The story of Ded Moroz and the Snow Maiden
Every year, a gray-haired bearded wizard comes to the holiday, who lights the lights on the tree and gives the children gifts (those who behaved well). He is accompanied by the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden, a girl of ice. So where did they come from. Let’s figure it out.
No one knows how Ded Moroz appeared, but his age is definitely more than 1000 years. The Slavs had Morok as the god of winter. An angry disheveled old man in a long linen shirt, pants and bast shoes. He covered everything in his path with snow or turned into ice with his stick, and he could beat naughty children or take them into the forest in his sack .. It was believed that upon meeting him, a person would turn into an ice statue, therefore they were very afraid of him. Hence the expression “faint” and “confuse the head”.
The life of the Slavs directly depended on the weather and what kind of harvest the land would give. And if there are good frosts and a lot of snow, then the harvest will be good. Therefore, they began to lure the spirit of winter. On Christmastide or Maundy Thursday, inviting him with pancakes or kutya, leaving them on the porch or under the window Then, at Christmas, there was such a frost that the snow crackled. Hence, the more affectionate names Studenets and Treskunets appeared.
The image also changed: a long fur coat and a hat appeared. The staff was decorated with the head of a bull, a symbol of fertility. Warm three-fingered gloves (it was believed that deities had fewer fingers than humans). But he was still a fierce shaggy old man.
After the baptism of Russia, Studenets was forgotten. In 1841, V.F. Odoevsky wrote the fairy tale “Moroz Ivanovich”, where Moroz acts as an edifying educator, gifting a hardworking and obedient Needlewoman, and punishes the Leninist. He himself lives in a well, sleeps on featherbeds made of snow. And under the featherbeds the grass, which the peasants sowed in autumn. In 1965, based on the fairy tale, A. Rowe shot the film “Frost”, the rights to which were bought by Hollywood.
But Moroz Ivanovich teamed up with the Christmas tree only in the second half of the 19th century, when there were attempts to create a character giving gifts to children. The analogy with Nikolai Ugodnik did not take root. And, by the beginning of the 20th century, the image of Santa Claus began to take shape.
After the revolution, all New Year traditions were persecuted and returned only to 1936.
The image of the Snow Maiden can be the image of a sacrificial girl who was taken to the forest to appease the god of winter and get a good harvest. In 1869 a fairy tale was published where childless grandfather and grandmother sculpt their granddaughter out of the snow, which comes to life. In the summer she goes with her friends to the forest, jumps over the fire and melts. There is another version of the fairy tale, where the Snow Maiden is killed out of envy, but then she is reborn, and the girlfriends are sent to the forest to be eaten by animals. In 1873 A. Ostrovsky, inspired by the fairy tale, created the play “The Snow Maiden”, where she is the daughter of Frost and Vesna-Krasna. They let her go to the people, in the village of Berendeyevka, where Snegurochka is ready to sacrifice her life to experience love. In the spring she dies.
In 1968, near the river Mera, where Ostrovsky wrote his play, a whole village was built for filming the film “The Snow Maiden”. After that, the scenery was brought to Kostroma, where the park “Berendeevka” arose. In 2008, the Snegurochka’s tower was built, where she receives guests still. And since 2009, officially and every year, on April 4, the birthday of the snow beauty has been celebrated.
For the first time Snegurochka appeared with Ded Moroz in 1937 at the Moscow House of Unions at the New Year’s holiday. She helped the old wizard, lead round dances, play with children and who, if not her, would help persuade even the most shy child to read a rhyme.) She is his granddaughter. Not a single New Year character from other countries has such a cute accompaniment. Sometimes they are joined by a Snowman, who also appears in Soviet New Year cartoons. And a little New Year boy, who appeared in the early 20th century, in a suit with the number of the next year, to which Santa Claus passes relay race.
Ded Moroz turned into a kind old man in a long fur coat and a hat with a magic staff, with which he lights the holiday lights on the tree, and in his bottomless sack with gifts. He gives everyone a holiday, riding around in a sleigh pulled by three horses, and is very popular.
Of course, such a character cannot do without his residence and mail. The first residence of the wizard appeared in Arkhangelsk in the late 1980s. And in 1991, the official mail of Father Frost was registered.
In 1995, the Laplandsky Nature Reserve on the Kola Peninsula launched the project “Fabulous Lapland – the domain of Father Frost”, according to which the residence of Father Frost was located in the Chunozero estate.
Since 1998, the state tourist project “Veliky Ustyug is the homeland of Ded Moroz” has been operating. Within the framework of this project, since 2005, the official birthday of Ded Moroz has been celebrated on November 18. Approximately on this day, the first frosts hit Veliky Ustyug. Tourist trains travel to the city from many cities of Russia.You can visit the wizard’s tower, meet with him, take part in New Year’s games and fun. Take a ride on the Emelya oven. Walk through the owner’s rooms and see how he is living. There is also a museum with gifts that children give to Ded Moroz. A small zoo with northern animals, a winter garden, a trail of fairy tales and a post office of Ded Moroz
The Moscow estate of Ded Moroz was created within the framework of the same project in 2004. Here you can visit the Snegurochka’s tower, the Ded Moroz’s tower, the Creative tower, an ice skating rink and the path of fairy tales. You will also be invited to the Snegurochka cafe with hot tea and pies. The homestead is open all year round, but the peak of activity is from November 18, Father Frost’s birthday, until mid-January, when school holidays end.
At the end of December 2011, a residence appeared in Murmansk. The house of Lapland’s Father Frost was erected on the territory of the Murmansk Lights park.
All projects exist independently. But the most important thing is considered to be the residence in the official homeland of Father Frost – Veliky Ustyug in the Vologda region .. This is where all letters to the wizard come if they do not have a specific address. Throughout the year, there are festive concerts, game programs, creative master classes, excursions around the towers.
The estate receives over 20 thousand letters annually.
Every year, on December 22, Ded Moroz arrives at the main square of St. Petersburg to light the main Christmas tree. The method of arrival is always kept secret and is distinguished by ingenuity. The wizard can go down in a hot air balloon, fly in by helicopter or arrive in a sleigh.
Ded Moroz kicks off the massive Ded Moroz race and opens the Christmas fair.
Also, “DedMorobuses” are starting to run around the city. At their stops, merry Grandfathers frost play fiery melodies and give gifts to residents.
Ded Moroz visits children in hospitals and orphanages, gives gifts collected by the townspeople and the city administration.
And in Gatchina lived the World Cossack Ded Moroz. This image was invented in 2010 by Vasily Pestryak-Golovaty. He himself created a costume decorated with epaulettes and aiguillettes. In addition to the staff, he has a dagger and saber, according to the Cossack tradition. And instead of a belt, a sash … He attends matinees, visits children in hospitals, participates in Cossack events. According to legend, the Cossack Ded Moroz comes to the holiday with the Snow Maiden and the little boy New Year’s. He plays with children, distributes gifts and leads round dances. Cossack Ded Moroz came from the taiga, he used to was an ordinary person, and then decided to become Ded Moroz and lives in his residence in Gatchina, Leningrad Region. Before that, he congratulated children and adults in the costume of an ordinary Ded Moroz for 30 years.
He spends every day at work, travels around the country all year round and meets with children. December 19 is his birthday, on this day he not only gives, but also accepts gifts. As a hereditary Cossack, his goal is not only to congratulate children, but also foster patriotism and love for the Motherland, as well as help disabled children and orphans.
Unfortunately, in 2016 Vasily Pestryak-Golovaty passed away, but in 2019, in the Stavropol Territory, Tersky Cossack Ded Moroz appeared. The World Cossack Ded Moroz’s dream of making this image immortal came true.
The real Ded Moroz knows how to cheer the audience. He knows a lot of jokes, songs and dances. In 12 strikes of hours he manages to go around all the houses and arrange gifts in the most unexpected places. And even if not everyone believes in his existence, but everyone enjoys that atmosphere, which this ruddy old man creates despite his advanced age. Turning any event into a real holiday. Entering every house, dancing and having fun. There is so much kindness, fairy tales and magic. Take care of these feelings.) And have a good holidays!
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