Merry Christmas is associated with a huge number of different customs, signs and rituals. It has long been believed: as a person celebrates this holiday, so will the whole year. These days, we often think this way about the New Year. However, for the Christian peoples, Christmas, signs, customs and rituals associated with it, were much more important. In this article, we will tell you about what beliefs are associated with this bright Christian holiday.
Description
For most Christians, Christmas is very important. This is a holiday of faith, love, warmth, happiness and kindness. In Russia and in countries where people profess the Orthodox faith, it is celebrated on January 7th. Catholics all over the world (the Orthodox Greeks have recently joined them) celebrate the Nativity of Jesus Christ on December 25, but the Armenians are the people who were the first in the world to accept Christianity in 301 asthe state religion, celebrate the most important of all church holidays on January 6th. Of course, the main thing in it is participation in the Christmas service in the church. And after that, all Christian nations, regardless of which denomination they belong to, lay festive tables, for which special dishes are prepared. This day is usually celebrated by the whole family, with relatives and friends. This is the main custom at Christmas. Today, not everyone attaches importance to signs, but many are still very interested in them, even if just for fun.
Main Traditions
It is not customary to be alone on this holiday. If it is not possible to celebrate with the whole family, then it is better to go to visit those people whom you consider the closest to you. Or invite someone to visit you, but do not be alone in the four walls. It is very important to see happy people, for example, a couple who are waiting for replenishment, or a family in which a child has recently been born. Being among them is one of the signs at Christmas. According to her, being among happy people on this wonderful day, you yourself are "infected" with happiness from them. When you come to visit them, you must definitely bring a gift, a toy for a child, something sweet - sweets, cookies, jam, and if possible, home-made kutya.
Congratulations
Don't forget to call and congratulate all the most important people in your life on this day. If you do this year after year, then people will answer youthe same coin. But to hear a whole cascade of good wishes is the best sign. The custom at Christmas to congratulate loved ones and give them gifts arose a very long time ago, it is written about in the Bible. Remember how the Magi with their gifts were looking for the manger where little Jesus was born. By the way, you can buy a gift for yourself. According to legend, a thing bought on Christmas Eve will serve its owner for a long time. Goodness and we alth also attract lit candles and a fire in the fireplace to the family (house). It is imperative to light one candle for those who are no more, the departed. It is believed that they will help you attract good luck. There is another very common folk sign at Christmas, which is associated with the arrival of guests. It is very important that the first step on the threshold is a man. This is good luck. But the woman who first stepped over the threshold of your house - to failures and illnesses.
Caring for others
A great omen for Christmas if a cat or dog scratches at your door. If you wish, you can let her in or feed her hearty food at the doorstep. Do not forget also about your pets, they must also be plentifully fed so that you have prosperity in the house for a whole year. Also give gifts to those who need it - no matter what: money, food, clothes, etc. It will also attract money to you.
Prohibitions
There is a whole list of things that in no case should be done before the most important Christian holiday. So, for example, a bad omen at Christmas are activities related toproduction. On this day, you can’t bake bread, make something with your hands, sew, knit, weave (any activity in which a thread appears). By the way, the thread in ancient times was considered a symbol of life. In historical times, it was believed that on this day time stops, that is, on a holiday it is not worth creating and generating anything. Also, you can not do cleaning, washing and cleaning. It is desirable that before the old New Year - January 14 - garbage is not thrown away, so that, God forbid, good luck does not go with it. But 7-day-old garbage is better to burn and scatter it in the wind.
In addition, this day should be truly festive, and people should devote themselves entirely to it and not load themselves with any work, but rest and celebrate. Another bad omen at Christmas is swearing and fighting. We must try to refrain from such manifestations, otherwise you can invite trouble on yourself and loved ones and lose hope for salvation. So you need to tune in a pleasant way, pray, remember all the best that was and is in your life, and throw bad thoughts aside and not conflict with anyone and be condescending.
Drinking water the night before Christmas is also not a good omen. They say it's torment. Today this belief seems strange to us, but isn't it better to be patient than to suffer later. It is forbidden to guess on Christmas night itself. To do this, you will have as many as 11 days, from January 8 to 18, that is, until Epiphany. Orthodox Christians call these days Christmas time.
Folk omens for Christmasregarding clothes
Today everyone tries to dress up on a festive night, put on something bright and beautiful. This tradition goes back centuries. However, in those days it was necessary to put on not just beautiful clothes, but to prepare something new, completely unworn clothes. And it's also a bad omen for Christmas - to be at the Christmas table in black clothes. It was believed that this would lead to failure and heavy losses.
7 blessings of Christmas
The number 7 has long been considered sacred. According to one of the Christmas signs, the one who manages to do 7 good deeds on January 7th will live the coming year successfully. He can ask the angels for the fulfillment of any of his cherished desires. In addition, you need to give alms to 7 poor people before Christmas - this sign is very good. It is said that after this a person will live in abundance for a whole year. You can also give seven close (optional) people a useful gift or treat seven kids playing in the yard with sweets. And merchants are encouraged to sell goods to the first buyer at a discount of up to seven units (7 rubles, 7 tens or hundreds).
Ritual
According to the signs and customs on Christmas that have evolved over many centuries, for forty days, during which angels come to help people, you need to perform the following ritual in the morning, immediately before waking up: pray, three times cross yourself and make some good wish. And every evening, as soon as the sun goes downthe horizon line, you need to light a candle and pray again, crossing yourself three times. You can make one wish every day, or you can think about the same thing all the time, and then the likelihood that it will come true will increase much.
Christmas omen for money
A very bad sign to lose something on the eve of this holiday. This, according to belief, will lead to great losses throughout the year. Conversely, finding something before Christmas is a good omen, especially if it is something valuable, such as jewelry. This will mean that a large amount of money will soon come into your hands. Also, if tea or coffee is accidentally spilled on the Christmas table, then this is to material well-being. Another sign for Christmas money is the starry sky. A plentiful snowfall indicates a plentiful harvest. But the young month in the night sky - to failure in money.
Surely everyone knows about such a ritual as cutting a Christmas cake with a coin inside. Whoever gets it will be lucky throughout the year. Another custom is to throw a carefully washed coin into a glass of champagne, drink it carefully so as not to swallow it, then dry it and put it in your wallet. It is believed that it will attract money into your wallet. It is desirable that at least some amount was in your pocket on Christmas night. Empty pockets and a wallet are not good.
Christmas 2018
We have long been accustomed to believe that every year haspatron animal. So, for example, the current one is considered the year of the Dog. Signs for Christmas, in principle, should not have anything to do with the patroness of the year. After all, let's not forget that Christmas is the largest of the Christian holidays, and the Chinese, who invented the horoscope, are not Christians. However, let's symbolically call this year the Year of the Dog and see what special things the stars have prepared for us in 2018.
God forbid to see on Christmas night in the year of the Dog the mouse: this is a loss or expense. In no case should you borrow something from someone on the night before Christmas. This sign applies not only to money, but also to any products, such as s alt. You can't cut the Christmas cake before the first star appears in the sky. If the evening is cloudy, then you need to wait until it gets dark enough. Household members should be wearing fresh (new) underwear, otherwise you can scare away luck.
Festive table and chance encounters
Before you sit down at the festive table, you need to feed your pets. If you don’t have any, then take a bone or something meat outside in a bowl - something that the dog might like. In no case should you use cracked or chipped dishes. The dog will definitely not like it. And you don’t need to put gilded or colored dishes on the table: either pure white or crystal. You also need to put on the table a few extra appliances for the deceased relatives. This will reduce the likelihood of illness.
No waycase, you do not need to cook lobsters and crayfish for the feast, so that things do not move back. It is better to cook meat and vegetables. Trust me, your dog will love it. Fill your glasses, whoever gets the last drop will be happy this year. Another sign of good luck is to see a hunchback in the morning. It will multiply if you run up and touch his hump. And if you meet a large black dog, then this year is for you. Accidentally stepping on dog feces also brings good luck.
Signs for marriage
If there are young people in the family, of course, they are most worried about whether they can find a mate and get married (get married) next year. However, unmarried girls are forbidden to tell fortunes on Christmas night, as happiness can be frightened away. However, if you go outside that night and ask the name of the first person you meet, then this will be the name of the future husband. And you can see the face of the groom if you put a comb under the pillow. And you will also need to hang a towel in the yard at night. If by morning it is wet, then the wedding is just around the corner. And you can also roll an engagement ring on the floor, if it rolls for a long time, then it’s not too early to wait for the groom. A few minutes before January 7, you can go outside and throw your slipper, if it lies with its toe to the door, then this year the girl will not get married, and if the toe is out, then the wedding is already close.
