Delicate aroma of pine needles, iridescent shimmering Christmas tree tinsel, colorful mountain of packed gifts under the tree, fluffy snow outside the windows, cartouches frost intricate patterns. It is this picture rises before the mind's eye at the mention of the name of the holiday. Despite the rapid run of centuries, Merry Christmas is the most important. The most magical, a true family, a holiday of miracles and goodness.
A little history
Overestimate the spiritual and cultural values of this holiday is difficult. Get at least a tradition to celebrate Christmas with his family. Did you know that it has come to us from the distant past? When our ancestors gathered at the Russian stove, to see how the hostess melt it in a special way. The furnace laid 12 Christmas logs and fire cut by kresalom that within 12 days lying under the icons.
This fire serves traditional meatless dishes, baked loaf of bread, and numerous members of the family gathered around the same table to break bread and spend time at the family holiday treat.
Festive celebrations and all kinds of costume parties almost exactly repeat the Christmas carols and processions of maskers, when young people went from house to house singing the traditional "Kolyada" in exchange for treats and gifts.
On holidays in Russia we do not forget about those who can not sit at the family table. And often invited to the table to knock the house of a beggar. It was believed that Christ himself in the image of the poor comes down here that day on the ground and knocking on doors. Hence the tradition - to make this day unselfish good deeds, help those who are deprived by chance festive food, warmth and shelter the family hearth.
Christmas today
In modern high-rise building is hardly a real Russian oven. Make a fire in the apartment, if you do not fire, even of 12 logs of Christmas - not the best idea. However, the true and carols can not evaluate all of your neighbors. So how do you mark this holiday? We hope that some of these ideas of light and good in every sense of the holiday to help those who want to follow the tradition and spirit of Christmas.
I write to you ...
How long have you seen their distant relatives who live in another city, and maybe even the country? Or send them a letter, now "live" in an envelope, not a collection of letters by e-mail. So why not recall the unjustly forgotten the tradition of writing letters to each other? And do not make a list of those you would like to please, or to congratulate once again to talk about how they will road. Buy or make a postcard with your own hands. Find a warm sincere words and write their mother tongue. Holiday Merry Christmas - a great reason even at a distance "warm up" someone with your love, be at least at the time of reading the letter a little closer, to share his joy.
My family is my treasure
Remember that the most unforgettable and incomparable sense of home, which covers you in childhood when the whole family gathered for the holiday table? Bustle of modern life rarely provides the ability to stop and think about what really is valuable. Rather - priceless. Hands mother, father, "funny" jokes, pickles from a favorite aunt, nonstop humorous pererugivaniya nephews and sister stories about colic her newborn child. All of what you fancy at the mention of the word "family." Gather your family members under one roof. Dress up the Christmas tree, prepare a small but, believe me, it is very valuable for your loved ones gifts. After all, who but you know the tastes and preferences of their relatives! Spend the holiday with his family, let them know how much they mean to you.
The Forest Raised a Christmas Tree
If it is impossible to separate the real Christmas fire in your home, then it is best to get to where you will be able to lay down the hearth of Christmas logs and see the flames of living fire. In the nearby forest, outside the city. Gather your friends, remove the cottage for a few days or a house, get the most beautiful Christmas tree and decorate it with your friends. And then, as a child, the reason the forest around the beautiful dance.
Of course, you need to find some advance text of these Christmas carols, then you will have the opportunity to feel like a hero of Gogol "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka." If you get not just a country town, and soon from your city or village now a small village, you will have the opportunity to see from the side, or even take part in the Christmas carols. In contrast to the city, in the villages the tradition of caroling that night is still alive.
Christmas in temple
Of course, the main tradition of celebrating a solemn service in the church. Yet Christmas - it is a religious holiday. And if you want to meet him in accordance with the canons of the Church, your way is the nearest temple.
Christmas service looks very beautiful and solemn. Church these days is decorated with fir branches, quivering flames of candles and chandeliers illuminate the enlightened, humble faces on icons. And the atmosphere is permeated by the light of worship and peace, the descended on everyone present at this moment under the arches of the temple. Many believers in unison happy Christmas. And pray for the welfare of their loved ones. With the choir of children's voices are heard are clean, performing praise.
Do Good
Probably the most important tradition Merry Christmas - to do good. Not expecting thanks or recognition to perform a miracle for those most in need. You do not need to have angel wings behind the back, or have in place a magic wand. It's that simple, "the wizard to work."
Invite your friends to organize a show for children from a nearby orphanage. Rehearse some fairy tale. Sew costumes, hand made gifts, and best of all - bought sweets or bake cakes, and go to those who on this day was no family warmth. Who may need this miracle, and who sincerely believe in it.
Not because it is required by tradition, at the behest of the soul and give warmth to those who from childhood by chance he does not know what the mother's hands. The ability to see the genuine joy, sincere and pure in the eyes of the children will be for you an invaluable gift that much more material wealth.
You can not just arrange their own holiday for orphans, but also to organize a kind of charity event. Bring to the organization you work for. Or organize a fundraiser and things for the needs of the orphanage, hanged in his district announcement.
Christmas divination
Yule divination - is also one of the traditions of Christmas. Get together with friends and arrange a small digression into the alleged future. Moreover, the methods of divination, come down to us from the past, a great multitude:
Guessing the mirror. In the reflection mirror girl should see the face of her future husband.
Guessing on wax. Melt the wax on a candle flame and pour in one motion in a bowl with water. Wax figure tells about future events.
Divination with shoes. Throw a shoe over the threshold; which will indicate his sock out an unmarried girl should expect the matchmakers.
Of course, it is not necessary to attach much importance to divination. May they become for you a way to have fun with friends, to talk about her, a maiden. After all, your future and the choice of her spouse only in your hands.
Merry Christmas gives a feeling of peace and harmony in the soul, inspires faith in a better future. It gives us the ability to believe in miracles, and even create their own hands. Smile at the world around you, friends and complete strangers. You will receive the same smile. This is an immutable law of the universe. Sharing your inner light and warmth, you will receive a hundredfold it from your loved ones. Keep in mind the pure light of Christmas, let it keep you all next year.
Merry Christmas!
We strongly recommend to read: the candles with their hands
Contents:
Ancient tradition and modernity
Gifts for baby?
Gifts friends and relatives
Christmas - one of the most bright holiday that people on all continents celebrate for many hundreds of years. On this day in every person awaken warm feelings and memories, I want to bestow their love of friends and relatives. Invite guests at Christmas is not accepted, even in the modern world is increasingly moving away from this tradition. However, for centuries it was believed that the Holy Supper should be held in the family, in spiritual conversations, thanks to the Lord for all that he gave to your home. The atmosphere of the festival - a calm, quiet and peaceful - a time when you should think about their mistakes, apologize and try to be as good as possible.
No holiday is complete without gifts and Christmas - is no exception. The process of selection and preparation of the future a present - a responsible and meticulous procedure that may bring to mind even the greatest inventor. After all, no one wants to forget, much less to offend by giving unnecessary thing. In addition, the supermarket shelves and small souvenir shops crammed with all sorts of commodities: here and Christmas cards and Christmas tree decorations, and scarves, gloves, cups with the corresponding event posters and stickers. Eyes run from such abundance, and naturally opt for a particular product is very difficult. Therefore, in order not to make mistakes and to prepare for the coming holidays, let's talk about who and what you can pick up the presents.
Ancient tradition and modernity
Christmas gift - something very special. This is sure to be something blissful - a pleasant and without the slightest hint of aggression.
It turns out that in the old days children were given postal kits, books, paints and pencils, board games, porcelain dolls. And, of course, sweets - cookies and candy canes. The children themselves, even from the royal family did not have their own money, so were making their own gifts.
One of the best Christmas gifts considered holiday food baskets, which are usually filled with candy, fruit and cheese sets. Particularly appreciated various statues that depicted angels, shepherds and shepherdesses. The gift was considered successful if it aroused bestowed a kind smile or tears of emotion.
In the rich noble families portrayed the family to each other we launched early in the morning, after returning from a night of worship. The youngest members of the family received sweets and toys, women and girls of marriageable age - fur coats, bright outfits and, of course, jewelry. But the father of the family, children and husband made Christmas gifts with their own hands. Kids under the guidance of the mother or tutor, drew pictures, embroidered, master of all kinds of wood figurines, sopelki and the like. After bestowing all gathered around a large table, crammed with a variety of dishes, and the feast began.
Russian merchants believed that the scale with which the family will hold a celebration, so is going for it next year. Therefore, the house was invited a lot of guests at the table was exposed to 40 different dishes. Christmas gift for the family for a long time did not choose. Often gave "Katya" - hundred-ruble banknote, which was portrayed Catherine, and the lower classes (the servant) was obtained from the owners of ten rubles; more greedy merchants treated small "victims", giving their employees one ruble.
As for modern manners, we can safely say that the tradition of giving a clear still not developed. For example, in the West on Christmas as a present teaches anything from souvenir sweet chocolates or scented candles and ending costly certificates for trip to the spa. In post-Soviet countries give children toys, coloring books, pajamas, and adults, depending on the gender and personal preferences, are content with expensive alcoholic beverages, leather purse, ladies - bags, scarves and so on.
Gifts for baby?
Christmas gift for many people associate with childhood and the happiest time. Think you, as a child, looking forward to this holiday, so mom and dad realized your fondest wish. Therefore, selecting a present for her baby for a few minutes, go back into the past and think, and you would be glad to pack a notebook or a new portfolio? For some parents, trying to save money and consolidate present and necessary thing in one purchase, acquire something practical and necessary. However, this is a mistake. Your Present Better not be too expensive, but welcome.
Of course, the gifts for today's children are somewhat different from the old. Here are some tips for choosing Christmas gifts for kids today.
Do not give toys with a negative image like the Terminator, Maneater, a soldier with a gun.
Be careful with the choice of children's "professional kit" which contains objects denoting membership in the profession. There is no harm in these toys, such as a hairdresser (here are collected combs, curlers, mirrors) or doctor's kit (syringes, bandages, pipettes). But now the police set carries a certain danger - there handcuffs, knives, pistols, truncheons. Such toys awaken deeply hidden in every human aggression when violence seems to be the shortest way to solve the problem.
If you have a growing future sportsman and lover of active play, pick up his skates or roller skates, skis or a new soccer ball. You can buy something less expensive, for example, sports winter gloves, special goggles and the like. Little genius, accustomed to a more tranquil pastime, suitable board and other educational thinking of the game: charades, puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, a set of "Young Chemist" or "nerd", bingo and more. Every girl will be delighted by the new dolls or soft toys. In addition, young fashionistas can buy a beautiful dress, a hairpin or a children's cosmetics. In general, choose a gift, focusing on interests, hobbies, wishes and your child's age.
Gifts friends and relatives
All adults in the soul - these are the same children, and each of us enjoys any manifestation of love, care and warmth, so it is nice to receive gifts. But the very need to answer the same topic -prepodnesti a good show.
For adults, a great gift would be a beautiful bag, purse, nice shawl or scarf, a warm sweater. Women rejoice gift certificate to a salon for a pleasant procedure.
To avoid being branded a banal and not miscalculate with Christmas shopping, consider more options for gifts for the New Year holiday.
So, choosing a present for the man, whether lover, a father or a colleague, be guided by these products:
Those who are interested in sports you can buy the appropriate equipment, tennis rackets, cue, basketball or something else, depending on the preference bestowed.
Indispensable attribute the cold season - warm scarf or hat, leather gloves, socks, sweater, knitted elegant vest and the like.
Work colleagues or boss can be presented daily, expensive pens, elite alcoholic beverages.
If you want to be pampered beloved, remember how he relaxes recently. Maybe your man is not indifferent to computer games; then surprise him by buying the latest new product development - or drive, which, of course, is much more expensive set-top box. Each man will be glad to new phone, an expensive electric shaver, columns or coveted keyboard, the purchase of which he had so long postponed. If you are not limited to finance, you can surprise, planned and paid for a joint vacation abroad.
For women, the most relevant for them are always such we launched:
Jewelry. Every girl is a weakness for jewelry, so Treat favorite, picking up her beautiful necklace or gold chain, earrings elegant and exquisite ring. However, in this case, it is likely to miscalculate the size of the product, so discuss the purchase with his lady in advance or arrange with the seller in the store, in the case that you will be able to change the product.
Unforgettable fun - it can be anything that brings joy to your woman. For example, it would be a wonderful gift subscription for a trip to the spa or a gift certificate for the purchase of cosmetics and the like.
The trip to the resort - it is, as they say, no comment.
No wonder they say that the gift - not the main thing, that particular importance is the attention. The approach to purchasing with fantasy and love, focusing on the character and personal preferences of the person you wish to congratulate the Christmas. Do not forget about the beautiful gift packaging. Much nicer to receive a gift in an original way of packaging, even made their own hands, rather than in a standard bag.
We recommend that read: Gifts for children 5 years
