The custom of putting on scary masks and scaring each other exists among many peoples. Slavs do it on Christmastide, Europeans and Americans on Halloween. Where did such strange traditions come from, and do they have common roots?
Sweet or nasty
The origins of Christmastide in the pagan past of the Slavic peoples. Initially, they were dedicated to the meeting of the new solar year, the revival of nature, the beginning of the cycle of agricultural work. Well, and, of course, the commemoration and veneration of the ancestors, which, if you please, so they from the other world will definitely contribute to a good harvest. At the same time, people said goodbye to the cold winter and the forces of darkness.
Halloween comes from the Celtic holiday Simon, which also marks the end of the year. However, the Celts, who celebrated it at the end of October, believed that daylight was leaving and dark was coming. However, on this day they also commemorated the dead, believing that for one night the boundaries between the worlds are erased, and the souls of satisfied relatives will protect them from the invasion of evil spirits.
Today, few people know that the word "carol" comes from the name of the solar god Kolyada, who sows peace and friendship around him. The peoples who worship him have always lived in harmony and good neighborliness. However, he also had a personal enemy - Chernobog, who spread anger, aggression and encouraged him to constantly quarrel.
In Russia, in the first days after Christmas, children in costumes of angels or warriors went from house to house, begging for sweets, pies and small coins. Those who did not treat the children risked incurring all sorts of troubles in the coming year.
In America and Europe, there is also a custom on Halloween called Trick-or-treat (sweet or nasty). The owners, who did not present the children with sweets, cakes or money, may well find the door handle or the porch smeared with soot, or even worse. However, if our children have always portrayed only light heroes, then in the West, along with costumes of angels and good fairies, clothes of vampires, witches, werewolves and other unkind characters are still common.
Promotional video:
Coal, yes rods
After the adoption of Christianity in our homeland, a belief appeared that God, rejoicing at the birth of a son, releases all evil spirits from the underworld and gives her the opportunity to walk freely around the world for several days. The first to appear are the Christmas tides - ugly, covered with hair from head to toe, they cannot speak, they only sing and dance. Meetings with them are extremely dangerous: with long sharp nails, they can “beat up” a person to death. However, Christmas-takers are female creatures, they are not alien to coquetry, because a night traveler who falls into their clutches has a real chance to buy off beads, bright ribbons, earrings and other jewelry. The ugly Buka is no less formidable, he will torment him with riddles, you will not answer them, you will remain in his networks forever, if you unravel - Buka will immediately disappear.
In Germany, Austria and northern Italy, Krampuses walk the streets before Christmas. They look terrible, but they turn out to be the first helpers of Santa Claus. These creatures ward off the ghosts of winter with their scary robes and masks. Krampuses punish naughty children with rods, give coal instead of gifts, and even strive to smear them on the face of a mischievous person so that everyone around them can see how naughty he is. In Russia, on Christmastide, it was also customary to smear faces with coal, this was done so that no one would recognize the carols, neither neighbors, nor evil spirits.
When it seems to cross
On Christmastide, any action must be started with a blessing, even looking out the window is better to cross first. What if there is an evil force on guard? Then, meeting her gaze, you can go a little crazy. However, on the windows, on the doors, in the attics and in the basements, our ancestors ahead of time, already on Christmas Eve, painted crosses in order to prevent the landing of any evil spirits.
The Christian Europeans also protect themselves from evil forces with the cross. Thanks to the cross, the drunk blacksmith Jack also escaped hell, after whom the famous pumpkin lamp is now named, indicating the way for lost souls on Halloween.
The world inside out
From the house on Christmastide, especially with the onset of darkness, the ancestors of the Slavs left in terrible masks and clothes turned inside out, so that when they met, evil spirits took a passer-by for their own and did not touch. Images of a goat, bear, kikimora, deceased, old man or old woman, gypsy were especially popular. They were made quickly, from improvised materials available in any household: birch bark, cardboard, straw, scraps. These masks were never kept, they were burned or thrown away immediately after Epiphany, and new ones were made next year. The guises were considered unclean, keeping them in a hut would certainly lead to serious misfortune, however, by covering your face, you could afford actions that were incredible in an ordinary costume. "Oh, those Christmastide, bribes are smooth from them!" But on Epiphany night, the former mummer had to swim in an ice-hole or, in extreme cases,sprinkle yourself with holy water in order to wash away all the holy sins.
However, in fairness it should be noted that it was customary to wear masks not only on Christmas time. They ran after the Maslenitsa train in them, and were also worn in the Russian week before Peter's post.
The most daring Europeans still go on Halloween in costumes to the wrong side of the road in the hope of meeting a witch there and trying her about their future, and they turn trousers, jackets, skirts so that the unclean spirit does not guess who exactly is in front of him.
Despite the differences in the customs of different peoples, there is a lot in common. For example, the fact that sometimes everyone wants to play pranks, play pranks on friends and acquaintances, come up with a terrifying horror story, and then all together laugh at it.
Elena Koshkina
