thousand Russians and found out how they celebrate the old New Year (the document is at the disposal of "Izvestia"). According to their data, 59% of respondents are looking forward to the holiday: for them it is an important reason to meet with family and friends once again, as well as to make a wish. At the same time, only 27% of people do not celebrate the Old New Year in any way.
As on the main day of the holiday, many people celebrate the Old New Year in front of the TV (41%) with olivier and champagne (36%). According to the survey, some (5%) on this holiday fortune-telling and laying out Tarot cards.
Traditions of celebrating the old New Year
- Now this holiday in Russia has lost its religious background. Mostly it is perceived as a "second chance" to celebrate the New Year well, to do what you failed to do on December 31, - explains Nina Kozlovtseva.
Communications expert and psychologist Elena Chesnokova agrees with this opinion.
- For many Russians, it is another reason to get together and sit in the countryside by the fireplace, flip through old albums and reminisce about the past. Those who have not had time to comprehend the results of the past 2024 under the chimes find spiritual meaning in the holiday. Then there is a great chance to renew their plans on the night of January 13-14, " she said.
Evgeny Kovalevsky, the brand-chef of Palmira Palace Resort & SPA hotel, noted that the Old New Year is now celebrated as a tribute to tradition. However, it is not as large-scale and loud as on January 1, but in a family way - in the circle of the closest and most beloved people. Many families have traditions of celebrating the old New Year passed from generation to generation. As an example, the brand-chef notes that in his family they always make olivier, but according to his grandmother's special recipe.
- If you go into the traditions of Russian feast, you can consider serving roasted piglet or goose, grouse soup, fish cutlets, and for dressing make cranberry sauce, - gives examples of interesting dishes Evgeny Kovalevsky.
Although the Old New Year has no serious religious basis, it coincides with a number of church holidays, which in one way or another affected the celebration, setting a number of traditions.
Circumcision of the Lord. The holiday falls on the eighth day after the Nativity of Christ - January 14, New Style. In the 49th year, the Orthodox Church abolished the rite of circumcision, leaving only baptism obligatory. However, some believers still adhere to the ancient tradition.
Ancient Jews performed the circumcision procedure on boys when they were only eight days old. It was done as a sign of God's union with the righteous Abraham and his descendants, that is, in some sense, this rite was analogous to baptism, making the child "God's". In addition, it was on the eighth day that the child received a name. The Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:21) says: "After eight days, when the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, which was given to him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb". Because of this, the Circumcision of the Lord can be called the Savior's name day.
"Generous Evening." According to the old style, the celebration of the Circumcision of the Lord fell on January 1, thus, after the transition from one calendar to another, it began to coincide with the celebration of New Year's Eve (New Year's Day) and had its own traditions in different parts of the country. For example, in Malorossiya on the eve of the day it was customary to "shchidrovat" (sing "shchidrivki" and receive food gifts for it). And January 13 was called "Generous Evening". Housekeepers set a rich table on this day, it was customary to put pork on it.
Vasily's Day. It is celebrated on the night from January 13 to January 14. In Russia for many centuries this holiday in honor of the saint, Archbishop Basil the Great was the main one. By this date it was obligatory to prepare kutya, and on the day itself to exchange it and treat others. It was important to set a lavish table - on it were put pancakes, pies, dumplings and piglets, as St. Basil is the patron saint of pig breeders. By this day they tried to finish all conflicts.
- In general, the current rites and traditions do not differ much from New Year's Eve. The newest tradition of both holidays can be called the writing of a wish under the chimes, followed by burning it and consuming it together with champagne. It is believed that such wishes always come true," says Nina Kozlovtseva.
The Old New Year also has its own traditions, some of which are still observed at least partially:
- There is a saying: how you meet the new year, so you will spend it. In the olden days it was believed that you should have fun to spend the old and also meet the new year. Hence, presumably, and appeared this expression. Therefore, on the eve of the 13th, young people put on masks and went out caroling. It was necessary to finish the carols before midnight, before the unclean force went wild;
- many people also buy gifts for the Old New Year, so, as on the 13 days before, on the night of January 14 you can repeat this warm and kind tradition;
- some people have a tradition of molding dumplings on Old New Year's Eve, in which you need to put various objects (secrets). These objects were used to guess what the coming year would be like.
Elena Chesnokova believes that in the coming years fewer and fewer people will celebrate the Old New Year, especially the younger generation. Despite the gradually fading popularity of this day, it remains traditional for many to give gifts to family and friends. As the expert notes, for the old New Year they are no longer as expensive as those put under the tree on December 31, but the main thing is attention. For the old New Year, you can give people something related to getting new emotions: master classes or a nice dinner.
- Although the Old New Year is already less common holiday, still give gifts, even without a reason. After all, so pleasant and joyful becomes from the happy smiles of relatives, - concludes Elena Chesnokova.
Old New Year: what you can and can not do on this day
Like many other holidays, the Old New Year has its own prohibitions. So, for example, on this day you can not lend money - then you will spend the whole year without money. Also, you can not celebrate this day without men. If you meet the holiday in the company of single women, then you can stay like that, and the year itself will be unhappy and lonely. Cleaning on this day is also forbidden, otherwise you can take out with garbage all the luck. It is worth cleaning up in advance, and on the old New Year's Eve rest and have fun.
Omen for the old New Year
As in other holidays, the omens of this day are divided into two types - household and weather.
Weather omens from January 13 to January 14:
- warm weather on the holiday portends a good summer;
- frost on tree branches - to a good harvest;
- snowstorm on the night of January 13-14 promises a nervous year;
- a clear and starry night - the harvest will be big;
- wind blowing from the south - the weather will be warm and mild all year long.
In addition to the omens about the weather there were others concerning various aspects of human life:
- if on January 14 the first woman enters the house, there will be trouble;
- a lot of money in the house on the first day of the New Year - the family will be provided for;
- engagement - to a happy family life;
- a strange dog entered the house - the evil will leave it, if a cat entered the house - be trouble;
- it is important to memorize dreams on this night - they will definitely come true;
- if a single girl meets the year in a company where there are men, then wait for her to meet her soulmate.
Conspiracies and rituals for the Old New Year and Generous Evening
The Old New Year falls on the period of holy days. Even in ancient times, girls began to guess these days on the suzhenogo-ryazhenogo, and many of the methods still exist. According to them you can find out your future, the character of the groom and get answers to your questions. At the same time, clergymen urge not to guess, especially on holy days, that is, the important days of the life of Christ, because it is considered a great sin.
Divination on wax. To do this, you need to light a candle and pour some wax into a saucer with cold water. According to the figures that will turn out, you can find out what awaits a person. A ring or jewelry - to marriage, a dog - to a new friend, trees - to joyful events. Unclear outlines can bode trouble.
On the cards. This will require a new deck of 36 cards. It should be shuffled, pull out one card and make a wish on it. Then the deck should be shuffled again and put the cards in five stacks: in the first two cards, in the second - three, in the third - four and so on. The remaining cards should be put aside. If your card is in the first stack - the wish will not come true, in the second - unlikely to come true, in the third - can be realized, but with the help of friends, in the fourth - by making maximum efforts, will definitely be realized, and in the fifth - will come true necessarily. If the card was not in any of the stacks, the fortune-telling can be repeated.
On the croup. To use this method, it is important to formulate the question very clearly, because the possible answers are strict: yes or no. For divination take a container with buckwheat, rice or other groats and stretch over it the left hand with the palm down. Asking a question, you need to take a handful of groats and pour them out on the table, then count their number. Even - the wish will come true, odd - not.
On the ring. With the help of it, you can find out the name of the soulmate. To do this, you need to write names on papers and spread them in front of you. Then slowly hold the ring on a string over the names, over which it will start to swing or spin, so the future groom will be called.
