Unlike the main New Year's magician, the "granddaughter" does not drink, does not bring gifts, but much bears Santa Claus oversaturated with "magic".
But who is the Snow Maiden anyway, and what secrets does this New Year's image hide?The first and most amazing secret of the Snow Maiden lies in her absolute uniqueness. Of course, the modern Russian Snow Maiden can have Belarusian, Ukrainian and even Kazakh sisters, however, in fact, they are all a continuation of one image, which was finally formed along with the Soviet tradition of celebrating the New Year.
So, there are no analogues of the Snow Maiden in the world, except for the dubious image of the wife of Santa Claus.
Moreover, unlike Santa Claus, the Snow Maiden is not recorded in the Russian folk rite.
Despite this, the Snow Maiden has been with us for a long time - from the very moment when the fairy tale about the girl from the snow appeared in Russian folklore, who came to life.
The film "The Snow Maiden" directed by Pavel Kadochnikov. Lenfilm. 1969 THE USSR. In the photo: Evgenia Filonova as the Snow Maiden. Photo: www.russianlook.comOf course, at that time this girl had nothing to do with either the New Year or gifts.
According to one version, the story of the Snow Maiden directly comes from the funeral rite of Kostroma.
The Slavic ritual of the funeral of Kostroma was a farewell to winter and at the same time a request to the forces of nature for the fertility of the land. According to one version of the rite, the effigy of the girl was drowned in the river, according to the second, they were burned at the stake, like Shrovetide. In another version, Kostroma drank wine to death at a merry feast, which makes it very close to all lovers of New Year's table gatherings.
One way or another, but the forerunner of the Snow Maiden Kostroma was dealt with quite deliberately. And the death of a girl made of snow while jumping over a fire is, if you like, a light version of a ritual story.
If Kostroma, who was also the goddess of fertility, had, according to the Slavs, a rather contradictory character, then the Snow Maiden initially looked like a kind and naive girl.
Climbing history
Translated the Snow Maiden from folklore into literary characters Russian collector of folklore Alexander Afanasiev, who in 1867 placed the tales of the Snow Maiden in the second volume of his study "The Poetic Views of the Slavs on Nature".
In 1873, the playwright Alexander Ostrovsky, inspired by the work of Afanasyev, wrote the play The Snow Maiden. In this story, the Snow Maiden appears in the image familiar to us today - a pale blonde in white and blue winter clothes. It is here that the Snow Maiden first encounters Santa Claus, who turns out to be her ... dad. And the mother is Spring-Krasna, who could not resist the male charisma of a gray-bearded magician. However, Ostrovsky's story of the Snow Maiden is sad: left in the care of people, she becomes a victim of misunderstanding and jumps over the fire.It is interesting that Ostrovsky's play was received very coldly, and it is not known what career the Snow Maiden would have had if the composer had not joined the case in 1882. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. His opera based on the play "The Snow Maiden" was a wild success, after which the ice girl began to move towards the status of the second New Year's person.
Even in the pre-revolutionary period, Russian teachers began to use the image of the Snow Maiden in Christmas tree scenarios. The truth is usually we are talking about staging certain scenes from Ostrovsky's play with her participation. Also, the figurines of the Snow Maiden begin to hang on the Christmas tree as a decoration.
And yet at that time the Snow Maiden remained exclusively minor character. A decisive transformation came in 1935, when in the Soviet Union they began to celebrate at the official level New Year.
Now the Snow Maiden has become " right hand» Santa Claus, an intermediary in communication between him and the children at matinees. At the same time, for a reason that is not entirely clear, their related status has changed. If Ostrovsky's Snow Maiden was the daughter of Father Frost, then in the new version she appeared as his granddaughter.
Father Frost and Snow Maiden with children on the Christmas tree. Photo: RIA Novosti
Although it cannot be ruled out that this Snow Maiden is actually the daughter of the one that melted while jumping over the fire. In any case, the Soviet Snow Maiden had no tendency to melt.
At the celebration of the New Year, 1937, Father Frost and the Snow Maiden first appeared together at the Christmas tree in the Moscow House of Unions. It is interesting that at that time the Snow Maiden appeared in the form of a little girl and only after some time she “grew up”.
Terem on Lagernaya street
It is possible that this change in texture was caused solely by practical considerations - after all, students theater schools and novice theater actresses coped with the roles of hostesses of children's matinees much better than elementary school students.
Unlike Father Frost, the fate of the Snow Maiden hung in the balance for some time - for example, during the war period, this image disappeared from the New Year holidays.The Snow Maiden was saved by two famous Soviet writers -Lev Kassil And Sergei Mikhalkov. It was they who wrote the scenarios for the Kremlin Christmas trees in the early 1950s, and made Grandfather Frost's granddaughter an obligatory participant in the performances. Only after that, the Snow Maiden finally "staken out" a place for herself near the Christmas tree.
The Snow Maiden is so kind and harmless that she is constantly being held hostage by various evil spirits that have material claims to Santa Claus. In my memory, the Snow Maiden only once took the initiative in her own hands, helping out grandfather. In the cartoon “When the Christmas Trees Are Lighting up”, the atypically determined Snow Maiden went on a sleigh to the capital in order to bring back the gifts lost by Santa Claus. And she coped with her task perfectly.
The Snow Maiden is now an independent girl, and she has her own residence, located in Kostroma. It was in these parts, in the Shchelykovo estate, that the playwright Alexander Ostrovsky and wrote a play about the Snow Maiden. "Terem Snegurochka" in terms of the number of visitors may well give odds to the residence of Father Frost in Veliky Ustyug.
The only oddity regarding the Snow Maiden's habitat is her Kostroma address - Grandfather Frost's granddaughter lives on Lagernaya Street, house 38.
Distant relatives or just acquaintances?
The most stubborn seekers of Western analogues believe that the Snow Maiden has something in common with St. Lucia, who in Germany and Scandinavia during the period of the ban on the cult of saints and, in particular, St. Nicholas, acted as a Christmas presenter of gifts to children. In the countries of Scandinavia and Finland, the feast of St. Lucia, celebrated on December 13, has survived to this day, and serves as a kind of eve to Christmas.
There is also the Italian Befana, either an old woman or a young woman, who comes to the children on the night of the Epiphany, and lays out gifts for obedient children in pre-prepared socks. For bad children, Befana puts ashes in their socks. By the way, this lady is also well known to Russian children - Gianni Rodari described her slightly modified image in his “Journey of the Blue Arrow”.
Malanka is also mentioned, participating in the pre-New Year ceremonies of Bassarabia, Podolia and Galicia.
However, all these ladies, of course, cannot be compared with our unique and inimitable Snow Maiden, who every year relieves children of embarrassment in front of a gray-bearded magical old man, and then resignedly delivers Father Frost, who has taken a sip, to his monastery. That is why the Snow Maiden is exclusively our character, in which every Russian woman can see herself.
© Public Domain / USSR Ministry of Communications
© Public Domain / USSR Ministry of Communications
© Public Domain / USSR Ministry of Communications
© Public Domain / USSR Ministry of Communications
©
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Father Frost, Santa Claus, Per Noel, St. Nicholas - winter presenters of gifts to good children (in fact, to everyone in a row) filled the entire near-Christian world. These characters make the coldest and gloomiest season a little magical, help brighten up the endless expectation of spring. But at the very beginning of his ancient history they were just as cold and gloomy. Mankind is gone long haul before you start celebrating victory over your winter fears.
The further north people lived, the more difficult their relationship with nature was. And the more intricate they seemed to be the personifications of the elemental forces with which they have to fight in order to survive. It is to the incarnations 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 a time when forty years was considered old age.
Frost, snow and ice, a deaf winter darkness in the minds of our ancestors were associated with death. IN Scandinavian myths in the icy north is the realm of the dead, where the terrible goddess Hel rules - the prototype snow queen from Andersen's fairy tale. The houses of modern Santa Clauses are also placed in the north: Lapland, Greenland, Alaska, North Pole, the "pole of cold" Oymyakon in Yakutia ... Russian Veliky Ustyug Vologda region and Belarusian Belovezhskaya Pushcha - perhaps the most southern places where they settled this grandfather. Fortunately, modern Santas do not want to kill us. And they wanted our ancestors. And they were cunning as best they could, paying off the victims.
On the longest night of the year - on the winter solstice, from December 21 to 22 - the ancient Germans and Celts celebrated the holiday of Yule (Yule). There was something to rejoice about: after that 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 spiced ale, burned a special "Yule log" in the fireplace, and went to visit their neighbors. After the Christianization of Europe, these customs became attributes of Christmas and the New Year, coming a little later than Yule.
Yule log - 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 Wandering Jew
Among the Germans, Yule was dedicated to Wotan (aka Odin), the god of wisdom, the lord of life and death. According to the legend, first retold by Jacob Grimm, Wotan gallops across the sky that night at the head of the Wild Hunt, introducing unwary travelers to his retinue. Perhaps this is where the tradition of "Christmas - family celebration”: on the longest night of the year, all family members should sit by 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 the deepest antiquity the victims 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 presented as a reward for meekness? So, the young virgins, who were sent to the forest every winter as a sacrifice to the winter god, really froze to death. But in the pagan consciousness, such a death meant communion with the very elemental force that everyone was afraid of. And if Morozko accepted the sacrifice, then this year he will be kind.
In Ukrainian and Belarusian villages back in the 19th century, Frost 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 the Slavic commemoration, the ritual acquires additional depth, turning into a way of communication with the spirits of deceased ancestors.
But how did these capricious and insatiable elements turn into kind and generous donors? For this to happen, another, non-pagan character had to appear in world mythology.
Santa Wonderworker
In the III 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 to the priesthood. Over time, Nikolai became the Bishop of Mirliki, beloved by the people for his kindness and generosity to those in need. Moreover, he secretly showed this generosity - but all the same, for some reason, it became known that it was the bishop who was the mysterious benefactor.
One of the legends about Nicholas says that he heard about three beautiful sisters, whose father was poor and could not give them a dowry, so instead of marrying 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 the sisters' house - according to different versions legends, through a window or chimney. And these bags ended up in stockings hung out near the hearth to dry.
Image of St. 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 a new style) became a holiday on which it is supposed to give gifts and help the poor, ritually joining in that truly Christian image life, which was led by a bishop without silver. The children were told that Saint Nicholas himself, a kind, gray-bearded old man in a long-brimmed episcopal robe and a high headdress (miter), brought gifts. 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 the chimney.
In the era of the Reformation, when Protestants fought the Catholic custom of venerating saints as idolatry, the ritual of giving gifts shifted to Christmas - in memory of the gifts that the three wise men brought to the infant Christ. St. Nicholas fell into disgrace, remaining as the main Christmas benefactor in only a few countries. Now many Polish, Ukrainian, Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, Croatian and part of the Dutch children receive the main gifts "for good behavior during the year" not on Christmas or New Year, but on St. Nicholas Day - December 18th. However, some manage to beg their parents for a gift for all winter holidays. If you remember yourself as a child, you should know how to do it.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas is accompanied by Black Peter, a Moor servant who traces his ancestry to one of the Christmas wise men-giver.
The holiday comes to us
From Holland, Saint Nicholas moved to America - along with a wave of Dutch immigrants in the 18th century. They called him Sinterklaas - hence the name "Santa Claus" known to us. True, at first it 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 had trouble having fun at all.
In 1821, Sinterklaas for the first time gets into a sleigh pulled by a reindeer.
Father Christmas of the 1836 model is more reminiscent of the god of wine and fun Dionysus (Bacchus)
But in English folklore there was an old character named Father Christmas (Father Christmas), who symbolized not the Christian custom of disinterestedly sharing with one's neighbor, but rather the pagan love for unbridled fun during the holidays. Father Christmas was represented as a fat, bearded man in a short camisole with fur, a lover of drinking beer, eating well and dancing to catchy tunes. IN Victorian era When the influence of Protestants in England weakened (the majority managed to emigrate to America), Father Christmas also got the mission to give 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 clothes 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 the poem "The Visit of St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore, now known to American children as "The Night Before Christmas". It is written from the point of view of a father who wakes up on Christmas night and watches Santa's reindeer sleigh fly across the sky, and Santa himself descending the chimney to put gifts for the children in stockings hung 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, Steed, Frisky, Comet, Cupid), the last two are German (Thunder and Lightning). The ninth and chief deer, Rudolph, appeared over a hundred years later, in 1939, in a poem by Robert L. May. A feature of Rudolf is a huge shining nose, with which he illuminates the path for the entire team.
The scene has been recurring ever since—on Christmas cards, in movies and cartoons, and in the stories of parents who want their children to believe in Santa Claus rather than the agonizing search for presents in the bustle of pre-Christmas sales. There was a tradition to leave a treat for Santa on Christmas night by the fireplace: 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 has become 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 to work on holidays in decorated shopping malls and at Christmas markets - to communicate with children, listen to their cherished desires and unobtrusively promote the product.
This advertising was already so massive that it gave rise to a steady urban legend, as if the canonical image 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 in advertising, his appearance was not used for the first time by Coca-Cola - Santa, and before that he had to promote mineral water and ginger ale.
Cotton beard
The history of the domestic Santa Claus in the form in which we know him also has a few years. Back in the 19th century, he was a character in Russian folklore and children's books (for example, Odoevsky's fairy tales "Moroz Ivanovich"), from time to time he looked at public children's Christmas trees - but rarely. Parents in the Russian Empire told their children that the baby Jesus brought them gifts, or honestly admitted that they gave them themselves. Pagan Frost disapproved Orthodox Church, and the children were afraid of the bearded old man - in their minds, Frost was a harsh winter ruler from fairy tales. When in 1910 such a Grandfather appeared at a holiday in a kindergarten, singing a song based on Nekrasov’s poems “It’s 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 human.
The meeting of Morozko and meek stepdaughter performed by Ivan Bilibin
The revolution of 1917 almost put an end to winter holiday: Christmas, like other dates church calendar, the Bolsheviks decided to write it off for scrap. Christmas trees and other ritual winter entertainments were deleted from the life of the new Soviet state In 1929, Christmas officially became a normal working day.
But in the 1930s, the “leftist excesses” began to be abandoned. In November 1935, Stalin uttered the 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, in December made a proposal to the Pravda newspaper: to organize holiday trees for Soviet children, clearing them of religious attributes. So the Christmas tree star of Bethlehem turned into a five-pointed Soviet star, instead of Christmas it was decided to celebrate the New Year en masse, Christmas time with traditional dressing up in costumes became the New Year's carnival. The atmosphere of the holiday has 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 problem was only with Santa Claus: the children were still afraid of the old man in white clothes. To soften the effect, his granddaughter Snegurochka was given to accompany him, affectionately calling Moroz "grandfather", and a whole retinue of forest animals. Besides, in fabulous performances, which were played out at children's Christmas trees, Santa Claus 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, Ded Moroz in the Soviet Union became as harmless, if powerful, kind-hearted as Santa Claus is in the West. Only he usually dresses not in red, but in white and blue - shades of snowy winter twilight. Only in last years Frost sometimes appears in red, and his headdress takes on the features of a Saint Nicholas mitre.
If the Snow Maiden is the granddaughter of Santa Claus, then who are her parents? This question is asked by all kids, having barely learned to understand family ties. Apparently, the Snow Maiden is a pale beauty from fairy tale play Ostrovsky (in the play she was called the daughter of Frost and Spring, and not the granddaughter), but one of the girls who were once sacrificed to Frost. He calls her granddaughter only because, by age, she is suitable for his granddaughter.
Christmas trees are all that remains in our culture from the ancient ritual of meeting Winter and begging Frost to be really kind. This holiday has all the necessary attributes and ritual actions: a decorated Christmas tree as the embodiment of the world tree and a symbol of immortality (because it is evergreen), driving round dances (a ritual dance symbolizing the sun in Indo-European culture), playing the mystery of the victory of Light over Darkness ... Everything serves that the same goal with which our ancestors made sacrifices to Wotan or Frost: fearlessly face the cold Death face to face and win the right to survive another winter in a fair fight.
Have fun on New Year's Eve. It depends on whether the spring sun will rise.
Where did Santa Claus come from? The answer to this question interests not only children, but also adults. On the eve of the New Year, the history of the emergence of this fabulous image will be informative for all readers.
pagan traditions
Our ancestors in ancient times worshiped many gods at once. Each image was responsible for a certain element or action. For example, Perun was considered the main deity and was called the Thunderer in another way.
According to legend, Svarog was responsible for all the gods who led the natural forces. Morozko was a similar character in those days. He was in charge of the weather in winter. It was believed that this deity gave the Slavs sparkling snow and a festival with the onset of cold weather.
People firmly believed that during the attack of enemy troops, it was he who did not allow them to advance further, freezing everything around. According to legend, this deity created such ice that it was impossible to cut even with iron axes.
Fight against paganism
After the arrival of Christianity in Russian lands, active propaganda began new faith. All forces fought against paganism. In those days, the image of Morozko was drastically changed, making him a negative hero.
According to an invented legend, he turned into the Great Elder of the North, who came to different settlements and brutally froze people. One of these tragedies is described in the work "Frost - a Red Nose", which belongs to Nekrasov's pen.
In the poem, the Great Old Man froze his lonely mother in the forest without regret. Due to this tragedy, several children were left orphans, they had to overcome many difficulties in order to survive on their own.
The uneducated villagers began to believe in this legend. With the advent of winter, they were terribly afraid that this deity would come to their house.
Did Santa Claus pick up children
At times ancient Rus' in every village the guys were afraid of this hero. They waited in horror for his arrival. It was believed that he was catching up very coldy and wind to the villages to "pick up" the children.
Often in poor houses during a strong snowstorm it was very cold, because such shacks were not heated in any way. Weak guys sometimes froze to death. Such a misfortune in the family was associated with the arrival of this by no means kind and long-awaited character. For those families, it did not matter where Santa Claus came from. The story, unfortunately, is not very pleasant. But she also had a place.
In those days, it was believed that this deity took the children to him. Unlike modern children, the children of ancient Rus' never expected this hero and were very afraid of him. Everyone didn’t even want to pronounce his name aloud, and no one was interested in the question of where Santa Claus came from.
Crucial moment
In 1910, for the first time, cartoon postcards began to depict this character in a more attractive way. Artists in this way tried to eradicate pagan traditions and overcome fear among children.
A character appeared on the cards who smiled and came to the children with a large bag of gifts. Artists knew for sure that kids are very easy to bribe even with small surprises, because kids are so gullible.
With the help of new fairy tales and stories, they and their parents were offered a good version of where Santa Claus came from in Russia.
During the Soviet period, belief in any deity was strictly prohibited. In those days, Christianity was also actively oppressed. In order to further increase the patriotism of children, they turned into a kind old man who brings gifts to good children, a little forgotten Santa Claus. Where this character came from, no one knew. His legend at that time had not yet been invented.
Santa Claus, as well as his wonderful granddaughter Snegurochka, became the most beloved and desired characters. They came to kindergartens and schools on New Year's parties, entertained the kids near the Christmas trees, which in those days were organized in every park and in every club. About these good fairy-tale heroes in Soviet time many wonderful cartoons and films were shot, which today's children also enjoy watching. Perhaps because in such tapes there was not even a hint of violence, wonderful human qualities such as honesty, mutual assistance, friendship. Santa Claus in these tapes has always been fair, cheerful and infinitely kind.
Truth and speculation
Those who were children Soviet era, perhaps, they will be very surprised to learn that some modern historians are trying to connect the image of Santa Claus with communist propaganda. In those days, this hero was sincerely loved and believed that he was "the real one." And the statement that he comes only to obedient children hardly needs to be given a negative connotation, because not only in the Soviet Union they tried to influence the behavior of children in this way. fairy tale character Andersen Ole Lukoye also opens colored umbrellas only over obedient children.
First children's party with the participation of Santa Claus was held in 1935 in Kharkov. The event was a huge success. The good red-cheeked grandfather in a red coat was loved not only by children, but also by adults, he carried so much positive with him, created a festive mood.
Image Development
Gradually, this character entered the lives of people so firmly that few people were interested in the question of where Santa Claus came from. It was enough for the children to know that he brings gifts for the New Year, and they were very much looking forward to his arrival.
With the help of cinematography, an approximately identical image of the character emerged. He was required to have:
- Gray hair and long beard.
- Cheerful smile.
- Red cheeks.
- Staff.
- Red or blue sheepskin coat and the same hat.
- Big bag with gifts.
- Kind eyes.
Gradually, this hero grew incredible stories and legends.
Snow Maiden: daughter or granddaughter?
Over time, the writers decided to diversify the character and added an assistant to him. Where did Ded Moroz and Snegurochka come from? For the first time, people learned about this heroine from the work of Ostrovsky.
The fairy tale told that the Snow Maiden appeared in the forest in front of the walkers, who was attracted by the songs and dances of the youth. According to the plot, the girl was the daughter of Santa Claus and helped him to live.
Over time, her image passed into the status of a granddaughter. There is an easy explanation for this. By age, a small girl approached the children, with whom communication at matinees became more pleasant and liberated.
Where did Santa Claus come from in Russia, and where does he live? There is no single answer to the question. This hero has repeatedly changed his place of residence during his existence. Even in ancient times, it was believed that the deity lives in a dense forest.
With coming Soviet power this hero was moved to Arkhangelsk. Children were taken there on excursions and showed his residence. Now Veliky Ustyug is considered the official place of residence. Here the architects built a large residence of Father Frost with all winter attributes.
Thousands of children come here to new year holidays to get to know your favorite character and plunge into his life. Many adults, in order to return at least for a while to their childhood, are also happy to walk around the possessions of their favorite fairy-tale hero.
Santa Claus has a full-fledged family. Winter is considered his wife, and the well-known Snegurochka is his granddaughter. Together they reread the children's letters and collect gifts in a big bag.
Santa Claus has several animals on his farm. It has long been customary that this hero travels in a sleigh pulled by three horses. But in the residence of the character there is also a beautiful deer Leshka.
In the penates of Frost, there is a room for a wardrobe. It stores a large number of elegant fur coats of the character. Also here you can find a ski suit and summer outfits. Thus, the Russian Santa Claus is a "fashionista" compared to similar characters from other countries.
November 18 is considered to be the birthday of our fairy-tale hero. Around this period of the year, colds set in and frosts intensify in Russia. Father Frost celebrates his holiday first in Veliky Ustyug, and a few days later he arrives in the capital. Here, hundreds of children are also waiting for him with gifts and congratulations.
The main Santa Claus of the country is 37-year-old Andrei Balin. He has been in charge of the household at the residence for 15 years. The livestock specialist, at the age of 22, signed an agreement with the local authorities and makes the kids happy every year during the winter holidays.
Prototypes in other countries
Almost every state has its own characters who play the role of donors for the New Year. So, in Cyprus and Greece, Santa Claus is called Agios Vasilis. In these countries, January 1 is considered not only the New Year, but also a holiday named after all Vasilyev and Vasilis.
Where did Santa Claus come from in France? Peer Noel - this is the name of this character in this European country. Its history of appearance is connected with religion. Per Noel is considered the prototype of St. Nicholas, who gave sweets to children from poor families on Christmas holidays.
American Santa Claus is increasingly appearing in commercials and in our country. The story of the appearance of the hero is connected with Nikolai Ugodnik. This saint was real character and endured many trials in his life. Despite this, he always remained the patron of children.
Initially, Santa Claus had the appearance of an elf and was dressed in dark green clothes. But in 1930, the famous Coca-Cola company came up with a publicity stunt and depicted the character in the red and white colors used for their products.
Since that time, Santa Claus has become a large old man with a beard and mustache. He travels everywhere in a sleigh pulled by 12 deer. The favorite of them is Rudolf. The American prototype does not have a Snow Maiden. Little elves help him in everything. They go through the kids' letters and collect gifts.
Where did Santa Claus come from in Africa? Does he exist there? Of course yes. Here, too, there is such a character. His name is Papa Noel. Of all the characters, he is the most secretive, does not like to be in public. No one knows exactly what he looks like, where he lives.
the most interesting and unusual name possesses a character from Finland. Here it is called Joulupukki. Finnish Santa Claus comes to the children on a goat. Gnomes work for him as assistants. He lives with his wife in a small house on the mountain.
It probably doesn’t matter what this hero is called, how tall he is, what he is wearing. The question of where Santa Claus came from, let adults worry. It is enough for children to simply believe in his existence and wait for his arrival every New Year. After all, the feeling of a fairy tale and a miracle is preserved in a person throughout his life.
The New Year is inextricably linked with the corresponding attributes: a fragrant Christmas tree, garlands and Christmas decorations, Snow Maiden, and, of course, her grandfather. Few people know how he appeared, and hardly anyone knows that at first he was negative character. Once, instead of a warm elegant fur coat, he wore a cloak, bludgeoned naughty children with a staff, and was almost crippled, having three fingers on his hands. Intrigued? Then let's move on to history.
Fear of Morok
Russian Santa Claus is associated with good magic, fun and gifts that children find under the tree and in New Year's boots, such as this one.
However, everything is not so simple: East Slavs he was once considered an evil winter spirit and was called Morok, who is also referred to as the god of cold and winter. Scientists studying the life of the ancient Slavs are sure that the word "frost" appeared from the "haze".
Morok was considered the embodiment of evil and icy cold and was presented as a hunchbacked, sloppy old man, shod in bast shoes and dressed in a linen shirt. Where he passed, the earth, rivers and forests turned into an ice kingdom: he chained everything with frost. It was the ability to turn the living into the dead that made the appearance of the old man so sinister: the Slavs believed that the one who gets in his way would turn into a piece of ice. That's where the expressions "confuse the head" and "faint" came from.
Subsequently, fear gave way to curiosity, and people identified a number of signs, for example, that snowy and cold winters turn into fruitful summers and autumns. To get more harvests, they began to lure Morok on Maundy Thursday and Christmas week, exposing kutya or pancakes on the porch. They say that the bait worked "with a bang": in the morning there was no food on the porch, and Christmas and Christmas days were bitterly frosty.
From Evil God to Good Wizard
The change in attitude towards the old man, who for several centuries was known as an evil spirit, was expressed in a change in the image. He "got rid" of rags and bast shoes, and dressed up in felt boots, a good fur coat and a warm hat.
The new staff was decorated with a bull's head, which personified happiness and fertility. Although his hands still appeared to be three-fingered, they now wore warm gloves.
But with appearance while it was problematic: the deity remained angry and shaggy, with the nickname Student or Treskunets.
Not Morok, but Moroz Ivanovich!
When the Baptism of Rus' took place and paganism was uprooted in every possible way, Moroka was forgotten, but he was not replaced by anyone.
The first mention of appeared only in the 19th century, and then it was not our usual Russian Santa Claus, but Nikolai Ugodnik (Wonderworker). Saint Nicholas is the kindest old man, famous for his disinterestedness and readiness to help anyone in need. Under Alexander II, his image first became associated with the New Year and Christmas holidays, but then the residence of Father Frost in Russia was not yet mentioned. Nikolai visited houses and presented the kids with gifts that they found under the Christmas tree or in a Christmas boot.
Only closer to the beginning of the 20th century, Santa Claus received his current status.
He was “dressed up” in a long-brimmed red (blue) painted fur coat trimmed with thick fur, a warm hat and felt boots. The staff was decorated with a tip - a star.
This is how Santa Claus appeared in Russia, who then, according to legend, lived in a huge ice palace and slept on snowy featherbeds. Where exactly the elder's palace stood, no one knew.
Vladimir Odoevsky nicknamed the wizard Moroz Ivanovich, because it is not proper to call an adult simply by his first name. Santa Claus became a favorite of children and adults, although his gifts still had to be earned: they were received only by those who behaved well in the past year. Only obedient and diligent children received sweets and gingerbread. Loafers and dirty people got an ice icicle, and evil wimps - a blow with a staff on the forehead!
When the revolution happened, they forgot about the good wizard and even began to persecute those who did not want to give up traditions. But a little later, in 1936, he reappeared at children's holidays - already accompanied by the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden.
Our updated Russian Santa Claus has turned into the ultimate good-natured man who turned his staff from an instrument of punishment into a magical remote control for Christmas tree lights!
Gifts became more accessible: both a loafer and a slut could receive them, the main thing is that he recite a New Year's rhyme memorized or sing a song.
Closer to the 90s, a residence appeared in Russia - at first in Arkhangelsk, later - in Veliky Ustyug, where it is still located today. Many Russian children write letters to him, indicating the desired gifts, and everyone knows that the wish will certainly come true, because Santa Claus is the embodiment of a good miracle, which children's hearts await with bated breath!
Undoubtedly, the most beloved characters of the New Year holiday are Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden. The image of Santa Claus in Russian folklore has evolved over many centuries. Historians tend to believe that the prototype of our Santa Claus was the East Slavic spirit of cold Treskun, or, as he was also called, Studenets. More like our Santa Claus character old fairy tales Morozko, in later versions - Moroz Ivanovich, Moroz Yelkich. This is the Spirit of Winter - strict, sometimes angry, grumpy, but fair. good people favors and bestows, and the bad ones can be frozen with his magic staff. By the 1880s, a certain character with a bag of gifts by the Christmas tree had established itself in the public mind. True, they called him differently: the Yule old man, the Christmas grandfather, or simply the Christmas tree grandfather. IN literary processing Moroz Ivanovich appeared in 1840 in the collection "Children's Tales of Grandpa Iriney" by V.F. Odoevsky. This kind gray-haired old man presents the Needlewoman for Good work“a handful of silver coins,” and teaches Lenivitsa a lesson by giving her an icicle instead of silver. In Nekrasov's poem "Frost Red Nose" main character angry, loving "to freeze the blood in the veins and freeze the brain in the head." In children's poetry of the late XIX century, Santa Claus - good wizard. By the beginning of the 20th century, the image of Santa Claus as a kind giver of Christmas trees and gifts was finally fixed. Traditionally, Santa Claus is dressed in a long, ankle-length, red fur coat trimmed with white fur. At first, his fur coat was blue (indicating the northern, cold origin of the character), on pre-revolutionary postcards you can also find white Santa Claus. Now Santa Claus most often comes in a red suit. His cap is semi-oval to match the fur coat. On the hands of the pet of the children are mittens. In one hand he holds a staff, and in the other a bag of gifts.
The image of the Snow Maiden also took shape in the 19th century. In 1860 G.P. Danilevsky published poetic version Russian folk tale about a revived snow girl. The official date of birth of the Snow Maiden was 1873, when A.N. Ostrovsky translated this folk tale in his own way in the play "The Snow Maiden". So the Kostroma region began to be considered the birthplace of the winter beauty, where, in the Shchelykovo estate, the writer came up with new plot For old fairy tale. In 1874, The Snow Maiden was published in Vestnik Evropy, then an opera appeared, the music for which was written by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Interestingly, at the first reading, Ostrovsky's poetic dramatic tale did not inspire the composer. Five years later, in the winter of 1879, Rimsky-Korsakov "read The Snow Maiden again" and clearly saw her astonishing beauty. I immediately wanted to write an opera based on this plot, and as I thought about this intention, I felt more and more in love with Ostrovsky's fairy tale. The gravitation towards the ancient Russian custom and pagan pantheism, which was gradually manifesting in me, now flared up with a bright flame. There was no better plot for me in the world, there were no better poetic images for me than the Snow Maiden, Lel or Spring, there was no better kingdom of the Berendeys with their wonderful king ... ". The first performance of The Snow Maiden took place on January 29, 1882 at the Mariinsky Theater as a benefit performance for the Russian Opera Chorus. Soon "The Snow Maiden" was staged in Moscow, in the Russian private opera S.I. Mamontov, and in 1893 - in Bolshoi Theater. The opera was a huge success.
The image of the Snow Maiden both as a daughter and as the granddaughter of Frost was developed in children's and adult literature, in fine arts. But thanks to beautiful fairy tale Ostrovsky, the Snow Maiden fell in love with many and soon became a constant companion of Santa Claus. Only their family ties underwent some changes over time - from a daughter she turned into a granddaughter, but she did not lose her charm from this. Appearance The Snow Maiden was formed thanks to three great artists: Vasnetsov, Vrubel and Roerich. It was in their paintings that the Snow Maiden “found” her famous outfits: a light sundress and a bandage on her head; white long snowy robe lined with ermine, a small fur coat. Before the revolution, the Snow Maiden never acted as a host at the Christmas tree festival.
In the twenties of the last century, the country embarked on the path of combating "religious prejudice." Since 1929, all church holidays. The Christmas day off became a working day, but "secret" Christmas trees were sometimes arranged. Santa Claus has become "a product of the anti-people activities of the capitalists" and "religious rubbish." The Christmas tree holiday was again allowed only on the eve of the new year 1936, after Stalin uttered the significant phrase: “Life has become good, comrades. Life has become more fun." The New Year tree, having lost its religious context, has become a symbol of the holiday happy childhood in our country. Since that time, Santa Claus has been fully restored in his rights. Soviet Grandfather Frost brought packets in a bag with the same gifts for all the children. In 1937, Father Frost and the Snow Maiden first appeared together at the Christmas tree festival in the Moscow House of Unions. The Snow Maiden became Father Frost's permanent companion, helping him in everything (the tradition was broken only in the 1960s, when an astronaut took the place of the Snow Maiden on the Kremlin tree several times). So then it happened: a girl, sometimes older, sometimes younger, with pigtails or without, in a kokoshnik or a hat, sometimes surrounded by animals, sometimes singing, sometimes dancing. She asks Santa Claus questions, leads round dances with children, and helps distribute gifts. For many years, Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden have been decorating any New Year's celebration whether it's a corporate party or a children's party. These fairy-tale heroes are an integral part of the New Year, just like a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and gifts.
Not so long ago, the Russian Santa Claus got his own residence. It is located in Veliky Ustyug, in the Vologda region. By the new year 2006, the estate of Father Frost was opened in Moscow, in the Kuzminki park. In November 2006, the Snegurochka's tower was opened in Kuzminki. The wooden two-story tower was designed by Kostroma architects in the "onion" style. Inside, on the first floor, there is a spinning wheel for the skilled Snow Maiden. On the second, there is an exhibition of gifts from children. These are drawings, clay crafts, snowflakes and other souvenirs dedicated to the New Year.
