The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year is associated with the divergence of two calendars: the Julian - the "old style" calendar and the Gregorian - the "new style" calendar, according to which modern people live. This discrepancy in the XX-XXI centuries is 13 days, and the New Year according to the old style is celebrated on the night of January 13-14.

From March 1, 2100, the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars will be 14 days. From 2101 Old New Year will be celebrated a day later.

Almost all the Protestant states of Europe switched to the Gregorian chronology back in the 18th century, removing a few extra days from the calendar. Russia, however, switched to a new calendar only in 1918. By a decree of the Council of People's Commissars of January 26, 1918, after January 31, 1918, February 14 immediately came.

As a result of the transition to a new chronology, the date of the beginning of the New Year has changed. New Style January 1 falls on December 19 according to the Julian calendar, and January 14 according to the new style is January 1 according to the Julian calendar.

The Russian Orthodox Church continues to celebrate all church holidays according to the Julian calendar: both the Circumcision of the Lord (until 1918 coinciding with the civil New Year) and the Nativity of Christ. The modern New Year falls on the pre-Christmas fast - an Orthodox forty-day fast in honor of Christmas. According to the old style, everything went on as usual - the Advent fast preceded the feast of the Nativity of Christ, after which people celebrated the New Year six days later.

Therefore, the Old Style New Year is important for Orthodox believers living in countries where the church continues to use the Julian calendar.

In Russia, until 1918, the arrival of the New Year fell on the period of Christmas time, so all folk New Year's signs are more applicable specifically to the Old New Year. People believed that if a woman came to the house first on the morning of the New Year, then this would inevitably bring misfortune, if a man - happiness. If there is money in the house on New Year's Day, you will not need it all year, but only on condition that you do not lend to anyone. In addition, the following signs were also known: "If the first day of the year is cheerful (happy), then the year will be like that"; "The snow or fog that fell on the New Year portends a harvest"; "A full hole of water and fog for the New Year portend a big flood"; "If there is wind in the New Year - to the harvest of nuts"; "New Year - turn towards spring"; "New Year - sled on the move"; "New Year's first hour of the day is gaining."

In addition, January 14 (January 1, old style) in the old days was called St. Basil's Day - the celebration of the memory of St. Basil the Great of Caesarea - and was of decisive importance for the whole year.

On this day, it was customary to conduct all kinds of divination and ancient rituals. The evening before (now January 13) was called Vasiliev's evening. Unmarried girls were especially waiting for him, who at that time willingly guessed. They believed: what you guess on Vasily's day will surely come true.

St. Basil was considered a "pigsty" - the patron saint of pig breeders and pork products, and they believed that if there was a lot of pork on the table on the night before Vasily's Day, then these animals would breed in abundance and bring good profits to the owners.

Therefore, the main festive dish on Vasily's Day was a pig, which was roasted whole, and a hare and a rooster were also prepared. According to legend, pig roast provides well-being for the coming year; they ate hare meat to be agile like a hare, and rooster meat to be light like a bird.

The rite of going from house to house to be treated to pork dishes was interesting. On the night of Vasily, the guests certainly had to be fed with pork pies, boiled or baked pork legs, and in general any dishes that include pork. A pig's head was also placed on the table.

There was also a custom on Vasily's Day with special rituals to cook porridge. On New Year's Eve, at 2 o'clock, the eldest of the women brought cereals from the barn (usually buckwheat), and the eldest man brought water from a well or river. It was impossible to touch cereals and water until the stove was heated - they just stood on the table. Then everyone sat down at the table, and the eldest of the women began to stir the porridge in the pot, while uttering certain ritual words.

Then everyone got up from the table, and the hostess put the porridge in the oven - with a bow. Ready porridge was taken out of the oven and carefully examined. If the pot was just full, and the porridge was rich and crumbly, then one could expect a happy year and a rich harvest - they ate such porridge in the morning. If the porridge got out of the pot, or it was small and white, and the pot cracked, this did not bode well for the owners of the house, and then trouble was expected, and the porridge was thrown away.

In the old days, on Vasilyev Day, peasants went from house to house with congratulations and wishes for well-being. At the same time, an ancient rite was performed, known under various names: avsen, ovsen, autumn, etc. Its essence was that the children of the peasants, having gathered together before mass, went from house to house to sow grains of oats, buckwheat, rye and other loaves and at the same time they sang a sowing song.

The owners of the house gave the sprinkler something as a gift, and the grains scattered by him were carefully collected, stored until spring, and mixed with other seeds when sowing spring crops.

There is also a tradition in Russia on the night of the Old New Year to sculpt and cook dumplings, some of which are with surprises. In each locality (even in each family), the meanings of surprises may differ.

According to signs, if the sky is clear and starry at night before Vasiliev's day, then there will be a rich harvest of berries. According to popular belief, St. Basil the Great guards gardens from worms and pests. On the morning of the Old New Year, you need to walk through the garden with the words of an ancient conspiracy: "As I shake off (name) the white-furred snow, so St. Basil will shake off the worm-reptile of every spring!"

Some regions of Russia have their own traditions of celebrating the Old New Year. For example, in Yalga, a suburban village of Saransk (Mordovia), residents gather near the New Year's fire, dance and, together with old things, burn all the troubles that have accumulated over the year. They also have a tradition of comic fortune-telling with an old boot or felt boots. Yalga residents stand in a circle and pass each other a "magic slipper" in which there are notes with good wishes. They believe that a note pulled out of a boot will surely bring good luck.

The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year has been preserved not only in Russia, but also in the former Soviet republics. In Belarus and Ukraine, the evening on the eve of January 14 is called "generous", since it is customary to cook "generous kutya" - a rich table after the Christmas Lent. Both Georgia and Abkhazia celebrate the Old New Year.

In Abkhazia, January 13 is officially listed as Azhyrnykhua or Hechkhuama - Creation Day, update. It is festive and non-working. The holiday of renewal or the creation of the world takes its origin in the pagan past of the country and is associated with the veneration of the deity Shashva, the patron saint of blacksmiths. Traditionally, roosters and goats are slaughtered on this day as a sacrifice to Shashva. The holiday gathers under the roof of the family sanctuary - the "forge" - all relatives on the paternal side. Representatives of other people's families - wives and daughters-in-law stay at home.

The Old New Year is also celebrated in some other countries.

In the former Yugoslavia (Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia), they also celebrate the Old New Year on the night of January 13-14, since the Serbian Orthodox Church, like the Russian one, continues to live according to the Julian calendar.

Serbs call this holiday "Serbian New Year" or Little Christmas. Sometimes the Serbs bring "badnyak" into the house on this day - one of the two logs that they prepared on Christmas Eve for Christmas and Little Christmas.

In Montenegro, it is customary to call this holiday "Rights of Nova Godina", which means "correct New Year".

Vasilitsy are prepared for the Old New Year: round pies made from corn dough with kaymak - cream curdled like cheese. Sometimes another dish is prepared from corn dough - parennitsa.

On the night of January 14, they gather at the festive table to celebrate the arrival of the New Year in Greece. This Greek holiday is called Saint Basil's Day, known for his kindness. In anticipation of this saint, Greek children leave their shoes by the fireplaces so that St. Basil puts gifts in them.

In Romania, the Old New Year is celebrated more often in the narrow circle of the family, less often with friends. For the festive table, they make New Year's pies with surprises: coins, porcelain figurines, rings, hot peppers. The ring found in the pie promises great luck.

Old New Year is also celebrated in the north-east of Switzerland in some German-speaking cantons. In the 16th century, the inhabitants of the canton of Appenzell did not accept the reform of Pope Gregory and still celebrate the holiday on the night of January 13-14. On January 13, they celebrate the old day of St. Sylvester, who, according to legend, in 314 caught a terrible monster.

It was believed that in the year 1000 the monster would break free and destroy the world, but this did not happen. Since then, on New Year's Eve, the inhabitants of Switzerland dress up in masquerade costumes, put on bizarre structures resembling dollhouses or botanical gardens on their heads and call themselves Sylvester Clauses. Walking along the streets, the locals make noise and shout, thereby expelling evil spirits and inviting good spirits.

In addition, the Old Style New Year is celebrated in a small Welsh community in Wales in the west of the UK. On January 13 they celebrate "Khen Galan". There are no fireworks or champagne on this day. "Khen Galan" is greeted according to the traditions of the ancestors with songs, carols and local home-made beer.

Since 1752 in the United Kingdom The Gregorian calendar is in effect, with New Year's Day on January 1st. But a small community of Welsh farmers, centered in a village called Gwayne Valley, celebrates the onset of the New Year according to the Julian calendar, and unlike the rest of the country, it is on January 13 that they have an official holiday.

The reason why Gwayne Valley and its surrounding farms have fallen behind the times is now unknown. Some say that it was the will of a local feudal lord opposed to the Catholic Church. Others believe that it was the will of the entire community, which decided to defend its traditional way of life.

The children start the holiday. From early morning they carol all over the valley, collecting gifts and money. For adults, the fun comes in the late afternoon. The whole village and nearby farms gather at the local pub. Outside visitors are not allowed. In an ancient pub, one of the few in the UK where beer is brewed and immediately poured into jugs, nothing but beer is served. Locals bring their own food. In the pub, people sing songs in Welsh to the accompaniment of an accordion, which were performed by their grandfathers and great-grandfathers.

For local residents, Khen Galan is a holiday of good neighborliness and "open doors" - but open to their own. According to legend, in ancient times, the inhabitants of the valley went from house to house to visit in a round dance with songs.

On the night of January 13-14, many countries celebrate everyone's favorite holiday - the Old New Year. From year to year, many generations arrange feasts on this day. The most interesting thing is that few people think about the history of the holiday. Believers who fast on the Old New Year can celebrate the holiday with all their heart, enjoy delicious dishes.

The Old New Year appeared after the change of chronology - this tradition is based on the divergence of two calendars: the Gregorian and the Julian.

Previously, in Rus', the New Year was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, namely, on March 22. After Christianity was adopted, the Byzantine calendar began to replace the old one, after which the New Year was celebrated on September 1.

It is worth saying that until the 15th century a single date for the holiday was not established. Some celebrated it in the fall, while others celebrated it in the spring. In 1492, the date of the New Year was set in Rus' - September 1.

In December 1699, Peter the Great moved the holiday to January 1, after which the next year 1700 began four months later.

The Orthodox Church celebrates the New Year, Christmas and other holidays according to the Julian calendar. As a result of this discrepancy, the inhabitants of Russia celebrate the New Year twice - in the old and new style.

Many customs and traditions are associated with this holiday. On this day, the Orthodox Church remembers the day of St. Basil the Great. The people also call the holiday as St. Basil's Day, for the year this day was very decisive.

On this day, children scattered wheat, rye and oats around the house, and also sentenced:

"Ugly, O God, every living thing according to the bin, that according to the bin and great, and it would become living for the whole baptized world."

After that, the mistress of the house collected all the grains from the floor and stored them until sowing.

Another peculiar rite is the boiling of porridge. On the night of the New Year, a woman brought cereals into the house, and a man brought water from a well. Until the stove is heated, it was not allowed to touch the cereal and water. Then the older woman stirred the porridge in the pot.

When stirring the porridge, she spoke special words. Then the hostess put the porridge in the oven with a bow. If the porridge turned out to be rich, and the pot was full, then they ate it and waited for a happy year and a big harvest.

In the event that the pot cracked or the porridge went beyond its limits, it was thrown away.

The girls performed various fortune-telling for the Old New Year. These fortune-tellings were considered the most truthful, because you could see your betrothed.

To do this, the girls combed their hair before going to bed, put the comb under their pillow and uttered the magic words: “betrothed-mummer, come comb my head.”

No less interesting was the rite of going from house to house, people treated the guests to pork dishes. According to tradition, guests had to be fed pies and other dishes with pork.

Saint Basil was the patron saint of pig breeders, as well as any pork products. Everyone believed that the abundance of pork dishes that night would be the key to abundance and profit.

There is also a tradition - to sculpt dumplings with a surprise. Everyone is interested in who and what kind of surprise will get.

It is not customary to lend on a holiday, because then there will be no prosperity. At the same time, getting money on this day was considered a good omen - this is for profit.

On Vasilyev evening everyone put on new clothes so that they could dress well all year later. The year will be happy if it is spent cheerfully.

If the sky is starry and clear on Vasily's Day, then we can expect a rich harvest of berries and nuts. Fluffy snow also testified to a bountiful harvest.

It is customary to celebrate the New Year in Russia for a long time and on a grand scale - in January we have a rest for more than a week. However, the festive mood persists even after the end of the official holidays, because on the night of January 13-14, the whole country celebrates the Old New Year. Kultura.RF tells about when and how the holiday with such a controversial name appeared.

New Year pre-revolutionary postcard. Russia, before 1917.

The old New Year came into our culture along with the old style of reckoning.

In 1918, the Bolshevik government decided to change the calendar. Tsarist Russia lived according to the Julian calendar, and Europe - according to the Gregorian. The first was created in the Roman Empire and was based on ancient Egyptian astronomy. The Gregorian calendar was more accurate; it was created in the 16th century, taking into account the latest knowledge about the structure of the universe. The difference between the two systems of calculation was 13 days and created inconvenience for the conduct of international political and economic affairs and led to funny incidents in everyday life. For example, according to the dates on the postmarks, it turned out that the telegram was received in Europe several days earlier than it was sent in Russia.

The transition to the Western European calendar took place on February 14, 1918. According to the decree, the main goal of the entire project was "the establishment in Russia of the same calculus with almost all cultural peoples."

An unusual holiday appeared - the old New Year, that is, the New Year according to the old style, which was not forgotten by the people. However, they celebrated the old New Year not on such a large scale as the night from December 31 to January 1.

The Russian clergy did not agree with the transition to the new style and did not abandon the Julian calendar. But this was not so important for the Bolsheviks, who had already signed the Decree on the separation of the church from the state and the school from the church. The old style has become informal.

Today, the Russian Orthodox Church still uses the Julian calendar. Therefore, Christmas in our country is celebrated on January 7, and in Catholic countries - on December 25. The New Year, or rather the New Year, the Orthodox Church celebrates on September 14 (September 1, according to the old style) - not from the Nativity of Christ, but from the creation of the world. During the secular New Year holidays, believers keep the Nativity Fast.

Directly on January 1, the holy martyr Boniface is commemorated, to whom one should pray in order to get rid of drunkenness (the disease of wine drinking).

Contrary to popular belief, the tradition of celebrating the Old New Year exists not only in our country. There are similar holidays in the countries of the former USSR, as well as in Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Algeria, Tunisia and many other countries. In all states, the appearance of an unusual date is associated with transitions to different calendars, but each country has its own traditions. In the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, for example, old St. Sylvester's Day is celebrated on January 13, dressing up in fancy dress and wishing each other a Happy New Year. In Macedonia, carnivals are held on the New Year according to the old calendar. There is an analogue of our holiday in Wales - the Hen Galan festival. It also means the beginning of the New Year according to the Julian calendar, and on this day children can “carol” - go from house to house and receive sweet gifts.

In Russia, according to statistics, the old New Year is celebrated by about half of the country's population, gathering at the festive table. And a number of museums and cultural organizations dedicate thematic exhibitions to the holiday.

Old New Year is one of the unique holidays celebrated on the night of January 13-14 in many countries, including the post-Soviet space
Many generations from year to year arrange a feast for the Old New Year and do not even think about the history of its origin.
For many believers, it symbolizes the end of the fast and is a good reason to celebrate it wholeheartedly.

Story
Old New Year is a holiday that is celebrated unofficially. This holiday arose as a result of a change in the chronology. The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year is associated with the divergence of two calendars: the Julian - "old style" and the Gregorian - "new style".
Christmas tree decorations

New Year 2017: how to meet and what to expect....

Almost all European states switched to the Gregorian chronology back in the 18th century, removing a few extra days from the calendar. By the 20th century, the Russian calendar was 13 days behind Europe, which had long since switched to the Gregorian calendar.
To narrow this gap in 1918, by decree of the Council of People's Commissars, a transition was made to the Gregorian calendar - a new style. In fact, after January 31, February 14 immediately came. As a result, January 14 - St. Basil's Day turned out to be the old New Year.
The Orthodox Church continues to celebrate all church holidays according to the Julian calendar. The modern New Year falls on the pre-Christmas fast - an Orthodox forty-day fast in honor of Christmas.
Santa Claus is photographed with children near the New Year tree in one of the parks of the Georgian capital

Focusing on the Julian chronology, one can trace the natural order of the holidays - the Advent fast preceded the feast of the Nativity of Christ, after which people celebrated the New Year six days later.
The discrepancy between the old and new chronology in the XX-XXI centuries is 13 days, so the New Year according to the old style is celebrated on the night of January 13-14. The difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is gradually increasing and from March 1, 2100 it will be 14 days, so from 2101 the Old New Year will be celebrated one day later.

Where are they celebrating...
For many years in the countries of the post-Soviet space, including Georgia, the custom of celebrating the Old New Year has been preserved, which, as it seemed to us, was incomprehensible to the rest of the world.
In fact, the Old Style New Year is known and loved in different parts of our planet, and there are countries that also celebrate the arrival of the New Year twice a year.
This custom can be found among the inhabitants of the former Yugoslavia. The reasons are also similar - church ministers count all significant dates according to the Julian system of chronology.

Serbs call this holiday "Serbian New Year" or "Little Christmas". In Montenegro, it is customary to call this holiday "Rights of Nova Godina", which means "Proper New Year".
A similar custom is also among the inhabitants of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. They live in their own way, the Berber calendar, similar to the Julian. As a result of many deviations and mistakes, they celebrate the second New Year on January 12th.
The fabulous night of January 14 is considered in Romania and some cantons of Sweden. In Greece, this night people gather at the festive table to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. This Greek holiday is called Saint Basil's Day, known for his kindness.

The Old Style New Year is celebrated in a small Welsh community in Wales in the west of the UK, where they celebrate "Hen Galan" on January 13th. "Khen Galan" - a holiday of good neighborliness and "open doors" according to the traditions of the ancestors, is greeted with songs, folk festivals and local home-made beer.
And then, two New Years is a great occasion to once again gather the whole family and friends at the same table and have a good time.
Customs and traditions
The Orthodox Church on January 14 commemorates St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea Cappodacia. In the folk calendar, it is called St. Basil's Day and was of decisive importance for the whole year.

Many traditions and customs are associated with the old New Year in Rus'. On Vasily's Day, they celebrated the holiday of agriculture, which was associated with the future harvest, and performed the rite of sowing - hence the name of the holiday "Autumn" or "Avsen".
On this day, the children scattered grains of wheat, oats, and rye around the house, saying: "God, freak out every living thing according to the bin, that according to the bin, and great, and there would be life for the whole baptized world." The mistress of the house collected grains from the floor and stored them until sowing.

And there was also a kind of ritual - cooking porridge. On New Year's Eve, at about two o'clock, the eldest of the women brought cereal from the barn, and the eldest man brought water from a well or river. It was impossible to touch cereals and water until the stove was heated - they just stood on the table.
Then everyone sat down at the table, and the eldest of the women began to stir the porridge in the pot, while uttering certain ritual words - the groats were usually buckwheat. Then everyone got up from the table, and the hostess put the porridge in the oven - with a bow.
Ready porridge was taken out of the oven and carefully examined. If the pot was just full, and the porridge was rich and crumbly, then one could expect a happy year and a rich harvest - they ate such porridge in the morning.

If the porridge got out of the pot, or the pot cracked, this did not bode well for the owners of the house, and then trouble was expected, and the porridge was thrown away.
On the night of the Old New Year, the girls guessed at the betrothed - after all, the period of Christmas time continued, the best time of the year for all kinds of fortune-telling and predictions. It was believed among the people that fortune-telling on the night of January 13-14 is the most truthful and it is at this time that you can see your future spouse in a dream.
Toys and decorations on the Christmas treeChristmas tree

Celebrate the New Year and stay alive!
To do this, the girls combed their hair before going to bed, put a comb under their pillow and said magic words: "betrothed-mummer, come comb my head."
The rite of going from house to house to treat yourself to pork dishes is also interesting. On the night of Vasily, the guests certainly had to be fed with pork pies, boiled or baked pork legs, and in general any dishes that include pork.
A pig's head was also placed on the table. The fact is that Vasily was considered a "pigsty" - the patron saint of pig breeders and pork products, and they believed that if there was a lot of pork on the table that night, then these animals would breed in abundance on the farm and bring good profits to the owners.

But the tradition of sculpting dumplings with surprises for the Old New Year appeared not so long ago - no one remembers exactly where and when, but it is observed with pleasure in many regions of Russia. In some cities, they are made in almost every home - with family and friends, and then they arrange a fun feast and eat these dumplings, looking forward to who and what kind of surprise will come across.
Signs
In the New Year, they did not lend money, so that during the year there would be no shortage of them. It was considered very successful to receive money on this day - it foreshadowed profit in the new year.
In order to dress well all year round, on Vasiliev's evening to celebrate the New Year, one should put on good new clothes.
One of the women's and men's clothing stores in a shopping center in the capital of Georgia

In the old days, there was a belief that if you spend the old year and meet the new one as cheerfully as possible, then it will pass happily.
The clear, starry sky on Vasily's Day foreshadowed a rich harvest of berries. A fierce snowstorm on January 13 in the evening indicated a plentiful harvest of nuts.
Also, a plentiful harvest in the new year was indicated by fluffy snow in the morning on the branches of trees and thick fog on St. Basil's Day.
According to popular belief, Saint Basil protects gardens from worms and pests. On the morning of the Old New Year, you need to walk through the garden with the words of an ancient conspiracy: "As I shake off (name) the white-furred snow, so St. Basil will shake off the worm-reptile of every spring!"

In the old days, they believed that on January 14 a man should enter the house first, then the year will turn out to be prosperous, if a woman enters - to trouble.

On the night of January 13-14, Russia celebrates a unique holiday for the entire post-Soviet space. And while the whole world looks at it with bewilderment, let's try to figure out how this holiday arose and what are its traditions.

So, the celebration of the Old New Year came from a change in the chronology - when, according to tradition, the holiday was celebrated according to the old and new styles. And for many, the night from January 13 to 14 is the real New Year, because this tradition is much older. The new chronology was introduced in Russia not so long ago - in 1918, while the old New Year is already over 300 years old. In addition to Russia, the old New Year is also celebrated in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and other countries inhabited by Eastern Slavs.

Now about the traditions of the holiday: the Old New Year falls at the very height of Christmas time - the time of fun and matchmaking. According to Orthodox church canons, it is forbidden to work these days, it is impossible to baptize children, get married and guess. It is curious that, despite all the prohibitions, it is fortune telling that is the most popular tradition of the Old New Year: it is believed that this particular period is one of the most mystical of the year and the most suitable for fortune telling. Basically, this is fortune-telling for a betrothed - they use everything that comes to hand: candles, mirrors, wax, books, coffee grounds, wax and household items.

Although the Old New Year is inferior in popularity and scale to the night from December 31 to January 1, it has firmly entered the homes of Russians and has become a full-fledged winter holiday. Perhaps because it makes it possible to take a break from the hustle and bustle, to be close to relatives and friends in a cozy and calm atmosphere.

As psychologist Natalya Kuznetsova said, two new years are like two birthdays, and at the same time they are very different:

“The old New Year is not abandoned not only because people are always happy for an additional holiday, but also because this clearly shows the psychological aspects of the holiday, such as unwillingness to part with the old year, the difficulty of experiencing losses and partings, anxiety for the future.

Divination, according to the psychologist, allows you to cope with anxiety for the future:
- I myself, like many girls, also guessed in my teens. But from the age of 20 I stopped when, at the next fortune-telling for the New Year, I saw the death of one person very close to me, and then a dream that night about it. In the same year, a terrible event happened ... So fortune-telling can lower anxiety, or maybe increase it. Rather, by guessing, we are trying to overcome the fear of uncertainty. It is curious that guessing was forbidden by the church, and still people guessed, because the fear of uncertainty is stronger than the ban, - notes Natalya Kuznetsova.

On the eve of the Old New Year, you can do everything that you didn’t have time to do on December 31: make a wish to the chimes, go to the city Christmas tree, start fireworks, clink glasses of champagne with your loved ones again - after all, the holiday should be in the soul, and its origin and traditions, dates and canons = not so important.
Mikhail Lansky