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Which country is the historical birthplace of the Christmas tree? Coniferous quiz. Christmas tree in Catholic countries

Many thousands of years ago the year began in autumn or spring. For example, if we take Ancient Rus', then here the beginning of the year fell on the month of March, and this celebration was more like a tribute to spring, warmth, sun and a future good harvest.

The first written mention of spruce as a New Year's tree is found in the chronicle of the French province of Alsace for 1600. However, Germany is considered to be its homeland. There is a legend that the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve was started by the German reformer Martin Luther. It was he, returning home before celebrating Christmas in 1513, who was fascinated and delighted by the beauty of the stars that strewn the sky so thickly that it seemed as if the crowns of the trees were sparkling with stars. At home, he put a Christmas tree on the table and decorated it with candles, and placed a star on top in memory of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the way to the cave where Jesus was born.

Why was spruce chosen as the New Year's tree? Let us remember that our ancestors treated trees as living beings. In Rus', such a particularly revered, cult tree was the birch. Since ancient times, the green, fragrant forest beauty spruce was considered the tree of peace by the ancient Germans. They believed that the good “spirit of the forests” lived in its branches - the defender of justice and all living things. It is no coincidence that before military battles, warriors gathered for advice at the spruce tree, hoping to receive its protection. And also because this tree personified immortality, fidelity, fearlessness, dignity, the secret of not fading, eternal youth. Over time, the custom arose to appease the good spirits that hibernate in the evergreen branches of the spruce tree by decorating its fluffy branches with gifts. This custom was born in Germany, and later the Dutch and English borrowed the rite of veneration of spruce. It is also known that in the 16th century in Central Europe on Christmas night it was customary to place a small beech tree in the middle of the table, decorated with small apples, plums, pears and hazelnuts boiled in honey.

In the second half of the 17th century, it was already common in German and Swiss houses to complement the decoration of the Christmas meal not only with deciduous trees, but also with coniferous trees. The main thing is that it is toy size. At first, small Christmas trees were hung from the ceiling along with candies and apples, and only later the custom of decorating one large Christmas tree in the guest room was established. The 18th century chose spruce as the queen of the New Year's holiday, first in Germany, and later in many European countries.

Peter the Great and the first Christmas tree

In Russia, the custom of the New Year tree dates back to the Petrine era. According to the royal decree of December 20, 1699, henceforth it was prescribed that the calendar should be calculated not from the Creation of the world, but from the Nativity of Christ, and the day of the “new year,” until that time, celebrated in Rus' on September 1, “following the example of all Christian peoples,” should be celebrated on January 1. This decree also provided recommendations for organizing the New Year's holiday. To commemorate it, on New Year’s Day, it was ordered to launch rockets, light fires and decorate the capital (then still Moscow) with pine needles: “Decorate Moscow houses with spruce and pine branches and cones, and everyone should celebrate this day with congratulations to all relatives and friends , dancing and shooting, launching rockets into the night sky.”

And the king himself, on the night of December 31 to January 1, went out onto Red Square, holding a torch in his hands, and after the chimes, he launched the first rocket into the starry skies. And this was the first fireworks in honor of the New Year holiday. As for the spruce, about 300 years ago it was believed that a Christmas tree decorated for the New Year transforms negative forces into positive ones. Today everyone has forgotten about such powers, but the wonderful and beloved tradition of decorating a coniferous tree before the holiday has remained to this day.

However, Peter’s decree had a very indirect relation to the future Christmas tree: firstly, the city was decorated not only with spruce trees, but also with other coniferous trees; secondly, the decree recommended the use of both whole trees and branches and, finally, thirdly, decorations from pine needles were ordered to be installed not indoors, but outside - on gates, roofs of taverns, streets and roads. Thus, the tree turned into a detail of the New Year's city landscape, and not of the Christmas interior, which it later became.

After Peter's death, his recommendations were completely forgotten. The royal instructions were preserved only in the decoration of drinking establishments, which continued to be decorated with Christmas trees before the New Year. Taverns were identified by these trees (tied to a stake, installed on the roofs, or stuck at the gates). The trees stood there until the next year, on the eve of which the old trees were replaced with new ones. Having arisen as a result of Peter's decree, this custom was maintained throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Christmas Tree in the first half of the 19th century

In Russia, the Christmas tree appeared at the beginning of the 19th century in the houses of St. Petersburg Germans. In 1818, on the initiative of Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna, a Christmas tree was organized in Moscow, and the next year in the Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg. At Christmas 1828, Alexandra Feodorovna, by that time already an empress, organized the first “children’s Christmas tree” celebration in her own palace for her five children and nieces - the daughters of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich. The Christmas tree was installed in the Great Dining Palace.

The children of some courtiers were also invited. On eight tables and on the table set for the emperor, Christmas trees were installed, decorated with sweets, gilded apples and nuts. Gifts were laid out under the trees: toys, dresses, porcelain items, etc. The hostess herself handed out gifts to all the children present. The holiday began at eight o'clock in the evening, and by nine o'clock the guests had already left. From then on, following the example of the royal family, a Christmas tree began to be installed in the houses of the highest St. Petersburg nobility. It is not yet possible to establish the exact time when the Christmas tree first appeared in a Russian home. The first Christmas tree in Russia was built by Emperor Nicholas I at the very end of the 1830s, after which, following the example of the royal family, it began to be installed in the houses of the St. Petersburg nobility. For the time being, the rest of the population of the capital either treated it indifferently or did not even know about the existence of such a custom. However, little by little the Christmas tree conquered other social strata of St. Petersburg.

And suddenly, in the mid-1840s, an explosion occurred - the “German custom” began to spread rapidly. Now St. Petersburg was literally engulfed in the “Christmas tree rush.” The custom became fashionable, and by the end of the 1840s, the Christmas tree became a well-known and familiar item in the Christmas interior in the capital. The trade in Christmas trees began in the late 1840s. They were sold at Gostiny Dvor, where peasants brought them from the surrounding forests. But if the poor could not afford to buy even the smallest Christmas tree, then the rich metropolitan nobility began to organize competitions: who had a larger, thicker, more elegant, or richly decorated Christmas tree. Real jewelry and expensive fabrics were often used as Christmas tree decorations in wealthy homes. The first mention of an artificial Christmas tree dates back to the end of the 1840s, which was considered a special chic.

By the middle of the 19th century, the German custom had become firmly established in the life of the Russian capital. The tree itself, previously known in Russia only under the German name “Weihnachtsbaum”, began to be called at first the “Christmas tree” (which is a tracing-paper from German), and later received the name “Christmas tree”, which was assigned to it forever. The holiday organized on the occasion of Christmas also began to be called a Christmas tree: “go to the Christmas tree”, “arrange a Christmas tree”, “invite to the Christmas tree”. V.I. Dal remarked on this matter: “Having adopted, through St. Petersburg, from the Germans the custom of preparing a decorated, illuminated Christmas tree for children for Christmas, we sometimes call the very day of the tree, Christmas Eve.”

Russian Christmas tree in the second half of the 19th century

The development of the Christmas tree in Russia is striking in its rapidity. Already in the middle of the century, the Christmas tree became quite common for residents of many provincial and district cities. The reason for the rapid entry of the St. Petersburg innovation into the life of the provincial city is clear: having abandoned the ancient folk custom of celebrating Christmastide, the townspeople felt a certain ritual vacuum. This vacuum was either not filled with anything, causing a feeling of disappointment due to vain holiday expectations, or was compensated by new, purely urban entertainment, including the arrangement of a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree conquered the landowner's estate with great difficulty. Here, as memoirists testify, Christmastide continued to be celebrated for many years in the old fashioned way, in compliance with folk customs.

And yet, little by little, St. Petersburg fashion began to penetrate into the estate. If until the middle of the 19th century, the arrangement of a Christmas tree was not mentioned in memoirs dedicated to Christmastide on a landowner’s estate, then after ten years the situation changed. About the Christmas holidays of 1863, Leo Tolstoy’s sister-in-law T. A. Kuzminskaya, who lived for a long time in Yasnaya Polyana and considered it her “second parental home,” recalls: “Every day we had some kind of entertainment: theater, evenings, a Christmas tree and even horseback riding triplets." Two years later, on December 14, 1865, in a letter to Sofya Andreevna Tolstoy, she says: “Here we are preparing a large Christmas tree for the first holiday and drawing different lanterns and remembering how you know how to make these things.” And further: “There was a magnificent Christmas tree with gifts and yard children. On a moonlit night - riding a troika."

At first, the presence of the Christmas tree in the house was limited to one evening. On the eve of Christmas, a spruce tree was secretly taken from the children into the best room of the house, into the hall or living room, and placed on a table covered with a white tablecloth. The adults, as A.I. Tsvetaeva recalls, “hid (the Christmas tree) from us with exactly the same passion with which we dreamed of seeing it.” Candles were attached to the branches of the tree, delicacies and decorations were hung on the tree, gifts were laid out under it, which, like the tree itself, were prepared in strict secrecy. And finally, just before the children were allowed into the hall, candles were lit on the tree. It was strictly forbidden to enter the room where the Christmas tree was installed until special permission was given. Most often, during this time, the children were taken to some other room. Therefore, they could not see what was happening in the house, but by various signs they tried to guess what was happening: they listened, looked through the keyhole or through the door crack.

When all the preparations were finally completed, a pre-arranged signal was given (“a magic bell rang”) or one of the adults or servants came to pick up the children. The doors to the hall were opened. This moment of opening, throwing open the doors is present in many memoirs, stories and poems about the Christmas tree holiday: for children it was a long-awaited and passionately desired moment of entry into the “Christmas tree space”, their connection with the magic tree. The first reaction was numbness, almost stunned. Presented to the children in all its glory, the Christmas tree decorated “in the most brilliant way” invariably evoked amazement, admiration, and delight. After the first shock passed, screams, gasps, squeals, jumping, and clapping began. At the end of the holiday, the children, brought to an extremely enthusiastic state, received the tree at their complete disposal: they tore off sweets and toys from it, destroyed, broke and completely destroyed the tree (which gave rise to the expressions “rob the tree”, “pinch the tree”, “destroy the tree”). . This is where the name of the holiday itself comes from: the holiday of “plucking the Christmas tree.” The destruction of the Christmas tree had a psychotherapeutic meaning for them as a release after a long period of stress they had experienced.

At the end of the holiday, the devastated and broken tree was taken out of the hall and thrown into the courtyard. The custom of setting up a Christmas tree for the Christmas holidays inevitably underwent changes. In those houses where funds allowed and there was enough space, already in the 1840s, instead of the traditionally small Christmas tree, a large tree began to be installed: tall, ceiling-length, Christmas trees, wide and dense, with strong and fresh needles, were especially valued. It is quite natural that tall trees could not be kept on the table, so they began to be attached to the crosspiece (to the “circles” or “legs”) and installed on the floor in the center of the hall or the largest room in the house. Having moved from the table to the floor, from the corner to the middle, the tree turned into the center of the festive celebration, giving the children the opportunity to have fun around it and dance in circles. The tree standing in the center of the room made it possible to examine it from all sides, looking for both new and old toys, familiar from previous years. You could play under the tree, hide behind it or under it. It is possible that this Christmas tree dance was borrowed from the Trinity Day ritual, the participants of which, holding hands, walked around the birch tree while singing ritual songs. The changes that took place changed the essence of the holiday: gradually it began to turn into a Christmas tree celebration for the children of friends and relatives.

At such holidays, called children's Christmas trees, in addition to the younger generation, adults were always present: parents or elders accompanying the children. Children of governesses, teachers, and servants were also invited. Over time, Christmas trees began to be held for adults, for which parents went alone, without children. The first public Christmas tree was organized in 1852 at the St. Petersburg Ekateringofsky station, erected in 1823 in the Ekateringofsky country garden. A huge spruce tree installed in the station hall “was adjacent to the wall on one side, and the other was decorated with scraps of multi-colored paper.” Following her, public Christmas trees began to be organized in noble, officer and merchant meetings, clubs, theaters and other places. Moscow did not lag behind the Neva capital: from the beginning of the 1850s, Christmas tree celebrations in the hall of the Noble Moscow Assembly also became annual.

Christmas tree in Russia at the turn of the 19th—20th centuries

By the end of the 19th century, the Christmas tree became commonplace in Russia. The preparation of Christmas trees began a week before Christmas. For foresters and peasants from suburban villages, their sale has become one of their seasonal earnings. Trees were sold in the most crowded places: near guest courtyards, squares, markets. There were Christmas trees for every taste: small ones decorated with artificial flowers, giant Christmas trees that stood proudly in all their natural beauty, and artificial tiny Christmas trees that had never seen a forest, the unnaturally bright green of which immediately caught the eye. Many shops also sold trees - greengrocers, dairy and even meat shops, where trees were displayed at the entrance, often already placed on crosses.

There was no longer any mystery in the appearance of a Christmas tree in the house for children, the observance of which was considered a prerequisite when arranging the first Christmas trees. The children enjoyed walking in the “forests” of the Christmas tree markets; watched as the Christmas tree was brought into the house; they saw her, not yet thawed out, lying in the hallway (“only after the all-night vigil they will let her in”) or in the room on the floor, warming up in the warmth of home; felt how it began to emit a pine and resinous smell.

From all over the city, and sometimes from other cities, relatives and friends, cousins and brothers came to the home Christmas trees. Adults invented and bought gifts, organized “Christmas tree fun,” played the piano, and children danced. The elders prepared for the holidays themselves, writing and staging plays “like Hoffmann and Andersen” from the life of Christmas tree decorations. At this time, the organization of charitable “Christmas trees for the poor” in people's homes and orphanages became widespread. They were organized by various kinds of societies and individual philanthropists. Having turned into the main component of the winter holidays, the tree thus entered festive life as one of its necessary components. L. N. Gumilyov, speaking bitterly that his childhood was not what it should have been, noted: “I wanted something simple: for there to be a father, for the world to have a Christmas tree, Columbus, hunting dogs, Rublev, Lermontov " The Christmas tree began to be perceived as one of the necessary elements of normal childhood.

There is an opinion that the Soviet government banned the Christmas tree immediately after the October coup. However, it is not. After seizing power, the Bolsheviks did not encroach on the Christmas tree. In 1918, M. Gorky and A. N. Benois prepared and published at the Petrograd publishing house “Parus” a luxurious gift book for children “Yolka”, designed by wonderful artists. It included works by M. Gorky, K. I. Chukovsky, V. F. Khodasevich, A. N. Tolstoy, V. Ya. Bryusov, S. Cherny and others. On the cover of the book there is a drawing of a decorated Christmas tree, around which Santa Claus and forest animals are circling in a cheerful round dance. At the top of the tree the six-pointed star of Bethlehem shines brightly.

In the first years after the revolution, no special measures were actually taken to ban the Christmas tree, and if it became extremely rare at that time, the reason for this was external circumstances that “knocked everything down and confused it.” In the first years after the Civil War, many Christmas trees were still sold in cities, as before, but the population was poor, and few could afford to buy even the smallest tree. Men from suburban villages who brought Christmas trees to the city lost their pre-Christmas earnings. On December 25, 1924, Korney Chukovsky writes: “On the third day I walked with Murka to Kolya at about 11 in the morning and was amazed: how many Christmas trees! At every corner of the most deserted streets there is a cart filled to the brim with all kinds of Christmas trees, and next to the cart there is a sad man, hopelessly looking at the rare passers-by. I got into a conversation with one. He says: “If only we could make money on salt, we can’t even dream of kerosene! Nobody has a penny; we haven’t seen oil since that Christmas...” The only mining industry is Christmas trees. They covered the whole of Leningrad with Christmas trees and reduced the price to 15 kopecks. And I noticed that they buy mostly small, proletarian Christmas trees to put on the table.” But little by little, life improved and the tree seemed to be regaining its rights. However, things were not so simple.

The first alarm bell sounded on November 16, three weeks after the October coup, when the issue of calendar reform was brought up for discussion by the Soviet government. Until the October Revolution, Russia still continued to live according to the Julian calendar, while most European countries had long ago switched to the Gregorian calendar, adopted by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. The need for calendar reform and a transition to a new style has been felt since the 18th century. Already under Peter I, in international relations and in scientific correspondence, Russia was forced to use the Gregorian calendar, while within the country life continued according to the old style for another two centuries. This circumstance gave rise to many inconveniences. The need to introduce a common time system with Europe was felt especially acutely in diplomatic and commercial practice. However, attempts made in the 19th century to carry out calendar reform failed: this was opposed by both the government and the Orthodox Church, who each time considered the introduction of a new calendar “untimely.” After the revolution, the question of the “untimeliness” of the reform disappeared by itself, and on January 24, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars adopted a Decree on the introduction of the Western European calendar in the Russian Republic. The decree signed by Lenin was published the next day.

Since the difference between the old and new styles by this time was 13 days, as a result of the reform, Russian Christmas shifted from December 25 to January 7, and New Year - from January 1 to the 14th. And although neither the decree nor other documents emanating from the Soviet government of that time said a word about the abolition of the Christmas holiday, nevertheless, the violation of the calendar was perceived as a disruption of life with its Orthodox holidays traditionally associated with certain dates. It was still unclear what would happen to Christmas and the Christmas tree after the calendar reform came into force.

And in 1922, a campaign was carried out to transform the holiday of the Nativity of Christ into a “Komsomol Christmas”, or otherwise into “Komsomol Christmas”. Komsomol cells were supposed to organize the celebration of “Komsomol holidays” on the first day of Christmas, that is, December 25, which was declared a non-working day. The events began with the reading of reports and speeches exposing the “economic roots” of the Christmas holidays. Then there were performances and dramatizations, political satires, and “living pictures.” On the second day of the holiday, street processions were organized, on the third, masquerades and a Christmas tree, called the “Komsomol Christmas tree,” were held in clubs. Participants in Christmas tree carnivals (mostly Komsomol propagandists) dressed up in the most unimaginable satirical costumes: Entente, Kolchak, Denikin, kulak, NEPman, pagan gods and even a Christmas goose and pig. Processions were held with torches and the burning of “divine images” (icons). However, such a favorable attitude of the Soviet authorities towards the Christmas tree did not last long. New changes became noticeable by the end of 1924, when Krasnaya Gazeta reported with satisfaction: “... this year it is noticeable that Christmas prejudices have almost ceased. There are almost no Christmas trees to be seen at the bazaars—there are fewer unconscious people.” The holiday of “Komsomol Christmas” gradually came to an end. He was criticized in the press as having played no significant role in anti-religious propaganda. And in 1925, a planned struggle against religion and Orthodox holidays began, which resulted in the final abolition of Christmas in 1929. Christmas Day turned into a regular work day. Along with Christmas, the tree, already firmly fused with it, was also canceled. The Christmas tree, which the Orthodox Church once opposed, has now come to be called a “priestly” custom.

During these critical years in the fate of the tree, it seemed that it had come to an end. On New Year's Eve evenings, guards walked the streets and peered into the windows of apartments to see if the lights of the Christmas trees were shining somewhere. In schools, in order to combat Christmas and the New Year tree, they began to hold “Anti-Christmas evenings”, at which they staged plays ridiculing priests and the church, sang anti-religious satirical couplets, like: “Ding-bom, ding-bom, we won’t go to church anymore.” . They stopped having Christmas trees in kindergartens. And yet, it was never possible to completely eradicate the beloved custom: the tree “went underground.” As the writer I. Tokmakova recalls, she continued to be accommodated in families faithful to pre-revolutionary traditions. They did this with great care. The tree was usually provided by a janitor, who before Christmas went out of town into the forest with a huge sack, cut down the tree, cut it in half and stuffed it into the sack. At home, he put splints on the rough trunk, and the tree “became whole and slender again.”

At the end of 1935, the tree was not so much revived as it was turned into a new holiday, which received a simple and clear formulation: “The New Year tree is a holiday of joyful and happy childhood in our country.” Arranging New Year trees for children of employees of institutions and industrial enterprises is becoming mandatory. Now the spruce tree is a necessary accessory not only for the Soviet New Year holiday, but also for Soviet life in general. The holiday was organized by the “Christmas tree commission,” which usually included trade union activists: they developed the program, delivered the tree, provided Santa Claus, and prepared gifts. The most difficult thing was choosing gifts and deciding “which gift to give to which of the guys so as not to go over the limit and at the same time everyone was happy.” A special gift was prepared for each child, which subsequently came out of the practice of Soviet Christmas trees, which assumed the equality of all children.

The connection between the tree and Christmas was forgotten. The Christmas tree became an attribute of the public holiday of the New Year, one of the three (along with October and May Day) main Soviet holidays. The eight-pointed star of Bethlehem at the top of the “Christmas tree” has now been replaced by a five-pointed one - the same as on the Kremlin towers. The desire to idealize the revived holiday is becoming more open every day. On the beautiful Christmas tree, sparkling in the rays of the spotlights, installed in the House of Unions, hung thousands of Christmas tree decorations with workers’ and peasants’ communist symbols.

Several more years passed, and January 1, 1947 again became a “red day of the calendar,” that is, a non-working day, and the Christmas tree in the House of Unions acquired the official status of “the main Christmas tree of the country.” In 1954, the New Year tree received the “right to enter” the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace - it served two thousand children a year. For the first time, the Kremlin opened to the lucky ones who received New Year's invitations. New Year's masquerade balls were held in the same St. George's Hall for young production leaders, students of the capital's universities, students of military educational institutions, tenth grade students, and Komsomol workers.

After the “thaw”, with the advent of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, the country’s main children’s holiday moved there. But by the beginning of the 70s, many Muscovites, and even residents of other cities, were not at all eager to attend the “main Christmas trees”. And to this day, the most desirable ones for us are not public, but home Christmas trees, where we gather with our families. At these home holidays, people forget about the official role played by the tree and celebrate it as a family celebration, according to the traditions established in the family. The Orthodox Church forgot about its hostility towards the Christmas tree. Now green trees stand not only in churches during Christmas services, but also in the houses of clergy.

In 1991, Russia began to celebrate Christmas again. January 7 was declared a non-working day. “And, as always at this time,” the Nevskoe Vremya newspaper wrote at the end of December 1993, “trees are burning on the main street of St. Petersburg - not just New Year’s, already Christmas trees, without red stars.” For three centuries, the Christmas tree conscientiously fulfilled the functions assigned to it, and even forced idealization did not prevent it in an informal home environment from remaining everyone’s favorite and annually desired, passionately awaited Christmas tree long before the New Year. This is how we remember her. This is how our children will remember her. Let's hope that the grandchildren will walk around the decorated, shining tree and sing a simple song composed almost a hundred years ago.

Nowadays, they strive to deliver and install a decorated Christmas tree even in those regions where it must be brought specially, for example, on ships plowing the ocean beyond the equator. A promotion with the most beautiful is starting on the Mamsy website. Today we have prepared a real surprise for you and a little magic from a fairy tale. All that remains is to decorate the Christmas tree with your favorite decorations. You are guaranteed a festive mood! Create comfort and a magical mood in your home!

In December we will have many children guests. Let me collect some facts about this about the New Year in different countries. One New Year's quiz gave me this idea.
Then we’ll see what we can come up with from this - a quiz game or just reading at home for educational purposes...

1. The coldest place on the planet is the South Pole.
The Arctic - the North Pole - is an ice-covered expanse of the Arctic Ocean. With the onset of summer in the northern hemisphere of our planet, this ice partially melts. In addition, warm currents, the Gulf Stream, for example, also play a significant role in the temperature regime of the region. In general, the average temperature in the Arctic in winter is about -34°C, and in summer it is even warmer.
Antarctica is not just the southernmost continent. It is still covered with a non-melting ice shell. In geography lessons they always teach that it is always colder on the mainland than on the sea. Add to this the eternal ice cover, which reflects almost 95% of sunlight, the absence of warm currents, and here you have the complete picture. According to scientists, the average temperature of the southern continent is -49°C.
If we start compiling a ranking of the coldest places on our planet, the picture we get is as follows: Antarctica will be the permanent leader, followed by the coldest places in the Northern Hemisphere (Yakutsk, Verkhoyansk, Oymyakon - all three places in Yakutia, and Greenland).

3. When did you celebrate the New Year?
In Ancient Greece, the beginning of the year fell on the longest day of the year - June 22. And the Greeks calculated chronology from the famous Olympic Games, which were held in honor of the legendary Hercules. For the first time, a calendar in which the year began on January 1 was introduced by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar.
In Russia, on New Year's Eve, costumed children and adults went from house to house. Dressed in masks and animal skins, they sang, danced, and sprinkled grain on the floor, wishing the owners a rich harvest. And the New Year was celebrated at the beginning of autumn - September 1st. Only in 1700 did Peter the Great move the New Year celebration to January 1, as was customary in all European countries. The first day of the New Year 1700 began with a parade on Red Square in Moscow. And in the evening the sky lit up with the bright lights of festive fireworks.

4. When did they start giving gifts?
Few people know that the custom of giving New Year's gifts came to us from Ancient Rome. They say that the first gifts were laurel branches, which foreshadowed happiness and good luck in the coming year. “I wish you a favorable and happy New Year,” the Romans wrote on New Year’s gifts, sometimes adding humorous verses, because the New Year is a cheerful holiday.

5. In Hungary In the first second of the New Year, they prefer to whistle through children's pipes, horns, and whistles. It is believed that they are the ones who drive away evil spirits from the home and call for joy and prosperity. When preparing for the holiday, Hungarians do not forget about the magical power of New Year's dishes: beans and peas preserve the strength of spirit and body, apples - beauty and love, nuts can protect from harm, garlic - from diseases, and honey - sweeten life.

6. In Germany people of all ages, as soon as the clock begins to strike midnight, climb onto chairs, tables, armchairs and, with the last blow, unanimously, with joyful greetings, “jump” into the New Year. Santa Claus appears on a donkey. Before going to bed, children put a plate on the table for the gifts that Santa Claus will bring them, and put hay in their shoes - a treat for his donkey.

7. In England according to the ancient custom, when the clock begins to strike 12, the back doors of the house are opened to let out the old year, and with the last stroke they open the front doors, letting in the new year.
On New Year's Day, theaters stage performances based on old English fairy tales for children.
In England, the custom arose of exchanging greeting cards for the New Year. The first New Year's card was printed in London in 1843.
Before going to bed, children put a plate on the table for the gifts that Santa Claus will bring them, and put hay in their shoes - a treat for the donkey.
In England, a bell announces the arrival of the New Year. True, he starts calling a little earlier than midnight and does it in a “whisper” - the blanket with which he is wrapped prevents him from demonstrating all his power. But at exactly twelve the bells are undressed, and they begin to loudly sing hymns to the New Year. At these moments, lovers, in order not to separate next year, must kiss under a mistletoe branch, which is considered a magical tree.

8. French Santa Claus called Pere Noel. He comes on New Year's Eve and leaves gifts in children's shoes.

9. In Greece New Year is the day of St. Basil, who became famous for his extraordinary kindness. Children leave their shoes near the fireplace, hoping that the saint will fill them with gifts.

10. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia A cheerful little man comes to the children, dressed in a shaggy fur coat, a tall lambskin hat, and with a box on his back. His name is Mikulas. For those who studied well, he always has gifts.

11. In Italy It is customary to throw out broken dishes, old clothes and even furniture from apartments at the very last minute of the old year. Following them, firecrackers, confetti, and sparklers fly. It is believed that if you throw away an old item on New Year's Eve, you will buy a new one in the coming year. On the Apennine Peninsula (in Italy) the New Year begins on January 6th. All Italian children are looking forward to the good Fairy Befana. She flies in at night on a magic broom, opens the doors with a small golden key and, entering the room where the children sleep, fills the children's stockings, specially hung from the fireplace, with gifts. For those who have studied poorly or been naughty, Befana leaves a pinch of ash or coal. It's a shame, but he deserved it!
Babbo Natale - Italian Santa Claus.
In the Italian provinces, this custom has long existed: on January 1, early in the morning, you need to bring “new water” home from the source. “If you have nothing to give your friends,” the Italians say, “give them “new water” with an olive branch.” It is believed that “new water” brings happiness. For Italians, it is also important who they meet first in the new year. If on January 1 the first person an Italian sees is a monk or priest, that’s bad. It is also undesirable to meet a small child, but meeting a nice grandfather is good. And it’s even better if he’s hunchbacked... Then the New Year will definitely be happy!

12. In Spain There is a tradition of eating grapes on New Year's Eve. When the clock strikes, you need to have time to eat 12 grapes, one for each of the twelve coming months.

13. In Cuba on New Year's Eve, they fill all the dishes in the house with water, and at midnight they begin to pour liquid out of the windows. Thus, all residents of Liberty Island wish the New Year a bright and clear path, like water. In the meantime, while the clock strikes 12 times, you need to swallow 12 grapes, and then goodness, harmony, prosperity and peace will accompany you all twelve months.

14. In Scotland The New Year is celebrated with a kind of torchlight procession: barrels of tar are set on fire and rolled through the streets. Thus, the Scots “burn” the old year and light the way for the new one. The well-being of the owners depends on who is the first to enter the house on the morning of the New Year. It is believed that a dark-haired man who comes with a gift will bring happiness.

15. In Scandinavia In the first seconds of the New Year, it is customary to grunt under the table to ward off evil spirits, illnesses and failures from the family.
In Sweden, before the New Year, children choose the Queen of Light, Lucia. She is dressed in a white dress, and a crown with lit candles is placed on her head. Lucia brings gifts for children and treats for pets: cream for the cat, a sugar bone for the dog, and carrots for the donkey.

16. In Ancient China On New Year's Day, the only holiday of the year for beggars was declared, when anyone could enter the house and take what they needed, and if you refused, the neighbors would turn away with contempt. In modern China, New Year is a festival of lanterns. It is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year. On New Year's Eve, countless small lanterns are lit on the streets and squares, believing that the sparks from them will drive away evil spirits. The New Year itself comes in January-February, so it is associated with the end of winter and the beginning of spring. For many centuries, the inhabitants of China, seeing off the cold and bad weather with the light of lanterns, greet the awakening of nature. Lanterns are given different shapes, decorated with bright designs and intricate ornaments. The Chinese especially like to place lanterns on the streets in the form of 12 animals, symbolizing each year of the 12-year cycle of the lunar calendar.

17. In Vietnam New Year according to the lunisolar calendar is called Tet. This is a family holiday, during which all quarrels are forgotten and grievances are forgiven. The Vietnamese decorate their homes with miniature tangerine trees with tiny fruits. Every Vietnamese home has an ancestral altar, and paying tribute to their memory is an important part of the New Year's celebrations. New Year and January 1 are celebrated in Vietnam, it is called the “holiday of the young”.

18. New Year in Japan- one of the most popular holidays in the country. Japanese children celebrate the New Year wearing new clothes, believing it will bring good luck and health. On New Year's Eve, children put a drawing of their dream under their pillow, then their wish should come true. Pine dominates flower arrangements, symbolizing longevity and endurance. And in the morning, when the New Year has already come into its own, the Japanese go out to greet the sunrise; at the first rays they congratulate each other and give gifts. Armfuls of straw are hung on the facades of houses to protect the house from evil spirits. And the most important thing for the Japanese is to laugh in the first second of the New Year - then happiness will accompany them all year.
The main New Year's accessory is a rake (kumade), with which the Japanese will be able to rake in happiness in the New Year. They are made in sizes from 10 cm to 1.5 m and are decorated with rich paintings. To appease the Deity of the year, who brings good luck to the family, the Japanese build a kadomatsu in front of the house - a small gate made of three bamboo sticks to which pine branches are tied. Also in Japan, at exactly midnight, a bell begins to ring and strikes 108 times. According to a long-standing belief, each ringing “kills” one of the human vices. According to the Japanese, there are only 6 of them - greed, anger, stupidity, frivolity, indecision, envy, but each has 18 shades.
Japanese Santa Claus is called Segatsu-san - Mr. New Year. Girls' favorite New Year's entertainment is playing shuttlecock, and boys fly a traditional kite during the holiday.

19. In India as many as eight dates are celebrated as New Year, as many cultures intersect in the country. On one of these days - Gudi Padwa - you need to eat the leaves of the neem tree, which taste very bitter and unpleasant. But according to the old belief, they protect a person from illnesses and troubles and, oddly enough, provide a sweet life.

20. In Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria and Tanzania greet Muharram - the first month of the year of the Muslim lunar calendar. A few weeks before this date, Muslims place wheat or barley grains on a dish of water to germinate. By the beginning of the new year, sprouts appear that symbolize the beginning of a new life.

21. Jewish New Year- Rosh Hashanah is not so much a memory of any historical event from which the counting of years begins, but rather the day of the Supreme Judgment. It is believed that on this day the Almighty judges people and, based on their actions, decides what fate awaits them next year. Therefore, the main thing at such a time is the repentance of every person. This day is filled with prayers and restrained joy. On the table there are festive candles, a round challah with apples that are dipped in honey to make the year sweet.
The New Year in Israel is called Rosh Hashanah and is celebrated on the first two days of the month of September. Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the creation of the world and the beginning of the reign of God. On this day, the acceptance of God as ruler is reaffirmed. The New Year holiday is a day of intense prayers and low-key fun.

22. In Brazil The New Year's celebration is called Iemanja. The beaches fill with people and religious chants praise Iemanja. Even those who live far from the water try to come to the coast to make offerings to the sea: most often these are flowers on small ships made of wood. Participants in the ceremony dress in suits of a certain color - depending on the saint who will “rule” during the new year.

23. In Nepal New Year is celebrated at sunrise. At night, when the moon is full, Nepalese people light huge fires and throw unnecessary things into the fire. The next day, the Festival of Colors begins, and then the whole country turns into a huge rainbow. People paint their faces, arms, and chests with unusual patterns, and then dance and sing songs in the streets.

24. In Panama at midnight, when the New Year is just beginning, all the bells ring, sirens howl, cars honk. The Panamanians themselves - both children and adults - at this time shout loudly and knock on everything they can get their hands on. All this noise is necessary in order to “appease” the coming year.

25. In Holland Santa Claus is called Sinterklaas. We all know well that Santa Claus flies from Lapland on reindeer. But among the Dutch, the “chief winter grandfather” arrives from Spain and not on reindeer, but on a ship. Sinterklaas, surrounded by his retinue, leaves the ship to the pier, where the mayor of the city and the elders are already waiting for him. Here, to the sounds of festive music and general rejoicing, he is presented with the symbolic keys to the city. This is an interesting tradition that has been followed in Holland for many, many years. And thanks to modern technologies, the colorful spectacle of the Sinterklaas meeting can be seen via television in different parts of the country.
In Holland, there is a custom on the night before New Year's holidays to hang children's shoes and put carrots in them. What are carrots for? And for the horse Amerigo, on which Sinterklaas rides across the roofs of houses and throws traditional treats, letters made of chocolate, and the initials of children into chimneys.

26. Also in September, namely on the 11th, comes New Year in hot Ethiopia. It coincides with the end of the big rains and the beginning of the harvest. On New Year's Eve, festive processions, fun games and festivities are held; the bravest compete in jumping over fire.

27. March 21st is celebrated New Year in Afghanistan This holiday is called Navruz. This is the time when agricultural work begins. The village elder makes the first furrow in the field. On the same day, fun fairs open, where magicians, tightrope walkers, and musicians perform.

In this article we will talk about the origins of the European custom decorate the Christmas tree and how the features of this tradition changed at different stages of history. We will mainly talk about traditions of Germany and France and, in particular, about the Alsace and Lorraine regions, since it is the capital of Central Alsace that the city is considered the “official birthplace” of the New Year tree, and neighboring Lorraine gave the world such a popular Christmas tree decoration as a glass ball.

Christmas or New Year tree- this is an image that combines numerous fairy tales, legends, childhood memories and for most people symbolizes a joyful moment when everyone, young and old, gathers together to celebrate Christmas or New Year in a cozy atmosphere. We have an inherent need to hope for renewal and light even in the most severe winter, and the origins of this need go back centuries.

As an evergreen tree, the Christmas tree has always had a magical appeal for both pagans and Christians, being an object of desire, the embodiment of warm holidays and meetings with family and friends. The traditions of decorating the Christmas tree have changed over the course of European history and today are of interest as a kind of cultural monument, as a reflection of our past.

The Ancient Origins of Christmas Traditions

The tradition of veneration and ritual use of trees was found among European peoples already in ancient times. The tree was considered a symbol of life among the ancient peoples of Europe and was often decorated with fruits, flowers, and cereals. Thus, the Celts deified trees and believed that spirits lived in them. And, for example, on the day of the winter solstice, the Romans decorated their houses with branches of evergreen trees in honor of the god Janus.

Like many other pagan traditions, this custom was later adopted by Christians, who simply replaced the branches with whole, freshly cut trees. In addition, the popularity of the “Christmas tree” among Christians was facilitated by medieval Christmas mysteries, one of which was dedicated to the story of Adam and Eve, and a spruce decorated with red apples was usually used to depict the tree of paradise.

The Legend of Saint Boniface and the Christmas Tree

According to some reports, the custom of setting up a decorated Christmas tree for Christmas originated in Germany. The "inventor" of the Christmas tree is considered Saint Boniface(675-754) - an English bishop who was engaged in missionary work in Germany, preaching the Christian faith. According to legend, once in a certain Bavarian village Boniface met a pagan tribe that worshiped the sacred oak of the god Thor (according to another version - Odin). To prove to the pagans the powerlessness of their gods, the saint cut down this oak tree, and, to the surprise of the Germans, no powerful spirits emerged from the cut down tree to punish Boniface for his act. Impressed by what they saw, many pagans converted to Christianity.

This legend has the following continuation: before the eyes of the amazed pagans, a young Christmas tree grew in the place of the felled oak tree (in fact, this part of the legend is not confirmed in the life of the saint and is considered a later attempt to Christianize the pagan tradition). Boniface explained to the pagans that the evergreen tree was a symbol of Christ and the strengthening of the Catholic faith, while the fallen oak signified the end of paganism. The next year, all the pagans in the area were already Christians and happily decorated the grown Christmas tree, celebrating the holiday of Christmas, previously unknown to them.

According to another version, with the help of coniferous trees, the crowns of which have a triangular shape, St. Boniface tried to convey the idea of the Trinity to the pagans.

Christmas tree of the 16th century: Christian symbolism

For Christmas celebrations in the 16th century, Europeans began to increasingly use whole young trees instead of branches - common, as already mentioned, in the pagan tradition. Moreover, the most suitable for this purpose were immediately recognized as coniferous trees, because even at the beginning of winter they remain green and serve as the embodiment of hope for a new life, for the renewal of nature.

The earliest documentary evidence preserved in humanistic library, they talk about how to decorate Christmas trees - which were called by the old German word Meyen- were used at that time apples. These are flavorful and crispy. red apples are still known in Germany and Alsace under the name Christkindel Apfel(“Christmas apples”) In Alsace, it is customary to collect them in October and store them until December-February.

Decorating Christmas trees at that time was most often of an official nature, since these trees were mainly installed in squares in front of churches, as well as in front of the town hall and workshop buildings. The green beauty's outfit consisted of two symbolic elements: firstly, actually apples, which recalled the original sin of Adam and Eve, and secondly, host, or wafer (oublie), which served as an indication of the atonement of sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In the Lyceum Chapel of the Alsatian city of Ageno (Haguenau) ( Haguenau) a fresco of the 15th century has been preserved, in which this symbolism is visually embodied in the form of a tree, the crown of which is clearly divided vertically into two zones: on one side apples hang on the tree, and on the other - wafers.

After Christmas trees began to appear in ordinary homes, the tree was first adopted hang to the ceiling beam, as was previously done with “pagan” branches. After some time, they began to place the spruce in a small tub filled with sand and gravel.

Which Christmas decorations were most common during this period, besides, of course, the aforementioned apples and wafers? Since the beginning of the 16th century, a Christmas tree decoration called Zischgold, which was made from thin metal plates or gilded strips, which added even more shine to the festive decoration of the Christmas tree.

Another similar type of Christmas tree decorations is lametta- gimp, or “rain”, which in France is usually called “angel hair” ( cheveux d'ange). According to some reports, Lyon craftsmen were already making these brilliant Christmas decorations as early as the 15th century.

Is Celeste the birthplace of the Christmas tree?

Although Christmas tree tradition probably existed in Germany and Alsace from about the 12th century, the first written mention of a "Christmas tree" ( Meyen) in this region date back to 1521. This refers to the entry dated December 21, 1521, preserved in humanistic library (Bibliothèque Humaniste) - an Alsatian city located between and. However, in those days Celeste did not yet belong to France and was called in the German manner: Schlettstadt.

This historical entry in the account book reads: “ Item IIII schillinge dem foerster die meyen an sanctuary Thomas tag zu hieten"("4 shillings - to the forester for protecting the Christmas trees since St. Thomas's Day" (December 21)). Having studied this fragment of city archives, historians have concluded that the custom of decorating houses - primarily, of course, the houses of wealthy citizens - with Christmas trees for Christmas arose in Alsace. As you can see, the authorities of Celeste were forced to spend money to ensure the protection of the forest from plunder by local residents who were trying to get their hands on the coveted Christmas tree.

Several other, later, archival records have also been preserved: for example, a record from 1546 tells that two workers were tasked with building a road into the forest so that it would be easier to get to the spruce trees and cut down the required number of trees. Another record indicates that in 1555 the city authorities, trying to avoid abuses, introduced a ban on cutting down fir trees. Finally, a description has been preserved, compiled in 1600 by the cupbearer of the city hall, Balthasar Beck ( Balthazar Beck) (1580-1641) and dedicated to how the Christmas tree should be decorated and what other customs of that time were associated with the celebration of Christmas in the main hall ( Herrenstube) town hall of Celeste (then Schlettstadt).

In particular, Beck mentions that apples and wafers were used to decorate the tree. He also describes the custom of inviting the children of city council members, the councilors themselves and other municipal employees, who were allowed to “shake” the tree and eat all the delicacies that decorated it. Other Alsatian cities soon joined Celeste. So, in 1539, the Christmas tree was installed in Strasbourg Cathedral.

In fact, the right to be called " home of the Christmas tree» is disputed by several other European cities. For example, a brief documentary evidence has been preserved that on the Christmas holiday on December 24, 1510, Riga(Latvia) traders danced around a tree decorated with artificial roses before burning it (a clear echo of pagan traditions). There are also malicious Estonians who claim that the first Christmas tree was erected in Tallinn in 1441.

Disputes over where the Christmas tree first appeared have not subsided to this day. sticks to his version, and Church of St. George in December there is an annual exhibition dedicated to christmas tree stories. In addition to this, in Celeste Humanist Library Every December, the same archival document from 1521 is exhibited, which is said to prove that the Alsatian city was the birthplace of the custom of decorating houses for Christmas with trees.

In any case, apparently, it was here that this custom was documented for the first time in history.

Late 16th - 17th centuries: Protestant traditions of decorating the Christmas tree

In the 16th century, the tradition of having a decorated Christmas tree was firmly rooted in Germany, Austria, Alsace and Lorraine. Moreover, supporters Reformation supported this custom in every possible way, emphasizing the symbolism of spruce as the heavenly Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

At the end of the 16th century, under the influence of Protestant circles and the urban bourgeoisie, the custom of giving gifts on the occasion of the end of the year moved from St. Nicholas (December 6) on December 24. From that time on, the Christmas tree was always at the center of the celebrations: it was under it that gifts were now placed. In addition, with the light hand of Protestants, the main character of Christmas becomes not Saint Nicholas (who seemed to them too pagan character), but Baby Jesus (Christkindel), who over time became customary to be depicted as a young girl in a veil, dressed in a white robe and a golden crown with fir branches and candles (one of the hypostases of Saint Lucia). She gives gifts to obedient children, while the terrible buka (grandfather with rods) ( Père Fouettard, and in the Alsatian tradition Hans Trapp), in turn, treats the mischievous people not with tangerines and sweets, but with a whip.

In the second half of the 16th century, the leaders of the Reformation refused to use the nativity scenes (Nativity scenes) adopted by Catholics to celebrate Christmas, since Protestants do not have a doctrine of venerating images. Instead of this Protestants began to develop traditions of decorating Christmas trees- after all, this attribute of Christmas, unlike nativity scenes, does not directly depict either Christ or other biblical characters. Martin Luther proposed that the Christmas tree be considered a symbol of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.

The symbolism of decorating a Christmas tree during this period it remains fundamentally Christian and does not cause any objections in the Lutheran camp. Moreover, devout Protestants, focused on careful attention to the texts of the Old Testament, strongly advocated the use of appropriate decoration for the Christmas tree. Therefore, in addition to traditional red apples and hosts, at the end of the 16th century, multi-colored apples were increasingly being used to decorate the Christmas tree. paper wrappers in the shape of roses and other colors.

These flowers are an allusion to the words Prophet Isaiah about the “root of Jesse”- the tree of Jesse, or the family tree of Jesus Christ ( Wed. "And a branch shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his root." The symbolism of this type of jewelry indicated the origin and birth of the Savior. In addition to this, the flowers on the tree were reminiscent of the words of an old Christmas carol Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (“The Rose Has Grew”), written just in that era.

The following archival entry in Old German dates back to 1605: “ Auff Weihnachten richtet man Dannenbäume zu Straßburg in den Stuben auf. Daran henket man Roßen auß vielfarbigem Papier geschnitten, Aepfel, Oblaten, Zischgold und Zucker“ (“At Christmas, a fir tree is installed in the living room. The tree is decorated with paper roses, apples, wafers, gold leaves and sugar”).

XVIII-XIX centuries: Christmas - children's holiday

During this period, the religious symbolism of the holiday begins to recede into the background. Instead of apples, a variety of round-shaped delicacies (for example, stuffed nuts wrapped in gold or silver paper) are beginning to be used to decorate Christmas trees.

The place of the guests is now taken by gingerbread, sweets, waffles and traditional delirious (bredele, Also bredela or bradle) - Christmas cookies made from gingerbread dough.

In Alsace, southern Germany and some parts of Switzerland, a special type of bredel, the so-called springerle or sprangerly ( sprengerle or springerle), which are printed aniseed cookies, most often round or heart-shaped. They are baked specifically for Christmas, and this tradition has survived to this day.

In addition to the cookies themselves, special molds for baking these sweets are sold in Alsatian cities. Ceramic relief shapes, or “stamps,” for creating a specific design on dough can be purchased in stores as souvenirs. Previously, such molds were made mainly of wood and decorated with carved scenes of everyday life or compositions based on biblical scenes. You can read more about traditional Alsatian sweets, souvenirs and folk crafts in the article “ Folk crafts, customs and traditions of Alsace » .

The specific form of sweets used to decorate the Christmas tree gradually lost importance in the 19th century and became more and more diverse. Since that time, decorating the Christmas tree and all related traditions have been considered mainly the prerogative of children. Immediately after the end of the Epiphany holiday, at the beginning of January, boys and girls are now invited to “shake” the Christmas tree and “harvest the harvest,” which little sweet tooths do with pleasure.

In the 19th century, gingerbread and bredels began to be additionally decorated with glaze, and sometimes with small colored sprinkles. Decorative pictures with various subjects are glued on top of the sugar or chocolate glaze (these were chromolithographs, most often depicting angels or stars). A small wooden fence, reminiscent of a hedge, is arranged around the trunk of the tree. front garden in front of a traditional peasant house. The space fenced off in this way symbolizes paradise lost due to the Fall of man.

Hence the word Paradiesgartlein(“Paradise Garden”), which is what this Christmas garden was called in Germany. As you can see, Christian symbolism is gradually gaining importance again.

The Christmas tree comes to France and the UK

The support that the leaders of the Reformation provided to the “Christmas tree tradition” explains the rapid spread of the Christmas tree throughout Protestant regions Northern Europe, including Germany and Scandinavian countries. Do not forget that Alsace at that time was part of German world, as well as the neighboring duchies of Lorraine and Austria. All this time, throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree in houses at Christmas was developed in all the mentioned regions.

At the end of the 19th century, after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the tradition of decorating the New Year (Christmas) tree finally came to France. The honor of spreading this tradition belongs to the residents Alsace and Lorraine, who, not wanting to become Prussians, after the annexation of their regions to Germany, decided to leave for France, the “land of human rights”, which again became a republic.

Even before this, in 1837, the German wife of the heir to the French throne, Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orleans, Lutheran Helena of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, ordered the installation of a Christmas tree in the Tuileries Garden, but then the tradition did not take root. (A century earlier, in 1738, another unsuccessful attempt to introduce the tradition of the Christmas tree at the French court was made by the wife of Louis XV, Marie Leszczynska). Only the influx of immigrants from Alsace and Lorraine predetermined the massive spread of the Christmas tree in France. (By the way, thanks to the same Alsatian settlers, the tradition quickly spread to the United States).

Today a giant christmas tree (sapin de Noel, arbre de Noel) can be seen in the central square of every major French city: in Paris and Rouen, on Stanislavovskaya Square in Nancy and on Kleber Square in Strasbourg, which bears the proud name of the “capital of Christmas”. Since about the 1930s, the custom of putting up a decorated Christmas tree at Christmas has been accepted in almost all French homes.

The tradition of Christmas trees, which is typical, was also brought to Great Britain by the ubiquitous Lutherans, namely the husband of Queen Victoria Prince Albert- aka Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. On his initiative in 1841 Great Britain(more precisely, at Windsor Castle) the first Christmas tree was erected. In 1848, a photograph of the royal family gathered around a Christmas tree appeared in an English newspaper, which was soon circulated in the form of numerous postcards. Court fashion quickly spread among the bourgeoisie, and then among the common people. In the Victorian era, it was believed that a Christmas tree should have six tiers of branches and be placed on a table covered with a white linen. Then it was decorated with garlands, bonbonnieres and paper flowers.

It is curious that even before its appearance in the UK, the tradition of Christmas trees took root in Canada. It was only in the 20th century that this custom finally penetrated into the main Catholic countries of Europe - Italy and Spain.

Christmas tree decorations of the New Age: the invention of the glass ball and other innovations

In the mid-19th century, natural products used to decorate the Christmas tree began to be replaced with artificial ones. In 1858, a terrible drought broke out in the northern Vosges and Moselle, and the harvest of apples and other fruits was extremely poor, so local residents were unable to decorate Christmas trees with live fruits. And then glass blower from the Lorraine village of Götsanbrück ( Goetzenbruck), which is nearby Meisenthal (Meisenthal), came up with the idea of making glass balls in the form of apples and other fruits. After that glass christmas tree decorations gained popularity far beyond Alsace.

Town Meisenthal(Meisenthal) in Lorraine is still famous today for the skill of its glaziers. The head of the Nancy Art School, Emile Galle, worked at this glass factory for over 20 years (from 1867 to 1894): first the designer studied with local masters, and then, having become a mature artist himself, he worked closely with the factory to create his magnificent works. Today in Meisenthal you can visit International Center for Art Glass (Center International d'Art Verrier) and get to know the work of glassblowers better. But this center is not just a museum, but a creative workshop where they regularly experiment with new modern ideas, without forgetting, of course, about traditions. One of the main types of products remains glass balls- almost the most popular Christmas tree decoration today. In addition to balls, local craftsmen make glass decorations in the form of bells, Christmas trees, cones, nuts, birds and many other images.

Besides glass balls, in the 19th century, the rich arsenal of Christmas tree decorations was replenished with numerous angels, dressed in gold or silver foil. Also, gilded spruce trees began to be often used to decorate Christmas trees. cones and stars made from gilt straw and white Bristol board (made from premium paper). Later, a tradition arose to place on the top of the tree star- a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the Magi the way to the birthplace of Christ. As an alternative, the top of the tree is sometimes decorated with a spire ( cimier oriental) or a figurine of a golden angel with a Latin inscription Gloria in Excelsis Deo("Gloria").

But the main innovation of this era was the custom of illuminating the Christmas tree with festive lights. Initially, of course, they were used for this purpose. candles- despite the risk of fire (by the way, the first person who came up with the idea of decorating the Christmas tree with candles was, it is believed, Martin Luther, enchanted by the beauty of the starry sky). But since wax was quite expensive, instead of candles they often used oil-filled nutshells with a small floating wick on the surface - or flexible candles that could be wrapped around fir branches. The illumination was not only decorative, but also symbolic, reminiscent of the birth of Christ, who is light of the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, electric garlands appeared, which at first few could afford, they were so expensive.

In the 20th century they also became widespread artificial christmas trees, which were first invented in the 19th century in Germany. Numerous fans of artificial trees today claim that they are cheaper, safer and more convenient than real trees. As for the environmental aspect, debate continues on this issue: there is no consensus as to what causes more harm to nature: cutting down natural trees (the advantage of which is that they are biodegradable) or the production of artificial Christmas trees from polyvinyl chloride with not always safe additives.

Christmas tree in Catholic countries

Only in the 20th century did the custom of decorating a Christmas tree come to the main Catholic countries of Europe - Italy and Spain. For example, in Vatican the tradition of the Christmas tree appeared only in 1982 on the initiative of John Paul II, elected pope four years earlier. At first, not all representatives of the Catholic Church approved of this custom, but gradually the tree became an integral part of Christmas celebrations in the Vatican, and today not a single Christmas is complete without a magnificent tree in St. Peter's Square in Rome.

During the reading of the prayer, the Angel of the Lord on Sunday, December 19, 2004 Pope John Paul II explained to the believers as follows the meaning and symbolism of the Christmas tree: “[...] a traditional Christmas tree is often installed next to the nativity scene - this is also a very ancient tradition associated with glorifying the value of life. In winter, this evergreen spruce becomes a symbol of immortality. It is at its trunk that gifts are usually placed. This symbol also has great Christian significance, since it recalls the Tree of Life and the image of Christ - the highest gift of God to humanity. Thus, the Christmas tree carries the message that life does not stop for a moment and that it is a gift, not material, but valuable in itself, the gift of friendship and love, brotherly mutual assistance and forgiveness, the ability to share and sympathize».

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Today there are no specific regulations regarding how a Christmas tree should be decorated. It can be a lush decoration or an ascetic, simple outfit. This can be a modern designer Christmas tree, allowing a person to express his imagination to the maximum. In any case, this evergreen tree remains a symbol of the Christmas holidays and unforgettable childhood experiences.

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Used sources .

05.03.2019

Which forest thins out before the New Year?

(New Year's Christmas tree .)

Christmas tree?

(Glass blowers.)

Which country is considered the historical homeland of Christmas and then New Year's Christmas trees?

(Germany.)

When was she born? herringbone according to a biological passport?

(Coniferous trees have an ancient origin. They replaced fern-like plants at the beginning of the Mesozoic. It is very possible that the distant ancestors of our Christmas tree were contemporaries of giant dinosaurs.)

How many years does he live? spruce, what if he avoids the fate of becoming a New Year's tree?

(Spruce lives 300-400 years. Long-lived Christmas trees can live up to 500 years.)

What family do they belong to? Christmas trees?

(To the family pine. )

At what age do you ate Are there bumps?

(At 35 - 40 years old.)

Can spruce to predict the weather?

ate equal to approximately 2 km, and one tree pine trees- six times more. What conclusion can be drawn about the living conditions of these trees?

(Pine grows in drier soils than spruce .)

Why do pine trees ate No?

(Pine - light-loving plant.)

What kind of wood were ship masts made from?

(From pine trees )

What can be obtained from pine needles pine trees?

Pine can be planted to strengthen sands, and spruce No. Why?

(U pine trees the roots go deep into the soil, and ate

How to distinguish a cedar branch pine trees from the branch pine trees ordinary?

(Pine has two needles in a bunch, while cedar needles have five.)

Which forest is darkest - in spruce or pine?

(In spruce.)

Which coniferous

(Spruce . Pianos, balalaikas, and guitars are made from spruce.)

What kind of wood coniferous tree sinks in water?

(Larch .)

Which wood is ours? coniferous wood is not destroyed by water and air and is stored for thousands of years?

(larches . Its wood is used for underwater structures, shipbuilding, etc.)

From which coniferous The interior parts of the Moscow Kremlin buildings are made of wood, does the wood of this tree not rot?

(Larch. )

Which coniferous cedar?

(Sosn y.)

From the seeds of which Eurasian pine trees get butter?

How many pine

(380 pieces. Cedar - 2 pieces, spruce - 30 pieces. And squirrels don’t really like pine cones, they are very resinous.)

In the old days in Rus' they brewed beer using young shoots of this hop instead of hops. coniferous tree. Which one?

(Pines .)

What plant is called "grape" coniferous forests"?

(Juniper.)

coniferous- poisonous?

(Yew berry.)

Name the “pencil” tree.

(Cedar. )

Which coniferous does wood hardly burn and “loves” fires?

(Sequoia evergreen, cultivated in the south of Russia.)

The scientific name of this valued by landscape designers ate – spruce Engelman. And by what “color” name do we know it?

(Blue spruce .)

A forest of aspens is called an aspen forest, and a forest of oaks is called an oak grove. What are the coniferous forests called? oil? Pines? Cedars? Fir?

(Spruce forest, forest, cedar or cedar forest, fir forest.)

Saffron milk caps willingly grow under Christmas trees And pine trees. Spruce mushrooms grow in spruce forests, but what else are the names of pine mushrooms?

(Bog mushroom.)

What forest bird living in the Siberian taiga can remember the location of almost six thousand of its storerooms, in which it hid its supplies for the winter?

(This is smart cedar sheep hiding cedar cones in storage rooms. Her visual memory is larger than that of a human.)

Which plant is not a coniferous: cypress or eucalyptus?

(Eucalyptus.)

Which conifers

(Sequoia.)

What valuable ornamental stone is fossil resin coniferous trees?

(Amber.)

The rod of which ancient god was crowned spruce bump?

(Dionysus, or Bacchus.)

pine trees?

(Winner of the Isthmian Games.)

What wood was Jupiter's scepter made of? Trojan horse? Cupid's arrows?

(Scepter from cypress , horse from ate , arrows from cedar .)

The coat of arms of which Russian city is decorated with a cannon and three Christmas trees?

(Yelnya . Smolensk region, on the Desna River.)

Not only coniferous tree, but also a tributary of the Don.

(Pine .)

Not only pine

(Bor.)

Which tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city located in the Lipetsk region on the banks of the river Pines?

(Spruce - Yelets city.)

The name of which European country comes from the word “molid” - “ pine»?

(Moldova, Moldova.)

What is a branch often called? coniferous tree: paw, flipper or claw?

(Paw.)

The name of which animal in English combines the words “pig” and “ pine»?

(Porcupine -porcupine. It resembles a pig in its habit of rummaging in the ground and grunting when grazing. Well, pine, of course, with needles.)

The name of which fruit in English consists of two words in one - “ pine" and "apple"?

(Pineapple - pineapple, pine - pine, apple - apple.)

(Pine .)

Not only the drill in the dentist's car, but also pine forest.

(Bor.)

Name the chemical element coniferous forests.

(Bor.)

Which road sign shows coniferous tree?

What do a brawler boy and pine trees?

(Bumps.)

Which, regardless of the thrown seeds, grows in any furrow?

(Pinery - boron ozda.)

Say in one word the phrase “One pine forest”, if this word is the surname of a Russian composer.

(Bor -one is Borodin.)

How they dressed up Christmas tree

(The Christmas tree in Russia began to be used as a New Year's tree from the middleXIXcenturies, the future poet did not have a New Year tree during his childhood.)

Who wrote the story “The Boy at Christ’s Christmas tree»?

(F.M. Dostoevsky.)

(V. Odoevsky.)

What fairy tale was written by G.Kh. Andersen: “Spruce”, “Pine” or “Fir”?

(« Spruce ».)

What tree did Mikhail Lermontov write about “It Stands Lonely in the Wild North”?

(Pine .)

Name the children's writer and storyteller who came up with the Planet of New Year's elo To.

(Gianni Rodari.)

It was in January
stood Christmas tree on the mountain,
And near this one Christmas trees
Evil wolves roamed.

(A. Barto.)

In 1903, Russian writer Raisa Adamovna Kudasheva wrote the poem “ Christmas tree" Quote the first two lines, known to absolutely everyone.

("Born in the forest herringbone …»)

that wooden man was planed from Italian pine trees That's why he had that name. Which?

(Pinocchio. Pinia - Italian pine , a coniferous tree with an umbrella-shaped crown.)

"In Italian pine the cones are prickly and heavy, the size of a small melon. To get hit on the head with such a bump is so oh-oh!” Who did Pinocchio fight off with such bumps?

(From Karabas Barabas.)

Which ballet begins with a scene at the Nativity Christmas trees: “Cinderella” or “Nutcracker”?

("Nutcracker".)

Fill in the missing word in the Russian proverb: “Far pine it’s standing, but it’s making noise for its own.”

(boru.)

What do they say about someone who cannot find a way out of a simple, uncomplicated situation in life?

(In three pine trees got lost.)

How many pine trees

(“On the Murom path there were three pine trees , my dear said goodbye to me until next spring.")

What did the characters call their walls in the song from the cartoon “The Town Musicians of Bremen”?

(Pines -giants. “Our walls are giant pine trees...”.)

In the 19th century, the Moscow mayor issued a decree in which he established a phrase recommended for coachmen to replace swearing in the presence of ladies. We also use this phrase with success. What phrase did he recommend?

(« Christmas trees -sticks.")

What does the phraseological unit mean now? Christmas trees-sticks"?

(This expression means annoyance, bewilderment, admiration.)

Which coniferous did the tree give its name to the method of skiing up a slope?

(Spruce - “Christmas tree”.)

What trees are depicted in Shishkin’s painting “Ship Grove”?

(Pines .)

The morning in which forest did Shishkin depict in his famous canvas?

(“Morning in pine forest.")

What trees are depicted in Ivan Shishkin’s painting “Rye”?

(Pines .)

What is the name of the place where New Year's gifts are sold? Christmas tree: green market, Christmas tree bazaar or coniferous supermarket?

(Christmas tree bazaar)

The Ancient Origins of Christmas Traditions

The Legend of Saint Boniface and the Christmas Tree

According to another version, with the help of coniferous trees, the crowns of which have a triangular shape, St. Boniface tried to convey the idea of the Trinity to the pagans.

Christmas tree of the 16th century: Christian symbolism

The earliest documentary evidence preserved in the humanistic library tells that for decorating Christmas trees - which were called by the old German word Meyen- were used at that time apples. These are flavorful and crispy. red apples are still known in Germany and Alsace under the name Christkindel Apfel(“Christmas apples”) In Alsace, it is customary to collect them in October and store them until December-February.

Is Celeste the birthplace of the Christmas tree?

Although Christmas tree tradition probably existed in Germany and Alsace from about the 12th century, the first written mention of a "Christmas tree" ( Meyen) in this region date back to 1521. This refers to the entry dated December 21, 1521, preserved in humanistic library ( Bibliothèque Humaniste) - an Alsatian city located between and. However, in those days Celeste did not yet belong to France and was called in the German manner: Schlettstadt.

In particular, Beck mentions that apples and wafers were used to decorate the tree. He also describes the custom of inviting the children of city council members, the councilors themselves and other municipal employees, who were allowed to “shake” the tree and eat all the delicacies that decorated it. Other Alsatian cities soon joined Celeste. So, in 1539, a Christmas tree was installed in the Strasbourg Cathedral.

Disputes over where the Christmas tree first appeared have not subsided to this day. sticks to his version, and Church of St. George in December there is an annual exhibition dedicated to christmas tree stories. In addition, in the humanistic library of Celeste, every December, the same archival document from 1521 is exhibited, which allegedly proves that in this Alsatian city the birth of the custom of decorating houses for Christmas with trees.

In any case, apparently, it was here that this custom was documented for the first time in history.

Late 16th - 17th centuries: Protestant traditions of decorating the Christmas tree

These flowers are an allusion to the words Prophet Isaiah about the “root of Jesse”- the tree of Jesse, or the family tree of Jesus Christ ( Wed. “And a branch shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his root.” The symbolism of this type of jewelry indicated the origin and birth of the Savior. In addition to this, the flowers on the tree were reminiscent of the words of an old Christmas carol Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (“The Rose Has Grew”), written just in that era.

XVIII-XIX centuries: Christmas - children's holiday

The place of the guests is now taken by gingerbread, sweets, waffles and traditional delirious (bredele, Also bredela or bradle) - Christmas cookies made from gingerbread dough.

In addition to the cookies themselves, special molds for baking these sweets are sold in Alsatian cities. Ceramic relief shapes, or “stamps,” for creating a specific design on dough can be purchased in stores as souvenirs. Previously, such molds were made mainly of wood and decorated with carved scenes of everyday life or compositions based on biblical scenes. More information about traditional Alsatian sweets, souvenirs and folk crafts can be read in the article “Folk crafts, customs and traditions of Alsace".

Hence the word Paradiesgartlein(“Paradise Garden”), which is what this Christmas garden was called in Germany. As you can see, Christian symbolism is gradually gaining importance again.

The Christmas tree comes to France and the UK

Today a giant christmas tree (sapin de Noel, arbre de Noel) can be seen in the central square of every major French city: in Paris and Rouen, on Stanislav Square in Nancy and on Place Kleber in the city of Strasbourg, which bears the proud name of the “capital of Christmas”. Since about the 1930s, the custom of putting up a decorated Christmas tree at Christmas has been accepted in almost all French homes.

Christmas tree decorations of the New Age: the invention of the glass ball and other innovations

Christmas tree in Catholic countries

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Used sources .

1. The coldest place on the planet is the South Pole.
The Arctic - the North Pole - is an ice-covered expanse of the Arctic Ocean. With the onset of summer in the northern hemisphere of our planet, this ice partially melts. In addition, warm currents, the Gulf Stream, for example, also play a significant role in the temperature regime of the region. In general, the average temperature in the Arctic in winter is about -34°C, and in summer it is even warmer.
Antarctica is not just the southernmost continent. It is still covered with a non-melting ice shell. In geography lessons they always teach that it is always colder on the mainland than on the sea. Add to this the eternal ice cover, which reflects almost 95% of sunlight, the absence of warm currents, and here you have the complete picture. According to scientists, the average temperature of the southern continent is -49°C.
If we start compiling a ranking of the coldest places on our planet, the picture we get is as follows: Antarctica will be the permanent leader, followed by the coldest places in the Northern Hemisphere (Yakutsk, Verkhoyansk, Oymyakon - all three places in Yakutia, and Greenland).

8. French Santa Claus called Pere Noel. He comes on New Year's Eve and leaves gifts in children's shoes.

9. In Greece New Year is the day of St. Basil, who became famous for his extraordinary kindness. Children leave their shoes near the fireplace, hoping that the saint will fill them with gifts.

12. In Spain There is a tradition of eating grapes on New Year's Eve. When the clock strikes, you need to have time to eat 12 grapes, one for each of the twelve coming months.

NEW YEAR'S QUIZ for schoolchildren in grades 1-8

Target: improve skills about the New Year.
Tasks:
1. develop logical thinking;
2. expand your horizons and vocabulary;
3. increase interest in learning the language;
4. cultivate respect for the culture of the country of the language being studied.
5. promote the development of students’ creative abilities,
6. cultivate a sense of kindness, empathy, and instill an interest in art.
Equipment: presentation, certificates and tasks on cards.

Quiz for schoolchildren about the New Year

What winter holidays do we celebrate twice: according to the old and new styles?
(Christmas - December 25 and January 7. New Year - January 1 according to the new style and January 14 according to the old style. The phrase old New Year is our domestic invention and tradition.
In Rus', when the whole family gathered at the New Year's table, the children tied the table legs with a bast rope. What did this New Year's custom symbolize? (This meant that the family would be strong in the coming year and should not be separated.)
Why did Russians celebrate the New Year twice with an interval of four months in 1699-1700?
(In 1699, a few months after the Russians had already celebrated the New Year on September 1, they had to repeat the celebration. Because on December 19, Peter the Great issued a decree on the reform of the calendar in Russia. According to this document, the New Year began to be celebrated on 1 January and the Christian chronology was adopted - from the Nativity of Christ. The first January festive New Year in Russia was celebrated very widely for almost a day.)
When issuing a decree on the celebration of the New Year, Peter I wrote that on this day, January 1, “to decorate houses from trees and branches of pine and spruce. Each one should start shooting in his own yard, but there will be no heavy drinking and massacres on this day...” Why did he forbid drinking and fighting on this day? (According to Peter, “other days are enough for this.”)
In pre-Petrine Rus', fresh apples were a traditional New Year's treat for the festive feast. Why? (After all, before the calendar reform of Peter I, the New Year was celebrated on September 1 - at the time when apples were picked.)
In Japan, the arrival of the New Year is announced by 108 strikes of the bell; in the UK, the New Year's midnight is struck by London's Big Ben clock. But in Russia?
(Moscow Kremlin chimes.)
Why didn’t the future poet Pushkin have a New Year’s tree during his childhood? (The Christmas tree in Russia began to be used as a New Year's tree only from the middle of the 19th century.)
With the advent of Soviet power, the custom of decorating a Christmas tree for Christmas was abolished as religious. And when was it restored? (Only in 1935, they began to decorate the Christmas tree for the New Year.)
When did January 1 become a non-working day in Russia? (The decision on this was made in December 1947.)
Residents of which countries are the first on Earth to celebrate the New Year?
(Residents of New Zealand and the state of Fiji. This is explained by the fact that these territories are geographically located closest to the date line.)
What advantage do residents of the Chukotka village of Uelen have over other Russians?
(They celebrate the New Year first. Uelen is the easternmost village of Russia. It is located not far from Cape Dezhnev in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Its residents celebrate the New Year 8 hours earlier than in Moscow.)
Residents of which region of the Russian Federation celebrate New Year later than all other Russians? (Kaliningrad region, the westernmost region of Russia. New Year comes to them an hour later than to Moscow.)
How many times can you celebrate New Year in Russia? (Now, in accordance with the new law “On the Calculation of Time,” there are 9 time zones passing through the territory of Russia. Therefore, in Russia, the New Year can be celebrated 9 times. And more recently, there were 11 time zones, and therefore the number of New Year celebrations in our country decreased by 2.)
What gymnastic trick does the Earth perform at the time of the next New Year? (Verso.)
At what strike of the Kremlin Chimes does the New Year begin in our country?
(According to the rules of the exact time service, the new hour begins with the last sound signal, including the last strike of the clock.)
Who were the first people on Earth to celebrate the New Year in space? (These are Russian cosmonauts Yuri Romanenko and Georgy Grechko, in orbit of the Salyut-6 station on January 1, 1978.)
For Americans he is a saint, for the French he is a father. And who is he to us, Russians?
(In America, Santa Claus brings gifts to Americans, Père Noel - Father Christmas - to the French deputy, and Grandfather Frost gives gifts to little Russians.)
Which ancient Belarusian forest is considered the birthplace of Father Frost? (Belovezhskaya Pushcha)
In what month does our Grandfather Frost celebrate his birthday? (In November, more precisely - November 18. What is the age of the winter wizard is not known for certain, but it is certain that he is more than 2000 years old. The children themselves came up with the date of birth of Father Frost, since it is on November 18 on his estate - in Veliky Ustyug - that the real one comes into its own It’s winter and frosts are hitting.)
In what region of the Russian Federation is Veliky Ustyug, the patrimony of Father Frost, located?
(In the Vologda region. Veliky Ustyug is one of the oldest cities in the Russian North. It was officially named the birthplace of Father Frost in 1999.)
When did the Russian Father Frost have a granddaughter, the Snow Maiden? (More recently, she was invented by the Russian playwright A.N. Ostrovsky, who in 1873 wrote a play in verse - the poetic “spring fairy tale” “The Snow Maiden.”)
Which Russian city is the historical birthplace of the Snow Maiden?
(Kostroma. In Kostroma, the Snow Maiden has both a tower and a living room, where she cordially receives and entertains her guests of any age.)
When did the song “Yolochka” (“A Christmas tree was born in the forest...”) appear, which is sung by all children and adults in our country during the New Year holidays?
(The poem “Yolochka” was first published in 1903 in the children’s magazine “Malyutka” with a two-letter pseudonym. Composer L.K. Bekman wrote music for the poems. Only in 1941 was the real author of the words identified - Raisa Adamovna Kudasheva, Russian writer.)
What beauty dresses up once a year?
(Christmas tree.)
Which country is the historical birthplace of the Christmas tree, and then the New Year tree? (Germany.)
Name the children's writer and storyteller who invented the Planet of Christmas Trees.
(Gianni Rodari.)
What is the name of the Russian ancient, but ageless dance at the New Year tree? (Round dance.)
Name the singer of the lullaby for the Christmas tree. (Blizzard.)
What is the name of the New Year's two-faced ball? (Masquerade, carnival.)
A New Year's drink for risky people is... Which one? (Champagne.)
What is the name of the most peaceful New Year's warhead? (Clapperboard.)
What do New Year's crackers begin with?
(Confetti.)
Not only the winding road in the mountains, but also the Christmas tree decoration. What is this?
(Serpentine.)
What was the name of the village in which amazing events took place on Christmas night, which N.V. told us about? Gogol? (Dikanka.)
What were the names of the boys from the story of Arkady Gaidar, who came to their father in the distant taiga to celebrate the New Year with a geological expedition? (Chuk and Gek.)
From which film by Eldar Ryazanov did the catchphrase fly out: “There is an intention to have fun celebrating the New Year”? ("Carnival Night".)
Name our most New Year's film, showing which on New Year's Eve has become a real Russian tradition, which is already more than 30 years old.
(“The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath,” director Eldar Ryazanov, 1976. They joke that in order to tactfully find out a woman’s age, you need to ask her how many times on New Year’s Eve she watched this film. The number of views will be equal to her age.)
But Santa Claus harnesses not reindeer, but reindeer to his Christmas sleigh! What proves the truth of such a statement? (The presence of antlers. After all, male deer shed their antlers in the fall.)
Why can’t you repay existing debts on New Year’s Eve?
(So as not to have to deal with this all year long. You need to repay all financial debts in advance; taking on old debts on New Year’s Day is not recommended.)
In Greece, on New Year's Eve, guests place a stone on the owner's threshold, wishing him that this thing will always weigh no less. What is this thing? (Wallet.)
What is it customary to wash your face on New Year's Eve in Hungary in order to be well-off all year?
(Literally with money!)
Why in Hungary on New Year's Eve are they not served ducks, chickens, or geese?
(So that “happiness does not fly away from home.”)
Why on the evening of December 31 do Italians only walk strictly in the middle of the pavement?
(They are afraid to walk along the edges of the pavement for safety reasons, since Italians throw old trash and furniture out of windows on New Year’s Eve.)
In Germany, these seasonal workers must be at least 180 cm tall, have a deep throat and a beard. They are given special clothing free of charge. What color is she? (Red, these are Santa Clauses.)
In which country, during New Year's street processions - the most exciting part of the holiday - thousands of lanterns are lit to illuminate the path to the New Year? (In China.)
Which island state has this custom: before the New Year, people fill all the dishes with water, and at the moment when the clock strikes twelve times, they create a real flood, at the same time pouring water out of the windows, wishing themselves that life would be the same in the coming year light and clear, like water? (At Cuba.)
In what month does the New Year begin according to the Eastern lunar calendar? (In February.)
* * * * * *
In what month in the history of Russia was the New Year NOT celebrated?
A. March. V. September.
B. January. G. November.
(The ancient Slavs celebrated the New Year on March 1 with the onset of warmth and the beginning of field work. In 1492, the beginning of the year in Rus' was officially moved to September 1. Since 1699, the New Year began to be celebrated on January 1.)
When did you celebrate the New Year in pre-Petrine Rus' of the 18th century?
A. January 1st. V. March 1st.
B. June 1st. G. September 1.
What is the affectionate name for Father Frost in some Russian fairy tales?
A. Freezer. V. Morozko.
B. Morozets. G. Jellied meat.

What is the name of Santa Claus' "magic wand"?
A. Scepter. V. Rod.
B. Staff. G. Palitsa.
What kind of headdress does our Russian Santa Claus wear?
A. Kolpak. B. Boyarka hat.
B. Turban. G. Pot.
(And Santa Claus walks around in a red cap.)
Where does Santa Claus get gifts for Russian children on New Year's Day?
A. From the chest. B. From the bag.
B. From the safe. G. From a sock.
What is the name of the fairy tale by V.F. Odoevsky?
A. “Moroz Ivanovich.” V. “Kholod Petrovich.”
B. "Kolotun Nikolaevich." G. “Cold Semyonovna.”
What fairy tale was written by G.Kh. Andersen?
A. "Spruce". V. "Pine".
B. "Fir". G. "Cedar".
What is the name of the place where Christmas trees are sold?
A. Green market. B. Christmas tree market.
B. Green auction. G. Coniferous supermarket.
Which Kremlin tower appears on TV screens on New Year's Eve?
A. Borovitskaya. V. Nikolskaya.
B. Spasskaya. G. Kutafya.
What item does every Japanese consider it their duty to purchase in order to rake in new happiness in the coming year?
A. A shovel. B. Fishing net.
B. Bamboo rake. G. A straw basket.
Under the guise of a representative of which profession does the Mongolian Santa Claus appear on New Year's Eve?
A. Cook. V. Shepherd.
B. Steelmaker. G. Cosmonaut.
What time of year is New Year celebrated in Australia?
A. Summer. B. Autumn.
B. Winter. G. Spring.

NEW YEAR'S QUIZ

1. The most important grandfather at the New Year holiday. (Freezing.)
2. Nickname of Santa Claus. (Red nose.)
3. The city where the residence of Father Frost in Russia is located. (Veliky Ustyug.)
4. Santa Claus's wand. (Staff.)
5. Storage of gifts from Santa Claus. (Bag.)
6. Granddaughter of Santa Claus. (Snow Maiden.)
7. Part of the world where the custom of celebrating the New Year at the Christmas tree arose. (Europe.)
8. A mandatory attribute of the New Year's holiday. (Christmas tree.)
9. Giving the tree a New Year's look. (Decoration.)
10. Place for New Year's sale of trees and Christmas tree decorations. (Bazaar.)
11. Strings of lanterns on a New Year tree. (Garland.)
12. They are lit both on the Christmas tree and on the festive table. (Candles.)
13. Shiny New Year's ribbon. (Tinsel.)
14. A long narrow ribbon made of colored paper, which is thrown at each other at the New Year's party. (Serpentine.)
15. Substitute for snow on the New Year tree. (Vata.)
16. Multi-colored paper circles that are showered on each other at the New Year's party. (Confetti.)
17. Colored decorative lights flying into the air. (Fireworks.)
18. Close people with whom you most often celebrate the New Year. (Relatives.)
19. Time of day when New Year is celebrated. (Night.)
20. A chain of children and adults holding hands and walking around the New Year tree singing. (Round dance.)
21. A cold, sweet treat that looks like snow. (Ice cream.)
22. The last day of December in relation to the New Year. (Eve.)
23. New Year's tree branch. (Paw.)
24. They are usually given as gifts for the New Year. (Present.)
25. A toy that, when it bursts upon impact, makes a sharp sound and throws out confetti. (Clapperboard.)
26. Costume ball on New Year's Eve. (Masquerade.)

In which country in the world is New Year's grandfather called Pere Noel? (France)
In which country is New Year's grandfather called Toshigami? (Japan)
Which country has a tradition of calling the New Year's old man Yolupukki? (Finland)
Which Russian city is considered the birthplace of the Snow Maiden? (Kostroma)
Where is it customary to decorate with bamboo for the New Year? (In Vietnam)
Which country in the world has a tradition of decorating the New Year's holiday with holly branches? (USA)
In this country, instead of a Christmas tree, a tangerine tree is brought into the house for the New Year. (China)
Where on New Year's Eve they dance around a house made of palm leaves instead of a Christmas tree? (In Ghana)

New Year's quiz for grades 1 and 2

1. Which New Year's grandfather has a long red fur coat, a boyar hat, a thick white beard and a long staff in his hands and a very kind smile?
2. This Santa Claus has a white beard, a red hat with a pompom, bright swimming trunks on his tanned body, sunglasses and a surfboard. Where is he from?
3. In this country, the New Year coincides with the cattle breeding holiday. Santa Claus comes to the children in the clothes of a cattle breeder, with a fox hat on his head, a long whip in his hands, a flint and a snuffbox on his side. What country are we talking about?
4. From which movie is this catchphrase: “There is an attitude to have fun celebrating the New Year”?
5. Which city is declared the geographical homeland of the Russian Father Frost?
6. In which country does the local Santa Claus himself, Bobbo Natale, give out gifts, but the fairy Befana with a red cap and crystal slippers?
7. In what country does Santa Claus have such a funny name - Joulupukki?
8. What is the name of the Spanish Santa Claus?
* * * * * *
Now let's change the problem a little. You will need to choose the correct answer from the three offered.
9. In which country is New Year's grandfather called Baba Zhara?
1) In Panama; 2) in Cambodia; 3) in Sudan.
10. In which country do residents make a New Year's greeting bouquet from pine, bamboo, plum, woven with rice straws with the addition of fern and tangerine branches?
1) In China; 2) in Japan; 3) in Thailand.
11. In which country, before the New Year holiday, are homes decorated with branches of the coffee tree?
1) In Nicaragua; 2) in Brazil; 3) in Kenya.
12. In which country do they celebrate New Year near a palm tree?
1) In Cuba; 2) in Nepal; 3) in Saudi Arabia.
13. In which country, instead of a Christmas tree, do they use the Metrosideros tree, which blooms with red flowers?
1) in Ghana; 2) in Australia; 3) in Singapore.
14. Where on New Year’s Eve do they throw bamboo shoots into the hearth to scare away evil spirits with crackling and hissing?
1) In Korea; 2) in Japan; 3) in China.

New Year's quiz for grades 3 and 4

1. How was the first Christmas tree decorated in France in 1600? The first mention of the New Year tree in literature dates back to this year.
2. What are Christmas trees made of in the Philippines? What dish in Holland is served only on the New Year's table?
3. In Japan, on New Year’s Eve, branches of two plants are tied at the door - a symbol of fidelity and longevity. One of them is pine, and the other?
4. In which country (in the city of Pajakylä) is there a Santa Claus post office?
5. In Bulgaria, it’s customary to bake coins and… into New Year’s pies.
6. What do they always sew for the New Year in Korea?
7. What person, today a rare profession, is considered a symbol of happiness in Austria?
8. The heroine of which Ostrovsky play would be very useful to us here at New Year’s Eve?
9. In 1638, gilded and silver-plated toys appeared on Christmas tree branches. Which?
10. In which country was the day when the first snow passed the beginning of the new year?
11. What do they eat in Sweden for the New Year?
12. What is the name of Santa Claus in Italy?
13. What do the people of Hungary use to ward off evil spirits before the New Year?
14. What do Japanese children draw and put under their pillows on New Year's Eve?
15. Cubans fill all the dishes with water on New Year’s Eve. What do they do with this water?
16. What is strictly forbidden to do in China on the first days of the New Year
17. In which country is it customary to joke on New Year’s Day, like we do on April 1st?
18. Why shouldn’t you stand under the windows on New Year’s Eve in Panama?
19. Why do the Scots bring a piece of coal to visit on New Year's Eve?
20. What was the name of the boy with an icy heart?
21. Which fairy tale hero fought the Mouse King on New Year’s Eve?
22. In which Russian city does Father Frost live?
23. Who was the first in the world to establish the custom of celebrating the New Year?
24. The longest-living Christmas tree is in one of the cities in the American state of Indiana. What's the name of this town?
25. In Australia, Santa Claus doesn’t come on a sleigh, but on what?
26. Residents of which island are the first to celebrate the New Year on our planet?

CONIFEROUS QUIZ

Which forest thins out before the New Year?

(Coniferous forest. Spruce forest, pine forest, etc.)

What beauty dresses up once a year?

(New Year's Christmas tree.)

Thanks to the work of people of what profession, the New Year is dressed up Christmas tree?

(Glass blowers.)

Which country is considered the historical homeland of Christmas and then New Year's Christmas trees?

(Germany.)

When was she born? herringbone according to a biological passport?

How many years does he live? spruce, what if he avoids the fate of becoming a New Year's tree?

(Spruce lives 300-400 years. Long-lived Christmas trees can live up to 500 years.)

What family do they belong to? Christmas trees?

(To the family pine.)

At what age do you ate Are there bumps?

(At 35 - 40 years old.)

Can spruce to predict the weather?

Length of all roots of one tree ate equal to approximately 2 km, and one tree pine trees- six times more. What conclusion can be drawn about the living conditions of these trees?

(Pinegrows in drier soils than spruce.)

Why do pine trees in the forest the lower branches die off, and ate No?

(Pine- light-loving plant.)

What kind of wood were ship masts made from?

(From pine trees)

What can be obtained from pine needles pine trees?

(Vitamin flour, artificial wool.)

Pine can be planted to strengthen sands, and spruce No. Why?

(U pine trees the roots go deep into the soil, and ate they are located close to the surface.)

How to distinguish a cedar branch pine trees from the branch pine trees ordinary?

(Pine has two needles in a bunch, while cedar needles have five.)

Which forest is darkest - in spruce or pine?

(In spruce.)

Which coniferous is the tree considered the most musical?

(Spruce. Pianos, balalaikas, and guitars are made from spruce.)

What kind of wood coniferous tree sinks in water?

(Larch.)

Which wood is ours? coniferous wood is not destroyed by water and air and is stored for thousands of years?

(larches. Its wood is used for underwater structures, shipbuilding, etc.)

From which coniferous The interior parts of the Moscow Kremlin buildings are made of wood, does the wood of this tree not rot?

(Larch.)

Which coniferous the tree is also called Siberian cedar?

(Sosn y.)

From the seeds of which Eurasian pine trees get butter?

(From cedar - Siberian pine.)

How many pine Does a squirrel need pine cones a day to be full?

(380 pieces. Cedar - 2 pieces, spruce - 30 pieces. And squirrels don’t really like pine cones, they are very resinous.)

In the old days in Rus' they brewed beer using young shoots of this hop instead of hops. coniferous tree. Which one?

(Pines.)

What plant is called "grape" coniferous forests"?

(Juniper.)

Which tree is the only one coniferous- poisonous?

(Yew berry.)

Name the "pencil" tree.

(Cedar.)

Which coniferous wood hardly burns and “loves” fires?

(Sequoia evergreen, cultivated in the south of Russia.)

The scientific name of this valued by landscape designers ate – spruce Engelman. And by what “color” name do we know it?

(Blue spruce.)

A forest of aspens is called an aspen forest, and a forest of oaks is called an oak grove. What are the coniferous forests called? oil? Pines? Kedrov? Fir?

(Spruce forest, forest, cedar or cedar forest, fir forest.)

Saffron milk caps willingly grow under Christmas trees And pine trees. Spruce mushrooms grow in spruce forests, but what else are the names of pine mushrooms?

(Bog mushroom.)

What forest bird living in the Siberian taiga can remember the location of almost six thousand of its storerooms, in which it hid its supplies for the winter?

(This is smart cedar sheep hiding cedar cones in storage rooms. Her visual memory is larger than that of a human.)

Which plant is not a coniferous: cypress or eucalyptus?

(Eucalyptus.)

Which conifers plants reach a diameter of 12 meters?

(Sequoia.)

What valuable ornamental stone is fossil resin coniferous trees?

(Amber.)

The rod of which ancient god was crowned spruce bump?

(Dionysus, or Bacchus.)

The winner of which games in Ancient Greece was awarded a wreath of pine trees?

(Winner of the Isthmian Games.)

What wood was Jupiter's scepter made of? Trojan horse? Cupid's arrows?

(Scepter from cypress, horse from ate, arrows from cedar.)

The coat of arms of which Russian city is decorated with a cannon and three Christmas trees?

(Yelnya. Smolensk region, on the Desna River.)

Not only coniferous tree, but also a tributary of the Don.

(Pine.)

Not only pine forest, but also a city in the Nizhny Novgorod region of the Russian Federation.

(Bor.)

Which tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city located in the Lipetsk region on the banks of the river Pines?

(Spruce- Yelets city.)

The name of which European country comes from the word “molid” - “ pine»?

(Moldova, Moldova.)

What is a branch often called? coniferous tree: paw, flipper or claw?

(Paw.)

The name of which animal in English combines the words “pig” and “ pine»?

(Porcupine - porcupine. It resembles a pig in its habit of burrowing in the ground and grunting when grazing. And of course, pine - with its needles.)

The name of which fruit in English consists of two words in one - “ pine" and "apple"?

(Pineapple - pineapple, pine - pine, apple - apple.)

The word “pump” is an anagram of the name of which coniferous tree?

(Pine.)

Not only the drill in the dentist's car, but also pine forest.

(Bor.)

Name the chemical element coniferous forests.

(Bor.)

Which road sign shows coniferous tree?

(On the road sign “Resting Place.”)

What do a brawler boy and pine trees?

(Bumps.)

Which, regardless of the thrown seeds, grows in any furrow?

(Pinery - boron ozda.)

Say in one word the phrase “One pine forest”, if this word is the surname of a Russian composer.

(Bor-one is Borodin.)

How they dressed up Christmas tree during A.S.’s childhood Pushkin?

(The Christmas tree in Russia began to be used as a New Year's tree from the middle XIX centuries, the future poet did not have a New Year tree during his childhood.)

Who wrote the story “The Boy at Christ’s Christmas tree»?

(F.M. Dostoevsky.)

(V. Odoevsky.)

What fairy tale was written by G.Kh. Andersen: “Spruce”, “Pine” or “Fir”?

(« Spruce».)

What tree did Mikhail Lermontov write about “It Stands Lonely in the Wild North”?

(Pine.)

Name the children's writer and storyteller who came up with the Planet of New Year's elo To.

(Gianni Rodari.)

It was in January
stood Christmas tree on the mountain,
And near this one Christmas trees
Evil wolves roamed.

(A. Barto.)

In 1903, Russian writer Raisa Adamovna Kudasheva wrote the poem “ Christmas tree" Quote the first two lines, known to absolutely everyone.

("Born in the forest herringbone...»)

That wooden man was planed from Italian pine trees That's why he had that name. Which?

(Pinocchio. Pinia - Italian pine, a coniferous tree with an umbrella-shaped crown.)

"In Italian pine the cones are prickly and heavy, the size of a small melon. To get hit on the head with such a bump is so oh-oh!” Who did Pinocchio fight off with such bumps?

(From Karabas Barabas.)

Which ballet begins with a scene at the Nativity Christmas trees: “Cinderella” or “Nutcracker”?

("Nutcracker".)

Fill in the missing word in the Russian proverb: “Far pine It’s standing, but it’s making noise for its own.”

(boru.)

What do they say about someone who cannot find a way out of a simple, uncomplicated situation in life?

(In three pine trees got lost.)

How many pine trees stood on the Murom path in the famous Russian song?

(“On the Murom path there were three pine trees, my dear said goodbye to me until next spring.")

What did the characters call their walls in the song from the cartoon “The Town Musicians of Bremen”?

(Pines-giants. “Our walls are giant pine trees...”)

In the XIX century, the Moscow mayor issued a decree in which he established a phrase recommended for coachmen to replace swearing in the presence of ladies. We also use this phrase with success. What phrase did he recommend?

(« Christmas trees-sticks.") Pines.)

What is the name of the place where New Year's gifts are sold? Christmas tree: green market, Christmas tree bazaar or coniferous supermarket?

(Christmas tree bazaar)

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