Why are we decorating the tree for the new year? Where did the custom of putting a Christmas tree in the house and decorating it begin when the year changes? Why a Christmas tree? Why balloons? It turns out that earlier the New Year was celebrated in the fall and a completely different tree was decorated.
To celebrate the New Year, we are decorating a Christmas tree. We hang colorful balls and other decorations on it. This is such a common thing that we don't even really think about the meaning of this action.
For the curious, who suddenly became interested, and why it is necessary to drag a Christmas tree into the house, and even hang it with different decorations, there are several versions. You will be told that the ancient Germans worshiped an evergreen tree, and the ancient Druids hung decorations, and that the ancient Saint Boniface, who was almost crushed when felling a forest, or the not very ancient Martin Luther, who suddenly brought home a Christmas tree, was also involved. The custom of decorating the Christmas tree for the Russians was brought from Europe by Peter the First, and the wife of Nicholas the First spread this German stupidity throughout the entire Russian Empire.
Think about how the change of the calendar year and the tree are related? Why does it need to be decorated with balls? We are so used to this rite that we are in no way able to comprehend it critically.
No one can really explain why it is necessary to put a Christmas tree on the New Year, and why it is necessary to hang balls and ribbons on it. Moreover, the balls are predominantly red and yellow. No one really knows, only unconvincing versions roam the Internet and books.
The Institute of Russian Language Yasna has its own explanation for why we decorate the New Year tree.
As you learned from the video "Why YEAR and SUMMER are called", the Russians called the YEAR from the autumn equinox to the spring equinox, and SUMMER was the period from the spring equinox to the autumn. That is, the YEAR is a cold time, and SUMMER is a warm one.
Thus, the Russians celebrated the New Year in the fall, on the day of the equinox, at the end of September. Which coincided with the end of the harvest. The main fruit tree in Russia was the apple tree. Surely everyone understands why. Apples grow well in our climatic conditions, unlike other fruits that need warmer weather. The apple tree in the garden is the main tree, like a cow among the animals of the yard. We can say that the apple tree is a garden cow.
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For the New Year celebrations, which took place in the fall, our ancestors decorated the apple tree, the main fruit tree that provided food. On late-ripening varieties at the end of September, apples still hang on the branches, and on the sprinkled apple trees, part of the apples was returned as a token of gratitude. These apples were still wrapped in multi-colored rags.
It turns out the holiday of the New Year, which begins with the autumn equinox, and, as it were, at the same time the holiday of the harvested harvest. In commemoration of which, the main fruit tree - the apple tree - was decorated with the same apples. Everything is logical and understandable.
Then there was a calendar move. The New Year holiday was moved to the middle of winter. But traditions and rituals are very tenacious and persist for a long time. Even we, so advanced, intelligent and modern, perform many rituals, the meaning of which we do not understand.
The onset of the New Year was postponed to winter, but people continued to observe the tradition of decorating the tree and decorating it with apples. However, in winter, the apple tree does not look particularly festive, the leaves have long fallen. And which tree is green in winter and summer? Christmas tree! Then let's dress up the tree. What are we going to decorate with? Apples have long been eaten. Let's make balls, balls, similar to apples. Since our apples are red and yellow, we will make the balls the same color.
Therefore, the main Christmas tree decoration is a red or yellow ball.
It is clear that no one will plant a Christmas tree in their garden, no food from it, it will only interfere. Therefore, it is easier to go to the forest for a Christmas tree, cut it down and put it near the house for a holiday, and then use it as a pole or burn it in the stove.
This is how the New Year's rite turned out, when you need to bring a Christmas tree into the house and decorate it with balls. People have long forgotten the meaning of this action, but obediently continue to carry it out. And the New Year is celebrated, which came with the autumn equinox, and instead of a tree there was an apple tree.
In my opinion, the explanation about the New Year tree from the Institute of Russian Language Yasn is the most vital and believable. There is no need to braid the ancient Germans with Saint Boniface or Martin Luther or the druids. It was simple.
I will not congratulate you on the new YEAR, because the YEAR has already begun with the autumn equinox. And the winter solstice is also an important astronomical point; it does not occur on the border of January, but on December 22.
Author: Artyom Voitenkov