Christmas: the history of the holiday
This bright holiday was established in honor of the Birth in the flesh of the Son of God by the Virgin Mary .
According to religious doctrine, the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph came to Bethlehem to participate in the census. Since they had nowhere to stay, they spent the night in a cave where there was a pen for cattle. This is where Jesus was born, and the manger became his cradle.
When Jesus was born, a bright light began to emanate from the star of Bethlehem, which notified the world of the birth of the Savior. The light of the star also showed the way to the eastern sages - the wise men, who generously gave the baby - this is where the tradition of giving gifts for Christmas originates.
According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was born during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the Jewish city of Bethlehem. Having learned about the birth of Christ, King Herod ordered to kill all children under the age of 2, but Mary’s husband Joseph miraculously saved his family by fleeing to Egypt and staying there until Herod’s death.
“The Christmas holiday is a family holiday” class hour (4th grade) on the topic
Christmas is a family holiday.
Target. introduce the history of the origin of the Christmas holiday;
Objectives: expand the spiritual world of children; create an atmosphere of the Nativity of Christ.
Equipment: ICT, Christmas tree, table with refreshments.
Progress of the holiday.
Children take their seats in the hall to the music of “The Christmas Carol.” The hall is elegantly decorated, with a Christmas tree in the center.
I. Organizational moment.
Teacher:
The holiday of Christmas reminds us of mercy and love for one's neighbor. Jesus Christ was born on our earth to show us an example of love and care for our family, friends and even strangers. God wants children to be obedient to their parents and teachers, to be merciful to the weak and sick, to love and respect each other. Presenter:
This bright holiday will not bypass us either. Each of us - both children and adults - prepares to meet it with a special feeling.
-Why do you think Christmas is considered a family holiday?
— How is Christmas celebrated in your family?
-What is Christmas? Let's find out from the book.
The Bible is a book of books! From it you can learn about the life of Jesus Christ (shows illustrations depicting the Nativity).
Student 1:
What happened in Bethlehem? What good news? Why did the choirs of angels from heaven sing praises? Student 2:
We all know, we will answer the question very quickly: This night Jesus Christ was born on the planet. Leading:
More than two thousand years ago, in the city of Bethlehem, a boy named Jesus was born. This night, which turned the fate of humanity upside down, was marked by the appearance of a bright new star in the black sky. The birth of Jesus Christ was an important event, a great event. Christianity began with His birth, and gave a new direction to history itself. And since then, people have been celebrating the Nativity of Christ and rejoicing in this bright day. How Christmas is celebrated today is significantly different from how Christmas was celebrated in the old days. Every family celebrating Christmas gathered at home. The lamp that hung above the table illuminated the delicious treats. At home, the Christmas tree was decorated for the holiday. The children received great joy from making Christmas gifts for loved ones and Christmas tree decorations.
Every family celebrating Christmas was concerned that poor people should also have a holiday. They were invited into the house, seated at the table, and treated to food.
Now we hang a variety of toys on the Christmas tree, but in the past it was customary to hang treats on it - nuts wrapped in shiny pieces of paper, sweets, gingerbread cookies. The tree reminded people of the lost paradise, of the tree of life and its beautiful fruits.
Now the tree is crowned with an eight-pointed Christmas star - in honor of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the Magi the way to the Infant Christ.
Student 3: Every year it shines on the day of great celebration and with lights it heralds the Bright holiday of Christmas. Student 4: Oh, what golden stars on the branches! And over there, look, higher up, there are big apples! Student 5: Here a scarlet gilded nut trembles on a ribbon. The lights sparkle, shine Brighter than all!
Scene:
Masha: Grandma, why do they decorate the Christmas tree at Christmas?
- Why is it in the center of the holiday, and not a birch, for example, or a hazel tree?
Seryozha: And why are the tops of the Christmas tree decorated with a bright star?
Grandmother: Oh, my dear children, there’s a whole story about this too. Well, listen up. My grandmother told me this story when I was little.
“When Christ was born, all the trees came up to congratulate him and brought gifts, some of whom had what: a hazel tree - nuts, an apple tree - apples, an olive tree - olives. Only the Christmas tree stood in the distance and did not come closer.
“Why don’t you come up to congratulate the Baby?” the other trees asked her.
“I’m prickly, I’m afraid to prick the little one,” she answered.
Oh, you kind sad tree!
For this, the Child rewarded her and made it so that on his birthday the tree is decorated with apples, gilded nuts, sweets and all sorts of toys.”
Host: Riddle competition. a) In the middle of winter there is a great celebration. Great holiday - ... (Christ's Nativity)! b) Everyone is waiting for him - from kids, to dads and moms, and everyone dressed up is rushing to the service... (to the temple). c) And, having fluffed up the green needles, the Christmas trees... (Christmas trees) flaunt. d) So that this evening passes with prayer, All the people in the temple light... (candles).
e) After all, the most wonderful miracle of all came true on this day -... (Jesus Christ) was born on earth.
Leading:
The most important part of the Christmas celebration, as well as the preparation for it, takes place in the temple.
Remember who was the first to know about the birth of Christ? Of course, shepherds. The Angel of the Lord informed them about this. And immediately the heavenly army of angels appeared and began to sing to praise the Lord, His Nativity. So the first gift to Christ is angelic singing.
On January 7, after the service in the temple, believers return home to the festive table. Everyone treats each other and gives gifts.
Presenter: Now, guys, let's play the game “Pass the Candy”:
The candy is passed around while music plays. The music stops: whoever holds the candy is eliminated (takes the candy).
III. Reflection:
— Why did Christmas become a family holiday?
-What preparations do you make together as a family?
We are ready to celebrate the holiday. Remember that Christmas reminds us how important it is to do good. We end the holiday with tea, communication with children, parents, and presentation of gifts.
IV.Literature:
1. Borodina A.V. Fundamentals of Orthodox culture. The world around and within us Textbook for grade 1 (2) Moscow: Orthodox pedagogy", 2004 2. Westley. A.-K. Christmas M.: EKSMO - Press, 2001.
3.Zhuk L.I..Ah, carnival! Ed. Krasiko-Print LLC, Minsk, 2000
Christmas – when is it celebrated in Belarus?
The great holiday of the Nativity of Christ begins the day before, January 6, with Christmas Eve or Holy Evening . Its significance is so great that we even calculate chronology from the moment the first star appears in the sky, marking the Birth of Jesus Christ.
Holy Evening is the last day of the 40-day fast and a period of intensive preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. Traditionally, on this day you are not supposed to eat until the first star appears in the sky.
On January 7, Jerusalem, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Serbian and other Orthodox churches also celebrate Christmas - for example, in Ethiopia.
Merry Christmas wishes for family
Merry Christmas, my dear family! May this holiday, the miracle of this day make us all friendlier and kinder, may hope and faith, sincerity and warmth awaken in each of us. I wish everyone peace and happiness, health and love. May our family know no troubles, no quarrels, no envy, may comfort, mutual understanding and prosperity always reign in our home. Merry Christmas!
I want to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart on the magical holiday of hope, May the Lord protect this beautiful family from troubles. May there be happiness in your home, Let ringing laughter always sound, I wish you good health and understanding for everyone. May your family prosper, May prosperity and comfort reign, And may the Angels always sing a song of joy over you.
May goodness, humility and happiness come into your home on Christmas, And an angel with a trembling wing will protect you from bad weather. Keep warmth in your heart, Value your family like gold, May the saints protect you, Always live in harmony!
My beloved and dear people, my beautiful family, I congratulate you on Christmas and want to wish you an unquenchable light of joy in your hearts and eternal sincere love. May our home be spared any troubles, may God protect our family from envy and evil, may everyone be healthy and happy!
I hasten to congratulate your family on a wonderful, bright celebration, on a magical holiday of hope, on a great, glorious Christmas. I wish you all health, kindness, patience, understanding, May the Lord help you in all your affairs and endeavors.
I wish only the best for your family on Christmas Day! May you all be happy, healthy, take care of your hearth! Let everything you want happen, may the Lord protect you! Just keep peace in your family, do not know sadness and worries!
My beloved family, I wish you a Merry Christmas. My near and dear people, I sincerely wish you all the best and kindness. Forget grievances, forgive each other, hug and smile more, enjoy the sun, don’t be sad when it rains, embrace life and thank God for every breath. Thank you for having me. Family is happiness. I wish everyone health, energy, strength, hope, mutual understanding and love!
I hasten to congratulate your glorious family on Christmas. May the Lord help you and give you his grace. Let peace, harmony, peace live in the hearts and souls, And let despondency and boredom drive away ringing laughter. Happiness and understanding to you, May your wishes come true. I sincerely wish you joy and prosperity on this holiday.
Merry Christmas, dear ones, congratulations, I wish the best for our entire family. The light of the Christmas star will flash outside the window, Illuminate our home with joy and happiness. On Christmas Day I wish you love, my family, and peace for your family.
Merry Christmas, dear ones, Boundless happiness to you, dear ones! May the Lord always help us and illuminate our path every day! I wish you to know neither loss nor grief, May there be hope and support, May there be eternal love, We will say “Thank you” to the Lord again!
Christmas January 7 and December 25: what is the difference between the holidays
Orthodox and Catholic Christmas have no differences in essence . Only the dates and external form differ.
The Catholic Church and Protestant denominations of Christianity celebrate Christmas on December 25 according to the modern Gregorian calendar. But the Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas according to the Julian calendar (old style) on January 7th.
In addition, the importance of the holiday differs. For the West, the birth of Christ is the most important religious holiday in the calendar, and for the East, Easter is more important - the day of the Resurrection of the Lord.
Both religions celebrate Christmas Eve - the evening before Christmas night (Jesus was born at night - hence another legend about the Star of Bethlehem). The name in Russian comes from the word sochivo - wheat grains soaked in berry juice or honey - a dish that is prepared for this bright holiday.
Christmas is celebrated for 12 days, until Epiphany - January 19. This period is called Christmastide.
Christmas 2020: traditions and customs of the Orthodox holiday
On the evening of January 6, Holy Evening, after sunset the whole family gathers at the table, on which there are 12 Lenten dishes - according to the number of apostles . None of the dishes should remain untouched: each one should be tasted at least a little. It’s good if there is a candle burning on the table - a living fire.
The main Christmas dish is considered to be kutia - wheat or rice porridge mixed with raisins, poppy seeds, honey, and nuts . Grains, grains are a symbol of people glued together into humanity. This dinner ends the strict Nativity fast: on January 7, all restrictions are lifted, and you can have a real festive feast.
They say that on New Year's Day, houses should smell like tangerines, and on Christmas, the house should be saturated with the aromas of cinnamon and vanilla. That is, this holiday is unthinkable without festive baking. At Christmas, another tradition has long been followed: to wear only new clothes. Not clean, washed, but new, not yet worn. Well, and, of course, on this day there was a ban on any work: sewing, washing, cleaning (especially taking out trash from the house) was prohibited. All food must be prepared in advance.
Another important element of Belarusian Christmas is caroling . Starting from the evening of January 6, carolers walked around the courtyards - dressed up boys and girls with a large six- or eight-pointed star decorated with multi-colored ribbons. The carols glorify the Nativity of Christ, and also wish happiness and prosperity to the owners of each home. Carolers were rewarded with coins and treats for their chants.
But girls were not supposed to carol. At this time, they were sitting at home and wondering about their fate and their betrothed. It was believed that fortune telling at Christmas is the most truthful, because at this time the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead become thinnest, and otherworldly forces penetrate our world, revealing the secrets of the future and influencing our destinies. These long-standing traditions have been preserved to this day.
A good tradition that forces you to pay attention to yourself and spend time with your loved ones . By the way, in the first days of Christmas week, visits were common: it was supposed to visit relatives and good friends. But a visit to their home should have been a visit, not a visit: they stopped by for 15-20 minutes, no more - with congratulations and wishes.
Nowadays, of course, you can get by with a phone call, the main thing is to let the people you care about know that you remember them and wish them the best. By the way, if you open not the door, but the window in due time, it doesn’t matter: Christmas will come in through it too. And maybe something completely magical will happen in your life.
PORTAL CONTACTS
A couple of years ago, my daughter and I were returning from the temple. Snow was falling, our souls were quiet and comfortable, we were silent. People ran past, the bustle of the secular New Year's celebration was felt. Suddenly Verochka said: “Mom, I’m looking at all the people. They are in a hurry somewhere, laughing at something, and none of them knows how beautiful our home is, what a holiday! Poor…” It’s for this feeling of attraction of one’s home, the feeling of its exceptional role in life, that it’s probably worth working hard.
Before the winter holidays, I found myself at the Christmas tree with my daughter and her class.
I was struck not only by the lack of taste, the vulgarity and absurdity of what was happening, but the feeling of cold that arose remained a heavy aftertaste in my soul. We returned home from this “holiday” with special pleasure... Similar impressions accumulate in the minds of children, and they become accustomed to bad taste and mediocrity. Only family and joint creativity with parents can resist this. When the tradition of celebrating Christmas as a special holiday arose in our family, we did not think about why it was needed. The eldest child was very tiny, relatives and close people gathered at the table, there was a sincere conversation about the events of the Nativity of Christ (and we weren’t even in the church yet), and everything was so sweet and warm that I wanted to consolidate this tradition. The children grew up, and the opportunity arose to involve them in preparing for the holiday, which turned out to be necessary for everyone - both small and adult family members. How to preserve this unifying tradition and make sure that children in difficult, so-called transitional ages do not grow cold towards it and do not become spiritually alienated from their family and home? I think, first of all, we need to learn to accept the fact that children grow up, their tastes and needs change, but only the thirst for love, warmth and understanding remains the same. What a seven-year-old son liked no longer satisfies a fourteen-year-old teenager. Perhaps he is already embarrassed to sing, read poetry and does not want to pretend to be a bunny. All this does not mean that he has lost interest in home performances - he is simply afraid of looking funny. But he will be happy to paint the scenery or make new nativity figures, take on the “stage” lighting or “noise” design.
It is important not to force or reproach your child, but to involve him in preparing the holiday. It is also important to be able to “step on the throat of your own song” and not insist on your own version of the script. Maybe your child didn’t come up with the best creative idea, but it’s better to let him carry out his plans than to impose your ideas. In the end, our goal is a good and fun holiday, not a professional performance. And even if the son decided to stage a poem about Donut Travelers with the participation of real - oiled, sprinkled with powdered sugar - donuts placed in a toy carriage. Who knows, maybe it’s just you who thinks this idea is terrible, but your son will turn out funny? By the way, I myself just dissuaded my children from these “donuts”, which I still regret... Also, in my opinion, it is important to exclude even a hint of the “spirit of competition”: let’s say, last year one of the guests amazed everyone with a particularly successful number, and you set the task of surpassing them. Such sentiments deprive a home holiday of all meaning, making it false.
Studying music, taking classes in an art studio, participating in school concerts and even participating in theatrical performances in the most wonderful Sunday school will never replace what joint creativity in your own family can provide. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen successful amateur school productions, and even Sunday school performances sometimes leave much to be desired. But I have never noticed any family singing poorly in chorus or performing a puppet show soullessly; so that someone’s dad would mediocrely read the words “from the author” from a piece of paper, and his grandmother would inexpressively crochet, portraying Arina Rodionovna.
In conclusion, I will once again “quote” my own daughter. She once told me: “I dream that when I grow up, Sashenka and I will be friends, like you and Aunt Olya. We will have our own families, and we will organize the same performances and all sorts of surprises for our children - like you do for us!”
Elena Gaase
Newspaper “Orthodox Faith”, No. 1, 2011
Signs for Holy Evening and Christmas
Traditionally, on Christmas Day you can find out what the weather will be like:
- if the sky is starry, the chickens will lay eggs well and there will be a rich pea harvest;
- starry sky after midnight - summer will be dry and fruitful;
- moonlit night - to the harvest of watermelons and melons;
- icy trees - to a harvest of nuts and fruits;
- snowy evening - there will be a harvest for apples;
- frost or snow - summer will be wet;
- if the kutya grains rise over the edge, it’s good, but if they fall to the bottom, it’s bad.
What not to do on Christmas Day January 7th:
- not a single dish on the festive table should remain untouched;
- do cleaning and household chores - it is believed that in this way a person can attract misfortune to the house;
- you cannot swear and use foul language - this way you can harm both yourself and your ancestors, taking away their hope of salvation;
- putting on old clothes - this way you can attract poverty and misfortune;
- refusing help to those in need is considered one of the main prohibitions;
- do not buy ropes on the second day of Christmas, so that there will never be a hanged person in your family;
- Do not cook jelly for Christmas, so as not to invite the dead into your house.
Consultation for parents “Christmas in folk traditions”
Irishka Totmina
Consultation for parents “Christmas in folk traditions”
Consultation for parents
«Christmas in folk traditions»
To ensure that Christmas always reminds your children of something joyful, warm and kind, start celebrating this day with the whole family. Create your own family traditions . It is important that everything reminds as much as possible of the essence of Christmas . You can decorate the room with Christmas : angels, nativity scene and candles. You can place a picture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus on a bed of hay to signify that this family was in a stable.
It is believed that a child who is immersed in an atmosphere of joy from a very early age will grow up to be more resilient to many unexpected situations and will be less susceptible to stress and disappointment. For a child, a holiday is a whole event.
Village children in groups went from house to house and sang carols - songs, the main meaning of which was the wishes of a rich harvest, health and all kinds of prosperity.
For this, the owners had to give the carolers pies, gingerbread or money, depending on what they were rich in.
In the old days, on Christmas and Christmastide, animal figures, most often pigs, were baked from dough. These figures were called “roes”
and were a symbol of
fertility . People gave each other these cookies. Whoever ate a “roe”
seemed to receive the good, useful qualities of the animal whose appearance it resembled.
A preschool child is quite capable of making simple decorations. The easiest way to make chains is from strips of colored paper. One of the main attributes of Christmas is the Christmas star , which flashed in the sky near the city of Bethlehem at the moment of the birth of the Savior .
You can draw an outline on thick cardboard and cut out a star. Cut gold, silver or multi-colored foil into small pieces and paste them over the star on both sides. Another fun Christmas custom is dressing up . Christmas and Christmastide are not complete without fortune telling. It is quite possible to choose fortune telling that is interesting for your child. In a beautiful bag or in a wide cup of water we put various small objects, for example, a key, a ring, a pebble, a coin, some small figurine, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, etc. All participants in the fortune-telling take out one object each, and the leader (fortune teller)
interpret this item depending on who pulled it out.
You can show a shadow theater. For example, to act out a short scene about how an angel informs the shepherds about the birth of Christ , you will need cardboard figurines of shepherds with long staffs. The Russian people are generous with treats . And even more so on Christmas . There should be at least twelve dishes on the festive table, certainly Christmas cake . Christmas gatherings are ending , but the holiday is not over yet. Christmas time is ahead, winter fun awaits the children.
Fortune telling at Christmas: for the betrothed and for the future
In fact, fortune telling, like any other magic and divination, is prohibited in Christianity. This is considered a sin. But for our ancestors, Christmas time, Christmastide, was one of the best times to predict one’s fate. Therefore, the choice, as always, is yours. Young girls usually wondered about marriage and their betrothed, because the wedding period would soon begin again.
4 kings
Take a deck of regular playing cards and draw all 4 kings. Before going to bed, you need to put them under your pillow, and in the morning, take one out without looking. The card will show the character of the future husband. The king of spades is not only old, but also very jealous, the king of clubs is a military man, the king of hearts is rich and young, the king of diamonds is desirable.
Bread and scissors
According to an old belief, if you put bread and scissors under your pillow, your future betrothed will come to her in a dream.
Fortune telling with a stocking
Buy new stockings and wear one of them before bed. Before going to bed, say the words: “Betrothed, mummer, come take off my shoes.” It is advisable to repeat several times. Your beloved should appear in your dream, taking off his stocking.
Bridge over the water
Pour water into a bowl and take a small wooden stick. Before going to bed, throw a stick into the water and place it under the bed with the words: “Betrothed, come take me across the bridge.” The young man who appeared at night is your betrothed.
Fortune telling for the whole company
Often girls told fortunes at Christmas time not alone, but in a group, it was much more fun. This time we also need company, get together. You need to take a bowl and put objects into it that clearly display some character traits. Sweets - the sweetness of life, jewelry - wealth, a glass - fun, a ring - a wedding. You may have your own items, this is just an example. Next, each girl must choose one item without looking. This will be her chosen one.
