What to do on January 6 before Christmas. What do Orthodox Christians eat on Christmas Eve? Traditions of Epiphany Eve - what to do on this day

January 6, 2018 at Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas Eve. On this day before Christmas, the eve, or eve of the holiday, Orthodox Christians prepare for the great day.

Christmas Eve Traditions

The word "Christmas Eve" takes its name from sochiv, the main dish of this day. Sochivo or kutya are prepared from boiled or steamed cereal grains and seasoned with honey, and raisins are often added.

In 2018, Christmas Eve falls on Saturday, so the evening meal may not be limited to just eating soch - you can eat simple food with added butter and even drink a little red wine. However, we must not forget that if you plan to receive communion during the night holiday service, then after 18 o’clock you do not eat food or drink water.

There should be twelve lenten dishes on the table during the ceremonial meal. They symbolize the twelve apostles. The main dish is kutia or sochivo. It is from the word “sochivo” that the name of the holiday “Christmas Eve” comes from. Sochivo is prepared from wheat or rice grains, honey, poppy seeds, dried fruits, and nuts are added. The traditional drink for the holiday is uzvar. Drink alcoholic beverages in

In addition to kutya and uzvar, the required twelve Lenten holiday dishes on Christmas Eve on January 6, 2018 include peas, cabbage soup, borscht, cabbage rolls, fish, dumplings, pancakes, porridge, pies, and donuts.

There cannot be an odd number of people at the table. In this case, you need to supply an additional set of cutlery.

You cannot wear old and dark clothes on this holiday. The outfit should be light and festive.

You cannot swear, quarrel, scold, or sort things out. You can and should ask for forgiveness from those who were offended, and also forgive the offenders.

Signs

On Christmas night, according to popular belief, all sorts of miracles happen. It is believed that on this night the heavens “open”, all earthly waters, sources, springs and wells are endowed with magical healing powers, and if someone makes a wish on this night, it must come true. There is a custom to go out into the field at midnight on Christmas Day and look into the sky: the heavenly heights of unimaginable beauty open to the eyes of people living a righteous life.

On Christmas Eve, in many houses, hearths and fireplaces are lit, and a wooden block, previously coated with honey and sprinkled with grains, is placed on the fire. They try to keep the fire in the hearth all Christmastide until the old New Year.

On Christmas Eve (January 6) - the eve of the great holiday of Christmas - they fast all day and prepare festive clothes. It was also believed that you should not celebrate Christmas in black.

Even on Christmas Eve you need to go outside and look at the sky. If you are lucky enough to see a shooting star this holiday evening, make a wish. People believe that such a wish will definitely come true.

Merry Christmas to you!

January 6 is a holiday for all Christians. On this day they celebrate the Nativity of Christ. The wait lasts throughout the year, it is full of hopes and aspirations. Christmas Eve has a connection with traditions, rituals, signs, and superstitions. Next, we will consider customs that will help make the next year prosperous in terms of finances, health, and family happiness.

The beginning of this holiday was marked by the evening star, which is a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. According to the Gospel, this star led the Magi to the newborn Christ in the den.

His parents, hiding from persecution, were forced to wander around the cities. In one of them, a couple managed to get on the census list, but since all the inns were occupied, the baby was born in a nursery. It was the birth of God's son that gave birth to Christmas.

After the evening star lights up in the sky, the whole family should sit down at the table, where the main dish will be oozing cereals. Thanks to him, the holiday got its name.

Christmas Eve marks the end of a strict forty-day fast. The holiday is called differently: Holy Evening, Sochevnik, Eve of the Nativity of Christ, Kolyada, Christmas Eve.

The Orthodox Church established the celebration of Christmas Eve in the 4th century. The 5th-8th centuries became the time of writing sacred chants used for worship at Christmas. That period was famous for the proclamation of the Royal Hours. They proclaimed many years to the king, his house, and all Christians.

The holiday got its name from the name of the main dish that was prepared at this time - sochivo or sochni. Sochivo is a dish made from cereals, and sochni is flatbread. They made holes for the eyes and used them to tell fortunes. Through such a mask they looked out into the street. If passed good man, then the year will be successful, if it’s bad, then not.

People ate sochivo in memory of the biblical prophet Daniel. To prepare the dish, cereal grains in the form of wheat, barley, lentils, rice, soaked in the juice of poppy seeds, almonds, and nuts were used. The dish was lean. No oil was added to it; only a spoonful of honey was added to make the food nutritious. Sometimes they could use kutya instead.

There is such a parable connected with Sochiv. Because of the pagan Julian the Apostate, who decided to do something nasty to the believing people by sprinkling all the products in the market with the blood of animals, Daniel ordered his novices to eat grains that had been soaked and dried fruits. This way they were able to be satisfied and avoid defilement.

Customs on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve it is customary to perform the following actions:

Before starting to eat, they read prayers and then eat three spoons of this sochiv or kutya. In addition to it, there should be eleven dishes on the table in the form of:

Pickles.
Vinaigrette.
Dumplings.
Lenten borscht or cabbage soup.
Fish dish.
Mushroom soup.
Lenten cabbage rolls.
Varenikov.
Uzvara.

The day before Christmas they only pray and fast, and the fast is quite strict (you are only allowed to drink water). Only when the evening star appears can you start eating, eating only fast food.

On Christmas Eve there should be twelve dishes on the table. This number is not accidental; it symbolizes the number of apostles - disciples of God's son.

There is also a tradition of caroling on Christmas Eve. People go from house to house saying: “Kolyada, Kolyada, open the gate” and ask for treats. This is considered a good omen, since the house to which the carolers come will be filled with happiness and God's blessing.

On this day they visit their godparents bringing them supper.
Ask for forgiveness from those whom you have inadvertently offended.
Clothes worn on this day should not be dark colors.
Everything around should radiate light and testify to the holiday, so it is necessary large number lit candles. The year will be happier, the brighter the lights in the house burn.
On festive table There must be an even number of devices. If there is an odd number of guests, then the next even-numbered device should be installed.
Some countries have a tradition of placing a bundle of straw under the tablecloth as a manger, which is the cradle for the newborn Christ.
After the meal, cutlery must be left on the table. Kutya was sometimes placed not on the table, but under the image.
At the 4 corners of the house you should put money in the form of bills (for wealth), garlic cloves (for health). For the same purpose, it is necessary to place an ax under the table; they place their feet on it so that they will not be sick all year long.
On this day we must not offend our little brothers, since according to legend they could speak human language.
A bright day involves doing charity and doing good things: distributing clothes, sharing food. You can give alms to the poor or take care of the elderly.
The cattle were fed well that day, but the chickens were given nothing. There were beliefs that this would help wean birds from rummaging in the garden, especially in the spring when seedlings were being planted.
Be sure to attend church on this day, defend the liturgy, pray for yourself and your loved ones, and light candles.
Everyone at the table should wear clean clothes; if they accidentally get dirty, they need to be changed urgently.
All work must be completed before three o'clock in the afternoon and go to church.
For Christmas, you can bake a Magi pie, where a coin or bean is baked in the dough. Those who come across this or that item will be the lucky ones next year.

Signs

For those girls who have not yet gotten married, there is fortune telling: they throw a little kutya on the door and wait. Whoever walks through the door first will tell the future. If the guest speaks about something good, then the year will be the same, but if something neutral or bad is said, then so will it be.
The sky could predict the yield. If it is starry and there is not a cloud, then the harvest will be good. The more celestial bodies in the sky, the more millet there will be in the bins, and in our time it means a large amount of finances and well-being. Frost on the trees, the amount of snow, and the ground, which was deeply frozen, spoke of a generous harvest.

The people believed that those born on this day were the favorites of fate.

If you make a wish on a falling star on Christmas Eve, it will definitely come true.
If there is bright sun on Christmas Eve, then the year will be green.
The strong shine of stars in the sky foreshadows a rich harvest of berries and mushrooms.
How many days before Christmas will frost fall, so many days will there be good weather for sowing.
If there is frost before Christmas, then the grain is sown until Peter’s Day. If there is frost after this, then grain can be sown after Peter’s Day.
Whether there will be bad weather can be determined by the Milky Way. Its dimness indicates bad weather, but if it is bright and full of stars, then the weather will be bright and sunny.
A snowstorm before the holiday meant a good swarm of bees.
On the holiday itself, on a table covered with a white tablecloth, they placed a candle, saying: “Burn, candle, righteous sun, shine for the souls in paradise and for us, the living, warm Mother Earth, our cattle, our fields.” If there was a cheerful burning, then this meant a good year. If blinking or fluttering is observed, then you will have to save money.
There was a sign that as you spend Christmastide, the whole year will pass. Therefore, we tried to spend this time as fun as possible, caroling, organizing festivities, entertaining ourselves with games and fun.

It was impossible to sleep on the holiday, so the owners did not lie down on the bed, and if they did, they did not take off their holiday clothes. The older generation and spouses tried not to leave the house - this was also considered a bad sign.
If an unmarried girl or guy sneezes during a meal, then the girl will get married, and the guy will be a good Cossack. Such an event was celebrated with gifts: the girl was destined for a calf, the guy was destined for a foal.
They tried to prepare all the dishes even before the sun rose, in order to attract prosperity and wealth into the house.

It is considered a bad omen not to allow carolers into the house, because God himself visits the home with them.

What not to do

Since ancient times, people began to notice that certain events are associated with certain days. This is how the birth of signs took place, which still live today. On Christmas Eve it is prohibited:

Repay the debt. Then you may not see happiness, health, or good luck for a long time.
Leaving home when the evening star appears. You can remain restless all year.
Do sewing and handicrafts, otherwise you will suffer financial losses and misfortunes. This day should have been devoted to prayers, attending church liturgies, and thinking about eternal life and Christ.
Taking out various garbage or things from the home, along with them the house could be left without luck, health, prosperity, happiness.
Strongly quarrel with someone, use indecent words.
At the table, eating fast food and alcohol, loud laughter. The table must not be left until the meal is completed.
Sit down at the table before the evening star appears.
Sit on the corner, the girl may not get married this year.
Do household chores instead of going to church.
In the morning you can do business, and after the appearance of the evening star, you need to sit down at the table, offer prayers and eat.
You can wash in the bathhouse in the morning.
Guess. Other days are intended for this - Christmastide.
Comb your hair, braid your hair.
Devote time to love pleasures.

The connection between prohibitions and work is manifested in the sense that it is not the work itself that is prohibited, but not attending church because of it. That is, doing household chores is not a valid reason for refusing the liturgy.

So, in order for the holiday to please you, you must follow all the above recommendations, and if you are believers, then you must visit church.

The evening before Christmas, for each of us, is usually kutya and carols, as well as a quiet family dinner.

This holiday has several names - Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, Holy Evening, Rich Evening, Rich Kutya, Vilia, writes vedmochka.net. We were preparing for the winter holidays long before their onset. The housewives prepared a delicious dinner and cleaned the house, and most importantly, observed strict fast, which ended on January 6 at 12 am. However, these are not the only traditions that accompanied this day, so let's plunge into history and figure out what is the difference between modern Christmas Eve and the Holy Evening before.

As you know, there are two Christmas Eves - one Catholic, which is celebrated on December 24, and the other Orthodox, which is celebrated on January 6. But both of them are a symbol of intensive preparation for one of the most important holidays of the year - Christmas.

The custom of celebrating Christmas Eve, according to legend, arose based on the story of the Star of Bethlehem. A few days before the birth of Christ, the brightest star appeared to the Magi; such a sign appears only when a king is born. Therefore, they decided to go on a journey to present gifts to Christ.

But it's not single meaning holiday, because basically all holidays have pagan roots. The Holy Evening was no exception and many traditions have no connection with Christianity, this includes Christmas fortune-telling. So, according to legend, even in the pre-Christian period, our ancestors celebrated on this day the holiday “Korochuna”, or in other words the day of greeting the sun. According to other sources, the eve of the birth of Kola Svarog was celebrated on this day. It was on Holy Eve, as they used to believe, that the Earth gave people, plants, animals, in general, all living things, energy, which could subsequently help not only preserve the harvest, but also increase it, and it protects animals from diseases and promotes good offspring.

Church traditions on Christmas Eve

As we have already mentioned, the winter holidays were preceded by a strict fast, which ended with the appearance of the first star on January 6. On Christmas Eve, the whole family ate festive kutia all day long.

In the evening, a service is held with the reading of the Gospel, the telling of the story of the Magi, prayers, and also the liturgy. However, if Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, then the main part of the service is held on Friday evening, and the liturgy is already on Christmas Eve itself.
If for some reason it was not possible to get to the temple before, then on this holiday it was allowed to just read the prayers with the family and start the festive dinner. At the same time, it was important to wear all the newest things on Holy Eve, but if there was not enough money for new things, then they simply put on clean ones. This tradition served as a symbol of cleansing from sins and the advent of something new.

Slavic traditions on Holy Evening

The holy evening in the Slavic tradition was celebrated solemnly; the whole family usually gathered for this, and the mistress of the house cleaned the house and prepared a rich dinner before the guests arrived. Be sure to lay a clean white, or better yet, a new tablecloth, under which they put a little hay.

Christmas Didukh

Separately, it is worth noting about table decoration. To do this, a festive candle was always placed on the table, as a symbol of the first star, as well as the Christmas Didukh. Simply put, a sheaf of hay was placed in a vase and the whole family solemnly brought it into the house and placed it in the middle of the table. Moreover, Didukh had been prepared since the summer. To do this, the first sheaf of wheat or bread was left unthreshed. In some villages they separated from the last sheaf. He was bandaged and left until Christmas Eve, after which he was given the most honorable place on the table - in the middle.

The introduction of Didukh began with the head of the family taking it in one hand, and in the other there was a sheaf of hay. Behind him was the eldest son, who had a sheaf of hay in both hands. Even in the yard, the head of the family said: “Let him cower the hay, let him feed the cattle. Let it be soft for the little souls, let it be soft for the Holy Child and the cattle to lie in the hay!” At the same time, together with his son, scattering a sheaf of hay. And at the entrance to the house, the father shouted: “The holidays are coming!”, The son answered: “The holidays have come!”, and the mother continued: “We honor and ask the didukh and you to look into the house!”

The didukh was not removed until the Generous Evening, after which it was burned, throwing in old things or clothes in which a family member suffered an illness. Thus, our ancestors were cleared of negative energy of the past year.

Festive table for Christmas Eve

The main dish for Holy Evening was kutia, or as it was also called sochivo, kolivo. It was usually prepared from boiled wheat and barley with the addition of honey. Sometimes housewives also cooked it with rice. The meal began with kutya.

Moreover, the order of dishes was also strictly followed according to certain rules. So the first thing to go was definitely snacks. After them, the first dish was usually served, often borscht, mushroom soup or fish soup. For the first one, housewives always prepared pies, ears or flatbreads; they were also called sochni. Dessert was served last. These are poppy seed rolls, honey cakes, pies, jelly and so on. Sweet gingerbreads were definitely baked for this day.

The second obligatory dish was uzvar, or more simply put, dried fruit compote. It was often prepared from apples, pears, plums, raisins, cherries and other fruits. It is worth noting that all dishes were washed down only with uzvar and nothing else.

Separately, it is worth noting 12 dishes that must have been on the table and what they meant:

kutya was prepared as a symbol of the sacrifice made and the blood shed;
peas were considered a sign that after decline a person is reborn again, like God's spring;
cabbage - cabbage is a symbol of simplicity and reliability;
borscht - since the housewife tries to prepare this dish from simple ingredients, this is a symbol of the fact that routine work and daily bustle develops willpower in us. Among other things, it is also a reminder of the cruel order of King Herod to destroy infants;
cabbage rolls were prepared as a sign of God's love for man;
fish - since ancient times, fish was a symbol of Christianity and the sacrifice of Christ;
dumplings - this dish was a symbol of the prosperity that awaits believers in heaven;
pancakes meant the sun. Cooking pancakes on this day rather comes from paganism, but today this dish has become a symbol of the fact that Christ has become a symbol of the new sun, light;
porridge - became a symbol of procreation;
pies are a symbol of health and happiness;
uzvar is a symbol of the life that God gave us, as well as cleansing from all bad things;
Pampushki are prepared as a reminder of what awaits a person after death - eternal life.

It is worth noting that it is not necessary to prepare only these dishes on this day; the most important thing is that there should be 12 lean dishes on the table. In addition to these recipes, housewives prepared jellied meat, homemade sausage, pork head, jelly, dishes from mushrooms, meat, and fish.

At the table they tried to behave with restraint and calm. At the same time, it was impossible to get up from the table until the end of the meal. Not a single dish was to be left untouched; everyone who sat at the table had to taste at least a spoonful of all dishes. It was believed good sign, if an even number of people gather at the table, if not, then the hostess put an additional set of cutlery for deceased relatives.

Caroling on Holy Evening

After the festive dinner, the most interesting part for young people began - the festivities, which in particular included caroling. For this purpose, young boys and girls gathered near the temple or in another public place. Free unmarried men could join them.

Then they chose the main one who leads the carols - Bereza, as well as the treasurer, star, latkov and so on. Be sure to wear interesting costumes and come up with a little performance. The main role was usually played by a goat, as a symbol of prosperity and wealth.

Caroling used to be a little different from how it is done now. Previously, they did not knock or enter houses as is done in the modern world. Our ancestors usually called the owners with the words “Kolyada is coming!” Whoever came out was shown a performance with the singing of carols and folk songs. We wished the owner all the best for the coming year. After which the carolers were invited into the house and presented with gifts.

Signs for Christmas Eve

- It was a bad sign when people fell asleep in the house; to prevent this from happening, the owners, if they lay down on the bed, did so festive clothes so as not to fall asleep. At the same time, the older generation and married people tried not to leave the house again - a bad omen that does not bring anything good.
- It was a good omen for a free girl and a guy to sneeze during a festive dinner. In this case, the girl will get married next year, and the guy will become a good Cossack. Moreover, if this happened, fathers sometimes gave gifts to their children: girls - a calf, and boys - a foal.
- Also, the owners were happy when lonely and restless people came to visit that evening, this meant that in the coming year there would be happiness, joy and prosperity in the family. Therefore, such guests were generously given gifts and meals.
- Since we were preparing for Christmas on Christmas Eve, we tried to prepare all the food for the holiday even before sunrise. Then, according to beliefs, there will be prosperity and wealth in the family.
- And the snow cover spoke about what the harvest would be like in the coming year. It was believed that the more snow there was on Christmas Eve, the richer the harvest would be. If snow fell before January 6, but melted by Christmas Eve, then this indicates that there will be good harvest buckwheat But if there is frost and snowdrifts, then this is due to grain production.
- We also watched the stars closely. If, for example, there are many stars in the sky, then in the summer there will be a lot of peas. And if there are few stars, then there won’t be a lot of berries either. It was also a bad sign if the Milky Way was dim - it meant bad weather.
- The owners tried not to skimp on the table, because the more plentiful the Christmas Eve dinner is, the richer the coming year will be.
- We also tried not to quarrel from this evening and avoid disagreements for the entire holiday period. After all, if you quarrel or argue with someone these days, the whole year will pass in quarrels and disagreements.
- It was impossible to hunt and fish, otherwise the whole year would pass in misfortunes and hardships.

According to an old legend, on the night before Christmas “the gates of heaven open, and the Son of God descends to earth from the heights of the clouds.

During this solemn appearance, the most luminous paradise reveals to the eyes of righteous people all its invaluable treasures, all its inexplicable secrets. If anyone prays for anything at midnight, asks for anything, everything will be fulfilled, it will come true as written. The Wall reports

Christmas for all Christians of the world is the most important holiday of the year. And, although many traditions have been lost, we will try to remember what to do for Christmas. What are the Christmas signs for good luck and prosperity? After all, “as Christmas passes, so will the year.”

Food and festive table

First of all, on the eve of Christmas, until the evening, try not to eat anything. The only exception is for young children.

The table is traditionally covered with a tablecloth, under which a clove of garlic is placed in the corners. Garlic protects against evil force and diseases.

There should be twelve meatless dishes on the table. Traditionally it is borscht, potatoes, cabbage rolls, porridge, beans or broad beans, dumplings, fish, mushrooms, cookies, kutya, uzvar. And each of the guests must try each one. You cannot wash down your meal with water - only uzvar.

It is also impossible to eat all the dishes completely, there must be at least a little of each dish left - “so that the refrigerator does not remain empty.”

The main dish is kutya, or sochivo. Is it rice or wheat porridge with raisins and poppy seeds. This is where the meal begins.

Another important dish is Christmas cake. There is also a Christmas money sign associated with it. A coin is baked into a Christmas pie - whoever gets a piece with a coin will get a big one. money luck in the New Year. But remember, you can't cut the Christmas cake before it's Christmas Eve.

Christmas should be celebrated at home, with family and loved ones. A friendly atmosphere at the table is important. All misunderstandings need to be put aside, or even better, everyone who needs it needs to make peace.

It is a good tradition to light a large number of candles and lights at Christmas. It’s worth lighting the fireplace too – if you have one. They will attract warmth and wealth into your home. On Christmas Eve, lights and fire should not be taken out of the house.

No plate should be empty. Once you sit down at the table, you cannot leave it until the end of the meal. And, even more so, leave the house so as not to accidentally let evil spirits in.

The first evening star notifies people about a great miracle - the birth of the Son of God! If you saw a star, you can start the Holy Supper - light a candle, pray.

When the clock strikes twelve on the night before Christmas, all doors must be opened wide to drive out evil spirits.

Don't spend Christmas alone

Christmas is a family holiday, and even if you don’t have your own family, invite guests, or go visit yourself, but it is highly not recommended to be alone on this day.

But when inviting guests, invite only those who can bring you good luck in the new year. Avoid communicating with people you don't like during Christmas.

If you have pets, feed them better so that they don’t say that the owner is bad, since on Christmas, according to legend, “even cattle talk.”

For the Christmas celebration, girls and women tried to dress up before evening came. It was believed that those who did not have time to do this in the first case would not marry rich suitors, and in the second they would not be loved by their husbands.

Previously, the Christmas meal was invariably accompanied by commemoration of deceased relatives, sometimes even separate dishes were placed for them. It was the belief in the invisible presence of the souls of the dead that gave rise to certain rules and prohibitions.

For example, it was forbidden to sit too closely at the table, stand up and sit down abruptly, use knives and forks, pick up a fallen spoon from the floor, etc.

You should definitely light a special candle in honor of your deceased relatives - then they will definitely help you in the new year and attract good luck and prosperity to your home.

In the old days, an important action on Christmas morning was bringing fresh water into the house: the owners went for water as early as possible in order to collect it before others.

This water was considered especially healing; all family members washed themselves with it for health, and some was poured for kneading dough for ritual bread.

While kneading the dough to bake Christmas bread, the housewife did not have to talk to anyone.

With her hands smeared in dough, she touched household icons; went out into the garden and hugged the fruit trees so that they would be fertile.

Breakfast and lunch that day were hearty and plentiful.

After the meal, other magical rituals were performed.

To ensure the yield of fruit trees, the owner went out into the garden with an ax, swung at each tree, threatening to cut it down, and asked whether it would bear fruit this year.

Then he tied Christmas straw around the trunks; buried the remains of a festive dinner under the roots; shook the branches or showered them with grain, etc.

It was also customary to visit your livestock, wish them a Merry Christmas, and treat them with ritual food. Housewives brought chickens and geese into the house and fed them grain, surrounding them with rope in a circle so that they would not stray from the house throughout the year.

Despite the fact that any work on Christmas was considered a sin, some peoples had a custom of symbolically redoing the main tasks. Many believed that this would ensure success in all work in the coming year.

According to church regulations, at this time it was possible to eat only juice, honey pancakes and Lenten pies. The leftover food was not cleared away from the table, believing that the souls of the dead would feed on it. Breaking the fast was allowed in the morning of the next day after early mass.

According to an old legend, on the night before Christmas “the gates of heaven open, and the Son of God descends to earth from the heights of the clouds. During this solemn appearance, the most luminous paradise reveals to the eyes of righteous people all its invaluable treasures, all its inexplicable secrets. All springs are turned into wine and endowed with miraculous healing powers on this great night; In the gardens of Eden, flowers bloom and golden apples pour in. If anyone prays for anything at midnight, asks for anything, everything will be fulfilled, it will come true as it is written.”

The whole day of January 7 is best to visit and receive guests. It is important that you should communicate at Christmas only with those people who can bring you happiness.

Christmas is a great time for shopping, big and small.

Buying something good for Christmas is a great omen and a sign that the purchase will serve you faithfully. If you have pets, you need to feed them generously at Christmas - then the year will be satisfying and financially successful.

What not to do at Christmas

There are things that you shouldn't do on Christmas - if you believe the signs, they can bring trouble to your home.

If you decide to have fun with hunting, you cannot do this from Christmas to Epiphany (until January 19). At this time, nature protects animals, so killing animals is considered a grave sin.

On Christmas Day, girls should not guess - wait a little, you have all the Christmastide ahead of you! Also on Christmas you cannot clean the house, do any housekeeping or sew.

You can't drink water on Christmas, so remove all mineral water from the table. There is coffee, tea and other great drinks. To be honest, this sign is a little strange, but it’s better not to drink water than to suffer for an unknown reason all year.

Money signs for Christmas

On Christmas Eve (January 7 to 19), observe nature. If the sky is most often strewn with stars, or it snows often, or there is a lot of frost on the trees, the year will be rich, satisfying, and profitable.

If it snows on Christmas Day itself, this is a very good omen and promises a successful year. If there is a new moon in the sky on Christmas Day, the year will be extremely unlucky financially.

That's all the Christmas signs. Have a wonderful Christmas! Let the coin end up in your piece of Christmas pie.

Signs for prosperity and happiness:

A decorated Christmas tree - it would seem that this is a given. But in fact, many people dismantle the Christmas tree immediately after the New Year. Therefore, if you are one of them, do not rush to get rid of your elegant beauty this year.

The tradition of putting up a Christmas tree for Christmas appeared in the 8th century in Germany. It was picked up by many peoples and countries, including Slavic ones. Afterwards they began to dress her up, comparing her to the tree of paradise strewn with apples.

Gifts and visits

Even if all the gifts are given away New Year, leave some nice souvenirs for Christmas. The appearance of this tradition in Russia is associated with Saint Nicholas, who later became the prototype of Father Frost. Today it is customary to put gifts in New Year's socks.

Buying or acquiring something good for Christmas is considered good luck. Also on this day, it is advisable to go to visit or receive them until the evening. But you need to communicate only with those who can bring you happiness.

And it was necessary to prepare very seriously - from being properly prepared, to bringing oneself into a certain state of mind - readiness for the miracle of the birth of the Lord..

What is possible

Christmas Eve is the first day of a very long Orthodox holiday complex called “Svyatki”. In fact, preparation for all upcoming holidays. That is why it was important to spend this day correctly.

Fast. Christmas Eve is the end of one of the longest (40 days) fasts, so we had to endure it all to the end with honor. Moreover, on January 6, from the very morning until the end of the festive Liturgy, it was impossible to eat anything at all. That is, approximately until three o'clock. And then it was still impossible to relax - right up until Christmas, savory dishes were seriously limited.

Attend church. Especially the pre-holiday Liturgy and Vespers. Still more effective way they haven’t figured out how to tune your spirit in the right way. What is characteristic is that this Liturgy has existed almost since the 4th century after the Nativity of Christ and has remained virtually unchanged since that time.

Fortune telling, as usual, was undesirable, but quite acceptable. Especially those that took place on the night from 6 to 7.

Caroling. It was from the evening of Christmas Eve that this matter could be dealt with officially. But how is a topic for a separate article, since each Orthodox country had its own special traditions in this regard.

But for folk signs it was possible to follow. Still, this is not fortune-telling, but the quintessence of folk wisdom, which was extremely rarely mistaken. So if the night before Christmas was clear and starry, then the summer will be generous.

Prepare gifts. Still, the coming Christmas is a family holiday, an integral part of which, especially from the point of view of children, are gifts.

What not to do

All true believing Christians on this day had to prepare their spirit and body for the great event - the birth of the Savior. Hence the rather strict rules regarding what was categorically forbidden to do.

It was impossible to work around the house. That is, washing, cleaning, even cooking had to be done in advance.
Drink alcohol. Seriously, many people forget about this important everyday aspect, but this is also one of the most important components of fasting, which is not just a restriction in food, but also a conscious restriction of one’s lifestyle in general.
It was undesirable to indulge in sinful thoughts, swear, quarrel, or plot something evil. All a person’s actions and thoughts should have been aimed at preparing for the holiday.

The Joinfo.ua team and journalist Artem Kostin believe that you will also be interested in learning about other holidays of the Yuletide cycle, for example -