THE NEW YEAR WORKS WONDERS

The New Year has come to Azerbaijan, as elsewhere in the world. And this applies not only to the new calendar year. The history of the old year is now in the past, a third of the winter is gone. This is the time when we see the New Year in. New Year holidays are the time of a beautiful fairy tale that comes to every home. How much do we know about the history of this holiday? 

Two-faced Janus 

The holiday is at least five thousand years old. In ancient Mesopotamia, in the 3rd millennium BC, there was a tradition to celebrate the New Year in early spring, as this period coincided with the overflow of the Tigris and Euphrates, which determined fertility for the next year. In fact, by seeing the New Year in, the ancient inhabitants of Mesopotamia tried to attract good fortune to their fields and orchards. This tradition was then adopted by the Israelites, who were in captivity in Mesopotamia. Then it moved on to ancient Greece and further to Rome. It was there that Julius Caesar moved the holiday to 1 January (this was when a new Julian calendar start), dedicating its celebration to two-faced Janus (in Roman mythology a two-faced god of doors, entrances, exits, various passages, as well as the beginning and the end).

In terms of its popularity the New Year was always overshadowed by Catholic Christmas, which was celebrated a few days earlier. But during the communist era, when religion and religious holidays were abolished, Azerbaijan and indeed the rest of the Soviet Union attached a special status to the New Year. It was promoted as the main holiday of the "Soviet nation" and eventually became national. In fact, it still is. The New Year is shrouded with a number of traditions, some of which have to do with old and modern traditions of Europe. Some originate from paganism, others were brought in Soviet times.

The holiday is still changing now - it has been joined by the Chinese horoscope animals even though according to the Chinese calendar, the New Year begins in early February. And, of course, there are elements of American celebration - reindeer, elves ... Also, there are casuistic figures of the Father Frost, Santa Claus and Snow Maiden. In fact, it is such a complex mixture of pagan creatures, Christian saints and Soviet cultural propaganda that it is difficult to make out the origin of each item. In Europe, the New Year is celebrated in a much more modest manner than in post-Soviet republics. Despite its religious and secularized society, most people prefer to celebrate Christmas. Even the traditional tree which we call the New Year tree is called the Christmas tree there.

Spirituality 

The New Year is a holiday full of traditions far from any religion, including Islam. But the main thing is the esotery of the New Year. We link a lot to this holiday: the beginning of a reporting period, new plans, results of the year, gifts, congratulations, etc. We remember our close and distant relatives, friends and colleagues. When else can we remember everything; good and bad? Indeed, we attach great importance to the New Year, and we even spell this event with a capital letter.

We do not make a review of our internal property during the year so often. In fact, we review our values and orient ourselves to a new stage. Sometimes, such an opportunity is provided by training and sometimes circumstances pressurize you. Sometimes we advertise a special disposition of stars in which it would be useful to summarize results and realize our lives. But no training or PR initiates such a mass rising wave like the New Year. If you understand this and take a conscious approach to the pre- and post-New Year week, you can take the leap you were probably planning to take all year or maybe even more.

Story of the Snow Maiden 

The story of the Snow Maiden looks modest against the background of the centuries-old biography of Father Frost. His helper was "born" only in 1873, when Aleksandr Ostrovskiy wrote his famous play "The Snow Maiden." According to the writer's intention, the Snow Maiden was originally the daughter of Father Frost, and only later did other writers somehow turn her it into a granddaughter. In any case, regardless of the "relation", the couple proved so popular that Father Frost could no longer be imagined without his faithful companion who helped distribute gifts and delight kids.

What is Father Frost like?

Imagine that "local" gnomes are considered to be the ancestors of Father Frost in some countries. In others, it is the medieval itinerant jugglers who sang Christmas songs or stray toy sellers. It is believed that the relatives of Father Frost include the East Slavic spirit of cold Crackler, aka the Frost. The image of Father Frost was formed over the centuries and each people contributed something of its own.

But it turns out that the ancestors of the old man included real people. In the 4th century, there lived Archbishop Nicholas in the Turkish city of Mira. According to a legend, he was a very good-natured man. He once saved three daughters of an impoverished family, by throwing nodules with gold into their window. After his death Nicholas was declared a saint. In the 11th century, the church where he was buried was robbed by Italian pirates. They stole the remains of the saint and took them to their home country. Parishioners of the St. Nicholas church were outraged. International scandal erupted. This story caused a lot of noise, so Nicholas became the object of veneration and worship for Christians from around the world.

In the Middle Ages, the tradition set in to make gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day, on 19 December. After the introduction of the new calendar, the saint began to come to see children for Christmas and then on the New Year. The good old man is called differently everywhere: in Spain ? Papa Noel, in Romania ? Mosh Jarile, in Holland ? Sinte Klaas, in England and America ? Santa Claus, in post-Soviet countries ? Father Frost.

The outfit of Father Frost did not appear at once either. First he was portrayed in a cloak. By the early 19th century, the Dutch drew him as a pipe smoker, who could expertly cleanse the chimneys through which he showered gifts to children. At the end of the same century he was dressed in a red coat trimmed with fur. In 1860, American artist Thomas Knight decorated him with a beard, while soon Englishman Tenniel created an image of a good-natured fat man, the Father Frost we all know very well.

How many new years in a year?

On 1 January, the New Year begins in all countries of the world according to the Julian calendar.

On 14 January, when Russia and other post-Soviet republics celebrate the Old New Year, is considered the beginning of the year in Greece. It is the day of St. Basil, who was famous for his kindness and a special love for children.

Then the New Year comes to countries which have adopted the Lunar Calendar: China, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea, Mongolia, Malaysia and so on. It is noteworthy that the holiday does not have a fixed date because it falls on the first new moon of spring, which may occur in from late January to late February. Equally unstable is the New Year in Muslim countries, where it is called the Hijr. It is believed that the Hijr begins on the first day of the first month of the year, and each year the date changes.

On the night from 21 to 22 March, the New Year (Novruz Bayrami) arrives in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan.

If by magic we suddenly transfer from Afghanistan to India, we can see the New Year again on 22 March. Incidentally, in India there are eight days in a year which, according to various legends, are considered the beginning of the year.

In Burma, the New Year is celebrated on 1 April - it is one of the hottest days, so residents traditionally sprinkle water on each other during the whole week. By such "fountains" they wish each other happiness and prosperity, because this is a period of the water festival - tinjan. This is when rains end in Burma, giving way to the drought. Celebrations to mark the start of the year last for three days.

Also on 1 April, the New Year is greeted by the residents of Odessa, the famous city of humorists. But there this date is rather the beginning of another year of humor, rather than the onset of the calendar year.

On 14 April, New Year comes to Laos. It is the threshold of the long-awaited seasons of rains.

In Thailand, New Year's Eve takes place twice: according to official government acts, the date is fixed for 1 January, while folk customs "insist" on one of the days in the middle of April because this is how the New Year, or Songarkan, was celebrated in Thailand five centuries ago.

Some of Mexico's Mayan see the New Year in on 16 July, while in Djibouti and Niger on one day in August.

In Syria, 1 September is the beginning of a calendar year. The same day the New Year comes to Israel, where it is called Roshha Hashanah.

In early September, a long rainy season ends in Ethiopia, and the change of seasons is associated by the indigenous population with the onset of another year. Most often, the New Year here is celebrated on 11 September.

On 7 October, New Year festivities are magnificently held in Gambia and Indonesia. For locals it is a special day - you can put on your best clothes, preen one's feathers, ask each other for forgiveness for all the wrongs and enter the New Year with a clear conscience.

The night from 31 October to 1 November, known in Catholic countries as the Halloween, is the beginning of the year for Celtic peoples, but they call it Samhain. This date is particularly important in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man, where people still preserve the centuries-old customs of the descendants of the ancient Celts.

On 18 November, one year is replaced by another in Hawaii, Oceania and Yemen. These regions see the New Year in after everyone else, when other countries are preparing to meet the next year.

Background of the New Year tree

The history of the New Year and Christmas tree goes back to ancient times, when there was no talk of Christmas and the New Year. On the shortest day of the year, which fell on December, Egyptians decorated their houses with green palm branches symbolizing the victory of life over death. In ancient Rome, there was a tradition to decorate homes with green leaves in honor of the god of agriculture. On the winter solstice, the druids of northern tribes of Europe hung golden apples on oak branches. Later, in the Middle Ages, many countries had the tradition of celebrating 24 December as the day of Adam and Eve - on this day a pine tree was adorned with ribbons.

A dressed New Year tree is a symbol of the New Year only in a few countries. In most states it primarily symbolizes Christmas. But considering the fact that the dates of these festivals are close to each other, it is possible to consider the elegant barbed beauty a symbol of both. An adorned Christmas tree was first mentioned in the 16th century. According to written sources, in the German town of Strasbourg, a Christmas tree was decorated with fruit, candy, ribbons and colored paper in late December. Over time, this custom spread to other cities of Europe. When German settlers moved across the ocean and began to develop the vast expanses of the North American continent, they brought this tradition along. The local colonists liked it so much that it was adopted almost everywhere. Within a few years, the celebration of Christmas and the New Year was unthinkable without the dressing up of a Christmas tree. In fact, this tradition was popular not only with ordinary people but also with those in power. Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, was the first to order that the Christmas tree be placed in the so-called Blue Room of the White House.

And starting from the times of Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, the lights on the Christmas tree are lit with great solemnity on the lawn in front of the presidential residence. In the US, there is even the National Christmas Tree Association, which chooses the most beautiful, slender and fluffy Christmas tree each year and presents it to the first family of the state.

WHAT DOES SNAKE BRING PEOPLE?

On the one hand, the snake is tough, cold and calculating, on the other, it a wise and insightful. It would be wrong to say that the year of the Snake will be smooth, but people of intellectual professions and analysts are likely to do well. The year does not involve a flurry of activity, the snake is slow and sluggish, but is still capable of a sharp jerk. Select the tactics of a snake and good luck will accompany you. It is best not to make a fuss and make decision without haste, weighing up everything. This year is conducive to mental labor, development of thought processes, because the wise snake patronizes philosophers and thinkers. People with an active lifestyle and hectic activity every day will find life more difficult this year.

The year will also be good for people experienced in diplomacy. Accurate business management is the key to success at all times. It is better not to spend a lot of money this year - snakes like to save things rather than spend them, leading an ascetic lifestyle. On the personal front, the year of the snake will not be filled with turbulent romances. But the seriousness of the snake is conducive to meeting a soul mate or creating a strong relationship. If you meet your spouse in the year of the Snake, in addition to serious intentions you are likely to enjoy beautiful compliments and courtship. The year of the snake favors the creation of a strong marriage.

The general horoscope for 2013 promises all signs of the zodiac good luck in intellectual activity, fair decisions and wise actions. The snake is considered a dangerous and scary reptile. Snakes move fast, attack the victim quickly and the venom of some of them is fatal. But they are not as terrible as it seems. After all, if you don't touch a snake, it will not bite you. Drugs are made from the venom of some poisonous snakes. In addition, the snake is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence and strong will, according to the Chinese calendar. But beware, as insidious creatures, snakes often rely on emotions and impressions. It will not listen to advice from others, so many will be disappointed of their reckless behavior in 2013. Remember that the hostess of the year is prudent and not hurried, but is capable of a rapid jerk. The horoscope for 2013 favors quality and philosophical development of personality. The main thing in the next year is to choose your tactics, which must be careful. The snake leads an ascetic existence, so it does not like those who spend a lot of money in vain. Watch what the money is spent on in your family, maybe you spend too much on things you will never use.

The horoscope for 2013 says that the year will be successful for the development of science, industry, research experiments, expeditions, and in general any kind of activity that promotes learning and requiring mental labor. Political life is going to be troubled. Passions will run high in the public arena. International conflicts will occur from time to time, but all countries of the world will do their best to resolve them. Internal conflicts will break out, but not as often as international, though they may often be more ferocious. Government promises of a better life will come true, but what they will give to the poor will be taken away from the rich. The year of the Snake promises all signs of the zodiac competition in career and love affairs, and in the domestic sphere of life among family members. Snakes are cautious and do not admit anyone to their home. Try not to let anyone to what you have amassed and to your success. Some people may want to take over what is yours. Be vigilant, especially with the people you consider good friends. For creative people the horoscope for 2013 will be favorable in everything. Many scholars, artists, musicians, writers and poets who had previously been in the shadows will become known. Those dreaming of engaging in creative activities can finally realize their dream. Stars will be placed in such a way that they will succeed in any venture. In society there will be problems and conflicts based on the lack of attention to neighbors and relatives. In autumn, it is important to maintain discipline, orderliness, accuracy and fidelity. Some will have to make an effort and work hard to retain their jobs. It is assumed that this period will see an exacerbation of infection, so it is important to observe hygiene and cleanliness. The snake does not like those who frequently change decisions, so try to remain neutral at work and do not get involved in the relationship between the staff and the bosses. The horoscope for 2013, the year of the Snake, tells all people to keep your distance and be very polite in the workplace. By year end, it is important not to start to curse those you worshiped before. This will mean that you are weak-minded and the snake will not favor you. It is important to hear out your interlocutors and to hear the subtext you want them to hear. It will be easier for you to agree on the most serious issues that are equally important to you. It is not necessary to change anything in your surroundings or in your business affairs. In order to better educate children the way you want, find a hobby for them and they will start perceiving you differently.