THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLIDAYS IN PEOPLE'S LIFE

Alexa Daria Viktorovna

student 3 course, Department of General History AltSPA, Barnaul

Shcheglova Tatyana Kirillovna

scientific supervisor, doctor of history. Sciences, Professor AltSPA, Barnaul

Currently, many of us do not even think about the significance of the presence of holidays in our lives, so it was necessary to explore what the significance of celebrations is in the destinies of both the people as a whole and for an individual in the past and present. Now the problem under consideration has become the most acute, since on the one hand there is a gradual shift away from old Soviet holidays to new ones, and on the other, a rapid one, for example, the implementation of National Unity Day - November 4 or the “big winter holidays” after the New Year. In the author’s opinion, it is important to show the influence of holidays on people’s consciousness, on their lives, what influence political ideology had on celebrations and identifying the place of religious holidays in people’s lives, and since we live in the age of globalization, what influence do foreign holidays have.

The life of Russian people in the distant past consisted of a series of everyday life and holidays. Everyday life is a time filled with work and worries. On weekdays they plowed, sowed, reaped, raised children... their distinguishing feature was the ordinariness of their home existence, moderation in food, simple comfortable clothing, secluded leisure time.

Weekdays were contrasted with holidays - a time of relaxation, fun, joy, a feeling of fullness of life. The alternation of everyday life and holidays was considered a necessary component of the normal course of life, and disruptions could lead to chaos and the death of the world, according to popular beliefs. Holidays and ceremonies shape human life. They pick up on him and the moment of his birth and initiate him into full-fledged members of society. The holiday lifts us above the ordinary and brings to a point the unity of the past, present and future. Celebrating an event every year gives it importance on an eternal level.

The holiday is a communication about abundance and fun, affirming the victory of harmony over chaos. A holiday is always a rush to utopia; it balances and neutralizes storms and misfortunes.

The era of Peter I became the time of birth of civil holidays in Russia. Among them is the New Year's Eve celebration (on the night of January 1), in honor of the victory of Russian weapons, sea and land. Their role is to instill in people a sense of patriotism, love for the emperor, to strengthen the fighting spirit of the army, and to introduce them to European culture. “Having opened a window to Europe,” Western traditions began to flow into Russian culture. Many said: hasn’t the great sovereign driven the country into a European corner? It is impossible to firmly answer this question to this day. On the one hand, this undoubtedly converted Russian culture, brought new breath into it, and on the other hand, since the time Russia began to lose its originality.

Many Russian holidays were not in demand among the people; they were replaced by new foreign celebrations. For example, St. Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day, on which it is customary to give valentines, and modern youth willingly celebrate declarations of love. Only since 2008, a similar holiday was established in Russia - Peter and Fevronia Day. She was the first lovers in Rus'. The Tale of Peter and Fevronia tells us about the love of a peasant girl and a prince. During the Middle Ages, the theme of all-conquering love emerged as a high human feeling, overcoming social barriers and endowed with miraculous power. In the 19th century there were many holidays associated with the Orthodox Church, which were influenced by political ideology. Holidays were held in honor of significant events in sacred history, especially revered saints, and miraculous icons. Church holidays, with their pomp, brightness, and solemnity of worship, were supposed to strengthen people's faith in God and the memory of the saints. At the same time, since the mid-1880s, Christmas and Easter have become a headache for the police. Christmas and holy days were the time of the most active circulation of “political” rumors among the peasantry. In July 1905, during a religious procession in Shuya on the occasion of Ilyin's Day, the Bolsheviks, at the suggestion of M. Frunze, stood among the believers and scattered about a thousand leaflets. The police could not do anything for fear of offending the feelings of believers. The traditional order of religious life was taken into account and, in fact, exploited by revolutionary propagandists. They used the folk way of life and habits to their advantage. Local authorities and the church were powerless against such tactics of the rioters.

It’s time to turn to the first Soviet holidays established by the new government in memory of significant dates in the struggle of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie.

They, like the holidays of the tsarist period, were influenced by the ideology established in the state.

The first Soviet holidays

In 1918, the dictatorship of the victorious proletariat established by decree its own public holidays. Their first set was so different from today’s that the comparison even inspires some optimism: the first Soviet holidays were more related to death than to life.

May 1 is the anniversary of the dispersed meeting of anarchists in Chicago who demanded a reduction in the working day to 8 hours.

Symbols and rituals

The symbolism and rituals of the Soviet holiday developed gradually. Immediately after the revolution, a search began for a form of celebration.

Ceremonial marches with red flags were distinguished by the fact that people moved strictly forward, never in a circle. This symbolized the road to a bright future, to the victory of communism.

Political carnivals, mass events, living structures of pioneers imitating the industrial movement.

Gradually, by the end of the 1920s, methods and explanations began to be introduced about the need to give the holidays a solemn and restrained character. Solemnity is a sign of stability.

atoning sacrifice

Until recently, the great victory in the Patriotic War seemed to be the only irrefutable success in the illusory world of socialist achievement. Therefore, it was a great holiday - May 9, the only one capable of uniting and reconciling the people in a patriotic creative impulse.

For various reasons, the Soviet regime should have invented it - the unifying role of the Victory and its celebration would have been worth it. People live with the knowledge that their lives have been redeemed from death by the lives of the dead.

New Year

January 1 remained a working day until 1947, when it replaced Victory Day as a day off. During the period of developed socialism, the New Year, which took on the function of Christmas - a family holiday of celebration - was the only completely non-ideologized Soviet holiday.

March 8.

The most lyrical Soviet holiday has changed greatly, but it began as a very official and boring ideological holiday... Women's Day is remarkable in that it is the only holiday accompanied by the ritual dressing of Soviet people. The head of the family put on an apron and, in the company of his sons, clumsily prepared food and cleaned the apartment.

Constitution day

As for Constitution Day, introduced in 1936, this holiday turned out to be a wandering holiday: sometimes December 5, then October 7, then December 12, in the end, it became nothing more than an additional day off with a little ideological pumping.

Orthodox holidays

Orthodox holidays survived during the Soviet period, although their celebration was not approved by the authorities; the church was separated from the state back in 1918. The state found other ways to influence people's consciousness, excluding religion.

Easter was considered the most important holiday. All church holidays are divided into several groups depending on their significance for believers.

TO great holidays included Christmas, Easter and Trinity. They were called the Lord's because they are associated with events from the life of Jesus Christ. In addition to them, there are the Mother of God holidays. Together with others, they make up the annual circle - 12 main holidays. Such holidays were called twelve and were celebrated for 2-3 days.

Holidays could be moving or immobile. Much depends on the day of Easter, which fell on a different date every year. The days on which the holidays fell changed accordingly. But most are stationary, as they occur on the same day of the year.

Small holidays (semi-holidays) were held in memory of the patron saints of a particular craft, domestic animals, in memory of revered saints, on the days of the beginning or end of field work. The eves of major holidays, for example, Christmas Eve, the Sunday before Maslenitsa, were also considered small holidays. Both men's and women's gatherings were considered Shrovetide: Nikolshchina, Morgosya.

Sunday, which occurred every 6 days, was considered a holiday in Russia. It was adopted as a day of rest by the ancient Slavs.

Ignoring the festival by physically and mentally healthy people was considered a sin, a violation of ethical standards and God's regulations. In Russian life, there were family holidays: name days, family fraternities, which celebrated important events in the lives of relatives.

Community holidays lasted for several days. Many of them managed pre-holiday And after the celebration. The pre-holiday was necessary to create a certain psychological mood for the holiday in people. After-festivism solved the problem of bringing a person out of the festive revelry into everyday, everyday life.

In some settlements they celebrated their own "cherished" holidays. Their day was set “by promise,” depending on local traditions. Most often, the holiday was held in honor of the saint with whom the prevention of any disasters was associated - epidemics, drought, fire, loss of livestock.

Russian people believed that any holiday requires respect. It was expressed in the cessation of all work, in a state of complete idleness of people - “The day is holy - all business is asleep”, in concern for the appearance of the village and their own home, in the desire of people to be beautiful and elegant, in the desire to make communication more pleasant and joyful. Working on a holiday was considered a sin, disrespect for God and the saints, and a dirty or snow-covered village, an unkempt house, poorly dressed people - disrespect for the holiday.

Holidays played a big social role in the life of the Russian people. First of all, they contributed to the consolidation of people living in one village, village, or city block. The holiday, which brought together all close and distant relatives, contributed to the strengthening of family ties and the development of family mutual assistance. The holiday had a certain educational significance. Communication made it possible to find out news, exchange impressions, and gain knowledge about distant countries and peoples. The holiday provided a respite from the hard work of a peasant or artisan. He distracted people from everyday worries, family troubles, and life's difficulties.

As for the influence of political ideology on holidays, sometimes a well-planned holiday conveyor suddenly reveals a formidable framework of totalitarian aspirations, the state’s frantic desire for self-preservation. The state machine tends to abolish history as an opportunity for its own evolution.

The stricter the form of government in the state, the more regulated and mass celebrations. Every nation has a huge number of different holidays. And only some of them are welcomed by the state and made official. A state that was formed by force appoints holidays for itself. The national set of non-working days is a cross-section of a given society.

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Introduction

There are many holidays these days, and they all have their own names. There are many of them in every country, each country has its own significant dates that are not found in any other, but there is also something in common between many English-speaking countries. To understand the peoples of other countries, it is not enough just to know the language; you need to know the culture and history of this country.

So, the study of cultural traditions, in particular the study of the peculiarities of celebrating various festivals, customs adopted by the people of the countries of Great Britain and the USA today, we can talk about the relevance of this topic:

Firstly, since the United States is a multinational country, and on its territory there are peoples who, in addition to public holidays, celebrate their national ones (for example, Irish Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, just like in the UK), we can talk about strengthening interethnic cultural relationships within the country.

Secondly, the main public holidays of these countries existed at different times, but until now they have not lost their significance, since they are an integral part of the life of every person.

The purpose of this course work is to use the example of common holidays in Great Britain and the United States to show the similarities and differences in the cultural traditions and customs of these countries. Study the features of holidays in these countries.

The goal is revealed through the following tasks:

– study their role in the cultural life of the country.

– identify similarities and differences in cultural traditions regarding common holidays.

– explore the features of holding common holidays and festivals in each of these two countries.

holiday cultural festival tradition

1. The role of holidays in the cultural life of the country

At all times, among different peoples, the holiday was a special event; it was distinguished from other weekdays and it had a special meaning in the life of the family, the entire society, and the country. Over the years, many memorable dates have been preserved in holiday culture, and many ways to celebrate this or that date have appeared. Despite the fact that all holidays are to some extent diverse, many of them have something in common.

Holidays have always existed in the cultures of different peoples, and now they exist in the cultures of different countries. Every day there is some kind of holiday on our planet. They prepare for the holidays, remember them and do not forget them. They create a festive atmosphere and bring people together.

The famous Russian scientist I. Snegirev wrote about the concept of “holiday” as follows: “The word holiday itself expresses abolition, freedom from everyday work, combined with fun and joy. A holiday is free time, a significant action, an accepted way of performing solemn actions; the latter is contained in the former.” There is such a thing as “the educational significance of folk holidays.”

In his work on the work of F. Rabelais, M. Bakhtin noted: “Holiday is the primary and indestructible category of human culture. On a holiday, the doors of the house are open to guests in the limit - for everyone, for the whole world, on a holiday all the abundance (holiday food, clothes, decoration of the room) is preserved, of course, and holiday wishes for all the best (but with an almost complete loss of ambivalence), holiday toasts , festive games and dressing up, festive cheerful laughter, jokes, dancing, etc. The holiday does not lend itself to any utilitarian understanding (as rest, relaxation, etc.). The holiday just frees you from all utilitarianism and practicality; this is a temporary exit into a utopian world. It is impossible to separate the holiday from the life of the body, the earth, nature, and space. On a holiday and “the sun plays in the sky”, as if “special holiday weather”...

Dressing up, dressing up, and disguise are a necessary element of any holiday, because they provide anonymity for participation in the festive action and help remove social and psychological barriers. In the Dictionary of Antiquity, the word holiday comes from the Latin “dies festus”, “fesia / feria”, which means “a day free from work”.

Since ancient times, it was believed that the purpose of the holiday was “to restore the broken harmony between people and nature and eliminate the alienation of people from nature and society.” The first stage of any holiday is happy anticipation and preparation for it. Then comes the holiday itself and, “alas,” the end of the holiday. Impressions from the holiday are stored in a person’s soul for a long time, being a source of “mental strength” for him.

One of the main reasons we celebrate events is to remember our ancestors and the characteristics of past times. By celebrating something we show our respect for the people who played a role in the historical process of the country. We enrich our knowledge, learn a lot of new things from the history and culture of the country. Young people listen carefully to the stories of their elders about what and how they celebrated in their times, because traditions tend to change in some cases. By introducing something new into the celebration of any memorable date or borrowing any tradition from other peoples, we unite people with each other. In this way, other cultures become familiar with the culture of the country in which they live, without forgetting their own cultural traditions.

The nation becomes more friendly, despite differences in religion. In some cases, an exchange of cultural information occurs when the culture of another country penetrates into the culture of one country, a holiday is borrowed and acquires modified features and traditions of celebration.

2. Types of holidays, their classification. UK and US holidays

“Holidays are such wonderful days on which, in accordance with one or another tradition, for example folk or religious, it is customary to have fun, having parties with feasts and ceremonies. In a word - to highlight this day from a series of everyday life, with any actions that promote idle pastime, relaxation, or paying honors and increased attention to any event.

The holiday calendar can include both weekends, if the holidays correspond to the order of the day off in the month on which the holiday is scheduled (usually professional holidays), and workdays, if the holiday corresponds to a specific date.

The holiday calendar also includes religious holidays, international holidays, professional holidays, state official holidays, unofficial holidays and personal holidays that concern only a specific person, his family, or a certain circle of people, friends and acquaintances. The largest number of holidays occur on international holidays, popular and not so popular, each of which, in different countries, has a different priority and, accordingly, fame.”

There are officially only 38 holidays in the UK: 5 of them are official public holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Spring Day in the UK, St. Peter and Paul's Day, Catholic Christmas; 12 of them are festivals, memorable dates, etc., which are of great importance for the country, but are not holidays in the literal sense of the word, 21 are holidays celebrated in the country, but do not have official days off. You can also celebrate religious holidays, there are only 7 of them - these are Catholic (Good) Friday (GoodFriday), Catholic Easter (Easter), Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Halloween - the eve of All Hallows' Day (Halloween, All Hallows Evening or Beggars Night) , All Saints' Day, Guy Fawkes Day and Christmas.

There are 54 holidays in the USA: 7 - official public holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day in the USA, Independence Day ), Labor Day and National Hunting and Fishing Day in the USA (National Hunting and Fishing Day); 13 – festivals, observances, etc. that are of great importance for the country, but are not holidays in the literal sense of this. words, 34 - holidays celebrated in the country, but not having official days off. You can also celebrate religious holidays, there are only 6 of them. As for personal holidays, these are naturally birthdays, wedding anniversaries and many others that are celebrated in a circle. family and friends, or holidays relating to a specific group of people. We will consider only the main common and most popular holidays of these two countries:

· Catholic Easter – Sunday after the first full moon, after the vernal equinox.

· Queen’sbirthday – second Saturday in June.

3. Similarities and differences in the cultural traditions of the USA and Great Britain

The object of study of my work is the cultural traditions and customs of Great Britain and the USA. One of the main traditions of different countries of the world is the celebration of their national holiday. For the USA it is Independence Day. What is the national holiday in Great Britain? Great Britain is an island state, and as such it has long influenced the political and socio-economic development of other countries. Thanks to its flexible policy, Britain was able to prevent military action on its territory and, therefore, it was characterized by a high standard of living and well-being of the English people. The people of the United Kingdom did not need national self-affirmation and they did not need to be reminded every year that they were British. True, during the existence of the British Empire, Empire Day was celebrated, but it did not last long and was a day off only for teachers and schoolchildren. It was later replaced by Commonwealth Day, which has been celebrated as Queen'sbirthday since 1996. A national holiday is necessary not only for strengthening and self-affirmation of the nation, but also for official purposes. So, for example, on this day, it is customary for ambassadors abroad to organize receptions in honor of their country’s day, they represent their homeland by speaking on television, etc.

The main winter holiday - New Year's Day for Great Britain can only be called a continuation of the festive Christmas days. It is not as beloved and not as widely celebrated. While Americans love this holiday and celebrate it very noisily starting from December 31st. The Tournament of Roses and the Mime Parade are associated with the New Year celebrations. The origins of their traditions date back to the middle of the last century. Parades are held in major cities in the United States, and in the UK, the country's main Christmas tree is placed in Trafalgar Square in London. New Year in Britain is celebrated in accordance with local, national traditions and personal preferences. Some people prefer to celebrate it at parties with friends, some like to gather in Piccadilly Circus or Trafalgar Square, many honor family traditions and therefore celebrate the New Year with their family at the festive table, while in the USA they like to celebrate this holiday noisily in clubs, restaurants, theaters. In both countries, people give each other gifts and wish each other happiness, although in the UK this tradition is not so widespread. The British honor family traditions, so many of them celebrate the New Year with their families at a festively laid table. Just as in England they serve turkey at Christmas, so in Scotland for the New Year they prepare haggis - the culinary emblem of this country. The toast “Your good health!” - For your health!

The most famous tradition in Britain is the tradition of the first guest. It is believed that after the clock strikes 12 times, if a person with dark hair appears on the doorstep, the year will be successful. Usually in England, a guest brings bread, coal, and a pinch of salt with him as symbols of food, warmth and prosperity. The first guest must be treated.

Christmas Day is a beloved holiday among the British, but it is also widespread among Americans. It is celebrated on December 25th. This is a Christian holiday that is usually celebrated for several days.

In preparation for this holiday, Americans put up a Christmas tree in the largest room of the house and decorate it with toys and candles; this tradition was first introduced by the British. They began decorating the house and giving gifts of hanging plants such as holly, ivy and mistletoe. “Each of these plants is connected in its own way with the divine principle. Ivy represents immortality. Holly, an evergreen shrub with glossy, sharp leaves, is designed to instill faith in the best and hope in a person. Its shiny red berries symbolize the blood of Jesus Christ. The veneration of mistletoe as a sacred plant became a custom long before the birth of Christ. For example, the Druids believed that it could cure many diseases and protect against evil spells. This is where the tradition of hanging mistletoe branches entwined with ribbon above the entrance to the house came from. It was believed that a man had the right to kiss a girl who accidentally found herself under a mistletoe branch. This custom of kissing under the mistletoe during the Christmas and New Year holidays is still preserved in the United States."

On this day, the custom of giving gifts appeared, which was finally established in Victorian England; before that, gifts were exchanged on New Year's Day or on Twelfth Night (the holiday of Epiphany). When giving someone a gift, people usually say "MerryChristmas!" - "Merry Christmas!". In both countries, children hang stockings on the fireplace and wait for Santa Claus to come at night and place gifts there. This custom also originated in Victorian England. “There is an explanation for him: “Father Christmas” traveled through the air and entered houses through a chimney. Going down to one of the houses, he dropped several gold coins into a sock, which was hung to dry over the fireplace. Since then, on Christmas Eve, they began to hang socks and stockings on the fireplace in the hope that something would fall there.”

The celebration of St. Valentine's Day on February 14 in the UK began earlier than in the USA. This day got its name from the Christian martyr Valentine, who was sentenced to death. An order was issued prohibiting the marriage, but Valentin disobeyed and secretly married the lovers. In the UK, flowers have a special place on this day. As you know, there is a whole alphabet of colors, thanks to which you can express all your feelings. The British borrowed the tradition of giving flowers for this holiday from the French at the beginning of the 18th century, and Americans at the beginning of the last century began sending marzipan to their lovers on Valentine's Day. Later, after the production of caramel began, words corresponding to the holiday began to be scratched onto the candies. The candies were red and white. Red meant passion, and white meant purity of love. But the Americans added one more tradition to all the others: a week before the holiday, schoolchildren cut out heart-shaped figures from papier-mâché, paint them and make various inscriptions, and then give them to lonely, unhappy and sick people. The British also have a similar tradition: in addition to gifts, they give each other Valentines - cards in the shape of a heart. Now you can buy a wide variety of valentines, but the inscription remains unchanged on all cards: “To You, with Love from Valentine.”

On March 17, both the USA and Great Britain celebrate St. Patrick's Day. This is originally an Irish holiday that has British roots. St. Patrick has become so popular in the United States, where the Irish population is large, that the day of his death is celebrated nationwide. There are several legends about this holiday. According to one of them: “Patrick was born on March 17, 415 in Wales (Wales) in the family of a deacon of the local church. At the age of 16, he was captured by pirates and brought to Ireland, where he fell into the service of the leader Milch. The young man was a shepherd. He later wrote about that period of his life: “I prayed many times a day. Love for the Lord and fear of God came to me more and more, and my faith strengthened.” As the legend says, six years later he heard the voice of God: “Soon you will return home.” "Look, your ship is waiting." Patrick escaped from captivity and, thanks to prayers, was able to persuade the captain to take him onto the ship. Later he met the French bishop Hermanus (Saint Germain), who helped him strengthen his path of spiritual development. Years later, St. Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary on behalf of Pope Celestine I. Croagh Patrick is named after him, where he fasted for forty days and nights. It was on this mountain, as legend says, that St. Patrick performed one of his miracles - he commanded snakes from all over the Irish land to gather at his feet, and then drove them out. According to legend, one large and cunning snake did not want to leave the Emerald Isle. The saint had to resort to cunning. He built a large box and told the snake that there was no way it could fit in it. The stubborn reptile succumbed to a feeling of contradiction and began to argue with the missionary. As soon as the snake climbed into the box, the saint quickly covered it and threw it into the sea.”

While everything turns red on Valentine's Day, everything turns green on St. Patrick's Day. Green hats, costumes, green shamrock as a symbol of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the United States, this holiday is most widely celebrated in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Atlanta, where the Irish population is largest. According to tradition, costume parades with religious bands take place on this day in Britain; it is believed that this tradition was introduced by the Americans. In America, every year there is a large street parade in New York, when the Irish march along the main street of the city, thus symbolizing the triumph of the Catholic faith, and on the festive morning a morning mass is held in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Every year tens of thousands of pilgrims, many of them barefoot, climb the holy mountain "Croagh Patrick", 765 m above sea level.

Nowadays, St. Patrick's Day is a holiday of spring and joy, which is celebrated not only in Ireland, Great Britain, but also far beyond their borders.

April 1 is celebrated as April Fools Day in these countries. If in Russia this day, as usual, begins with a joke: “Wake up! I overslept for work!”, then in the United States, every year, as a joke, the media announce a list of the stupidest people in the country, warning that they are joking. Some believe that this day was previously celebrated in many countries as the day of the spring solstice, which was accompanied by jokes, pranks and funny pranks. But there is another version of the origin of the holiday: “Before Charles 9 reformed the calendar in France from Victorian to Gregorian in the 16th century, the New Year was celebrated not on January 1, but at the end of March. New Year's week began on March 25 and ended on April 1. On New Year's holidays it is customary to have fun not only now, but also in those distant times. News at that time spread very slowly, and some did not receive news for several years. Some conservative (or perhaps simply ignorant) people continued to celebrate the New Year according to the old style on April 1. Others laughed and made fun of them, gave them stupid gifts and called them April Fools (April's Fools). This is how the so-called April Fools' Day arose. Then it turned into a tradition. In Scotland, this day is called Cuckoo Day." Usually in the UK, jokes are played on friends and acquaintances, but the media also takes part. However, there is one peculiarity - the time of the draws is limited - only until noon.

Mother's Day in the UK and USA is similar to March 8 in Russia. In Britain, the origins of this holiday go back to Victorian times, when children lived and worked away from their parents and were only allowed to visit them once a year. On this day, they gave their parents small gifts - bouquets of flowers and fresh eggs. In the United States, “The origins of Mother’s Day celebrations may be to be found in the spring festivals, which the inhabitants of ancient Greece dedicated to Rhea, the mother of the gods. Since 1600, the tradition of celebrating Mothering Sunday has appeared in England. On this day, which fell on the fourth Sunday of Lent, mothers were honored.

The history of this holiday has preserved several interesting facts. For example, at that time many poor English people worked as servants for the rich. Since they often worked far from their families, they had to live in the homes of their employers. On Mothering Sunday they were given a day of rest so that they could go home and spend the day with their mothers. The symbol of the holiday was a special, maternal cake, which was presented to the mother as a sign of respect. After the spread of Christianity in Europe, holidays began to be held in honor of the Mother of the Church - a symbol of spiritual power that gives life and protection from danger. Over time, Mother's Day of the Church and Mothering Sunday began to be celebrated as one holiday: people honored their mothers as fervently as the Church.

In the United States, Mother's Day was first publicly supported in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe, the author of the Republican anthem. Calling for the day to be dedicated to peace, she organized massive Mother's Day rallies in Boston every year." In terms of popularity, this holiday is in fifth place among Americans after Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Easter and Christmas. On this day, children bring gifts to their mothers and spend some time with her. And in the UK this day passes quite calmly. Women relax while men do housework and prepare dinner. On this day, according to tradition, it is customary to serve simnel cake, decorated with 12 marzipan balls. Sometimes husbands take their wives to restaurants, children give flowers and gifts, and if the children are far from their parents, they will call their relatives or be sure to send a card, letter or email to congratulate them.

Another holiday beloved by many is Halloween - the eve of All Hallows' Day (Halloween, All Hallows Evening or Beggars Night). It is celebrated on October 31st. They say that this holiday is at least two thousand years old. “This controversial holiday takes its origins from Celtic culture. The Celts had “beginnings of the seasons.” There were four of them. Samhain marked the arrival of winter and was celebrated on October 31st.

In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV established All Saints Day on November 1, wanting to distract the English people from pagan customs. Later, November 2 became the Day of Souls - when all the dead were remembered. However, the traditions were preserved in the people’s memory, and they were never completely defeated.” According to another version, the Mexicans brought their peculiarity of celebrating Halloween to America. Nowadays in the USA, every year, children dress up in costumes and go from house to house to collect candy. There is a whole code about what kind of candy to give to children. Upon returning home, parents check what candy the children brought. The entire celebration ends around 8 pm. On this day, it is also customary to spread fear to the people, even the media takes part in this. After all, Halloween in the USA is “in fact, an all-American carnival for which people prepare costumes a year in advance.” It was the Americans who introduced the tradition of carving holiday lanterns out of pumpkins and placing a candle inside them. Before that, they cut them from turnips, potatoes, and in England, beets. Recently, in the USA, a tradition has emerged of playing with the symbol of Halloween on this day in bowling, but the rules remain the same - whoever knocks down the most balls wins.

In Britain and the USA, Catholic Easter is celebrated in April. “Easter is a Christian holiday in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated by the Catholic Church on the first full moon Sunday after the spring equinox between March 22 and April 25.

Easter is the most ancient and important holiday of the year. The name of the holiday goes back to the Jewish “Passover”: the Jewish Passover, dedicated to the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery, was in the eyes of Christians a prototype of the redemption of humanity from sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, to the memory of which Christian Passover is dedicated.” On this day, religious services are held in churches. On this day, it is customary to wear new clothes as a symbol of the onset of spring. Children look all over the house for hidden eggs, which they paint in bright colors. They also organize the Eggstravaganza competition: the child who finds the most eggs wins a prize. In the mornings, children also roll boiled eggs down the mountain. The egg rolling down the mountain symbolizes the stone that broke away from the Holy Sepulcher. The winner is the one whose egg reaches the foot of the mountain first.

In the United States, where Protestants and Catholics celebrate holidays according to the Gregorian calendar, there is no preference for any one religious tradition for celebrating Easter. This day is usually celebrated with family. Many Americans have maintained the tradition of coloring Easter eggs and giving children candy as gifts. On Easter Monday in the United States, the president and his children take part in the annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn. In Boston, in honor of the holiday, talking dolls of the prophet Moses are sold. This kind of fun costs $10. The doll teaches the owner with the words: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Conclusion

England and America have their own interesting and varied cultural customs and traditions. Many traditions and customs came from Great Britain to the United States and acquired their own characteristics, but they still have their roots in the past of Great Britain. For many centuries, they managed to survive and survive, as well as remain relevant in the modern world of high technology. These customs and traditions still exist and attract many people interested in studying the history and culture of Great Britain and the United States.

Studying the traditions of these countries allows us to better understand and study the living conditions of people, their social status, and the historical past of the country as a whole and its individual regions.

Bibliography

1. Pinyagin Yu.N. Great Britain: history, culture, way of life. – Perm: Perm Publishing House. Univ., 1996. – 296.

2. Satinova V.M. We read and talk about Britain and the British. Mn.: Vysh. school, 1997. – 255 p.

3. Traditions, customs and habits. M.: INFRA-M, 2001. – 127 p.

4. Nesterova N.M. Country studies: Great Britain. – Rostov n/d.: Phoenix, 2005. – 368 p.

5. Mikhailov N.N. Mikhailov N.M. Linguistic and regional studies of the USA - M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2008. - 228 p.

6. Konstantin Vasiliev History of Great Britain: the essentials. Ed. Avalon, ABC-classics, 2004 (soft copy, 128 pp.)

7. Radovel V.A. Regional studies: USA Phoenix, 2008, 313 p.

8. Leonovich O.A. Country studies Great Britain: Textbook for universities Ed. 2nd, corrected, additional/3rd – CD University, 2005, 256 p.

9. Golitsinsky Yu.B. Great Britain – Caro, 2007 – 480 p.

10. Petrukhina M.A. USA - history and modernity: a textbook on regional studies. – Guardian, 2008, 480 p.

11. M. Bakhtin The work of Francois Rabelais and the folk culture of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Languages ​​of Slavic cultures 2008 752 p.

A holiday is a day of celebration established in honor or in memory of someone or something. Including a day or series of days celebrated by the church in memory of a religious event or saint. Day off, non-working day. A day of joy and celebration. A day of games and entertainment.

Social time can be divided into three types: everyday life (weekdays), weekends and holidays. Everyday life is a series of practices repeated day after day. Weekends are regular breaks from the rush of everyday life. Everyday life and weekends tend to become routinized. Most often, the main content of everyday life is work. On weekends, free time prevails. During this free time, the schedule and content of food may change, and the individual can choose his own environment. It is believed that on weekends a person should restore his strength after working days.

The rare literature and documentary sources that have survived testify that our ancestors, who lived a difficult, harsh life, knew how to unwind their souls in celebrations. Holidays were a time of necessary and meaningful rest, hours of explosive joy, an encounter with the unique Russian nature and its unforgettable beauty. Every month of the current year gave people a reason to admire the meaning of life, to respectfully remember the depths and long-standing traditions.

Due to the fact that the holiday affirms the principle of rhythm (more precisely, the correspondence of the rhythms of man, society and the cosmos), its emergence as a special cultural phenomenon is inextricably linked with the formation of the idea of ​​time and thereby with the advent of the calendar. As noted, in particular, by the famous Polish scientist K. Zhigulsky, “counting time, one of the greatest achievements of human culture - the calendar - everywhere in its origins acts as a form of ordering, consolidation, and advance calculation of holidays and periods.”

National holidays are a state when every minute you are in the epicenter of a hurricane: shows, competitions, sweepstakes, entertaining holiday programs based on the traditions of the country, its national customs, and rituals.

The meaning of the holiday

A holiday is a special element in the structure of social time. The main function of the holiday is the sociocultural integration of a particular community of people. Different holidays implement different types of integration.

A festive performance at any level is built in the image of a family holiday, while attempts are made to strengthen the integration of sociocultural fields, to bring the managers closer to the governed, the head of state to the people. In general, to unite one or another social community.

The purpose of public holidays is to rally citizens around official leaders. There are two levels of public holidays: those organized by the authorities themselves and individual ones. The second level is when a public holiday merges with an individual holiday and people have feasts. In the case of the first level, the holiday simply becomes an additional day off.

Religious holidays ensure the integration of all members of a given church around its leadership.

Holidays are also used by businesses, pursuing the same goal as the state: to rally consumers around their brand. (for example, Beer Festival)

Family holidays serve the function of uniting family members and relatives.

Consumption plays an important role in holiday rituals. It is expressed in a feast, gifts and special festive clothes. The formation of a consumer society is turning business into a key participant in the holiday discourse. A holiday is a marketing tool.

In addition, the holiday performs an important function of relaxation. The holiday takes a break from the routinized life of a person.

The functions of the holiday as an integrator and stabilizer of the social system are directly related to the fact that it is the most important element of the mechanism of tradition and plays a huge role in the preservation and transmission from generation to generation of socially significant information regarding the main value orientations and norms of behavior. Because of this, a holiday always acts as an extremely important factor of socialization: it is through participation in festive ceremonies and rituals in all cultures that the primary familiarization with the norms and values ​​accepted in a particular society occurs.

Holiday and culture

MM. Bakhtin once said that holiday is the most important primary form of human culture. The specificity of the holiday as a cultural phenomenon: it reflects to the maximum extent both universal features and features of various types of civilizations, and the unique specificity of a particular sociocultural community. The significance of the holiday as the most important element of any civilizational system is determined primarily by the fact that it represents one of the main mechanisms through which the action of such a key social integrator as the value system is carried out. The basis of the system of value orientations and preferences formed in a particular cultural-civilizational context is the method chosen by a certain sociocultural macro-community to solve fundamental problems - the contradictions of human existence: between the secular and sacred spheres of existence, man and nature, the individual and society, traditional and innovative aspects of culture . The central place is occupied by the problem of the relationship between the secular and sacred spheres of human existence. A holiday is a very special period of direct intensive contact between these spheres, opposite in this sense to everyday life, when such direct contact is not observed. Moreover, this applies to any holiday, including, it would seem, a purely secular or even family holiday, limited to an intimate circle of close people. Many thinkers and researchers paid attention to this feature of the holiday as a cultural phenomenon.

The idea that “affirmation of life” is one of the most significant moments of the “celebratory event” (H. Cox) was emphasized by many prominent researchers, both foreign and Russian (M. Eliade, H. Cox, A.I. Mazaev and etc.).

In a word, festive culture is one of the components of national culture; it has its roots in traditional culture, which remains its core and breeding ground for development. It is part of the general culture, located on the border between the sacred and profane worlds, the primary stage in the adoption of cultural innovations. It is an open system, although it exists as a separate cultural institution, where a whole set of its constituent components is implemented.

Every soul is happy about the holiday. So says one of the most famous Russian proverbs! And indeed, let's see with what awe, with what respect and reverence the Russian people treat the holidays. With what scope and breadth of soul do Russians celebrate national holidays?

Do you know all the public holidays in Russia? In this article I will give you a list of government and

1st of January. Initially, from the time of the introduction of the Christian religion, chronology began in March or Easter. In 1942, during the reign of John III, chronology began to be counted from September 1st. In December 1699, the royal clerk announced to the people that the king wished, as a sign of the beginning of the new 100th anniversary after prayer singing and thanksgiving to God, that all the people decorate large thoroughfares and the houses of noble people with pine and spruce trees before January 1. And so that the decorations remain in place until January 7th. January should be considered the very beginning of the New Year.

New Year's customs took root among the people quite quickly; over time, new ones were only added.

Jan. 7. The most important holiday for every Orthodox Christian, if we consider Russian public holidays.

This celebration is celebrated on the January night from the 6th to the 7th. Until 1918, the holiday was considered more important than New Year's. But under the rule of the Soviets, Russian public holidays changed places in importance. The Soviet Union at that time became the only state in which the New Year in the country absorbed the attributes of the Nativity of Christ, while remaining a national holiday.

In recent years of Russian history, more and more people visit churches and temples on January 7, remembering the religious meaning of the holiday.

February 23. Military Glory Day of the Russian Federation or On this day it is usually customary to express congratulations to the entire male half of the country. But initially, Russian public holidays did not include the day of all men, and February 23 was the birthday of the Soviet Red Army, otherwise - the Birthday of the Navy.

March 8. International Day of the Fair Half of Humanity. Russian national holidays have included this day since 1914.

The holiday is dedicated to the victory over Nazi Germany and the German invaders in the Great Patriotic War. On this day, numerous parades take place in Russia, the main one of which is the parade on Red Square in Moscow. They honor and express words of gratitude to veterans and combatants since 1943.

June 12 is Russia Day. On this day, the country adopted the Declaration of Independence of the Russian Federation and its sovereignty. Until 2002, the holiday was called “Independence Day.” It is one of the most recent or youngest national commemorative days. In 1994, B. N. Yeltsin included June 12 as a public holiday, and a little later, in 2001, V. V. Putin renamed the holiday on the occasion of the adoption of the declaration, explaining that the countdown of the new history of Russia begins with this most important document.

November 4. Day of military glory of the unity of the Russian people. The holiday is dedicated to such an event as the liberation of Moscow in 1812 from Polish invaders.

The list of national holidays is much longer than the list of public holidays, because in addition to significant dates for the history of the country, it contains others.

In general, public holidays in Russia are very important for every resident of the country; absolutely everyone puts their own meaning into a certain holiday and attaches their own significance. While the history of Russia is alive, the country itself and its people are alive!

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Slavic Kolohod, solar holidays, their meaning, holding, rituals

In Summer 7208 (1700 AD), our ancient calendar was banned by Peter the Great, who issued a decree abolishing all old calendars that simultaneously existed in the Russian lands. He introduced the Western European calendar from the Nativity of Christ, thereby stealing 5508 years of Great Heritage from the people.

With the advent of Christianity, the basis for the chronology of the Slavs was the Julian calendar with Roman names of the months that came to us through Byzantium. Along with the calendar with a year length of 365.25 days, the Byzantine world era also came into use, in which the creation of the world dates back to 5508 BC. However, the full accounting of time used in Byzantium was not accepted. In Constantinople, the year began on September 1, but in our chronicles, for several centuries, the beginning of the year fell on spring, on March 1, with the appearance of the new Moon on the first spring days, close to the spring equinox.

The Slavs built their lives and, accordingly, their calendar according to the sun. Instead of the solstice, in Rus' they said - solstice or rotation (kolovrat) (the Sun turns to the profit or decline of the day).

And the year was called KoloGod or KoloKhod. That is, the cycle of the Sun, which makes a full circle of life, like a person from birth to old age and death. The cycle of the Sun's movement was identified with the cycle of human life.

The main reference point for the entire calendar cycle was the sun and its movement across the sky. Therefore, all major holidays are closely connected with the so-called Greater and Lesser Solar Crosses.

The Grand Solar Cross was determined by four main events in the movement of the sun. These are the days of the autumn and spring equinox, winter and summer solstices. They are determined by the astrological location of the Sun relative to the earth. These points were marked among the Slavs by four main holidays and four hypostases of the Sun passing by the Great Solar Cross. Each hypostasis had its own name. And the Sun in each hypostasis was given a name. As was customary among people, the Sun at each point underwent a kind of initiation and received a new status.

In short, KoloGod in the minds of the Slavs looked like this

December 21-22 - Days of the winter solstice - Hypostasis Kolyada

Kolyada - the sun baby - the beginning of the circle. The longest night of the year has ended - the night of Karachun. Svarog the blacksmith swings his hammer into the rocky firmament and carves out of the white-flammable stone - Alatyr, a spark of the New Fire, from which the flames of the New Year will flare up. The sun is born - a baby - Kolyada.

Yarilo is youth. The sun is a young man. The sun enters a new hypostasis. And at this time, just as the ardent fertilizing force begins to awaken in the young man, so during this period nature begins to awaken after winter hibernation. They said: “Yarilo, he awakens mother earth - he fertilizes her with ardent power.” those. a new life is born: “Yarilo, he gave birth to the field, he gave birth to children for people. Where he sets his foot, there is a haystack, and where he looks, an ear of corn blossoms.”

Dazhbog is the sun husband. He was associated with a man who had entered into full power. This is the time when everything in nature blooms in full color. The young Yarilo-Sun, full of ardent strength, coped with his task - the grains sprouted. The Sun-husband appears - Dazhbog. He has other tasks. He protects and takes care of the harvest. People have completed all the plantings, now the harvest depends on the weather and how the sun warms up. Will there be a drought, will there be rain on time? That is, just like in a family, the husband is the boss and a lot depends on him. And the most important thing is how the family will eat all year.

Horse is the period of the beginning of aging. The fruits are collected and stored in bins. The nights are becoming longer, the sun is beginning to grow old and prepare to retire. And from that day on he begins to lose strength. The Slavs honored and thanked the wise Sun-old man Khors - the source of light and heat that gave the harvest.

Gradually, time moved, the nights became longer, and the longest night of Karachun was approaching again, when the old sun was dying to be born again as Kolyada. This is what the Koloannual cycle looked like in the minds of the Slavs - the Great Solar Cross.

The holidays of the Great Solar Cross were celebrated either on or near the date of the solstice.

• From January 6 to January 19. Twelve nights that end with the Vodokres holiday, January 19. According to legends, Navyas walk on the earth all the way to Vodokres, which is why the 12 nights before this holiday are called Veles Christmastide.

06 Blessing of Water* (Yar-Dana, Winter Turitsy). The 12th day of the winter holidays, their end.

Maly Vodokres January 6 - the first Blessing of Water among the Slavs

14 Prophetic Week. Day of the Magi. Spiritual guides, at the request of people, look at what is written in the family.

Great Water Recession January 19 - the second Blessing of Water among the Slavs

20 Knowledge. Fortune telling for the future, the Magi's appeal to the Other World.

11-20 Veles Christmastide*. Lasts 9 days.

February 21 Striborg Winter, Vesnovey
24 Budnik (Finding nests). Birds are called from Iria. Ritual gingerbreads are baked.

21st New Year (Yary Years). Day conquers night.
24 Yarilo Red* (Great Day of Dazhbozhy). Three days after the Child Sun became the Youth Sun. Glorification of the spring sun.
25 Discovery of Svarga. Volochilnoye. Glorification of Spring. Ban on all work.

March 25 is considered a holiday - according to legend, on this day the gates of Svarga open and Zhiva descends to earth, bringing spring with her.

March 20/21 - celebration of Usen as the dawn of Eos April 23 - “The Lights of Kupava”, celebration of Usen as the Sun God killing the serpent.

First Mermaid Week: April 16-22

22.04 - 10.05 Red Mountain. The circle of holidays from Lelnik to Rusal's Great Day (Earth Day).
22 Lelnik. Day of the Goddess of Maiden Love - Lelya.
23 Yarilo Buiny (Veshny). Honoring the spring sun. Blessing of water, wells. The young man Yarilo-Sun fills the grass with the power of Heaven, people drive their cattle out to graze, and the ritual of “unlocking the land” takes place.

On this day, the Day of Victory of Dazhdbog over the dark forces that the Koschei gathered on Lela is also celebrated (in ancient times, the Moon closest to Midgard, named after this Goddess, at that time three Moons revolved around the earth). Dazhdbog destroyed the small Moon Lelya (which had 7 days of rotation around the earth) and destroyed the dark forces that were preparing to capture Midgard (our Earth).

30 Radunitsa, Triznitsa. Night of remembrance of the Gods and Ancestors.

01 Noise. Dazhbog walks the earth and fills everything that exists with his powers.
05 Semik. Yarilo. Preparation for Kupala Christmastide.
06 End of Rusalia.

Probably they celebrate July 14th, and in honor of it they play the buffoon "Bavila and the buffoons"

16 Beginning of a strict 9-day cleansing of soul and body.
21 Kupala beginning*. Summer solstice. Preparation for the holiday, Volkhov rituals.

23 Night on Kupala*. Lighting of the Holy Kupala Fire, bathing, pairing.
24 Kupala*. Christmas of the Summer Sun. In the morning, consecration of water, springs, collection of medicinal herbs. On the third day after the summer solstice, when the youth sun becomes the husband sun.

20 Perun's day. Prayers near old oaks - sacred Perun trees. Ritual dinners. Blessing of water with “Perun axes”, weaving oak wreaths and placing them on the heads of men for strength and health.

22 Summer Perunitsa. Worship of lightning, the female manifestation of the Thunderer.
26 Chur. Palicopa. Rituals to unite earthly fire with heavenly fire, childbirth prays for the preservation of the harvest of wheat. The appearance of the morning sun or the rising of the star Sirius

November 21 is Dvorovoy's day. Celebrate November 21 - OVEN BIG, THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLIDAY OF KOLYADA,