Christmas 2015 - when and how Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in Russia
Christmas Orthodox 2015 is celebrated on January 7and, in fact, is part of a large cycle of winter holidays (Christmas tree), lasting for two weeks from January 1 to January 14 (Old New Year). A feature of Orthodox holidays is that they are very closely intertwined with pagan customs and beliefs that took root in Russia long before the arrival of Christianity.
Why celebrate Christmas on January 7, 2015
Christmas is an Orthodox holiday,which is of great importance for all believers, both in Russia and in other countries. It should be noted that in Europe Christians, professing Catholicism, celebrate Christmas earlier - December 25, 2014. This discrepancy is due to the fact that we have adopted the Gregorian church calendar, and in the West - Julian. The difference between them is 14 days, hence some confusion in the dates of the holidays.
How to celebrate Christmas in Russia
Orthodox believers begin to prepare forChristmas 40 days before its offensive and observe a strict fast. On January 6, Christmas Eve is celebrated or the Holy Evening, on this day one can not eat until the first star rises, as the symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, which marked the birth of Christ. However, even after the evening, only the Lenten dishes are served on the table with the total number of 12. Necessarily, on the Christmas table, according to Orthodox traditions, there must be a vigil symbolizing the birth of Christ and kutya - as a symbol of his death.
Traditionally, Christmas is celebrated in the family circle,moreover, the more relatives get together, the better. The first food should try the oldest male in the family. And dinner, without fail, begins with kuti. After a family feast, young people usually went for walks, singing Christmas carols and sledding. The girls gathered together and guessed at the condemned, it is believed that on this day the divination is particularly accurate. Today young people usually go to caroling, but in villages and even in separate cities (for example, in Lviv), it is not only young people who are engaged in this, but also professional artists who organize real performances on the streets.
Where to celebrate Christmas 2015
As already mentioned above, the Christmas holidayChrist is considered a family and celebrating it best at home with loved ones. However, if you do not have such an opportunity or desire to sit at the TV all evening, then there are many other options:
- A trip out of town is a great idea, both for lovers and for a fun company. Even if you do not have a summer house, you can always rent a house near the forest or a pond for a few days.
- Visiting theaters, cinemas or productions - in theholidays, most cultural institutions launch a series of plays, fairy tales and theatrical performances with a Christmas bias. This option is suitable for couples with children and adults who want to plunge into the atmosphere of a fairy tale.
- Going to the skating rink or to the snow slides - even ifthere is no snow on the street, you can always find places with its artificial substitute to go for a drive. This option is universal and will suit even those who stayed on holiday alone, because in such places there is always someone to talk with.
- Christmas tours - if you have enoughfree time you can go to Finland - to Santa Claus home, to Ukraine - to visit the Christmas Festival, to the ski resorts of Europe or even to exotic countries. The disadvantage of this option is the need to plan everything in advance.
- Walk in the center of the city - in whatever city you aredid not live, surely on this day its main square will be decorated with a tree and garlands. In the same place you will find a lot of people with good mood and, possibly, interesting events. And after you are charged with positive energy, you can go to a cafe and drink mulled wine or tea with cinnamon.
