Ded Moroz (Morozko) is a mighty Russian pagan God, a character in Russian legends, in Slavic legends - the personification of Russian winter frosts, a blacksmith who binds water with ice, generously showering winter nature with sparkling snow silver, giving the joy of a winter festival, and, if necessary, in difficult times. for a long time protecting the Russians from advancing enemies with hitherto unprecedented winter colds freezing into the ice, from which iron begins to break.
Once upon a time, even before the advent of Christianity in Rus', our ancestors believed that the spirits of the dead protected their family, took care of the offspring of livestock and good weather. Therefore, to reward them for their care, people gave them gifts every winter. On the eve of the holiday, village youth put on masks, turned out their sheepskin coats and went from house to house, singing carols. (However, in different regions caroling had its own peculiarities.) The owners presented the carolers with food.
The point was precisely that the carolers represented the spirits of ancestors who received a reward for their tireless care of the living. Among the carolers there was often one “person” dressed more terribly than anyone else. As a rule, he was forbidden to speak. This was the oldest and most formidable spirit; he was often called simply Grandfather. It is quite possible that this is the prototype of the modern Santa Claus. Only today, of course, he has become kinder and does not come for gifts, but brings them himself. With the adoption of Christianity, pagan rituals were, of course, “abolished,” and therefore exist to this day. The carolers depict not the spirits of their ancestors, but heavenly messengers, which, you see, is practically the same thing. It’s already difficult to say who should be considered Grandfather, but there is still an “elder”.
According to another version, the “great-great-grandfather” of the modern Russian Father Frost was a Russian hero folk tales Morozko or Moroz red nose, master of weather, winter and frost. Initially, he was called Grandfather Treskun and was represented as a little old man with a long beard and a temper as harsh as Russian frosts. From November to March, Grandfather Treskun was the absolute master of the earth. Even the sun was afraid of him! He was married to a despicable person - Winter. Father Treskun or Father Frost was also identified with the first month of the year - mid-winter - January. The first month of the year is cold and cold - the king of frosts, the root of winter, its sovereign. It is strict, icy, icy, it’s time for snowmen. People also talk about January like this: fireman and jelly, snowman and cracker, fierce and fierce.
In Russian fairy tales, Father Frost is portrayed as an eccentric, strict, but fair spirit of winter. . Remember, for example, the fairy tale "Morozko". Morozko froze and froze the kind, hardworking girl, and then gave her a gift, but he froze the evil and lazy girl to death. Therefore, in order to avoid troubles, some northern peoples and now they appease old man Frost - on festive nights they throw cakes and meat over the threshold of their homes, pour out wine so that the spirit does not get angry, does not interfere with the hunt, or destroys the crops.
Santa Claus was represented as a gray-haired old man with a floor-length beard in a long thick fur coat, felt boots, a hat, mittens, and with a staff with which he froze people
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Under the influence of Christianity, which fought cruelly and bloodily Slavic paganism(battle with religious competitors for profits), the original image of Snow Grandfather was distorted (like all others Slavic gods), and Morozko began to be represented as an evil and cruel pagan deity, the Great Old Man of the North, the lord of icy cold and blizzards, who froze people. This was reflected in Nekrasov’s poem “Frost - Red Nose”, where Frost kills a poor young peasant widow in the forest, leaving her young children orphans.
As the influence of Christianity weakened in Russia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the image of Morozko began to soften. Santa Claus first appeared at Christmas in 1910, but did not become widespread.
And here is that Santa Claus whom you and I are accustomed to seeing with early years Appeared already in Soviet era
, after the rejection of the ideas of Christianity, was widespread new image Santa Claus: he appeared to children under New Year and gave gifts; this image was created by Soviet filmmakers in the 1930s.
And note that only our Father Frost comes to the holiday with his divine granddaughter - the Snow Maiden.
Modern collective image Father Frost is based on the hagiography of St. Nicholas, as well as descriptions of the ancient Slavic deities Pozvizd (God of the Wind), Zimnik and Karachun.
But the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards Santa Claus is ambiguous, on the one hand, as a pagan deity and wizard (God of a different religion, which means a religious competitor, contrary to Christian teaching), and on the other hand, as an invincible Russian cultural tradition, which to fight is only to disgrace yourself and reveal your weakness
It is difficult to say definitively where the Russian Father Frost lives, since there are a lot of legends. Some claim that Santa Claus comes from the North Pole, others say from Lapland. Only one thing is clear, Santa Claus lives somewhere in the far North, where it is winter all year round.
But the most interesting thing is the Origin of Santa Claus
Imagine that in some countries local gnomes are considered the ancestors of Santa Claus. In others - medieval wandering jugglers who sang Christmas carols, or wandering sellers of children's toys. There is an opinion that among the relatives of Father Frost is the East Slavic spirit of cold Treskun, aka Studenets, Frost. The image of Santa Claus has evolved over centuries, and each nation has contributed something of its own to its history. But among the elder’s ancestors there was, it turns out, quite real person. In the 4th century, Archbishop Nicholas lived in the Turkish city of Myra. According to legend, it was very kind person. So, one day he saved three daughters of a poor family by throwing bundles of gold through the window of their house. After the death of Nicholas, he was declared a saint. In the 11th century, the church where he was buried was robbed by Italian pirates. They stole the remains of the saint and took them to their homeland. The parishioners of the Church of St. Nicholas were outraged. erupted international scandal. This story caused so much noise that Nicholas became the object of veneration and worship of Christians from different countries peace.
And yet, Saint Nicholas is our kind Grandfather Frost, Santa Claus. The holiday and day of honoring Saint Nicholas. All nations celebrate December 19. On December 19, it is customary to give gifts to children, because the saint himself did so. After the introduction of the new calendar, the saint began to come to children at Christmas, and then on New Year. Everywhere the good old man is called differently, in England and America - Santa Claus, and here - Father Frost.
And this is what our traditional appearance of Santa Claus looks like, according to ancient mythology and symbolism :
Beard and hair
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thick, gray (silver). These details of appearance, in addition to their “physiological” meaning (the old man is gray-haired), also have a huge symbolic character, denoting power, happiness, prosperity and wealth. Surprisingly, hair is the only detail of the appearance that has not undergone any significant changes over the millennia.
Shirt and pants
- white, linen, decorated with white geometric patterns (symbol of purity). This detail was almost lost in modern idea about the suit. Performers of the role of Santa Claus and costume designers prefer to cover the performer's neck with a white scarf (which is acceptable). As a rule, they do not pay attention to the trousers or they are sewn in red to match the color of the fur coat ( terrible mistake!)
Fur coat- long (ankle-length or shin-length), always red, embroidered with silver (eight-pointed stars, geese, crosses and other traditional ornaments), trimmed with swan down. Some modern theatrical costumes, alas, are guilty of experiments in the field of colors and replacement of materials. Surely many people have seen a gray-haired wizard in a blue or green fur coat. If so, know that this is not Santa Claus, but one of his many “younger brothers.”". If the fur coat is short (the shin is exposed) or has pronounced buttons- in front of you is a costume of Santa Claus, Pere Noel or one of the foreign brothers-in-arms of Father Frost. But replacing swan down with white fur, although not desirable, is still acceptable.
Cap- red, embroidered with silver and pearls. Trimmed with swan down (white fur) with a triangular cutout made on the front part (stylized horns). The shape of the hat is semi-oval (the round shape of the hat is traditional for Russian tsars,Just remember the headdress of Ivan the Terrible). In addition to the imposing attitude to color described above, modern theatrical costume designers tried to diversify the decoration and shape of Santa Claus's headdress. The following “inaccuracies” are typical: replacing pearls with glass diamonds and semi-precious stones (permissible), lack of a cutout behind the trim (not desirable, but very common), a hat of the correct semicircular shape (this is Vladimir Monomakh) or a cap (Santa Claus), a pompom (he same).
Three-fingered gloves or mittens
- white, embroidered with silver - a symbol of the purity and holiness of everything that he gives from his hands. Three-fingered- a symbol of belonging to the highest divine principle since the Neolithic. What symbolic meaning do modern red mittens carry is unknown
Belt
- white with a red ornament (symbol of the connection between ancestors and descendants). Nowadays, it has been preserved as an element of costume, having completely lost its symbolic meaning and corresponding color scheme. It's a pity...
Shoes- silver or red, silver-embroidered boots with raised toes. The heel is slanted, small in size or completely absent. On a frosty day, Father Frost puts on white felt boots embroidered with silver. White color and silver are symbols of the moon, holiness, north, water and purity. It is by shoes that you can distinguish a real Santa Claus from a “fake” one. Dad Orosa will never go out to the public wearing boots or black boots! As a last resort, he will try to find red dancing boots or ordinary black felt boots (which is certainly not advisable).
Staff- crystal or silver “like crystal”. The handle is twisted and also has a silver-white color scheme. The staff is completed with a moon (a stylized image of the month) or a bull's head (a symbol of power, fertility and happiness).
And some more features of Santa Claus
1. Santa Claus wears a very warm hat with fur trim. Attention: no bombs or brushes!
2. Santa Claus's nose is usually red. (No bad analogies! It’s just VERY cold in the far north!) But the blue nose option is also allowed due to Grandfather’s snow-ice origin.
3. Santa Claus has a beard right down to the floor. White and fluffy like snow.
4. Grandfather Frost wears a long thick fur coat. Initially, quite a long time ago, the color of the fur coat was blue, cold, but under the influence of the red fur coats of its “European brothers” it changed to red. Although on at the moment Both options are allowed.
5. Santa Claus hides his hands in huge mittens.
6. Santa Claus does not wear belts, but ties his fur coat with a sash (belt). In extreme cases, it is fastened with buttons.
7. Santa Claus prefers exclusively felt boots. And it’s not surprising, because at -50? C (usual northern air temperature) even the Snow Master’s feet will freeze in boots.
8. Santa Claus always carries a staff with him. Firstly, to make it easier to get through the snowdrifts. And secondly, according to legend, Father Frost, while still a “wild Morozko”, used this very staff to “freeze” people.
9. A bag of gifts is a later attribute of the Master of Winter. Many children believe that he is bottomless. In any case, Santa Claus never lets anyone near the bag, but takes gifts out of it himself. He does this without looking, but he always guesses who is waiting for what gift.
10. Santa Claus travels on foot, by air or on a sleigh pulled by a troika. He also loves to cross his native expanses on skis. There have been no recorded cases of deer being used.
11. The most important difference between the Russian Father Frost is his constant companion, his granddaughter Snegurochka. This is understandable: alone and in the far north, you can die of boredom! And it’s more fun with my granddaughter. P.S. And Santa Claus never wears glasses or smokes a pipe!
Snow Maiden, granddaughter of Father Frost
It should be noted that the Snow Maiden is purely Russian phenomenon. Not a single overseas character symbolizing the arrival of the new year has a companion. Only our Santa Claus is lucky.
This is how he is Dash Good Old Man Grandfather Frost Whom we look forward to every year and to whom we make wishes, believe in fairy tales and wait for a Miracle
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Father Frost, Santa Claus, Pere Noel, Saint Nicholas - winter givers of gifts to good children (in fact, to everyone) have filled the entire near-Christian world. These characters make the coldest and darkest time of the year a little magical, helping to brighten up the endless wait for spring. But at the very beginning ancient history they were just as cold and gloomy. Humanity has passed long haul, before beginning to celebrate victory over her winter fears.
The further north people lived, the more complex their relationship with nature was. And the more intricately they imagined personifications of the elemental forces with which they had to fight in order to survive. It is to the embodiment of the winter cold that the image of a bearded good man with a bag of gifts goes back. Only in ancient times he was not at all kind, and there was only one gift in his arsenal: a chance to survive another winter. An invaluable gift for times when forty years was considered an advanced age.
Frost, snow and ice, the deep winter darkness in the minds of our ancestors were associated with death. In Scandinavian myths, in the icy north, the kingdom of the dead is located, where the terrible goddess Hel rules - the prototype Snow Queen from Andersen's fairy tale. The houses of modern Santa Clauses are also located in the north: Lapland, Greenland, Alaska, the North Pole, the “pole of cold” Oymyakon in Yakutia... Russian Veliky Ustyug of the Vologda region and the Belarusian Belovezhskaya Pushcha are perhaps the southernmost places where this grandfather was settled. Fortunately, modern Santas don't want to kill us. And they wanted our ancestors. And they cheated as best they could, paying off with sacrifices.
On the longest night of the year - the winter solstice, from December 21 to 22 - the ancient Germans and Celts celebrated the holiday Yule. There was something to rejoice at: after this night the sun “turned to spring” and the day began to lengthen. People decorated their houses with evergreen branches of holly, ivy and mistletoe, drank hot ale with spices, burned a special “Yule log” in the fireplace, and visited their neighbors. After the Christianization of Europe, these customs became attributes of Christmas and New Year, which come a little later than Yule.
The Yule log is not only a decoration, but also a traditional Christmas dessert (cream roll)
The image of Wotan the Wanderer has become a popular illustration for the story of the Eternal Jew
Among the Germans, Yule was dedicated to Wotan (aka Odin), the god of wisdom, the lord of life and death. According to legend, first retold by Jacob Grimm, Wotan rides across the sky that night at the head of the Wild Hunt, bringing unwary travelers into his retinue. Perhaps this is where the tradition of “Christmas is a family holiday” is rooted: on the longest night of the year, all family members should sit at the hearth, and not wander along the roads. Wotan was often depicted as a long-bearded old man leaning on a spear, wearing a cloak and a wanderer's hat - do you recognize Grandfather Frost in a sheepskin coat and with a staff? Sacrifices were made to Wotan on Yule - it is reliably known that these were horses and pigs, but it is possible that in very ancient times the sacrifices were human.
Slavic Frost (Mraz) also demanded sacrifices. An echo of the ceremony of human sacrifice can be seen in the fairy tale “Morozko”. Remember the girl who was almost frozen to death, but then generously rewarded for her meekness? So, young virgins, who were sent into the forest every winter as a sacrifice to the winter god, actually froze to death. But in the pagan consciousness, such a death meant joining the very elemental force that everyone was afraid of. And if Morozko accepted the sacrifice, it means that this year he will be kind.
In Ukrainian and Belarusian villages back in the 19th century, Moroz was ritually “invited” to Christmas kutya (sweet wheat porridge with dried fruits) - a harmless equivalent of a human sacrifice. If we remember that kutia was also a traditional dish at Slavic funerals, the ritual takes on additional depth, turning into a way of communicating with the spirits of deceased ancestors.
But how did these capricious and insatiable elements turn into kind and generous givers? For this to happen, another, non-pagan character had to appear in world mythology.
Santa the Miracle Worker
In the 3rd century AD, in the Roman province of Lycia, in Asia Minor, there lived a young man, Nicholas, who from childhood decided to devote himself to religion. When his parents died, he distributed all his considerable inheritance to the poor, and he himself went to study with his uncle, the bishop, who later ordained him as a priest. Over time, Nicholas became the Bishop of Myra, beloved among the people for his kindness and generosity to those in need. Moreover, he showed this generosity secretly - but for some reason it still became known that the mysterious benefactor was the bishop.
One of the legends about Nicholas says that he heard about three beautiful sisters, whose father was poor and could not give a dowry for them, so instead of marrying off his daughters, he planned to sell them to brothel. To save the girls from this fate, Nikolai collected three bags of gold and threw them into his sisters’ house - according to different versions legends, through a window or chimney. And these bags ended up in stockings hung near the fireplace to dry.
Depiction of Saint Nicholas in the Catholic tradition. By the way, like Wotan, he is considered the patron saint of travelers.
In memory of the generosity of St. Nicholas - and he was named a saint during his lifetime - the day of his memory (December 6, or December 18 in the new style) became a holiday on which it is necessary to give gifts and help the poor, ritually joining in truly Christian image life led by a silverless bishop. The children were told that gifts were brought by Saint Nicholas himself - a kind, gray-bearded old man in a long-skirted bishop's robe and a high headdress (mitre). In order for the gift to end up in a child's sock, which was specially hung by the fireplace, Saint Nicholas supposedly climbs to the roof of each house and descends through the chimney.
During the Reformation, when Protestants fought against the Catholic custom of venerating saints as idolatry, the ritual of gift-giving shifted to Christmas - in memory of the gifts that the three wise men brought to the infant Christ. Saint Nicholas fell out of favor, surviving as the main Christmas benefactor in only a few countries. Now many Polish, Ukrainian, Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, Croatian and some Dutch children receive the main gifts “for good behavior throughout the year” not on Christmas or New Year, but on the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas - December 18. However, some manage to beg their parents for a gift for all the winter holidays. If you remember being a child, you should know how this is done.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, Saint Nicholas is accompanied by Black Peter, a Moorish servant who traces his ancestry to one of the Christmas gift-giving magicians.
The holiday is coming to us
From Holland, Saint Nicholas moved to America - along with a wave of Dutch settlers in the 18th century. They called him Sinterklaas - hence the name “Santa Claus” we know. True, at first he was called that only in New York, which originally belonged to Holland and was called New Amsterdam. The English Puritans, who shared the northeast of what is now the United States with the Dutch, did not celebrate Christmas - they generally had problems with fun.
In 1821, Sinterklaas first sat in a sleigh drawn by a reindeer.
Father Christmas, model 1836, is more reminiscent of the god of wine and fun, Dionysus (Bacchus)
But in English folklore there was an old character called Father Christmas, who symbolized not the Christian custom of selflessly sharing with one another, but rather the pagan love of unbridled fun during the holidays. Father Christmas was portrayed as a fat, bearded man in a short fur-lined camisole, who liked to drink beer, eat heartily and dance to catchy tunes. In the Victorian era, when the influence of Protestants in England weakened (the majority had emigrated to America), Father Christmas also received the mission of giving gifts to children. And in America, his appearance and love of fun (“Ho-ho-ho!”) went to Sinterklaas, who turned into Santa Claus. The red color of clothing is all that remains in America from Bishop Nicholas.
In 1821, Sinterklaas appeared on the pages of a children's book unknown author « New Year's gift children from five to twelve years old,” and in 1823 in Clement Clark Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” now known to American children as “The Night Before Christmas.” It is written from the perspective of the father of the family, who wakes up on Christmas night and watches Santa Claus's sleigh pulled by reindeer fly across the sky, and as Santa himself comes down the chimney to put gifts for the children in the stockings hanging by the fireplace.
Moore's poem names eight of Santa's reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. The first six are English (Swift, Dancer, Horse, Frisky, Comet, Cupid), the last two are German (Thunder and Lightning). The ninth and main reindeer, Rudolph, appeared more than a hundred years later, in 1939, in a poem by Robert L. May. Rudolf's peculiarity is his huge shining nose, with which he lights the way for the entire team.
This scene has since been repeated constantly - on Christmas cards, in movies and cartoons, as well as in the stories of parents who want their children to believe in Santa Claus, and not in the painful search for gifts in the bustle of pre-Christmas sales. A tradition has emerged of leaving treats for Santa by the fireplace on Christmas night: milk and cookies in America and Canada, a glass of sherry or a bottle of beer with a piece of meat pie in England and Australia. Yes, Santa Claus became part of the culture of all English-speaking countries, returning across the ocean to his ancestral home of Britain, and from there reaching Australia. By the way, in 2008 he was granted Canadian citizenship.
And the fact that Santa became known to the whole world must be blamed on the deity of the twentieth century - His Majesty Marketing. In the 1930s, a cheerful, ruddy old man in red and white clothes began to appear in Coca-Cola advertisements. At the same time, the actors portraying Santa began working in decorated shopping centers and at Christmas markets during the holidays - communicating with children, listening to their cherished desires and unobtrusively promoting goods.
This advertising was already so widespread that it gave rise to a sustainable urban legend, as if the canonical appearance of Santa Claus was invented by Coca-Cola. In fact, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, he often appeared in illustrations in this form. And for the first time in advertising, his image was not used by Coca-Cola - Santa had to promote mineral water and ginger ale before.
Cotton beard
The history of the domestic Santa Claus in the form in which we know him also goes back a few years. Back in the 19th century, he was a character in Russian folklore and children's books (for example, Odoevsky's fairy tale "Moroz Ivanovich"), from time to time he looked at public children's Christmas trees - but rarely. Parents in Russian Empire they told the children that the baby Jesus brought them gifts, or they honestly admitted that they gave them themselves. Didn't approve of Pagan Frost Orthodox Church, and the children were afraid of the bearded old man - in their minds, Frost was a harsh winter lord from fairy tales. When in 1910 such a Grandfather appeared at a holiday in one kindergarten, singing a song based on Nekrasov’s poems “It is not the wind that rages over the forest,” the kids burst into tears of fear. The teacher had to remove the fake beard from the actor to make Frost look more humane.
Meeting of Morozko and the meek stepdaughter performed by Ivan Bilibin
The 1917 revolution almost put an end to the winter holiday: Christmas, like other dates church calendar, the Bolsheviks decided to write it off as scrap. Christmas trees and other ritual winter amusements were erased from the life of the new Soviet state - in 1929, Christmas officially became a regular working day.
But in the 1930s, they began to abandon the “leftist excesses”. In November 1935, Stalin said famous phrase: “Life has become better, comrades! Life has become more fun." Taking this opportunity, candidate member of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, Pavel Postyshev, who dreamed of returning the holiday to children, made a proposal in the Pravda newspaper in December: organize holiday trees for Soviet children, clearing them of religious attributes. So the Christmas tree star of Bethlehem turned into a five-pointed Soviet one, instead of Christmas it was decided to celebrate the New Year en masse, Christmastide with traditional dressing up in costumes became a New Year's carnival. The atmosphere of the holiday also changed: Christmas was a quiet family celebration, while the New Year was supposed to be celebrated noisily and cheerfully.
1950s illustration for Vladimir Odoevsky’s fairy tale “Moroz Ivanovich”
The only problem was with Santa Claus: the children were still afraid of the old man in white clothes. To soften the effect, he was accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka, who affectionately called Moroz “grandfather,” and a whole retinue of forest animals. In addition, in fairy-tale performances that were performed at children's Christmas trees, Father Frost acted as a kind wizard, a kind of Gandalf, saving the New Year from the machinations of Baba Yaga, Leshy, Koshchei the Immortal and other evil spirits. Little by little, over the course of two decades, Father Frost in the Soviet Union became as harmless, albeit powerful, a good fellow as Santa Claus in the West. Only he usually dresses not in red, but in white and blue - shades of snowy winter twilight. Only in recent years Frost sometimes appears in red, and his headdress takes on the characteristics of St. Nicholas's miter.
If Snegurochka is the granddaughter of Father Frost, then who are her parents? All kids ask this question as soon as they learn to understand family ties. Apparently, the Snow Maiden is not a pale beauty from fairy tale play Ostrovsky (in the play she was called the daughter of Frost and Spring, and not the granddaughter), and one of the girls who were once sacrificed to Frost. He calls her granddaughter only because she is old enough to be his granddaughter.
On New Year's Eve, almost everyone, from a child to a pensioner, expects some kind of magic. Children are waiting for gifts under the tree from Santa Claus, and those who are older - from the authorities, the government, etc. But for some, Santa Claus is preparing something bright and interesting, while for others... You understand. By the way, Santa Claus was not very popular before.
Kind Grandfather Frost was not always kind. They were afraid of him. Who real Grandfather Freezing? How is it related to paganism? What did he carry in the bag? Below we will tell you who he is, where he came from and why modern Santa Claus is very different from the legends.
The real Santa Claus is first mentioned where the winter is quite cold. It is believed that the Vologda region became the place where legends and the first legends about the gray-haired old man appeared. Santa Claus in paganism was a rather cruel deity. They told children about it and passed it on to each other in works. folklore, also talked about the observations of their ancestors.
IN pagan mythology Many of our ancestors could become its prototype. Let's look at a few examples of who came up with Santa Claus and what are the origins of this “grandfather.” For example, the god Pozvizd controlled winter weather. Legends say that when he shakes his beard, snow falls. The winter elements were his retinue, which accompanied him on his campaigns.
The next deity was called Zimnik. It was a gray-haired old man with a beard. He had no headdress, no shoes, and carried a mace in his hands. People believed that if they saw him in the village, there would be a severe cold. They told the children about it so that they would beware. For example, he could draw patterns on glass and froze water in reservoirs.
The evil spirit Karachun is fiercer. It was believed that he controlled the dungeon and controlled the cold. Could freeze a person, take his life. In the past, it was believed that Santa Claus was associated with the world of the dead. The proof is that in New Year's time spirits returned to the world of the living. There was a ritual during the New Year, according to which people presented gifts to spirits. These were traditional carols.
The youth dressed in inverted sheepskin coats and masks, and one of them was not supposed to speak. They called him Grandfather. The rest asked for food for songs and wishes. The carolers considered themselves messengers who helped people appease the fierce Frost. Residents left jelly on the table as a talisman.
Frost - Treskun - was fierce. He formed bitter frosts and became the prototype of the real Santa Claus of our time. He also painted on glass unusual drawings, the surface of the rivers was turned into mirrors for the sky, and a place for children's fun.
Who is Santa Claus nowadays?
In our time, since the 19th century, works with such a kind character as “Grandfather Frost” began to appear. One began to get the impression of a positive wizard who was giving the children generous gifts from his wide bag. By the way, we’ll talk about the bag a little lower.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the idea of a kind grandfather fully entered into life. The hero has become traditional for the New Year. Thus, the history of Santa Claus in the modern good understanding begins in the 20th century, i.e. relatively recently. Today, any child knows where Santa Claus lives and is ready to ask for various gifts. Who could imagine how much the view of an evil spirit can change over time.
Legends: who is the real Santa Claus
In ancient times, everyone was afraid of Santa Claus. A legend was told in which he was a thief of children, abducting them and carrying them around in a sack. Initially, the bag was needed for this purpose, and not for gifts.
who is the real Santa Claus
The tradition of giving gifts has been around for a long time. It is believed that the beginning of this tradition was laid by a certain Nicholas. His family was wealthy. He had compassion for poor people and helped them. For his good and selfless deeds he was canonized and elevated to the rank of Saints. By the way, now there is a separate day in honor of him.
There is a legend according to which Nikolai overheard a poor man talking about a hard life, about not being able to feed his daughters and therefore having to give them away. There was no way out due to their poverty. Then Nikolai decided to quietly enter the house and put in a bag of coins. In the morning the girls were very happy with what they saw; their shoes and socks were with gold coins. From that time on, the custom arose of hiding gifts for children in stockings and hanging candy on the Christmas tree. They used to be called gifts from Nicholas. Also, such “Nikolaychiks” are hidden under pillows.
A little about the Snow Maiden
In the West, Christmas is more valued. In Russia, New Year is considered the most important winter holiday. Santa Claus visits all children. With him comes the Snow Maiden, who was first heard of at the end of the 19th century. The works of many Russian writers created the impression of a good assistant to grandfather.
In fact, the Snow Maiden was an independent image. The exact appearance of the Snow Maiden and Father Frost as a single whole is not known. Some people think that she is Kupala's sister. Her name was Kostroma. She always wore white, held an oak branch in her hands, and loved to dance in circles. She was resurrected and became a spirit.
Appearance of Santa Claus and “company”
It is not difficult to distinguish it by external signs. The real outfit of Santa Claus consists of: a warm fur coat of blue, red or white; on the head is a hat, shining with crystals; carries a staff, as well as gifts in a bag. The method of transportation was memorable. To do this, I used three white horses with a sleigh. Grandfather did good deeds, and the Snow Maiden helped him with this. It was in his power to fulfill a request, fulfill a wish, give a gift.
The modern outfit of Santa Claus includes: a warm hat with fur, without unnecessary decorations, a very long fur coat, thick and made of fur. The fur coat was white, then blue, now red. There are large mittens on the hands. There is no belt on the waist, although there used to be one. On his feet he wears warm felt boots made of wool. His nose is red because it is cold in the north. The beard is long, white, fluffy in volume. He always carries a bag of gifts with him, it is assumed that he chooses them without looking, but he always guesses who it is intended for. He carries the staff in his hands to make it easier to get over snowdrifts to freeze. He rides horses, sometimes skis through the forests and checks his possessions.
Father Frost and Santa Claus
Now let's talk about Santa Claus's competitor. Santa Claus has information about himself, he has been known for a long time. This is what makes it different from New Year's heroes other countries. According to the main features of its appearance, it is also unique. His beard was always considered thick, gray and floor-length. Shirts and trousers were ornamented with geometric shapes. The fur coat is always long, embroidered with patterns with silver thread. The hat must be the same color as the fur coat. Three-fingered mittens. A belt is allowed, but not recommended. White felt boots with silver patterns. A staff made of crystal, or to look like their crystal. The horses always had bells on them. Children were usually told a description of Santa Claus and how he moved. The children went outside and listened to the ringing of the bells.
If compared with Santa Claus, then Santa Claus is strict, fair, on holidays he gives children a chance to correct their actions and receive gifts, but Santa does not. He will put a gift in the stockings of good children and coal for bad children. Santa does not perform his winter duties of freezing the rivers with ice and does not draw patterns on the windows.
Father Frost and Santa Claus - differences
Santa Claus consists almost entirely of the personality of a businessman, which is why this image is often used in advertising. Santa Claus gives gifts to everyone. Leaves it under Christmas trees. To receive gifts, children recite learned poems. On the one hand, the correct message from Santa Claus is that children strive to earn gifts. On the other hand, children are always mischievous.
Children know that Santa Claus is the master of water, as he turns it into ice, snow, frost, and fog. He knows how to freeze various bodies of water with ice, cover forests and fields with snow. Frost is used as decoration on tree branches. It also controls the change of day and night in winter; in the north, the day is short, the night lasts longer. Since it is at that time that he carries out his deeds of caring for nature. The Moon and Stars obey, by his order they decorate the sky. With a wave of his staff, the Northern Lights appear. That's why it's interesting good wizard for kids.
What's wrong with Santa Claus these days?
The modern Santa Claus has collected everything in himself. I took from Nikolai what he gives gifts. From the deities appearance, correspondence to the ruler of the winter kingdom. This is how his children imagine him. They consider him the most powerful and the only wizard who comes to their house, reads their wishes, and leaves a gift. They are amused by finding ways to see it in their home.
Nowadays, since 1999, there has been a project in Veliky Ustyug called “Father Frost”. Although Arkhangelsk was my first homeland.
On November 18, the project was founded. Now at this time they celebrate the birth of the winter wizard. The opening of Father Frost's home took place in 1999, namely on December 25. Tourists from different cities of the country began to visit the city. Letters from children began to arrive. There are many people working on the project.
In 2004, a post office was built for letters to Santa Claus. Two years later, more buildings were erected, namely the fairy tale path. An ice skating rink has been built for lovers of winter hobbies. The botanical garden has collected rare plants, and the creative towers, the Snow Maiden's towers, are open to inquisitive children.
In 2008, the residence received the status budgetary institution. Various festivals are held there all year round, concert programs, city tours, craft master classes. The greatest fun happens on New Year's holidays. Children participate in winter fun, admire the ice figures, visit the fairy tale trail, it is possible to ride a snowmobile, dog team, deer, and horses. You really find yourself in a fairy tale where everything is possible. There is a magical atmosphere. You can see the real outfit of Santa Claus, look at the summer and winter looks, and visit his house. Tourists near the magic will remember many fairy-tale characters.
New Year is coming soon. Its most long-awaited hero is Father Frost, he gives gifts and brings joy to children. We are used to it, but we don’t know much about it.
Supporters New Year's myth They say that the cult of Santa Claus is almost more ancient than all religions, that he came into our lives from Slavic pre-Christian mythology. There is some truth in this, only that Frost, who existed in pagan traditions, was not at all that good-natured grandfather... The etymology of the current Father Frost is found in Odoevsky’s fairy tale mid-19th century, but the discrepancy between the fabulous Moroz Ivanovich and the cult of the current Father Frost is obvious. The difference is at least that in pedagogical fairy tale Russian writer Moroz Ivanovich is more of a spring character, but not a winter one.
The truth is that the cult of Santa Claus is quite young. He tried to establish himself in pre-revolutionary Russia by analogy with the Western cult of St. Nicholas, but, not having time to gain strength, was broken by the Bolsheviks. The second birth of the image occurred in the late 30s, when for ideological reasons it was beneficial to create a neo-pagan cult of Santa Claus. That is, Santa Claus was revived as a propaganda tool. As an example: Santa Claus on Soviet postcards 1944 is depicted with a pipe in his mouth. What is he doing? Drives out the fascists.
Where do the gifts come from?
The idea that Santa Claus brings gifts on New Year's Day is also quite young. Children in late XIX centuries, they were sure that Christmas trees were brought simply by Frost, old Ruprecht (German influence of the cult), but not yet by Father Frost. In general, there was an idea that the one we know today as Father Frost brought only Christmas trees, but it was not he who put the gifts under them. In keeping with the Christmas tree myth, children were usually told that it was the baby Jesus who sent gifts. It is now clear why in Soviet times Grandfather Frost himself began to bring gifts, having created a magic bag for these purposes.
Veliky Ustyug?
The story of the homeland of Santa Claus is just a song. Arkhangelsk was considered the first permanent residence of Santa Claus. Grandfather settled there on the initiative of the regional committee of the Komsomol, supported then, at the very end of the 80s, by the directors of the Arkhangelsk sea trade port, the military Sevmashplant, and other large enterprises. Father Frost also lived in Lapland, and since 1998, on the initiative of Yuri Mikhailovich Luzhkov, Father Frost received a residence in Veliky Ustyug.
It is clear that the struggle to be called the homeland of Father Frost goes beyond the fairy-tale context; it includes production, paraphernalia, and tourism. A lot of money. What is really worth thinking about is that Ustyug is the birthplace of the first fool for Christ, Procopius of Ustyug, which means it is a prayed-up land with a deep Orthodox tradition.
Santa vs Father Frost?
It’s somehow easier in the West. There is Christmas - one of the main Christian holidays. Family holiday. Archie Lee, the brilliant Coca-Cola advertiser, mixed in the cult of Santa Claus. He delivers gifts. It can be placed on labels (because images of children are prohibited). OK.
Our Father Frost brings gifts for a reason. It’s also not easy to get hold of. And then read out the poems you have learned. And then lead another round dance, holding hands. It’s good that children are not forced to run cross-country. Our Father Frost only looks like their Santa Claus, but no more. Our Santa Claus is more like strict father or a strict grandfather. In his mythology there is a cause-and-effect relationship. He studied well, learned a poem - well done, for a gift. Both the notes in the diary and the grandmothers transferred across the road count. A kind of Old Testament principle of “an eye for an eye.”
Tradition
Urban folklore is cynical and merciless. The number of jokes about drunken Santa Claus that have been around from generation to generation, of course, did not appear out of nowhere. Nowadays event agencies can provide Santa Clauses for every taste, and former role The neighbors played Santa Claus. One suit for everyone - and they went through the courtyards and entrances. In every house they will also pour it. And then jokes about “Santa Claus has a red nose” run through confetti-strewn snowdrifts, and then they make New Year’s films where main character- a victim of alcoholic delirium... Such is the tradition.
“Hello, Grandfather Frost, cotton wool beard! Did you bring us gifts? The guys are really looking forward to it!” - these lines are familiar to us since kindergarten! Most of us perceive this comrade as fairy tale character who appears on New Year's Day and gives gifts to obedient children. Let's take a closer look at who Santa Claus is and where he came from.
When did the image of Santa Claus appear?
The Slavs were able to personify almost everything natural phenomena. Moroz was also not deprived of such an honor. He was presented as a white-bearded old man in a fur coat who was master of the cold and winter cold. You can hear Frost in winter forest, when he “crackles and clicks, jumping from tree to tree.” He usually came from the north. Different Slavic tribes called Moroz in their own way: Treskunets, Morozko, Karachun, Studenets, Zyuzya, etc.
In general, the Slavs held Frost in high esteem, because it was believed that cold snowy winter will ensure a good harvest. Therefore, there was a ritual called “Clicking Frost”, when he was treated to ritual food in the form of pancakes and kutya.
A lot of information about Frost can be gleaned from folk art. In many fairy tales, he tested the protagonist, who could be generously gifted or frozen to death.
Many writers of the 19th century described this character in their fairy tales, relying specifically on Slavic mythology. At the same time, he was not associated with the New Year or Christmas, but he already had some attributes of the modern Santa Claus. In the Soviet film “Morozko” you can directly see such a character.
But still, starting from the second half of the 19th century, Santa Claus began to be compared with New Year holidays . So he began to play the role of “Christmas grandfather,” who, like Nicholas the Pleasant in the West, gave gifts to obedient Russian children.
Already at the beginning of the 20th century, Grandfather Frost was very similar to his contemporary, but with an emphasis on Christmas traditions. However in 1929, the Komsomol strictly prohibited the celebration of Christmas and, accordingly, Moroz Ivanovich went on vacation for several years.
The revival of Santa Claus in our usual form took place on the New Year of 1936! At the same time, the first one in the Soviet Union was officially held. christmas tree, where he appeared with his granddaughter Snegurochka. It is worth noting that Santa Claus was conceived as a character intended for a children's audience.
By the way, in the USSR they tried to introduce such a character as the New Year Boy, who appeared as the successor of Grandfather.
What does the real Santa Claus look like?
Western culture sometimes makes us confuse the appearance of our Father Frost with the attributes of Santa Claus. Let's figure it out what exactly a Russian New Year's Grandfather should look like.
Beard
A long thick beard has always been an integral attribute of our Santa Claus at all times. In addition to the fact that a beard indicates his age, it also symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Interestingly, the Slavs imagined Frost with a beard down to his feet.
Fur coat
The grandfather must wear a red fur coat, embroidered with silver and trimmed with swan down. Do not forget about the obligatory presence of a traditional ornament, for example, in the form of geese or stars. Today fur coats are used in both blue and white, and even green, but many, including historians, criticize this outfit, insisting that for our Frost, red is canonical.
Cap
Santa Claus wears a semi-oval hat, like a boyar's, but on its front part there should be a triangular cutout. Color, ornament, trim - everything should match the fur coat. All kinds of hats with a tassel are for Santa.
Shoes and other accessories
Today, many Grandfathers wear sneakers and leather shoes, which is completely unacceptable. These must be felt boots or boots embroidered with silver. The belt (not a belt!) must be white with a red ornament, which symbolizes the connection with the ancestors. Mittens should also be white, symbolizing the holiness and purity of what Santa Claus gives from his hands.
Staff
The Slavic Morozko used a stick to make a characteristic knock, later the staff was used to create cold and freeze those who did not pass the test. According to the canon, the staff must be crystal or at least silver to resemble crystal. It has a twisted handle and ends with a stylized image of the Moon or a bull's head.
This is what the famous Father Frost from Veliky Ustyug looks like. The outfit is almost spot on. Gift bag
Santa Claus comes to children not empty-handed, but with a whole bag of gifts. Its color is usually red too. By definition, the bag is magical, because the gifts in it do not end, at least while it is in the hands of Grandfather.
Well, now when dressing up as Santa Claus, you will know what to focus on.
Character of Santa Claus
Unlike his Western counterpart, Santa Claus is not an inveterate merry fellow. He is quite stern, but at the same time kind and fair.. Santa Claus still loves to test people and only then give them gifts, but he no longer freezes anyone, but simply finds out how you behaved last year and asks you to recite a poem.
In many cultures, there is a character who gives children gifts for New Year or Christmas. The most famous throughout the world is Santa Claus, who holds the post of good giver in Western Europe and the USA.
We won't make a detailed comparison between Father Frost and Santa, just remember that our donor's sleigh is drawn by a three-piece, he does not climb pipes, does not smoke a pipe and does not wear glasses. In addition, our Grandfather does not associate with elves, because he has a granddaughter, Snegurochka.
A few words about the Snow Maiden
Direct analogy with Slavic mythology Snegurochka does not, although there is an opinion that this is one of the girls who was frozen by Morozko. The first mentions of the Snow Maiden appear in Russian folklore, where she is described as a revived girl who was made of snow. Later she appears as the daughter of Santa Claus, but in the end the option with a granddaughter took root.
Today, Snegurochka is Father Frost’s indispensable assistant on all New Year’s holidays.
Conclusion
Santa Claus is truly a national treasure, because people worked on his image different eras. More in Slavic tribes revered the stern master of the cold, who also appears in oral folk art, and in fairy tales of Russian writers. He has come down to us in the form of a kind grandfather who gives children gifts for the New Year.
