Christmas as a separate holiday among Orthodox Christians has been celebrated since the 4th century. Of course, over the centuries, numerous traditions have appeared in different countries of the world to celebrate the great day of the coming of Jesus into this world. If you take a closer look, you can clearly see that almost all cultural and historical eras are reflected in Christmas customs like in a mirror. Each generation, starting from the traditions bequeathed by their ancestors, brought to the celebration of the Nativity of Christ something new, special, characteristic of the historical period in which it lived and the national customs of its people.
The Hidden Meaning of Christmas Traditions and Customs
But, without a doubt, the main traditions of celebrating Christmas were formed in ancient times. Moreover, many of them are deeply rooted in paganism, during the worship of the Sun and the powerful forces of nature. Our ancestors (unlike us) always remembered that man is an integral spiritual component of nature. That is why the vast majority of Christmas traditions, customs, rituals are directly related to natural phenomena and spiritual purification. The purer the soul, the less negative energy is “thrown out” into this world, the less natural disasters and catastrophes, the more harmoniously a person exists with the nature around him.
The main traditions of Orthodox Christmas
Judging from this point of view, the tradition of observing Great Lent before Christmas looks completely different. By limiting oneself in food for forty days, and especially on Christmas Eve, a person is cleansed both on the physical and on the mental plane and is reborn, like Jesus, in order to continue his life on a new, better level.
Also, other Christmas traditions acquire a completely different sound from this point of view. For example, in the old days there was a very strange custom for a modern person. On Christmas Eve it was forbidden to wash and go to the bathhouse. Some historians argue that such a tradition was associated exclusively with great efforts to prepare for "water procedures": it really took a lot of time to chop wood, heat a bathhouse in the old days. In fact, water has the ability to “wash away” all the accumulated information from a person and, accordingly, cleanse from sins. Our ancestors faced a very difficult task - to purify themselves without this powerful aid, only through abstinence and prayer.
Having freed before Christmas from all the bad things that had accumulated over the year, it was necessary to “sow” the soul with new, energetically pure seeds of good luck and prosperity. It is with this that another Christmas tradition, "sowing", is connected. Therefore, on the morning of January 7, they always carol, scattering grains of rice, wheat, and millet in the corners of the room. At the same time, the “sowers” always wish the owners of the house happiness, prosperity and health.
Traditionally, a magnificent table was set for Christmas. But this was connected not only with the love of our ancestors for delicious food. Beautiful dishes attracted good spirits, who that night spent a lot of energy fighting all kinds of evil spirits. Of course, they had to have a good meal in order to protect the owners of the house from various hardships.
What not to do at Christmas?
At Christmas, there were also prohibitions. Moreover, there is a whole list of things not to do at Christmas. For example, to do household chores, sew and knit. And the men had to forget about hunting for a while: on Christmas night, the souls of dead people move into the animals! It was impossible for unmarried girls to guess at Christmas - all fortune-telling for a betrothed is best done on 12 days of Christmas time, right up to Epiphany.
Christmas is the second most important holiday in the Orthodox calendar. January 7 is celebrated not only at the church, but also at the state level. One of the most ancient holidays that have survived to this day. Over the past centuries, the celebration of Christmas has acquired many traditions, rites and rituals.
It is worth noting that the date of the celebration is set according to the Julian calendar, which is also commonly called the "Old Style", on December 25th. That is, the Orthodox tradition suggests that Christmas opens the holiday cycle, and the New Year, on January 1, closes. Now we use the Gregorian calendar, in which the date has shifted to January 7th.
A bit of history
Christmas came to our lands along with Christianity. After St. Vladimir baptized Rus', they began to celebrate at the state level. In those days, the holiday symbolized the end of the old and the beginning of the year. Therefore, in the period from Christmas to Maslenitsa, annual agreements were concluded between merchants, last year's business was completed and new ones began. In those distant times, almost no one knew about civil calendars, people measured the time from one church holiday to another.
Christmas in the X-XVIII centuries
During the time of the Ancient Russian state and the Russian Empire, the traditions associated with the Christmas holidays did not change much. For the peasants, this date was the most convenient. All autumn field work came to an end, in winter agriculture froze. Therefore, the festivities could last a whole week.
In high society, Christmas was no less popular. Great fairs and festivities were held in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Skating rinks and original "amusement parks" were built.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the Nativity scene came to us from Western Europe - a small theater in which biblical scenes were played. In some regions, this theater was a puppet theater, in others the roles were played by live actors. The tradition of putting up a nativity scene lasted almost until the middle of the 20th century. During the persecution of religion, it died out and in our times has hardly been revived. And the very word "nativity scene" has become synonymous with the concept of "amateur theatre".
Folk rituals and traditions associated with Christmas
Preparation for the holiday begins long before it starts. Russian peasants, although they professed Orthodoxy, retained many pagan traditions. Most of them are related to agriculture and the future harvest.
To the first star
Christmas was preceded by a strict fast of the same name, which lasted about a month. At this time, it was impossible to consume fast food - meat, eggs, milk and other high-calorie foods. It was believed that a bright star announced the birth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the end of the fast was timed to coincide with the appearance of the first star in the evening sky on the eve of the holiday. On the last day of Lent, up to this point, it was not customary to eat at all.
sheaf burning
Christmas also marked the end of the agricultural year. During the harvest, the head of the family chose the best sheaf of wheat and placed it under the icons as gratitude to God for a good harvest. On Christmas Eve, this sheaf was burned, thus symbolizing hope for the next harvest. At this time, it was customary to change as much as possible in your life - to put on new clothes, shoes, buy expensive things.
Nativity scene, mummers and carols
The tradition of creating festive theaters, nativity scenes, came to us only at the beginning of the century before last. For the peasants, the theater was a novelty, so they called the actors "mummers." Nativity scenes came out on the evening before Christmas and performed in squares or entered houses. Their repertoire included scenes from the life of the family of Jesus Christ, other biblical scenes and stories. Characteristically, both the images of the characters and the storylines were maximally saturated with topical themes.
There was one strict rule for puppet dens. It was impossible to make a doll of the Virgin or Jesus, they were replaced with consecrated icons.
For performances, the participants of the den, as a rule, were given food. Ordinary people in those days very rarely saw money. Families specially baked pies or prepared other treats to reward the artists.
During the performance, songs were often performed - carols. The words of these songs almost completely corresponded to the Gospel texts, the music was folk. Unfortunately, very few of these songs and nativity scenes have come down to us.
In some regions of Russia, carols were called "glorification". The essence of the ceremony was the same - to come to your neighbor or acquaintance and with a song announce the joyful news - the birth of the Savior. In the Russian Empire, the patriarch, the head of the Orthodox Church, came with glorification to the emperor. Together with him, a whole procession entered the palace. After congratulating the head of state, the patriarch went to the queen and other members of the imperial family.
Present
At all times, it was customary to give gifts at Christmas. According to the gospel texts, Jesus was born in a barn, in poverty and suffering. One of the first to come to him were three wise men or three kings from eastern countries. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Therefore, Christmas gifts are given not only to children, but also to adults.
Lenten table and rich table
In wealthy families, a tradition arose to put twelve dishes on the Christmas table, according to the number of apostles at the Holy Supper. And it was also customary to remember the dead relatives - for them, cloves of garlic lay on the edges of the table.
Christmas Eve
The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve. This term comes from the name of the dish that was traditionally prepared on this day in peasant families - sochiva. Porridge was brewed, usually from cut wheat or barley, hence the name. Honey, poppy seeds, nuts and other sweets were added to the porridge. There is no single recipe, in each village they cooked juicy in their own way.
Dinner on Christmas Eve was customary to do lenten. Mostly porridges, pickles and mushrooms were put on the table. The peasants did not have any alcohol that day. The evening before the holiday was given great sacred significance. And, although the church opposed superstition, young girls gathered that night to guess. The topic of divination has always been the same - the date of the wedding and the identity of the betrothed. But the methods were different.
After the family finished dinner, the owner would collect the leftovers from the table and go to the barn. Christmas was considered such a big holiday that everyone, even pets, should have felt the joy of it.
The table at Christmas was completely different. It was for this holiday that cattle were slaughtered, and the peasants ate meat. It is interesting that the dishes consisted of large pieces, this is due to the peculiarity of baking in a Russian oven. In addition, they cooked poultry and fish. Traditional pastries were also made with meat filling - kalachi, kulebyaki, pancakes and pies.
Christmas time
In pre-Christian Rus', some pagan holidays fell at the same time as modern Christmas. After the Baptism of Rus', the church often closed its eyes to the ritual liberties preserved from the old Slavic beliefs. One of these traditions is Christmas time - festivities that lasted several days in a row. After December 22, the number of daylight hours began to increase, people perceived this as a victory of good over evil. At Svyatki, peasants dressed up in strange costumes, visited each other, sang and danced. Animal masks were also used, symbolizing evil spirits.
When it comes, even those who do not believe feel peace and joy in their souls.
This holiday and the following holidays of the winter ritual cycle, such as the Old New Year (Generous evening on January 13), Epiphany, Candlemas, have been accompanied by a large number of traditions, rituals, signs, songs, sayings for centuries - some have been lost, some have become known during all over the world, like the generous “Shchedryk, Shchedryk, Shchedrivochka, the swallow has arrived”, which the whole world knows as “Carol of the Bells”.
And even if not all of our traditions have the happy fate of Shchedryk, every year interest in everything that resonates inside with the voice of distant ancestors becomes stronger, and traditions are revived. Christmas night is mysterious, and all the wishes will surely come true. Happiness to you, prosperity and harmony in the family circle!
The holiday is usually preceded by a 40-day Christmas fast, which lasts from November 27 (Filippovka). The duty of the hostess during this fast was the general cleaning of the home and preparations for the Christmas holiday. Actually, the preparation, in fact, began in the summer, with the harvest festival, when the sheaf-didukh was woven (the first or last sheaf of grain that was not threshed and which, it was believed, would provide the next year's harvest), and continued throughout the autumn and winters. It was also the decoration of the house at Christmas - it performed almost the same functions as the Christmas tree today. (It is worth noting that Christmas trees in Russia and Ukraine appeared at the beginning of the last century, and in some areas they were not placed on the floor, but hung from beams near the ceiling.)
A good housewife was obliged to prepare new clothes for herself, her husband and children (which meant weaving cloth, bleaching it, sewing and embroidering with her own hands), preparing new dishes. The owner had other Christmas tasks: to smoke the meat, to put wine and vodka for ripening ... The final cleaning was carried out on January 2, on Ignat Street: girls who not only cleaned, but also decorated the hut - didukh, spruce branches that were woven into a wreath - "spider".
On January 4, on Anastasia, the preparation of food for festive meals was coming to an end. On the morning of January 6, the hostess got up at dawn in order to collect dawn water for cooking kuti and uzvar and kindle the fire to cook Christmas food.
January 6, Holy Evening, was at the same time the last day of the Nativity Fast, respectively, the meal at which they sat down after the appearance of the first star announcing the Nativity of Christ was Lenten. In addition, throughout the day on January 6, they observed a strict fast - they were starving, with the exception of babies and infirm old people, who were given a little boiled food.
But in the evening, in order to emphasize the festivity of this moment, the table was laid, albeit lean, but rich - at least 12 dishes were prepared. This meal was called rich kutya. It was not necessary to try all the dishes from and to (and in large Ukrainian families there was no such opportunity) - however, each family member tried a little of all 12.
They started, of course, with the main one - kutya, ritual porridge, cooked from wheat (in some regions - rice, barley) grain and seasoned with various tasty additives: grated poppy seeds, candied fruits, uzvar, sweet candies, nuts. The more such delicacies are present in kutya, the better, because it is a symbol of prosperity and heavenly life.
And besides this, kutya is a ritual memorial dish, so a bowl of kuti and a glass of uzvar were set for the ancestors, whose spirits, it was believed, would come to their home on this magical night. And they also wore kutya as a symbol of well-being to the most dear and important people - godfathers, godparents, grandparents. This ceremony is called “wearing the supper”: children carry kutya, and adults try a spoonful of kutya and give gifts to children.
Each of the 12 dishes of the Christmas table had its own symbolic meaning.
At the same time, even a few: the older, pagan roots of the holiday and Christian traditions were mixed up. A long time ago, in the pre-Christian era, our ancestors believed that in December-January a miraculous life force was born that would provide prosperity and joy to both man and nature throughout the next year.
Christianity has introduced a deeper meaning into purely worldly beliefs, therefore much attention is paid to 12 dishes on the table, preparation for the holiday, Christmas signs, and rituals. In general, there is no single list of all 12 dishes for everyone - our country is large, each locality has its own customs: instead of a simple lean borscht - borscht with test ears, empty or with lean stuffing, for example, mushrooms. Or borscht with carp. Or instead of borscht there could be cabbage. In the Vinnytsia region they cooked porridge - millet or buckwheat. Pancakes were served in some areas.
Uzvar, kutia, lenten dumplings, as well as various lenten pastries remain the main and unchanged dishes for everyone. It should be the more the better: it guarantees the health and strength of the owner of the house, will bring prosperity and harvest. Kalachi, donuts, pies and pies - everything will come in handy.
All this wealth, of course, had to be served on a properly decorated table. Didukh hay was placed on the table (the owner fed most of this sheaf to cows, sheep and goats, and brought a little into the house; the sons participated in this ceremony with the owner), it was covered with a new elegant tablecloth, and dishes were already placed on this tablecloth.
Usually, the first solemn Christmas meal was held exclusively with the family. After her, the children went with the evening to the godfathers, young people or men went to carol, adults gathered for church, and unmarried girls guessed at their betrothed (although this was cut down by the church).
They went to visit on January 7, after the church service and breaking the fast. A magical Christmas night is coming, and you can’t sleep that night, otherwise you will oversleep your happiness. Yes, this will not work: carolers sing their songs and have fun, church bells ring and people rejoice loudly, they leave the service.
On the first day of Christmas, the food was already non-fasting - on the table were lard, sausages, liver, meat dishes beloved by Ukrainians, and homemade vodka or mead was served with them. After a hearty meal, one fell asleep, so it was time for a well-deserved rest, and after dinner they went to visit: adult children with their husbands and wives visited their parents, godfathers visited each other.
And on this holiday, they forgave each other past offenses and put up. In general, the holiday should be spent noisily, cheerfully, in a large company of friends, godfathers, friends - you can’t stay alone or in a small family circle. The Kozaks had their own tasks on January 7 - it was the day of summing up the results, as well as the election of a new foreman.
January 8 is the day of the Mother of God, on this day they honored the Mother of God and all women - mothers, grandmothers, wives. They could afford not to work on the housework (and it was simply strictly forbidden for pregnant women), and in order not to get bored, women were allowed to carol (in general, caroling is the business of men and unmarried youth). And of course, all the prayers addressed to the Mother of God on this day will certainly be heard.
Signs, ceremonies and rituals for Christmas
- All borrowed items must be returned before Christmas.
- It is necessary to dress for the festive table on Holy evening in new elegant and always light clothes, so as not to invite mourning into the family.
- Holy evening is celebrated only by their family. If guests are inevitable, they try to make it a happy and pleasant person. This sign is connected with the pan-European tradition of the first guest: whoever enters the house first will program the family for the whole year. And if an evil person visits the house, the year will be unsuccessful.
- Before you sit down at the table on Holy evening, you need to blow on a bench or chair to blow away the souls of the ancestors who came to visit, and not accidentally sit on them.
- All family members on Holy evening should be at home.
- It is also forbidden to be late to the table - you will wander all year long in a distant direction.
- Throughout the dinner on Holy evening, it is forbidden to get up from the table, shout and talk loudly - so as not to disturb the souls of the ancestors and scare away good luck.
- On January 6 and 7, it is worth, at least in your thoughts, to ask for forgiveness from everyone you offended, and also to forgive everyone who offended you. It is worth noting that it is during this period that forgiveness is especially easy.
- On Christmas night, you should not go to bed - you will oversleep your happiness.
- If Christmas is warm, spring will be cold.
- It is favorable when a live fire burns in the house at Christmas - a stove, a fireplace, candles.
Christmas 2020 is one of the brightest and most beautiful days of the year. Perhaps, no other holiday has such a rich and mysterious history. And, perhaps, no other holiday brings together representatives of different religions and nationalities so strongly. In 2020, the Great Church Holiday falls on Sunday, January 7th.
The origins of the Nativity of Christ are hidden in an even more ancient holiday, Theophany, which was dedicated to the birth of the baby Jesus. Epiphany Day began to be celebrated in the second century in Egypt. By the 4th century, the tradition had spread to the eastern countries, and a century later it also came to the West. It is curious that the Day of Theophany was dedicated to three events in the life of Jesus: his birth, the appearance of the Magi with gifts before him, and baptism in the Jordan River.
Christmas as a separate holiday began to be celebrated only at the end of the 5th century.
According to the Gregorian calendar, Christmas falls on December 25th. It is on this day that the holiday is celebrated by representatives of the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. The Orthodox Church still does not recognize the Gregorian calendar, so Christmas is celebrated according to the New Julian calendar, two weeks later, on the night of January 6-7.
The traditions and customs of Christmas are passed down from generation to generation in every family. Since ancient times, in any Orthodox family, every year on January 7, it is customary to celebrate Christmas, the greatest Orthodox holiday. The traditions and customs of celebrating Christmas in different countries can differ significantly from each other, therefore, the preparation for the holiday is completely different for everyone.
How was Christmas celebrated in the old days and how is it celebrated today in Russia? What traditions and rituals are held on the night before Christmas and what to cook for the festive table?
History of the Nativity
The Christian Church remembered the events of Christmas on January 6, on the day of Theophany - there were mentions of this from the end of the 2nd century until the 4th century. And in the middle of the 4th century, Clement of Alexandria noted the appearance of Christmas as a separate holiday, when it began to be celebrated on December 25th.
It should be noted that once it was on December 25 that the cult of the Invincible Sun was widely celebrated in the Roman Empire. And it is believed that the Orthodox Church, introducing the holiday of Christmas, tried to oust the pagan holiday.
The birth of Jesus Christ is directly described by the evangelists Luke and Matthew. It says that Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem because of the census being taken in the Roman Empire. It was in Bethlehem that Mary gave birth to her Firstborn, swaddled her Son and laid Him in a manger.
At first, the shepherds came to bow to Jesus, to whom an angel appeared and told about the miraculous event of the birth of the son of God.
The Magi (wise men) came with gifts to bow to the baby when they saw a wonderful star in the sky announcing the birth of Jesus. 
When is Christmas celebrated in Russia
December 25 is the set date for the celebration of Christmas by the Roman Catholic Church, as well as by many other Protestant churches that follow the Gregorian calendar.
On December 25, according to the New Julian calendar (it will coincide with the Gregorian calendar until March 2800), Antioch, Constantinople (with the exception of Athos), Cypriot, Alexandria, Romanian, Bulgarian and Helladic churches will celebrate Christmas.
On January 6, Christmas is celebrated in the Armenian Church - on the same day as the Epiphany. Therefore, the holiday goes under the name of Theophany.
On January 7, according to the modern Gregorian calendar (December 25, according to the "old style" of the Julian calendar), Christmas is celebrated by Jerusalem, Russian, Georgian, Serbian Orthodox churches, Eastern Catholic, ancient Eastern churches, as well as Athos.
Folk traditions of Christmas
In the old days, a place for celebrating Christmas, as usual, was appointed at the home of a hospitable family. At the same time, some time before the Christmas holiday, the hostess had to personally go around all friends and relatives and voice an invitation to spend the holy holiday in her house.
The invitation speech should be pre-prepared and respectful enough, because those who heard it will voice the words to the next generation.
The next day, a specially selected elderly lady went to invite young girls to the feast. In the houses she was greeted with all sorts of exclamations and paid respectful attention. Inviting the girls, the woman called everyone by name and indicated the address where they would be expected, and the hostess of the house into which this woman entered should offer her a glass of wine.
The guy who was chosen for a certain girl from that day on was called her “betrothed” and became closer to her than other young people.
After the couples have been chosen, the guys and girls must unquestioningly do everything that the mistress of the house tells them. Sometimes their parents could perform tasks for young people, so no one went unnoticed at the holiday.
The very first evening of the holiday was devoted to the reception of girls. They were to arrive on Christmas Eve, after dark, at the house to which they had been invited. It was customary to come in the evening on a sleigh, in the company of their mothers.
It is advisable to take a dowry with you in case of a successful matchmaking on Christmas Eve. Relatives, friends and acquaintances can follow the girl's sleigh.
Arriving at the right house, no one was in a hurry to enter. The custom says to wait until the hosts come out with greetings to meet the guests. Only after that, everyone could enter the house, where women's gatherings began.
All the invited girls called each other girlfriends, even if they didn’t know each other at all. The celebration of the Nativity of Christ begins the next day after the gatherings, then everyone else is invited.
Christmas carols and children's songs
Rituals for Christmas in modern Russia
These rather interesting and funny traditions and customs of Christmas have remained in the distant past, in the time of our great-grandmothers. A little later, the celebration of Christmas was famous for carols and chants. Many celebrants sought to change beyond recognition, dressed up in costumes and walked around all the yards, where they sang special Christmas carols, ditties and amused the owners of the houses.
For this, they were thanked with traditional Christmas treats from the festive table and were always offered to drink wine. These traditions are probably remembered by many of our parents, in some villages you can still sometimes meet carolers on Christmas.
Today, the celebration of the bright holiday of Christmas is no longer held as cheerfully and with the observance of any traditions as before. There are, of course, some conventions, however, not everyone observes them. For example, on this day it is necessary to observe the Advent fast until the first star.
Also, believers visit church on this holiday, read prayers, light candles and help the destitute. Also, before the holiday, it is considered obligatory to clean up the house, take a good bath in the bath and certainly cook a lot of Christmas treats, the main among which should be a pork meat dish.
You need to buy meat in large quantities to cook jellied meat, roast, fry a pig and stuff a pig's head. Food from the festive table at Christmas is not removed, but left to treat the souls of deceased parents. Cooked Christmas kutya, if it remained after the feast, must be distributed to the poor so that they also honor the holy holiday.
There is always a drink on Christmas Day. Noisy celebrations, festivities and merry dances, Christmas carols are not limited to one evening and stretch over several carefree days. Children at this time enjoy winter fun, ride downhill and on a sleigh, make snowmen and walk. 
What to cook for Christmas 2020
Festive meat stew in wine
This is an excellent dish, suitable for all holidays. It is very tasty, soft and fragrant. Spices for festive meat can be used at your discretion and taste. The recipe for tender veal in wine will help you diversify the Christmas table.
Required products:
- 1 kg. veal
- 2 heads of garlic
- 8 tablespoons spicy tomato sauce
- 750 ml. dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
- vegetable oil
- 1 branch thyme
- 1 branch of marjoram
How to cook tender veal in wine in a pan:
Cut the veal into equal pieces, small in size. Rinse and dry. Heat a frying pan, add oil and fry the meat until golden brown. In order for the veal to be well fried, place the veal in the pan in small portions.
Peel the garlic and cut in half. Add to meat. Also add bread crumbs, sauce, thyme and marjoram to the contents. Mix everything well and pour in dry wine, close the contents and simmer for 90 minutes.
After 60 min. you need to taste the dish, and correct the errors. And continue to simmer until the end. Braised veal on the Christmas table served hot with mashed potatoes. 
Christmas duck with orange sauce
In order to cook a culinary masterpiece - a tender and soft duck with oranges, you will need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But trust me, it's worth it. To cook a bird like a duck, you need to know some secrets.
Subtleties and secrets of cooking duck: You can remove excess fat from duck meat by first boiling the duck in boiling water.
To keep the duck meat soft, tender and juicy, do not pour fat during cooking. It is better to marinate the duck with spices, and then bake it.
To make the duck taste extraordinarily pleasant, it should be served with sauce. Read the recipe for a gentle orange sauce with kiwi and spices below.
To prepare a delicious Christmas dish, you will need products:
- Duck (a small carcass of a bird, weighing no more than one and a half kilograms)
- 50 g flour;
- 4 eggs;
- 30 g of hard cheese;
- orange, kiwi - one each;
- thyme;
- coriander;
- nutmeg;
- water - 50 ml;
- salt, sugar - to taste;
- Basil greens - to taste.
How to cook duck with orange sauce:
The recipe for a delicious juicy and soft duck is quite simple. Initially, it is worth preparing the duck. To do this, boil water in a saucepan. Place a well-cleaned bird carcass in a saucepan for two minutes. After, take out, cool and dry.
In a separate bowl, mix the pepper mixture and salt. Rub the duck well with spices and marinate for half an hour. As soon as the duck is marinated, send it to bake at an average temperature for one hour.
As soon as the hour comes to an end, take care of the batter. To do this, in a separate container, mix the eggs, grated cheese and flour. Mix well with a whisk, add salt. Brush the duck well with this mixture, and reduce the heat to a minimum. Bake the duck for 30-45 minutes, depending on the type of duck.
While the Christmas duck is cooking in the oven, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. To do this, finely chop the basil.
Smash the pulp and juice of fruits in a blender. Put it on fire to heat up. Season with salt and sugar. Once the spices have dissolved, remove from heat and let cool.
With the tip of a knife, fold the thyme, coriander, and nutmeg into the sauce. Add basil and mix well. Serve a hot Christmas duck with a fragrant sauce for the festive table. 
Festive shrimp with rice in sweet and spicy sauce
A simple and tasty salad that is easy to prepare will decorate your holiday table. Surprise your Christmas guests with a delicious home-cooked restaurant dish.
To prepare you will need the following ingredients.
- Large shrimp - 450 g;
- Ginger-garlic sauce - 2 tablespoons;
- Chili sauce - two spoons;
- Soy sauce - half a glass;
- Corn starch - one spoon;
- Peanut butter - to taste;
- Eggs - 3 pieces;
- Celery - 1 stalk;
- Sesame oil - two tablespoons;
- White rice - 4 cups (precooked)
- Green peas and soybeans - half a cup each;
- Fresh pineapple - 200 grams;
- Bean sprouts - one cup;
- Green onions - a few feathers.
How to cook holiday shrimp:
Large shrimp must first be boiled and then peeled. Put the prepared shrimp in a deep bowl and mix with soy sauce. Add chili and ginger sauces to the ingredients. Rule with a little cornstarch.
Mix everything and send, cool for fifteen minutes. Prepare egg pancakes. To do this, beat the eggs with a spoonful of water and soy sauce.
Brush the skillet with peanut butter and bake the pancakes over low heat until done. One pancake takes no more than 45 seconds of your time. After the pancakes are ready, they must be cut into strips.
In order to cook rice, prepare a cast-iron pan in advance. Coat the bottom of the container with peanut butter and place the chilled and marinated shrimp in it. Simmer seafood for three minutes and remove from heat immediately.
Coat the container with peanut butter. Pre-cut the onion and celery (as small as possible). Add vegetables and ginger-garlic sauce to bowl. Simmer in the pan for no more than three minutes and immediately add the rice.
Stir the dish for about two minutes, and then add the peas, bean sprouts and pre-cut pineapple. Simmer the dish on the fire until the final cooking of rice. Holiday prawns in spicy sweet sauce are ready!
Place cooked rice in the middle of a large dish. Drizzle with soy and garlic sauce. Place egg pancakes and shrimp around the edges of the festive dish. Decorate the dish with onion feathers.
Christmas kutya from wheat groats
Recipe for a festive kutya with raisins and dried fruits.
Christmas rice kutya
Recipe for delicious kutya with nuts, dried apricots and prunes.
Christmas kutya from wheat
Delicious recipe for Christmas kutya with honey, raisins, walnuts and poppy seeds.
No matter how Christmas traditions and customs become obsolete over time, however, this holiday remains pure and bright in our time. Modern people, of course, do not carol, rarely attend church and do not gather betrothed in their house, but nevertheless, on Christmas, many families gather with all their relatives and have a good festive dinner.
Today, Christmas is one of the few Orthodox holidays that everyone is pleased and happy to meet in a warm family circle, regardless of customs and traditions.
Hello dear readers. I want to congratulate you on a wonderful holiday. After all, soon for all believers the day will come when they will celebrate the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Christmas). It will happen on January 7th. This holiday is one of the most important in the Christian world. It was established as a sign of great joy because of the birth of the savior of mankind, Jesus Christ (the God-child, the Son of God) from the Virgin Mary. This event took place on a global, even universal, scale in Bethlehem. It is customary that Christmas is preceded by the Advent Fast and is included among the Twelve Feasts. It is the final in a long 40-day fast (Holy Fortecost). The strictest fast must be observed before the onset of the holiday itself.
On the night of the 6th to the 7th, solemn Christmas services are celebrated in all Orthodox churches and temples.
This is followed by Christmas time, which lasts for twelve whole days. At this time, all believers celebrate and glorify Christ. Today I want to consider interesting traditions and customs for Christmas. In fact, everything is very interesting, both for children and adults.
The history of the holiday - Christmas for children
January 7 marked the new life of all mankind. Now the worship of pagan idols is a thing of the past. There were no more human sacrifices to please these gods. Today, the only "sacrifice" offered by an Orthodox Christian to the Lord is a candle and sincere prayer.
The history of the holiday is shrouded in mysteries, as it is one of the oldest on earth. Meanwhile, there are facts that are precisely established by modern science and are practically not subject to doubt. Agree: it is difficult to imagine that this day was never honored at all. And, meanwhile, there were such times. To understand how it was, you need to plunge into the fascinating and mysterious world of history.
1. This holiday is set to honor the birth of Jesus Christ in the ancient city of Bethlehem. It happened in 5508 from the day of the creation of the World.
2. In the 4th century, the principles of celebrating Christmas were only being established. They did not have 100% similarity with modern ones. And in terms of singing, too.
3. In the 5th century, the foundations of chants were just beginning to be laid. Patriarch Anatoly of Constantinople contributed to this. His work was continued in the 7th-8th centuries by Andrew and Soffoniy of Jerusalem, as well as by Kozma Mayumsky, Patriarch Herman of Constantinople and others. It was the chants of that time that are widely practiced by modern clergy.
4. This great holiday was held in high esteem by believers from the very moment of the birth of the Savior. Over time, it gained popularity, and more and more believers joined the celebrations. Already in those days, the custom was born to celebrate this day in a special way. However, all this was subjected to persecution and was not recognized by the then official authorities for a very long time.
5. The first who decided to congratulate Christ, and all the people, were simple shepherds, to whom an angel appeared, informing them of the greatest joy: a savior came to earth, and everyone who believes in him and adheres to his commandments will get a chance for salvation his soul and blissful heavenly life for all ages. The shepherds presented gifts to the baby, and the wise men (magi) hurried after them. It was they who were entrusted with the honor of informing people about the birth of the Child of God.
The history of the emergence of the holiday of Christmas is summarized briefly for children. After all, children should know and need to tell everything correctly and clearly.
Thus, the foundations of this holiday, which we celebrate now, were laid. And not only at the religious level, but also at the official state level (in more than 100 countries of the modern world).
Some more interesting historical facts!
Christmas is not celebrated in the same way in different countries of the world. This was influenced by the customs of those local peoples who lived on those lands when it was just laid.
It is celebrated by both the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church, and is also honored by many related religious denominations.
In Rus', Christmas began to be celebrated only in the 10th century. And her baptism itself was, for the most part, forced. The pagan beliefs of the local peoples were too strong.
Already closer to our time in the villages, Christmas time was celebrated "by the whole world", moving from one hut to another. This custom has been preserved to this day. Merchants in those days rode in troikas, and noble nobles liked to arrange balls.
Holy evening or Christmas - traditions and customs
In fact, long before Christmas, household chores began. And each had their own. So, the owner had to feed the meat, put wine for maturation, cook smoking, and so on. The hostess was engaged in embroidery, cleaning, preparing new dishes, cooking. Children helped them in all this.
On the second of January (on Ignat Street) the final cleaning was done, the houses were decorated with didukh and spruce branches.
On the fourth of January (at Anastasia) the preparation of food for the festive table was finally completed.
On the sixth day, from the very dawn, the hostess collected water for kutya, uzvar, drowned the hearth, on which dishes were then prepared. Until the evening of the sixth day, a strict fast continued. But the first star heralded its relative "end".
And in order to emphasize all the idleness of this moment, they took up such a long-awaited festive meal. But, she, without fail, was lean. The table was incredibly rich. And on it should have been, of course, 12 dishes.
It was not necessary to eat every meal in its entirety. Yes, and it was not very realistic after a strict fast. But little by little, that's another matter entirely. They started the meal with kutya - the central, main dish of the Christmas table.
Among other things, it is also a memorial dish, so a bowl filled with it, and next to it - an uzvar, was also placed for deceased relatives, who, as it was believed (and is considered to this day), visit the living during this magical time.
Kutya was also brought to those people who were not relatives or lived in other houses to wish them well-being, prosperity, good health, happiness and joy, and also to wish them a Merry Christmas. The same wishes were carried to godfathers.
“To wear the supper” is the name of this rite. For her, adults give gifts to children from the heart.
Let's return to the festive home table. It was covered with fresh fragrant hay, but which, in clean beautiful dishes, food was placed. Each of the dishes has its own meaning. It is believed that dishes from all the fruits and vegetables available on the farm should be put on the table, so that next year they will be even richer.
Why exactly 12 dishes must be prepared for Christmas?
This is justified by the fact that there are the same number of months in a year. And yet, it was the 12 apostles who were directly involved in the famous Last Supper with Christ.
1. Kutia, as already mentioned, is the main dish of this table. This is cereal porridge.
2. Uzvar (var). Special compote, the main ingredient of which are dried fruits.
3. Chilled fish.
4. Cabbage.
5. Boiled peas.
6. Lenten borscht.
7. Fried fish.
8. Lean dumplings.
9. Lenten pies.
10. Pancakes or donuts (for borscht).
11. Millet or buckwheat porridge.
12. Cabbage rolls with vegetables, cereals.
After the meal was over in the family circle, it was possible to wear the supper. At this time, young people could carol, adults, and with them children, old people, young people (everyone who wanted to) began to gather for church. The girls took to fortune-telling. However, they were officially banned by the church!
How to cook Christmas kutya
In ancient times, the whole family set to work to prepare this unique dish. Each of its members, from young to old, for several evenings in a row, sorted through wheat in order to use only the best grains in the cooking process. Barley was used a little less often than wheat.
Modern kutia is usually made from rice, but recipes that use wheat and barley are gradually returning to us. The dish is served to the table, seasoned with poppy seeds and bee honey. Sometimes she was refueled and full. This is also honey, only diluted. It's not as sweet and much more liquid.
Poppy milk was gradually added to kutya later. In fact, this is not milk, in its pure form, but pre-steamed and thoroughly crushed poppy seeds.
If there is no honey, you can simply add sugar to the dish. Also, the trend of modern cooking is raisins and nuts in kutya. Previously, only nuts who had them could be added.
There are a lot of recipes for this dish. Here is one of the most popular, still used by our ancestors.
It uses wheat or barley grains, previously crushed in a wooden mortar. But, they should not be fragmented. The main task is to remove the husk with which they are covered.
Ideally, if the water, after that, did not need to be drained, that is, it was completely boiled out.
January is the month of holidays, after Christmas will be. But continuing the theme of Christmas, I cannot but mention interesting signs for Christmas.
Christmas omens
The main signs that they believed in then, and which continue to exist now:
✔ It is forbidden to sew at Christmas so that all family members have excellent eyesight.
✔ The blizzard that day is early spring and lush foliage on the trees.
✔ The starry sky is a big crop of peas.
✔ Kutia cooked by the main mistress of the house - good health to those who eat it.
✔ On the eve of Christmas, it is better not to take light and fire out of the hut.
✔ Not a single plate should be empty on the table.
And most importantly: as Christmas passes, so will the whole year! These, of course, are not the only signs. A few volumes are not enough to list them all. But, before you, the most interesting of them.