Good day everyone. Today is a rather unusual day. Rather, it is customary for Russia and the countries of the former USSR, but unusual for the rest of the world. Today, we are celebrating the New Year! Second New Year for January! We call it "Old New Year". I. Many people find it difficult to understand how it is - "Old New" ?!

I will try to tell you about this unusual situation.

To begin with, until 1918, Russia and Europe lived according to different calendars. Russia lived according to the Julian calendar. Europe lived according to the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar, created in Europe in the 16th century, was much more accurate. The Julian calendar, in turn, was created back in the Roman Empire, based on ancient Egyptian astronomy.

The difference between these calendar systems is 13 days. And, when January 14 began all over the world, only January 1 came in the Russian Empire.

This discrepancy in dates created great difficulties in the trade and communication between Russia and the world. But, the Russian Empire, this complexity was of little concern, since it was a fairly traditional country.

The young Bolshevik government decided to correct this situation in 1918. On February 14, 1918, the Bolsheviks issued a decree on "the establishment in Russia of the same number with almost all cultural peoples."

But another confusion arose. When to celebrate the old holidays in the new calendar? It was decided to celebrate the New Year, as in the whole world - on January 1st, according to the Gregorian calendar. But, ordinary people, accustomed to tradition, have not left the old date. And, New Year, began to be celebrated twice. According to the old and new calculus.

In Russia, this day is not considered a day off. But, his celebration did not stop all this century.