To this day, I have a gag in the correct spelling of the proper name of the Russian Santa Claus. I didn't write that name on purpose.
I just can’t understand why he is Santa Claus, and not just Santa Claus.
So I decided to understand these fabulous WINTER characters.
FATHER FROST - the main fairy-tale character at the New Year's holiday, the East Slavic version of the Christmas giver. Lord winter period of the year.
Santa Claus is depicted as an old man in a colored - blue, blue, red or white coat, with a long white beard and a staff in his hand, in felt boots. He rides on three horses. Often comes accompanied by the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden, and in the days of the USSR, it happened, and the New Year - a boy in a red coat and hat (one of these items of clothing often had a digital designation of the coming / coming year). Boy New Year acted as a kind of successor to Santa Claus; most often he was depicted on New Year's cards late 1950s - mid-1980s, after which the popularity of this character began to decline and by now he is almost forgotten. Also, Santa Claus is sometimes accompanied by various forest animals.

SNOW MAIDEN - granddaughter of Santa Claus, his constant companion and assistant. On holidays, he acts as an intermediary between children and Santa Claus. The image of the Snow Maiden is a symbol of frozen waters. This is an eternally young and cheerful girl, dressed only in white clothes. No other color is allowed in traditional symbolism, although from the middle of the 20th century blue tones were sometimes used in her clothes. Her headdress is a crown embroidered with silver and pearls.

If we turn to the era of paganism, we can find out that the Slavs greatly revered the formidable god Frost. He was the son of Buri Yaga, who was the most ancient goddess of our ancestors. Frost himself was very stern and unsociable, but his granddaughter Snegurochka loved people very much.
According to another legend, the Snow Maiden is the daughter of Santa Claus and the Snow Queen. These two fell in love, despite the fact that Chernobog himself was against their marriage. This deity led all the dark forces and was very much afraid of him in Russia. But his daughter the Snow Queen turned out to be a very sincere girl, capable of love. Where the fairy-tale mother of the Snow Maiden then went is not told in any of the legends. It is only known that the girl remained with Santa Claus and became his faithful and only assistant.

SNOWMAN - the son of the pagan Santa Claus and the Snow Blizzard-Metelitsa. These snow creatures were originally considered very evil and were feared. The first snowmen were portrayed as ferocious huge monsters that could harm a person. It was also dangerous to build a snowman at midnight, which could be marked bad dreams and night terrors.

Over time, the Snowman gender changed - he became a Snowman. Our ancestors believed that the winter natural phenomena (fogs, snows, blizzards) are commanded by female spirits. Therefore, in order to show them their respect, they sculpted snowmen and gave them sacred meaning. During the thaw period, there were always three snowmen in the villages. One was handed a broom, with which she had to drive away winter and snow. The second was considered the patroness of the future autumn harvest, and grain was always scattered around it. The third snowman was made smaller than the others and beautifully dressed up - she was "responsible" for happiness under the roof of the house.

Today, the mystical meaning of snowmen and snowmen has been completely lost: they have long become just a traditional winter fun, which adults and children indulge in with equal pleasure. Only the obligatory attributes of snow figures remind of the connection with the past:
1. An old bucket on the head is a symbol of prosperity in the house.
2. Broom - to "drive away" very coldy and "drive" a lot of snow: then the earth will better give birth.
3. Coals and old household rubbish as details of the face - a symbol of getting rid of the past.
4. A carrot nose is a wordless request for a good harvest.

New Year is unthinkable without its special, New Year's characters, which are different in every country, but they have the same goal - to give adults and children gifts. To date, the image of New Year's heroes has fully developed, although a couple of centuries ago, Santa Claus and Santa were just beginning to take on their appearance. In Holland in the 19th century, it was customary to believe that gifts were left while cleaning chimneys by a slender chimney sweep with a pipe in his teeth.

Father Frost

At the end of the 19th century, Christmas trees appeared in Russia, which were bought mainly for children's fun, this tradition came from Germany. At first, the parents themselves played the role of Santa Claus, and only later they began to hire actors for this and invite not only relatives, but also friends and acquaintances to the holidays. So, gradually, Santa Claus leaves the postcards to the delight of the kids and turns the New Year from family holiday into the secular.

At first it was just Christmas tree toy, then the size of the toys increased, and the grandfather with a beard began to decorate shop windows, and only at the beginning of the 20th century the character really came to life. Someone put on a red caftan, took a staff and a bag with gifts, and we had a real fairy-tale character. Most likely, this idea came to the mind of parents who wanted to forever dispel the doubts of children who believe that a magical grandfather does not exist or the idea of ​​one of the actors who decided to earn extra money on the eve of the holidays. But the joy of the children knew no bounds, they were interested in whether grandfather had a real beard and why he did not melt in a warm room and where he lived all year.

Already in Soviet Russia, the New Year is being celebrated on wide leg- All institutions hold Christmas Trees and Blue Lights for their employees and their children. And although the script of the celebration practically did not change from year to year, since it had to be approved by the Ministry of Culture, Soviet citizens were happy with both Christmas trees and Santa Claus.

Snow Maiden

Snow Maidens and bullfinches in Russia were called both birds with pink breasts, which, not being afraid of frost, stayed with us all winter, and snow figures. The idol of a snow woman began to be sculpted at the end of January, and in many fairy tales it was emphasized that sometimes such idols came to life in the form beautiful girl, so the childless old people also tried to make themselves a snowy granddaughter in the hope of a miracle. This snow girl was the daughter of Spring and Frost, but she always left her old people, turning into a babbling stream, and she gives her smile and blush to wild flowers.

The legends of other peoples say that you can give birth to such a snow maiden girl by swallowing snow or just looking at it. But now the Snow Maiden is the companion of Santa Claus, who every New Year pleases us with her coming to the holiday. Many girls choose this costume as their New Year's outfit, which allows them to be in the center of the New Year's celebration.

Santa Claus

And other characters

And in Italy, the good fairy Befana is responsible for New Year's gifts, who on this occasion uses a broom to be in time for each baby on New Year's Eve. But all the characters are invariably kind, desired and loved, so it doesn’t matter who gives a bundle in shiny paper, the main thing is that not a single child is left on New Year’s Eve without a gift.

Of course, everyone knows who Santa Claus is and our dear Santa Claus with his Snow Maiden. But did you know that in almost every country, Santa Claus is accompanied by completely different characters that you have never even heard of. Or heard but not understood. The mention of their names to a Russian person can lead to the same stupor as the Snow Maiden - foreigners. And, if our Snow Maiden is charm itself (and she can even drink if they pour it), then Santa's European helpers are by no means always positive personalities. Christmas, which nevertheless takes place before the New Year, is an ancient phenomenon, and, at times, very scary. It is connected, if you are not in the know, with the Celtic holiday of the solstice - July, which occurs on December 21st. Since the creation of the Earth, all the people who inhabited it believed that on the 3rd day after December 21, when the sun again begins to rise across the sky, various, mostly good (but by no means always) things happen.

Jack Frost

This young man will be older than Santa's analogue in the person of St. Nicholas, who every year distributed gold coins to girls / boys so that those poor parents would not be sold into slavery. And, probably, the character closest to our Santa Claus. But he did not appear in Russia, but in Norway / Sweden. In general, where the Vikings lived. And it was originally called Jokul Frosti (“icic frost”). His personality is extremely unpleasant, and in this moment preserved as actor, only in overseas America. They need, in contrast to the good and kind fat old man in red clothes, the bad and evil Jack, who puts sticks in his wheels and draws patterns on glass (as an entertainment, obviously). On the territory of Russia, he transformed into a grandfather who wears blue and mocks people. Don't believe? Revisit Frost. Our cinema does not lie.

Zwarte Piet (Zwarte Piet)

Surprisingly, in the escort of the Dutch Sinterklaas (local Santa) there is a perfect black man (oh, sorry, Afro-European). Every year he comes with Sinterklaas from Spain. The Dutch, stoned to zero, sincerely believe that Santa Claus sunbathes most of the year in the resort of Marbella. There are probably reasons for this, because Holland spent so long under the civilized yoke of Spain that the Dutch, just in case, in order not to irritate the authorities, forgot about the existence of all other countries except the country of flamenco and sangria. Be that as it may, the Dutch Sinterklaas, apparently, is not a very positive person, because until the middle of the last century, “Black Pete” (Zwarte Piet) seemed to be his slave, and now he is just a servant who packs bad kids in his big bag (and probably eats it later). A bit racist, isn't it? But who else has to punish bad kids, if not a Negro (sorry again for political incorrectness).

KRAMPUS (Krampus)

The Austrians are known to be severe perverts (yes, Sacher-Masoch and Hitler were born there). Therefore, in Austria and the surrounding area at Christmas, along with the kind Santa, right and left distributing sweets to the kids, comes a very disgusting person in the face of Krampus. This is such a far pre-Christian analogue of the July nightmare for children who did not listen to their parents. Krampus - a clawed and hairy monster, terribly similar to the common Christian idea of ​​the devil, steals their toys, whips them with rods, and in the most advanced cases, puts them in a bag and throws them into the river. So, if an Austrian child finds in his stocking hung for gifts not toys and sweets, but a piece of coal, he sighs with relief and wipes his cold sweat. He, of course, was not very positive, but at least he was not beaten for nothing.

BELSNICKEL (Belsnikel)

In the north of Germany and in Pennsylvania, Belsnickel visits bad children instead of Krampus. He is not so hysterically scary, only he is covered with fur from head to toe. That is, absolutely. If the child did not crap himself with horror when he saw Belsnickel, then he also has nothing to hope for. If the child was good, Belsnickel leaves him sweets and toys in his sock (well, at least he doesn’t rush them from there), but if the child is guilty, he eats the sweets, and leaves coal and stones instead. Thank you for at least not drowning fools in the river.

GRANDFATHER WITH ROSES (Le Pere Fouettard)

Assistant Saint Nicolas (this is Santa Claus in French) is an extremely unpleasant creature. Firstly, he is always unshaven and poorly washed, and therefore heralds his appearance with the persistent smell of a goat, secondly, he always dresses in black like a Goth, and thirdly, which is especially unpleasant, he carries a whip or a staff. And if the kind grandfather Nicolas distributes toys good kids, then Per-Futard beats naughty children how much in vain. And while he's not as visually terrifying as Krampus, some stories claim he beat three boys to death, who are forced to hunchback slavishly in St. Nick's toy factory after their death. One thing is good, he threatens with his appearance only the children of eastern France, and comes only on the day of Saint Nicolas - January 6th.

GRYLA ( Grýla)

A terrifying (of course, with such a name) giantess lives in the mountains of Iceland. We don’t know how it is in Iceland with Santa Claus, or its analogue, but Gryla descends from the mountains exactly on July (December 21) and eats bad kids until January 6th. Yes, yes, you heard right, she does not scare them, does not beat them, does not take away their toys and cakes, but simply eats them corny. Raw. The aunt was married three times - and everything was unsuccessful (husbands either ran away, or banally, from horror, committed suicide by throwing themselves off a cliff), the children also turned out to be freaks, it is not surprising that now she is so angry that she lives with a black cat and prefers a human being .

Befana (La Befana)

Italian children do not wait for Santa Claus with his reindeer. Usually, Befana comes to them on January 5 (on the eve of Theophany). Despite the fact that this is a witch in its purest form - with a wart on her nose, a broom and other necessary accessories of an unpleasant personality, she is a kind creature. Gifts go only to good children, bad Befana puts ashes in their socks. There is also a belief that if there is a good owner in the house, Befana will not only give gifts to his children, but also sweep the floor before leaving. There is a custom: on the night of January 5-6, leave a small glass of wine and a saucer with food for Befana on the fireplace. A strongly pre-Christian character, when people did not go to church, but hid at home, horrified that they could meet all sorts of unpleasant mythical personalities on a cold street.

OLENTZERO (Olentzero)

Olenzero, according to one version, is a giant from the family of giants living in the Perinei, according to another, he is just a very fat person who comes on the night of December 24-25 to Basque children to bring gifts. (The Basques, if anyone does not know, live in the Basque Country - a province in the North-West of Spain and speak their own language, no one else understands). He dresses like a Basque peasant, wears a beret and smokes a pipe. Well, yes, he also has a big bag on his back. In principle, he is a positive and kind character, but with some overshoots. For example, he, before rolling off a mountain of gifts, listens to see if the children are sleeping. If not, he gently and unobtrusively taps on the chimney with a sickle, as if hinting: either you, little bastards, will fall asleep right now, or I will come and cut your throat with this same sickle, and no gifts.

CHRISTMAS CHUNK (Tio de Nadal)

The cutest, but also the most controversial New Year's character. Because it is also sometimes called “caga tio” or “shit block”. It appears in the houses of the Catalans (another province in Spain where Russian tourists are very fond of relaxing, and yes, Salvador Dali was also born there) from December 8 - the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and is a short log, which is installed on two sticks-legs and they add a smiling face to it (log). Every evening, the family leaves him a few pieces of food so that he “satisfies himself”, and they cover him with a blanket so that he “does not freeze”, God forbid. At Christmas, the blockhead is covered (or, as the Catalans say, “litter”) with various goodies - dried figs, sweets, nuts, when there is nothing else to “litter”, sorry, they use onions, garlic and salt. If guests and hosts managed to fall asleep (oh, excuse me, “shit”) a log up to the most smiling ears, then next year- succeed. And you can burn a block of wood with a clear conscience. To fix the result.

One hundred names of Santa Claus

Who main character new year holidays? No doubt - Santa Claus! He lives in every New Year's fairy tale, stands in a wadded coat under each christmas tree plays himself in cartoons...

The history of Santa Claus is long and complicated. It is believed that the first New Year's, or rather Christmas, grandfather in the world was St. Nicholas, who was born at the end of the 3rd century in the city of Patara, on the Mediterranean coast. Becoming a priest and then archbishop of the city of Myra, the capital of the Lycian land, he was engaged in charity work, performed many miraculous deeds. At Christmas, according to legend, Archbishop Nicholas liked to distribute gifts to children. But only obedient! He did this secretly, traveling around the city on Christmas night with a bag of goodies, which he laid out in bright stockings on the threshold of houses where poor people lived. So the secret would have remained a secret, but one day Archbishop Nikolai was caught by ... a night patrol that went around the streets and kept order. Many apples, toys and sweets were found in the "night grandfather's" bag. And the inhabitants of the city began to call their archbishop the Father of the Nativity. After his death, he was canonized as a saint and is highly revered in Russia. Perhaps, not a single saint in our country has erected as many churches as the saint Nicholas. "Nicholas is the second intercessor after God," they used to say among the people. However, St. Nicholas is revered all over the world. They're just called differently. For the British, this is Santa Claus (which means St. Nicholas in translation). The American poet Clement Moore wrote the poem "The Coming of St. Nicholas" in 1822. In this fairy tale St. Nicholas suddenly turned into a cheerful and kind elf who lives at the North Pole and on Christmas rides around the world in reindeer sleighs, distributing gifts to children... So century after century in different countries and the same Santa Claus was "born", whom you all guys know very well. That is why it is slightly different for all nations, but invariably kind and cheerful. Although...

Do you know that even relatively recently - about 200 years ago - our, domestic Santa Claus was not a very pleasant person? He had nothing to do with St. Nicholas, but was a little old man with a long gray beard, evil gimlet eyes and a very capricious character. He ruled the earth from November to March, loved to play pranks, chill and freeze all living things. Don't believe? And remember what Frost the governor from the poem by N.A. Nekrasov "Frost, Red Nose":

It is not the wind that rages over the forest,
Streams did not run from the mountains,
Frost-voivode patrol
Bypasses his possessions(...)
Walks - walks through the trees,
Cracking on frozen water
And the bright sun plays
In his shaggy beard...

The heroine of the Nekrasov poem, the young widow Daria, did not wait for good deeds from Santa Claus: he froze her, her heart ...

And only at the end of the XIX century Russian fabulous grandfather Frost became kinder and began to visit children's Christmas trees, which were arranged for Christmas, to bring gifts ... In a word, grandfather remembered that he was not an evil, prickly old man, but a kind saint. Maybe his granddaughter, Snegurochka, who suddenly appeared with him, helped in this. However, a special conversation about her ...

How many names does Santa Claus have? Perhaps as many as there are countries and peoples in the world! You already know about English and American Santa Claus. In France, a good New Year's grandfather is called Pere Noel, which means "Father Christmas." In addition to him, there is another Santa Claus in this country - Shaland, an old man with a beard, in fur hat and raincoat. He keeps in the basket not gifts, but rods for naughty and lazy children! Two Santa Claus and the children of Sweden. But both are kind: both the stooped grandfather Yultomten and the dwarf with a beard Yulnissar. They leave Swedish children gifts on the windowsills on New Year's Eve. In Cyprus, Santa Claus is called Vasily. Children sing a song: "Saint Basil, where are you, come, Saint Basil, give happiness ..." In the north of Spain, in the Basque country, the New Year's grandfather's name is Olentzero. He does not part with a flask of good Spanish wine, but he never forgets his main duty - to give children toys. The Czech New Year's "gift giver" is called Mikulas. And in Italy, instead of Santa Claus - old Befana. She flies to the house on New Year's Eve and descends through the chimney into the room, where she leaves sweets and toys for good children, and only ashes from the hearth get to the bad ones ...

As everyone is well aware, Santa Claus comes to our region in winter. Where is his homeland? Of course, you say, in the far North, where winter is almost all year round... The Finns, for example, believe that Father Frost's homeland is Lapland. For many, many years he lived on the slope of a mountain called Sopka Ukho. And in our time, having missed being alone, he moved to a small house on the Arctic Circle itself, not far from the town of Rovaniemi. This is where the letters addressed to the Finnish Santa Claus - Joulupkki - come with congratulations and requests for gifts ...

Our Russian Santa Claus has been settled in the ancient city of Veliky Ustyug for several years now. In December 1996, two governments came up with this residence for him - Moscow and Vologda. Here, in Veliky Ustyug, a wooden palace was built for Father Frost. All year round (but especially at the end of December!) letters addressed to him come from boys and girls living in different parts of our country.

And now in Moscow, in the ancient Kuzminki park, it was decided to build a palace for Santa Claus. Here he will live when in the beginning winter holidays, on the eve of the New Year and Christmas, will come to the capital to congratulate Moscow children on holidays. So soon you guys, without leaving for the North, will be able to meet and talk with the real Santa Claus. And near the Frosty Palace they will put a huge mailbox - for letters. Of course it will be complete! Probably, the Snow Maiden will settle somewhere near her grandfather: what is New Year's Moscow without her?

Do you know that the life of Santa Clauses is not so easy? Thousands of people are waiting for them throughout the school holidays. Christmas trees in all cities of the country. In addition, each Santa Claus has to prove all the time that he is the best, the real one! Back in 2002, the first All-Russian Congress of Santa Clauses was held in Moscow. They came from different parts of the country. We talked and decided to unite all Santa Claus forces into a social movement " silver ring". And they also suggested creating the organization" Silvers - Helpers of Santa Claus. "It is already difficult for the Snow Maiden to help grandfather alone ...

In the same year, elections were held at Theater Square in the capital. best grandfather Frost. The requirements for him were oh-so-what: Santa Claus should be the most cheerful, the most sociable, the most poetic, the most musical, the kindest ... They found one and awarded him the main Santa Claus hat. This is the life of today's Santa Clauses - there is no time to rest!

Granddaughter or daughter?

The Snow Maiden is an obligatory character of New Year's Russian performances. But has it always been like this? Let's try to understand the family tree of Santa Claus and his cheerful granddaughter.

Once upon a time, before the adoption of Christianity, pagan gods were worshiped in Russia. Among them was Frost, Frost... God is strict, serious. His mother is the ancient Slavic goddess Storm Yaga, who eventually turned into - just don't be surprised, guys! - in Baba Yaga. And Frost had a granddaughter, whose name was Snegurochka. She was kinder and more affectionate than her grandfather, sometimes she lived with people in the winter and helped them with the housework. By the way, if you believe some ancient fairy tales, then the Snow Maiden was not a granddaughter, but the daughter of Santa Claus, and the granddaughter was another fairy-tale character, Kashchei the Immortal, the prototype of which was the ancient Slavic evil god - Chernobog! His daughter, the Snow Queen, married Frost, and they had a Snow Maiden ... So, then, after all, a daughter?

We are completely entangled in this fabulous family! Who is who's daughter, who is who's granddaughter, and who is who's grandfather... Maybe it's not so important now? The Snow Maiden began to celebrate the New Year with her grandfather relatively recently, before the Great Patriotic War at the very end of the 1930s. And before that, in all fairy tales and songs, she regularly melted with the advent of spring under the rays of the hot sun. Remember the tale of A.N. Ostrovsky?

The Snow Maiden was, in fact, only one of the relatives of the Snowman, who was molded from snow by both children and adults ... Here is a poem about the Snow Maiden written by the poet Joseph Utkin in 1940:

My love, Snow Maiden,
You shouldn't grieve.
Why are you crying, you fool
What needs to die.
Die, die without complaining
Playing and joking.
You sculpted indulging
The same child.
Sculpted and did not think
What is not a cheerful laugh -
Breathed in a living soul
It's in the cold snow
And what when it opens
This crazy whirlwind
Only puddle remains
From your joys.

In poems and old fairy tales, they spoke about the cold heart of the granddaughter of Santa Claus. The good sorceress, helping grandfather in all New Year's affairs, Snegurochka was made more than half a century ago by the authors of Soviet Christmas tree performances. And then we all - both children and adults who were also children - just got used to it! Try it, now imagine the New Year without the Snow Maiden!

Snowman

This is the familiar snowman. It must be said that in ancient times the word "woman" in Russia meant "mother-grandmother." It is no coincidence that the ancient stone idols preserved in the southern steppes are called "stone women".

They have been making snowmen in Russia for a long time. They are born in a thaw, when the snow becomes soft and sticky, rolls perfectly into large balls. This old winter fun is akin to an equally old game - the capture of a snowy town or fortress. Have you guys ever participated in the construction of such a snow fortress and its assault at least once in your life? Then "assault ladders", and snowballs, and shouts of "hurray", and various "military tricks" go into action. By the way, if the Snowman got only into our favorite fairy tales and cartoons, then the snow fortress became the heroine of the famous painting by the artist V.I. Surikov "The Capture of the Snow Town", and also served as a place where the heroes of one of the stories of the writer Arkady Gaidar about the boy Timur - "Commandant of the Snow Fortress" play war.

Regardless of gender, the Snowman always looks like this: three snowballs stacked on top of each other. Two, the largest, are the torso, the third, upper, is the head with eyes (cones, acorns or just black coals), a nose (carrot), and also "a mouth to the ears, at least sew on strings." Hands are dry branches. The Snowman must have an old bucket on his head. But where in the city can you find it today? Therefore, in our Moscow courtyards, an old hat is often put on the head of the Snowman, or even a cake box decorated with a crow's feather.

As we have already found out, the Snowman is the closest relative of the Snow Maiden, which means that Santa Claus himself! And therefore honor to him is always special. In the villages in the old days, three snowmen were often sculpted at once. One of them always held a broom in her hands - "to disperse the snow." At the feet of another, armed with a rake, lay a sheaf of rye and grains were scattered. This is the patroness of the future harvest. The smallest snowman was called "The Roof". Sometimes a snowman was dressed up as Winter-boyar: they put on her old skirt and an apron, a hat was put on his head. A fence was placed around such a woman and the platform was covered with hay and straw - so that "it was soft to walk."

In modern fairy tales and cartoons, snowmen have a variety of professions. A snowman from cartoons has been a watchman at the New Year tree, and a postman, and even a driver of a snow car on which Santa Claus is driving ... In a very good old cartoon "When the Christmas trees are lit," Santa Claus and the Snowman sing a cheerful song in a duet:

We're going, we're going to visit the children,
And we carry a cart of gifts,
Because to these children
Santa Claus is located! ..

The Snow Queen

This cold lady came to us from a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Although it is also found in the old fairy tales of the northern peoples. Only there she is more often called the Queen of the Night or the Polar Old Woman. This ice lady is subordinate to the aurora borealis, huge reserves of ice, all the northern winds, armies of snowflakes, evil polar blizzards, blizzards and snowstorms ... In the hundred and fifty years that have passed since the day the great storyteller invented her, she managed to visit the heroine of movies, cartoon films, the character of television and radio shows, as well as take part in many Christmas tree performances as an evil sorceress, who must be defeated by Santa Claus with the help of the guys gathered in the hall ...

WHY ARE ALL SNOWFLAKES SIX-POINTED?

Do you guys know that among the many billions of snowflakes that fall in winter, no two are exactly the same. At the same time, no matter what shape the snow star is (and it can only be seen with a microscope), each of them is six-rayed or six-sided. Why? Back in 1611, the famous astronomer I. Kepler published an essay " New Year's gift, or about hexagonal snowflakes". He asked the question: "Why are all snowflakes hexagonal." And he answered it like this: "This thing has not yet been discovered to me ..." Almost four centuries have passed since then, but scientists still cannot solve this riddle of nature.

Very soon, the most long-awaited holiday in every family will knock on our doors, during which even adults turn into children and often dress up as New Year's characters. Under the chiming clock and falling snow flakes, each of us plunges into winter fairy tale and forgets about all his troubles and disappointments. If the holiday has such an impact on adults, then imagine how much it means to children! New Year's characters, known to us from old fairy tales, are an integral part of this holiday. But how much do we know about them? After all, it is quite possible that the history of these heroes contains many interesting facts. As you probably already understood, our today's article is devoted to New Year's characters and everything connected with them.

The main characters of the New Year holidays

When we talk about such an important holiday for every Russian person as the New Year, the images of the good-natured Santa Claus in a red coat, the beautiful Snow Maiden, the funny Snowman and the evil snow queen. Children and adults with the characters listed by us enjoy constant success. Therefore, at every holiday and corporate party, you can always see one or two heroes of the winter celebration.

However, not only in our country they like to celebrate the arrival. All over the world, from the beginning of December to the beginning of January, a series of festive events lasts, where their characters reign. Some of them resonate with the heroes of Russian fairy tales, while others look incomprehensible and even somewhat exotic. These can be attributed New Year's fairy Befanu from Italy, the Spanish Three Kings and the Yolasveinar dwarves from Iceland. Without these New Year's characters, it is difficult to imagine the distribution of gifts for children.

Today we decided to gather all the main characters of the upcoming New Year and tell readers their interesting stories.

The most important fairy-tale New Year's character: Santa Claus

How many names does this good wizard have! You can’t name everything even for an hour! However, this does not change main point holiday - without Santa Claus, children and adults cannot see gifts, fun and various delicacies. However, this was far from always the case, because two hundred years ago a good wizard was not at all such a welcome guest in every home. He was not at all associated with the New Year's character, whom all the children of the country love and are waiting for.

In fact, Santa Claus looked like an unpleasant old man short stature, wandering through the endless Russian lands from November to March. He clearly did not like people and tried with all his might to harm those who, at an inopportune hour, found themselves outside their home. Father Frost's favorite entertainment was to turn any living creatures into ice cubes, and at his leisure he would dress up trees in snow coats and hang funny icicles on branches.

It is not known how the further life of this character would have developed if at the end of the nineteenth century they had not begun to invite him to New Year trees. For some reason, everyone forgot about the not-so-good past of Santa Claus and entrusted him with the honorary mission of distributing gifts. Over time, he became kinder and turned into a caring wizard who enjoys communicating with the kids.

Who delivers gifts in Slovakia?

If we talk about New Year's characters similar to our Santa Claus, then we can name Santa Claus and St. Mikulash. The first character is quite well known thanks to American culture, but very little is known about the second in Russia. Mikulas brings gifts to Slovak and Czech children, but he comes to them not at all on New Year's Eve, but in early December. It is at this time that most Europeans celebrate the day of St. Nicholas, who is recognized as the real prototype of all winter wizards who once rewarded children for good behavior with gifts.

St. Mikulash looks very similar to our Santa Claus, but he carries a box behind his back, and his main assistants are the Angel and the Devil. It is they who maintain a list of obedient children and mischief-makers.

It is noteworthy that in European culture, gifts are distributed by two wizards. Each country has its own, but the first one always comes in early December, and the second - on the night of Catholic Christmas.

Snow Maiden: exploring the pedigree

Without this New Year's character, children's morning performances simply cannot do. A cute little girl in a white fur coat embroidered with snowflakes and flowers is the main assistant of Santa Claus in all his affairs. She communicates with animals, loves kids and is always ready to come to the rescue of the young and inexperienced New Year. However, it is still unknown who she really is to a good wizard - a daughter or a granddaughter? Let's try to lift the veil over this mystery.

If we turn to the era of paganism, we can find out that the Slavs greatly revered the formidable god Frost. He was the son of Buri Yaga, who was the most ancient goddess of our ancestors. Frost himself was very stern and unsociable, but his granddaughter Snegurochka loved people very much. AT winter time she sometimes came to the villages and helped the old people and lonely people with the housework. But this is just one of the old legends.

According to another legend, the Snow Maiden is the daughter of Santa Claus and the Snow Queen. These two fell in love, despite the fact that Chernobog himself was against their marriage. This deity led all the dark forces and was very much afraid of him in Russia. But his daughter the Snow Queen turned out to be a very sincere girl, capable of love. Where the fairy-tale mother of the Snow Maiden then went is not told in any of the legends. It is only known that the girl remained with Santa Claus and became his faithful and only assistant.

By the way, the Snow Maiden became the character of the New Year holidays only in Soviet times. Around the thirties of the last century, she first began to appear on Christmas trees and other celebrations.

Cute Snowman: the closest relative of Santa Claus

A snowman made of three balls and with a carrot instead of a nose has become one of the most beloved children's characters of the New Year. But why exactly did he become so close to the Russian soul?

The fact is that in the old days snowmen or snowmen were sculpted everywhere and attached to them a sacred meaning. During the thaw period, there were always three snowmen in the villages. One was handed a broom, with which she had to drive away winter and snow. The second was considered the patroness of the future autumn harvest, and grain was always scattered around it. The third snowman was made smaller than the others and beautifully dressed up.

It is not known when the Snowman became faithful from a sacred symbol, but for many years he has been strongly associated with the kids with the New Year and all festive events.

The Snow Queen

This evil sorceress often participates in New Year's performances and she came to us not at all from the fairy tales of a Danish writer. Almost all northern peoples had a character commanding blizzards, snowflakes and ice. For some, she bore the name of the Queen of the Night, while for others, for example, she was called the Polar Old Woman.

It was these heroes who became the prototype of the Snow Queen. This sorceress usually comes to children's parties and does something bad. And then Santa Claus, the Snow Maiden and other characters correct everything that the evil sorceress has done.

Sorceress Befana: witch or fairy

Talking about new year holidays, one cannot but mention the foreign characters loved by kids in different countries of the world. In Italy, in early January, obedient guys are looking forward to the Befana fairy. The kids know that in fact she is a good sorceress, although she looks rather intimidating. She is usually depicted as a hook-nosed old woman riding a broomstick. A large bag dangles behind her back, in which gifts and coals coexist. The last fairy throws mischievous, upset their parents throughout the year.

There are many legends about how the Befana fairy appeared. According to one of them, the Magi did not take her with them when they went for Star of Bethlehem. Frustrated, she decided to give gifts to local kids, which she still does.

Italians always leave a glass of wine and some snacks on the mantelpiece. If Belfana is satisfied with the treat, then she will definitely help the owners and sweep the floor.

The oldest Christmas characters

In Spain it is impossible to meet Santa Claus, but the Three Kings always come to good children there. Their prototypes were the very Magi who went to bow to the newborn Jesus.

The day in honor of the Kings is celebrated after the New Year, however, this holiday in European culture is not as important as in Russia, and is accompanied by colorful processions.

Holidays pass on the sixth of January, and it is on this day that all children receive their long-awaited gifts. In small towns, they are distributed right on the square, where three thrones are installed. On each sits one of the Three Kings, and the kids can sit on their knees to any of them.

Icelandic mischief-makers

Iceland has its own traditions of celebrating Christmas and New Year. The main heroes of these days are the dwarves of Yolasweinar. They are very different from other holiday characters, as they have their own story.

According to ancient tradition, the thirteen Yolasveinar are the sons of a giantess who ate people and one of the lazy ones. Initially, mischievous people were portrayed as trolls who came to local villages in mid-December. These New Year's characters did a lot of nasty things with their own hands, including kidnapping children. Only obedient kids could avoid meeting with the Yolasweinars, because they never left the house without the permission of their parents.

Today, the trolls have transformed into kind gnomes who lay out gifts for children living in local villages.

Japanese winter wizard

Segatsu-san, this is the name of the good spirit of the New Year in Japan, never gives gifts, but nevertheless he is expected in every home. The fact is that a week before the holiday, he bypasses all the inhabitants of the country and marks those who were especially preparing for his arrival. The gods of Happiness come to these families on New Year's Eve, giving people their blessing for a long twelve months.

And a little more about the New Year ...

On the eve of the holidays, people spend so much energy on the New Year's surroundings that they lose the very feeling of a fairy tale. You can return it if you come up with a celebration scenario for your loved ones on your own.

Don't be shy and spend something original. May your home be filled with friends carnival costumes, the kids will dress up as fairy-tale characters, and the evening will turn into a series of contests and fun competitions. Perhaps after such a holiday, one of the good wizards will definitely look into your house and bring happiness with them.