The Christian holiday called Christmastide has long traditions and a special history. Even in Greece in the fourth century, Christians glorified the birth of Christ and celebrated this event, and many of the customs of this celebration originated from them.
The peculiarity of the Orthodox holiday Christmastide is that unity is accepted during the festivities. Everyone rejoiced, the boundaries between the rich and the poor seemed to disappear for a while, and all the people could simply glorify the Lord, help the sick and suffering. There was even information that in Byzantium during Christmas time it was customary to treat prisoners and even slaves, thereby demonstrating mercy and compassion for one's neighbor. It is a pity that these customs have hardly survived to this day.
History and traditions
In ancient Russia, Christmastide traditions were also considered a universal holiday, when everyone could rejoice at the birth of Christ. People gave gifts to each other, went to visit, arranged festive games, did charity work. The usual rural amusements also took place, the young people had fun and arranged fun. Gifts and treats on this holiday were considered the grace of God, and the church called on everyone and everyone to sympathy, to love and mercy, in pre-revolutionary newspapers and magazines one could find kind and instructive stories that reveal the essence of the sacred holiday.
Christmastide is also the time of matchmaking, it was during the festivities that the young looked after themselves a couple, making a conspiracy (engagement) on Maslenitsa.
All this resembles another holiday - Maslenitsa, but Maslenitsa is not at all a church event. However, in the complex Russian culture, the traditions of celebration were intertwined with folk customs, and we still remember some of them.
Christmas carols and gatherings
Today, every Orthodox believer considers it his duty to visit the church on Christmastide, invite friends and relatives, go on a visit himself and prepare a holiday gift. However, the most important thing in Christmastide is not food or gifts, but the awareness of one's unity with God, attention to one's neighbor, the desire to become better, kinder. In many Christian families, real Christmas-tree customs are observed; in Sunday schools, children learn sacred songs, stage funny scenes, and become familiar with Orthodox culture.
There is another custom that has come down to us - caroling. The mummers go home, sing songs, dance, read ditties, and the owners of the house, according to tradition, must present those who come with gifts or sweets. However, this tradition has a pagan shade, because in ancient times it was believed that by dressing in scary costumes and putting on masks, people scared away evil spirits.
On Christmastide, it is customary to guess, but this is paganism, because the church is against all sorts of predictions, although over the millennia everything has been intertwined. It is believed that Christmas divination is the most truthful, and therefore neither the results of what was seen-predicted, nor the method of fortune-telling can be reported.
These traditions were observed for many years, but later, during the formation of the Soviet Union, the government forced to abandon religious beliefs, this explains the disappearance of many church traditions and holidays, much was lost after the repressions of the Soviet regime.
However, it is not at all necessary to observe all traditions and customs, you can simply give warmth and love to your loved ones.
