Carols are celebrated from December 25 to January 6. According to the calendar, they cover the New Year, St. Basil's Day, Christmas and the Baptism of Jesus Christ. Kolyady is an ancient Slavic pagan holiday, the inherent attributes of which are songs, gifts, dressing up with masks and the use of intoxicating drinks.
According to ancient legends, Kolyada is an ancient Slavic god of time. He is the son of the sky god Dazhdbog, born during the winter solstice eight and a half thousand years ago. Kolyada brought people knowledge of time and presented them with the first calendar (Kolyada gift). According to another version, Kolyada is the god of feasts and fun, he was called to the company of young people walking around the villages with songs and celebrating the end of the old and the beginning of the new year.
Since December 25, wearing masks, the disguised people went home to carol. At the same time, the so-called carols were sung, glorifying the owners and promising them health, happiness and wealth. Caroling was fun, with laughter, songs, dances and full glasses. The gifts that young people received for ritual songs and dances were then laid out on the common table. Various active and fun games were very popular.
In honor of Kolyada, a rich dinner was prepared. Necessarily on the table were kutia, pancakes, oatmeal jelly, pies and loaves. They sat down to supper at the first star, lighting a candle at the kutya.
In addition to songs, round dances and feasts during this period, various fortune-telling and divination are very popular. On the night before the "prophetic" Vasil-day, as well as on Christmas Eve, predictions were considered especially true. Usually only unmarried girls are wondering about the groom and future fate. There are different methods of fortune telling: on the water, on the ring, on the shoe, and many others. Fortune-telling with the help of a mirror was a very common divination. To do this, at midnight they put a mirror on the table, and a candle in front of it. Opposite the mirror, they put another one - smaller, so that, looking into it, one could see the endless "corridor". Peering into this "mirrored corridor" you could see your betrothed or hear his voice.
The holiday ends with merrymaking. The burning wheel is rolled up the hill with the saying: "Roll up the hill, return with the spring."
