Old New Year: customs and traditions
On the night of January 13 to 14, Old New Year is celebrated annually. It is an unofficial holiday. January 1 on the old style (Julian calendar) corresponds to January 14 on the new style (Gregorian calendar).
The evening of January 13 is associated with many beliefs. Our ancestors called tonight Vasilyev or Generous. It was believed that with the onset of darkness begins to walk around unclean forces and various evil bellows. Young people would go to their homes to frighten them away, sing songs, and wish their hosts good luck. Sweets and pies were given to them in gratitude. It was not customary to give money as it was believed that good luck would be taken away with it.
Greeding and seeding.
During the life of our ancestors in the villages, young people generously shared in every house, because everyone in the village knows each other in one way or another. Now, on Generous Evening it is customary to go only to relatives: grandparents, godparents, family friends. Calling all in a row at the entrance is a bad tone, and the owners are not obliged to let these guests in. In our separate article, you can read more about the rules of sowing and christening.
Divination.
Another trick of the old New Year was fortune-telling. Girls used to read fortune-telling, fortune-telling, and child fortune-telling. For example, a famous divination was to freeze a spoonful of water in the street. If so bubbles, the year is expected to be prosperous; if a hole is formed, obstacles will have to be overcome.
The second divination: they took a candle, tilted it so that the wax would drip into the water, which was poured into a plate beforehand. From the resulting figures, one draws conclusions about what the New Year has in store. However, much depended on the imagination of the fortune-tellers.
The third, one of the most popular divinations, had to do with names. Girls would go out in the street and ask the first person they met what his name was - that should be the name of their future husband. However, judging by the reviews on the Internet, not many people get it right. But in this way young girls can have a lot of fun and cheer up passersby. In a separate publication - more divinations for the Old New Year.