Christmas according to the New Julian calendar

In every Christian state, Christmas is one of the greatest and most important holidays of the year On this day, the birth of Jesus Christ is commemorated in the holy city of Bethlehem This date is one of the most important for the Christian people In addition, Christmas is considered an official holiday in many countries where this religion is practiced According to ancient custom, the event is celebrated on December 25, in accordance with the New Julian calendar This tradition is directly related to the pagan celebration, which was celebrated on the same day in ancient Roman territory, in honor of the main pagan deity Saturn This festival was an analogue of the New Year and the Nativity of Christ As the years passed, paganism lost its relevance, and the clergy replaced the day of Saturn with the day of the birth of Christ On the eve of the great event, it is necessary to adhere to a strict fast, which is called Christmas Eve According to the ancient custom, on this day you need to eat juice - barley or wheat grains boiled with honey After the first star appears in the sky, the fast comes to an end On the eve of the holiday, people remember the prophecies and stories of the Old Testament relating to the birth of Christ Christmas church services are held at midnight, dawn and during daylight hours This event is also characterized by caroling traditions Young people go from house to house, sing songs and bestow good wishes on their owners They, in turn, give the carolers various souvenirs, mainly sweet treats and a variety of delicious dishes If the owner of a house where guests come is stingy with gifts, then he is laughed at and threatened with misfortune Caroling takes place amid bright fun, young people put on colorful masks and dress up in animal skins But such a tradition was often condemned by clergy, arguing that it belonged to pagan customs Therefore, in the future, they began to go caroling only to the closest people: best comrades, relatives and good neighbors There is another Christmas tradition: all people decorate their homes with an elegant Christmas tree The Russian people adopted this interesting custom from the Germans It is in Germany that spruce is considered a symbol of a happy life and fertility When the Christian religion spread to the center and north of Europe, the Christmas tree began to be decorated with colored balls, shiny garlands and original toys It began to symbolize the tree of paradise with generous fruits