People often come up with legends. This is one of the types of obscene prosaic folklore. Some of them are born on the basis of historical events, others are full of fiction. It is difficult to rely on legends as a source of real events, but historians claim that sometimes legends can be very believable. According to the number of national legends, Christmas night can be compared only with Halloween. This holiday is fanned by sacred magic. On Christmas even skeptics begin to believe in a miracle. We have been taught from childhood to the fact that anything can happen on this day.
Christmas legends
A bright Christmas holiday is celebrated all over the world. And in spite of national differences, people of this earth are waiting for the miracle, fairy tales, magic. Especially popular on a festive evening, when the whole family gathers at the table, Christmas legends of the miraculous miracles that occur on the eve of the holiday.
The tradition of giving gifts generates a bright atmosphere of kindness and gentleness. The true embodiment of Christmas is the image of Santa Claus. Whence come this good-natured old man, who every Christmas night makes his way to the houses of peacefully sleeping inhabitants, giving presents to obedient children? The most likely candidate is St. Nicholas - an ordinary person who has lived for a long time in the territory of modern Turkey. He was very kind to the poor and constantly giving food, things or money, but did it at night so that no one would notice. After death he became a saint and continued his work. He really looks like Santa Claus. True, in different countries there are national heroes that bring gifts. So in Sweden lives Tompa. He rode a goat on Christmas Eve and carries gifts. In Norway, a little man named Yulebuk comes to the people on a sleigh drawn by foxes. In Italy, the fairy of Befan gives gifts. Once upon a time she sheltered the three wise men who were going to see the newly-born Jesus. Now she flies on a broomstick, carrying a sack on her shoulders with spirits.
Another essential attribute of Christmas is a beautiful Christmas tree. Her appearance is tied with the night when Jesus was born. The kings from far away countries came to congratulate the baby, they brought many expensive gifts. Joseph, in order also to somehow cause Jesus, he cut down a green tree and brought it to the cave. At the same time, the stars dropped from the sky and fell on its branches. With joy Jesus clapped his hands. Since then, decorating a green Christmas tree for Christmas has become a tradition.
An unkind sign
One of the most common legends says that on the eve of Christmas, the livestock in the stall respectfully descends on its knees, in that lime, finding the gift of speech. If you believe another version, a short capacity to talk overtakes only cats or dogs. But the storytellers of the given legend are not advised to listen to such a dialect, because the result can be a lethal outcome. And as if in the proof of the aforesaid appeared a parable.
In ancient times, one greedy woman kept a cat and dog sitting on her bread and water. And then somehow at Christmas skupayadama heard how the animals are talking to each other. The dog told the cat that fate would very quickly save them from the old hag: when the thieves get into the house, the mistress will get scared, scream and get a heavy object on the head. The cat said that she personally will not suffer. Mistress of such information plunged into a terrible panic, she opened the door to hide from neighbors and on the threshold met the same intruder, who, as predicted by the dog, broke her skull.
There are a few more myths that are related to animals. In the north of England, for example, were peasants who believed that bees at this time gather in a swarm to sing, or rather, buzz the Christmas hymn. But the dogs "perform" this night was impossible, because according to one note, dogs that howl the day before Christmas, will catch rabies before the end of the year.
It is believed that on Christmas Eve all the evil spirits creep out, so after the sun goes off to the street do not advise. Even Gogol wrote about the devil and Vakula. In Sweden, it is believed that on Christmas Eve, dances and other entertainments are trolled. Witches fly to the Sabbath, sitting on the withers of the witches. Throughout the night, the sound of fun comes from the mountain - they sing, dance, rowdy and yell. Therefore, people wait for the morning at home.
Christmas traditions in Russia
The Christmas holiday in Russia has always been shrouded in a mystery. It was these days that the most incredible stories happened, after all, according to popular beliefs, the Christmas eggs are a time when the real and otherworldly world intersected and the unknown beings freely walked on the earth. How many interesting myths, legends, legends are associated with Christmas in Russia.
For a long time people have been trying to appease the spirits of nature and to attract a fortune to their homes and the Christmas day was very suitable for this. For example, two pies were placed on the table, one on top of the other; the father of the family stood behind them, as if hiding, and the children pretended that they were looking for and did not see it. It was understood that the pies were so big that they could not even see a man, and that this should continue. Our ancestors and fire revered as a symbol of purity and nobility. In the evening on the eve of Christmas in the village they extinguished all the fires and lunches, so that no one in the house burned a fire, then the most revered villagers lit a fire, from which each took a ray and carried it to his home. It was believed that the new fire cleans the house of past troubles and sorrows, brings good luck for a whole year ahead.
In the evenings for Christmas and until the Epiphany, rascheny walked around the village. They dressed in ragged clothes, masks, turned out sheepskin coats, animal costumes, for example, a bear. In this form, young people went from house to house singing carols, glorifying the birth of a savior and wishing peace and prosperity to the owners. Absolute songs and performances of caroling people received refreshments.
But, perhaps, the most famous and mysterious rite for Christmas is divination. Young unmarried girls were engaged in this, trying to know their future and see the sucked-ryazhenogo. The girls threw boots at the hedge, listened to conversations under strange windows, went to the bathhouse, guessed wax and shadows, and of course looked in the mirror corridor in the light of candles.