Each family has its own New Year's rituals and traditions. Someone cannot imagine this holiday without a large spreading Christmas tree decorated with balls and tinsel, while others need baked chicken with potatoes on the table and tangerines. All have their own family traditions, but there are also those that are typical for all of Russia.
History of New Year traditions in Russia
The very first New Year's tradition appeared in the 17th century, when Tsar Peter I ordered every family to celebrate the New Year on the night of December 31 to January 1, just like in the rest of Europe. Before that, it was not customary in the country to celebrate this holiday. In 1699, a decree was issued, according to which each family had to decorate their house with a coniferous tree or several trees, launch fireworks, burn New Year's fires at night and congratulate their households and loved ones.
Lucky coin
Some family traditions were adopted from southern Europe, for example, in some families, a pie is made for the New Year, in which a coin is put. Sometimes a lot of cakes are baked, and the coin is hidden in one of them. Whoever gets a pie or a piece of pie with a coin will be happy and rich all year round. It happens that they also bake sweet and salty pies in order to determine who will have a sweet and fun life, and who will have trials and adventures.
Dad - Santa Claus
There is a good family tradition in Russia that emerged during the Soviet era. Dad secretly changes clothes on the staircase or at the neighbors' Santa Claus and gives the children gifts. When children are still small, they do not recognize the parent, but then they can boldly tell that Santa Claus exists, they themselves saw him. Nowadays, this is less and less common, it has become customary to call Santa Clauses from special agencies for organizing the holiday.
Christmas tree
Setting up a Christmas tree is a tradition for many Russian families. Oddly enough, but in many European countries this is not accepted. There are round dances under the tree, Santa Claus leaves gifts there.
Open the champagne
As soon as the chimes start striking, bottles of champagne are opened in many houses, it is poured into glasses and wishes are made. You need to have time to remember and formulate all the most important, until the striking of the clock stops, and then, when the year has already come, you can drink champagne. All congratulate each other, light sparklers, launch fireworks and rockets.
Why do we need New Year's family traditions
Family traditions, as psychologists say, are the most important for children. These rituals, like bricks, build happy childhood memories in adults. After all, the family is a special spirit in which the child feels like a part of the whole.
If your family does not yet have New Year's traditions, it's time to come up with one. Some before each new year draw postcards together, send gifts. Buying and decorating a Christmas tree is one of the funniest and most significant traditions, and you shouldn't stop even if you don't have children. It is family New Year's rituals that allow people to feel the approach of the holiday, while in a hectic life, where there is not enough time even to look at the calendar, many say that they do not feel the spirit of the holiday, that they do not notice the coming of the new year.
