According to the folk calendar - Berezosok

According to the folk calendar, Birch is celebrated on May 11 (April 28, old style) So the holiday is named after birch sap There was a popular belief that on a given day, the sap collected from a birch tree was endowed with healing powers Therefore, folk healers went to birch groves to collect it From time immemorial, the birch has been called the tree of life The people believed that it contained healing magic, could increase fertility and protect against evil spirits Therefore, young spouses were lightly whipped with its branches so that they would have healthy children Cribs for newborns were made from birch Wreaths of birch branches were hung in huts and stables to ward off evil spirits The sap was collected from mature birch trees: a small hole was drilled in the trunk and a container was placed for the liquid Then the hole was sealed with wax so as not to ruin the tree It was believed that the most delicious and healthy juice could be collected from the top of the trunk However, it was collected only in clear weather; rain or fog was unsuitable weather The collected juice was used to treat various diseases: rheumatism, arthritis, headaches, diseases of the respiratory system, skin, kidneys and bladder Also, drinking birch sap strengthened the immune system due to the content of beneficial vitamins and microelements Birch sap also helped in healing wounds and ulcers In Berezosok, people with fever were brought to the healers They were wiped with melted snow collected in advance in March, or with rainwater Then they were given infusions of birch sap Doctors read healing spells over the sick In addition to birch tinctures, on this day, healers prepared medicines from nettle, plantain and coltsfoot On this day, the wind blowing from the south was considered healing They believed that its breath helped improve health Some even caught it in small bags - amulet To do this, at lunchtime they went out to a hill in the village or at the intersection of streets and performed a ritual of catching the wind Then a thread was attached to the amulet and hung around the neck, so that the created amulet would protect against illnesses If you observed clear weather on Berezosok after dawn, you were preparing for a hot summer A rainy summer was expected if the wind blew from the south The starry, warm night promised increased yields A day without butterflies meant windy and cold weather Awakening oak buds announced the beginning of legume planting, and the flowering of a birch - the sowing of oats