Santa Claus has become a favorite image for many generations of people, without his participation New Year's parties and evenings are not held. This kind grandfather with a long white beard brings not only gifts to children, but also a special mood to all people. It is on New Year's Eve that one wants to believe in miracles. It seems that Santa Claus comes from favorite fairy tales.
Instructions
Step 1
There are different answers to the riddle where the image of Santa Claus came from. Old Slavonic legends tell of deities closely related to the modern character of the New Year festivities.
Step 2
One of them is considered to be Pozvizd, who lived on distant mountain peaks - the ancient Slavic god of storms and bad weather. His unkempt hair and beard gave him a fierce look. Accompanied by a retinue of hurricane winds, he rushed swiftly across the sky, spreading a terrible noise and whistle all around, scattering snow flakes from his clothes. Pozvizd's mouth sent fogs to the ground, and torrential rains were hidden in his beard. The lord of the winds will shake his hair - and a large hail will fall to the ground.
Step 3
The prototype of the modern Santa Claus can be called the pagan god Karachun, who shortens the winter day. On the one hand, Karachun was responsible for the winter cold in nature, and was also considered a symbol of sudden death. Indeed, it was not easy for people and animals in winter conditions. The main enemies of all living things are the loyal servants of Karachun: the crank bears turned into snowstorms, and the wolves that have become blizzards.
Step 4
The ideas of our ancestors were different from those of today. Everyone accepted the inevitability of death, it was perceived as one of the existing natural phenomena. Chernobog-Karachun, related to death, was not considered a negative deity, but they tried not to name him by his name, so that Karachun did not appear earlier than the appointed time.
Step 5
The spirit of death Karachun among the ancient Slavs is associated with the souls of deceased ancestors, who appeared to be "grandfathers". As a ritual, caroling arose on the day of Karachun, when the especially cold winter day of the Solstice was approaching. The youth depicting the spirits of their ancestors, among whom the elder grandfather stood out, went from house to house. Carollers were generously gifted by the owners. Hence, Christmas carols appeared, and the gifts, which later turned into gifts, began to be received not by pagan deities, but by people. "Frosty old man", "Santa Claus" - this is how the East Slavic and South Slavic tribes called Karachun.
Step 6
The image of Morozko, symbolizing the spirit of winter, not associated with death, appeared later. People were less wary of this deity, it was Morozko who became the hero of Russian folk tales. A small gray-haired old man with a floor-length beard ruled the land with sovereignty from November to March, especially in January. Morozko was also called Ded Treskun and Zimnik. The owner of a stern disposition cracked huts with ice, snow and logs in severe frosts and had a very angry wife Zima.
Step 7
Frost among the Slavs is a powerful pagan deity, personifying not only the winter cold, but also generously endowing nature with magical beauty, and people with a joyful festive mood. Blacksmith Morozko, chaining the river with ice chains, frightened off enemies with terrible cold.
Step 8
Santa Claus in Russian folk tales is a strict but fair old man. He is supportive of the kind and hardworking, and punishes the evil and lazy. People tried to appease the owner of winter, so that he would not get angry, would not freeze people and animals with his magic staff, would not destroy crops, would not interfere with hunting.
Step 9
After the adoption of Christianity, the image of a pagan deity began to distort. Angry and cruel Frost red nose by his actions causes harm to people. This is due to the irreconcilable struggle of the new faith with paganism.
Step 10
But the common people did not forget Santa Claus. In the second half of the 19th century, on the basis of ancient Slavic legends, works of art began to appear, which served as the "birth" of the invariable attribute of the New Year holidays - Santa Claus.
Step 11
November 18, when snow covers most of the territory of our state, is now considered the birthday of Santa Claus. But in fact, the Slavic deities that appeared at the beginning of the post-glacial period cannot have birthdays, since they are eternal and created by popular consciousness and faith.
Step 12
Legends tell differently about the place of residence of Santa Claus, but one thing is invariable: it is winter there all year round. Some people call the homeland of the kind old man the distant North Pole, some consider him a resident of Lapland. And the writer V. Odoevsky put his Moroz Ivanovich in a deep well, in which it is "cold" even in the summer heat. And since 1999, after the implementation of a very profitable business project, the city of Veliky Ustyug has the official right to be considered the homeland of Santa Claus.
