Hello. As I promised, I continue the theme of Russia. To begin with, a brief excursion into the background of the issue. Three days ago, the celebration of Catholic Christmas took place. Feast of the foundations of Western culture. Perhaps more important for the peoples of Europe and the United States than the New Year.

However, if we are transported to Russia, we will see that Christmas with us is not an analogue of the New Year's holiday. It is deeply religious, and is celebrated only mainly by Orthodox Christians, with services in churches, prayers. It is not part of popular culture. However, on a huge scale, we celebrate - New Year.

For the new year, special holidays have been allocated. On the days of the celebration of the arrival of 2021, from January 1 to January 10 inclusive, there will be days off. They are called "New Year's Holidays". And it would be interesting to know from your comments if there is such a long New Year's weekend in your countries.

In Western culture, spruce is a Christmas symbol. In Russia - New Year's. Millions of rubles are allocated annually to maintain the festive infrastructure. There are attractions wherever possible. Festive dishes, cafes, souvenirs, and the main New Year's character - Ded Moroz. (Alternative phrase in English: Father Frost. "Ded" in Russian means an elderly (old) man.)

And now we come to the main topic of this post - Ded Moroz, this is the Russian analogue of Santa Claus.

But, despite the similarities, they have different cultural roots. So, Santa Claus is a Christian character adapted to popular culture. And here is Ded Moroz, a pagan character.

Ded Moroz, originally it was called "Studenets" and "Treskunets" aka "Frost", is the ancient spirit of winter, fields and forests. And, at the very beginning of his history, he was not distinguished by his peacefulness. He was responsible for keeping order in the winter. And, he froze people he disliked. Frosty, this is something of a lower deity at that time. And, at the same time they feared him, and at the same time placated him. After all, "Studenets" bestowed frost and snow as a guarantee of future soil fertility. Also, he was asked not to come in the summer. And they appeased, with funeral food - kutya, which is still known in Orthodoxy.

It should be borne in mind that the Christian Russian Orthodox Church, for all centuries, has tried to eradicate the popular veneration of Morozko. But, the church did not succeed. And, the people, continued to mix in their lives the culture of paganism and Christianity. Therefore, subsequently, the image of  Ded Moroz softened, and he was associated with the celebration of Christmas in the Russian Empire, as a Christmas giver.

Also, Ded Moroz, began to adopt the features of the Catholic symbol - St. Nicholas (who later became Santa).

Now a little about the formation of the image of Ded Moroz. It has become an official part of Russian culture since 1840, when the writer, Odoevsky Vladimir Fedorovich, publishes a collection of stories and fairy tales "Tales of Grandfather Irenaeus". It was then that the image of the old "donor" appeared - "Moroz Ivanovich". But, it was connected not with Christmas or New Year, but with the moment of the departure of winter and the arrival of spring. And, he did not come to the children. He lived in his own country, in his own dimension, where the children had to come themselves. Through the "portal" that served as a water well.

In this literary interpretation, Moroz Ivanovich no longer punishes. He gives a reward for work and dignity. And, he rewards someone richly. And someone, a simple ice icicle.

The image of Ded Moroz, familiar to all of us, as a symbol of Christian Christmas, appears in the Russian Empire in 1886. Starting from this period, Ded Moroz was associated with Christianity, with Christmas, and spruce, making him an analogue of the Western Saint Nicholas the Pleasure. This image developed in connection with Christianity before the October Socialist Revolution. After coming to power, the Bolsheviks excluded the image of Ded Moroz as a symbol of religion and the capitalist world.

It is worth clarifying that from the time of 1840 to the time of 1886, the noble cultural community made attempts to create alternatives to St. Nicholas the Pleasant. And, before settling on Ded Moroz, such characters appeared as: Old Ruprecht, Saint Nicholas, Grandfather Nicholas. They did not take root, however, the idea of ​​St. Nicholas was combined with the idea of ​​Moroz Ivanovich, which gave rise to the well-known Ded Moroz.

The final eradication of the Christian person, Christmas Ded Moroz  from Soviet culture, took place in 1929. But, it was a temporary step. Since the Soviet Union strove for symbolism, and the creation of new holidays, for the new Soviet Man, it became necessary to mark the celebration of the new year.

The process of returning Ded Moroz began with a speech on December 28, 1935, by a member of the Presidium of the USSR Central Executive Committee - Pavel Petrovich Postyshev, published in an article in the newspaper Pravda. He proposed to designate for young children a symbolic New Year's celebration, with the old symbols (repurposing the Christmas tree into a New Year tree), but devoid of any religious connotation from the past. At the same time, the idea of ​​the image of Ded Moroz returned. And, the first official New Year tree took place on December 30, 1935.

And already at the beginning of 1937, at the New Year celebrations, people were met by the renewed Ded Moroz. His image was complemented by a fabulous relative - Snegurochka. And, new Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, became a beacon of communism for children. And, they were deeply involved in the culture of the Soviet communist ideology.

Since then, New Year has completely dissociated itself from Christmas. And Christmas, went into a closed religious tradition. While the New Year has become the main festive symbol of the turn of the year.

It is also worth clarifying that not only Snegurochka was given to help Ded Moroz. But, and a boy named "New Year". It was supposed to be a symbol of youth, the beginning of the annual cycle, inherited from the old man Ded Moroz. But, this image did not take root. And, after 1950, it gradually faded away.

In modern Russia, Ded Moroz is also popular. Especially to popularize the image, a permanent actor was hired, playing Father Frost, and living in his northern residence, in the city of Veliky Ustyug. "Ded Moroz's Residence" has become a popular tourist attraction where many parents take their children to give them a little New Year's Magic.

And this idea became popular. Additional "Residences of Ded Moroz" appeared in Russia, in the Moscow region in 2004 the "Moscow estate of Ded Moroz", and in Murmansk, in the park "Lights of Murmansk" in 2011. These places attract tens of thousands of tourists, operating all year round. A mail has been created where children send their letters to receive an invitation and congratulations from the New Year's Symbol.

Bonus.

And, a little strange fact for the English-speaking public: the phrase " Ded Moroz ", in Russian pronunciation, is consonant with the English phrase "Dead Morose". And, having visited Russia for the first time, foreign tourists are very surprised that for a strange entity Russians are calling for a holiday. But, this is already the problem of the difference between our languages, we have to put up with it.

Many thanks to those who have finished reading.