Signs, rites and rituals for Christmas

General characteristics of the holiday

Christmas holiday in Russia
Christmas Eve (January 6) is called Christmas Eve. It received its unusual name from the word “sochivo”. This is the name of porridge, cooked from various types of cereals with the addition of honey and poppy seeds. Today, a simplified version of the dish is known as “kutia” and is prepared somewhat differently.

The eve of the Orthodox Nativity of Christ is sometimes called Kolyada, which recalls the tradition that has survived to this day - caroling. For a long time, those who wished to do so on the evening and night before Christmas dressed up in funny costumes, went from house to house, sang ritual songs, read special poems and had fun from the heart. Unusual behavior was intended to drive out evil spirits from the earth and ensure prosperity for people. As in the old days, today it is customary to present carolers with various gifts - delicious foods, sweets and money.

Important! Orthodox Christmas is an excellent occasion to forgive others, ask for forgiveness yourself, and, if possible, pay off debts. You shouldn’t enter the new year with a load of grievances and financial obligations.

Signs for a guest

It has been noticed that Christmas signs certainly come true. And today you can find out what the coming year will be like. If a drunken friend broke in first on Christmas night and even staged a “concert,” then the next 12 months will pass in constant fuss, quarrels and disagreements.

A woman will be the first to cross the threshold - expect failures and malicious gossip. But if an old woman or an elderly man comes to the house, you will live a long time. A visit from a boy or a mature man is considered the most favorable and promises general contentment. Seeing a beggar in front of the door is bad. It marks the arrival of a particularly unfortunate and hungry period.

Signs for the day of the week

Popular signs for January 7 remind us: it is necessary to take into account the day of the week on which the holiday fell this year. It is used to make true predictions about the weather and life. For example, Christmas fell on Monday - many men will die this year, on Saturday - older people will leave, regardless of gender. If the holiday happened on Tuesday, it is necessary to invite as many guests as possible into the house, otherwise you will have to live in poverty and starve.

Monday - a good summer and a generous harvest.
Tuesday is a good time to get married.
Wednesday - a successful life, profitable business.
Thursday - incredible luck awaits lonely people.
Friday - stagnation in business, short summer season.
Saturday - rainy year, lots of troubles.
Sunday - a great year, good luck, good news.

By the way, a person who is lucky enough to be born on January 7 will live a relatively comfortable and definitely long life. Ancient beliefs say: in the old days, if a woman gave birth before Christmas, the midwife refused money and became the godmother of the newborn. It was believed that a person who took money from a woman in labor would then spend it on his own funeral.

Signs on Christmas Day for girls to get married

Both a thousand years ago and now, girls dream of meeting their soul mate and creating a happy, strong family with their loved one. But exactly when the fateful meeting will take place and when the chosen one will utter the cherished words is impossible to know in advance. However, during the magical Christmas holidays, the veil of secrecy is lifted, and signs for marriage on Christmas Day can tell you whether a girl should expect a marriage proposal in the coming year. The following popular remarks indicate that the girl will soon get married:

If a girl on the night of January 6-7, accidentally raising her head, sees the growing Moon on the right in the sky, she will soon be wooed
If an unmarried girl is seated between two brothers or two sisters at the festive table, she will get married this year
If on Christmas evening after dark a girl goes out into the yard and sees a man walking down the street from the north side, she should expect a proposal in the next 12 months (but if the man comes from the south, it means that this year the girl will still have to start a family early).

Fortune telling for marriage at Christmas

To find out whether a girl will get married this year, it is not at all necessary to notice signs, because you can simply tell fortunes. For centuries, people have believed that fortune telling on Christmas Eve is the most accurate, since good forces at this time tend to help people and answer their questions. There are a lot of options for folk fortune telling for marriage, and the simplest and most accurate of them are considered to be:

1. On Christmas Day, tie a white towel to the balcony or window frame with the words “Betrothed, come,” and leave it there overnight. If the towel is wet in the morning, it means that the girl will soon meet her fate.

2. Before going to bed on Christmas night, the girl needs to pick up her comb and say “Betrothed, come to me dressed up,” and then put the comb under the pillow. In her dream she will see the man she will marry.

3.On the holy day, take the first onion you come across and plant it on your window. If the onion sprouts, it means there will be a wedding in the coming year.

Christmas prohibitions and recommendations

If you don’t believe in omens at all, then this is not a reason to abandon long-standing traditions and customs. Compliance with the unwritten rules averts troubles and guarantees prosperity for the whole year. This does not mean that it is necessary to strictly follow an endless number of instructions; it is enough to remember the simplest and most pleasant ones.

On Christmas Eve, it is customary to distribute free food to the poor. Superstitions believe that this helps deceased ancestors satisfy their hunger.
In order for the souls of ancestors to enjoy earthly dishes to their fullest and pray for the living, it is recommended to leave the ceremonial table uncleaned for some time after the feast.
On Christmas it is forbidden to do any “dirty” work (cleaning, washing, etc.), otherwise you will spend the whole year in dirt and not only material dirt. It is better to clean the house in advance.
On the eve of the winter holiday and three more days of January, you cannot take wealth, light and warmth out of the house (do not lend matches, lighters, money, etc.). It’s better to settle financial matters later, and pass on the fire by setting something else on fire with your own.
Refuse if on the evening of January 6th someone asks for salt or bread. Miss your chance, which will get lost in the usual routine. If you really need it, it’s better to invite him into your home and feed him.

Signs about major holidays say: for three holy days after the main holiday, it is not recommended to wash your hair, sew, or transfer money. This is done on all three-day holidays. To make the coming year happy in all respects, light candles and garlands that you find in the house.

Christmas rites and rituals

To become rich, you need to knock on the glass with a coin on Christmas Day and say: “Jesus was born, and I got Piglet, as soon as the coin appeared, so it would never be transferred. Christ the Almighty is born, and my money multiplies many times over. Key. Language. Lips. Teeth. Lock. Amen" (three times).

On Christmas night, you need to take a small container of water and say to it all the negative things that happened to the person in the past year. Then you need to throw this water over the threshold of your house with the words: “God, take away nine arrows from me, from the noose, water, fire, knife, judgment, slander and from the thief, from damage to blood and from attacks on my body and shelter. In the name of all Saints. Amen (three times)."

To prevent serious illnesses and physical suffering from affecting a person, on Christmas morning you should wash your face three times with cold water and say: “The Savior Jesus Christ has appeared, light has appeared to the world. I am the Servant of God (person's name) will be saved forever through the Most High God. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen” (say three times).

A strong amulet for the whole family: you need to buy a linen towel on the eve of Christmas night and charm it for healing from the most terrible and deadly ailments: “Charm against 77 different diseases, In the name of the Father, his Son and the Holy Spirit, from night toils, pain, dryness feigned, from caustic cancer, a fit of fits, from night cramps and from severe damage. The Most Holy Theotokos, the Virgin Mary washed her son, wiped her with a linen towel, Lord, bless, Almighty God and my towel woven from linen, In the name of all the Saints and those close to God. Whoever is wiped with this flax, all 77 different ailments will disappear from that person. Key. Lips. Language. Teeth. Lock. Amen". If one of the household members becomes very ill, you need to wet a towel with holy water and wipe the patient with it.

If a person has a worst enemy who causes him a lot of grief, he needs to perform a ritual to pacify the enemy: you will need a steel ax and an unnecessary piece of cloth. This ritual should be performed on Christmas Eve, before dusk. It is also important that the weather outside is frosty and there is snow. You need to take the steel ax out into your yard, and when it gets dark outside, take it into the house and say, wiping drops from its blade with a previously prepared cloth: “The steel has fogged up, an arrow has flown. The steel cooled down - all evil forgot about me forever. Amen" (three times). A piece of cloth should be placed near the house of the ill-wisher and the above words should be repeated three times.

Folk signs, traditions, rituals and fortune telling for the old New Year

You can protect your home from evil spirits in this way: take holy water and sprinkle every corner of your apartment, saying: “There are corners in the hut and icons in every corner. Framed logs, under a large door lock, under a heavy gate lock. With the fence of the Lord and the brownie, the owner of the house. Avoid the dashing, evil, brownie stranger. Amen".

To preserve female beauty and youth, you need to carry out the following ritual: you need to prepare a herbal infusion of chamomile, linden and calendula, then add a little flower honey and the inflorescences of your favorite plants to it. You need to bend over a container with a herbal decoction and say the following words: “As this water is fragrant, fresh and pleasant, so may I always be young, healthy and incredibly beautiful, and most importantly, loved by everyone.” Say these words three times and douse yourself with the herbal infusion on the morning of January 7th. During this procedure, you should think about your unfading beauty and youth. You should not dry yourself with a towel; the liquid should evaporate from the skin naturally.

Wish come true

On Christmas night, write your most cherished and brightest wish on a white sheet of paper, take a candle made of natural beeswax (it should be small), light it and wait until it burns out completely. The wax should drip onto the sheet with the desire. After these manipulations, you should take a thread that is identical to the color of the candle, roll the paper with wax into a small square and tie it with thread. This symbol must remain next to the person until the wish is fulfilled. You can put it in the compartment of your wallet or pocket of your bag and not show it to anyone.

The color of the wax candle should be chosen based on your request: if the desire concerns personal relationships and love feelings - red, for health and financial stability - green candle, vitality and creative inspiration - blue, peace and tranquility, inner harmony - yellow, talents and hobbies - pink color, purple color of a candle helps a person find his calling in life and make internal changes.

An effective ritual to make your dreams come true: you need to go to church on Christmas and get blessed water. Drink the liquid in small sips just before going to bed and fall asleep with the thought of your deepest desire. You cannot utter any words or perform any actions at this time. If you couldn’t get consecrated water, a silver spoon will come in handy, which should be placed in a glass of water overnight, and the next evening, repeat the manipulations as with holy water.

Another ritual for desire: you need to imagine every day, starting January 7 and for 40 days, that your dream has come true, and experience great joy from these thoughts. When the fortieth day comes, you should take some bread and crumble it for the birds. You can also build a birdhouse, which will enhance the effect of the magical ritual.

A variation of the ritual for making a dream come true: cut out an angel drawn with your own hand (should be drawn on white paper), clearly formulate the desire in your thoughts and draw only one eye for it. Then the paper figurine should be hidden in a secluded place, and when the plan comes true, take out the angel and finish drawing his second eye.

Exactly at three o'clock in the morning from January 6 to 7, you should go out into the open and turn to the powers of heaven to make your secret dream come true. You need to ask the Universe only for yourself, and these requests should not harm other people.

In order to achieve your intended goal and not lose heart when overcoming life’s obstacles, you should perform the following ritual: on the bottom of a white soup plate (there should be no drawings or images on the dish) draw the following sign with a green marker:

On Christmas night, you should take the dishes with the painted symbol out into the open air (yard or balcony), after pouring a small amount of blessed water onto the bottom of the plate. When dawn comes, you need to pick up the plate from the street and bring it into the house. Then you need to light a wax candle and hold it over the plate several times, moving clockwise. A person needs to say the text: “The Savior was born, and our world has changed. Salvation was found, a solution came. Most High Jesus, Almighty God, help and assist God’s Servant (the name of the person who performs the ritual) to solve the matter, achieve a righteous goal, and overcome difficult obstacles on the way. Let (pronounce a problem that a person cannot solve) be resolved according to Your word. Amen". This magical spell should be repeated 12 times in a row. The candle should burn to the ground, and one should wash oneself with blessed water before the person leaves his home and goes outside.

Love and marriage

Ritual for marriage: before going to bed, place a small dish with various sweet delicacies at the head of the bed and say the phrase: “My life in marriage will be sweet, tasty and joyful.”

Seeing a rainbow in winter - what is this sign for?

For great and mutual love, you should perform the following ritual: take two candles made of natural wax and very carefully intertwine them with each other and light them. While the candle is burning, you should say the following magical text: “I will become, God’s Servant (girl’s name), my beloved, for you God’s Servant (potential spouse’s name), a real joy, I will become for you, my beloved God’s Servant (boyfriend’s name) ringing gold in your soul. For you, my beloved Servant of God (the name of your beloved), I will become a clear sun and will always illuminate your path in life. And for this you will love, appreciate and respect me.”

Conceiving a child and pregnancy

Pregnancy ritual: pray in front of the icon of the Holy Mother of God the Virgin Mary and be sure to light a candle in the church. After this manipulation, you should give the stray dog a piece of bread so that the conception of a child occurs in the near future.

In order for pregnancy to occur as early as possible, a girl who wants to bear a healthy child needs to eat grain or eggs in an amount equal to the woman’s age. An egg yolk, which needs to be crumbled into small pieces, is also suitable.

A woman who wants to get pregnant this year needs to endure the entire Christmas night service in church and pray with a pure heart for motherhood. You should also regularly feed stray animals, and if the dog follows a girl, shelter the dog.

Luck and prosperity

A ritual that will help attract good luck: you should turn off the lights in the entire house on the eve of the bright holiday and light a candle from the east. A person should stand at the window, and when the first star lights up in the sky, say: “The Star of Bethlehem shines, proclaiming joy to the world. Baby Jesus is born, and great happiness awakens again. Great happiness will touch me, and I will be luckier day by day.” Then you should extinguish the candle with your fingers and say in a confident voice: “So be it.”

In order to live in abundance all next year and not know trouble, you need to say the following text when sitting down at the Christmas table: “On this bright Christmas night, a great miracle happens - Jesus Christ is born. The Almighty is born, the Earth is filled with grace. God’s grace and earthly grace also fall on me, they protect me from troubles and bad weather, misfortunes will pass, and prosperity and joy will come.” These words should be repeated three times, not immediately, but an hour after the speech is made, and then again after the same amount of time.

To prevent money transfers in the house, you need to take a flower pot and bury coins of various denominations in it. It should be placed next to the holiday tree at night. In the morning, remove the flower pot out of reach of prying eyes and store it for a year. You can also plant a money tree by first burying several different coins in the ground. Then the person must say: “You grow, my tree, and along with your growth will be the growth of my monetary capital. Lure money into my wallet, and so that my expenses will all be used for future use. Amen" (say three times). Place the money tree under the Christmas tree and remove the plant to the windowsill in the morning.

To carry out the following ritual to attract wealth, you will need the following items: aromatic essential oil for taking a bath, coins of different denominations in the amount of 5 pieces, green candles in the amount of 3 pieces. You should place candles in the bathroom when it gets dark outside, turn off the lights and light them. Then place coins in the bathtub and turn on running water until the bathtub is full. Drip the oil into the bath and say the words: “The river flows from afar, to the semi-precious sea from the golden land. There is no end to it, just like my countless wealth. May it be so forever and ever. Amen". These words should be said three times in a row.

Then the person should immerse himself in the bath, close his eyes and completely relax. You need to let go of negative thoughts and concentrate on thoughts about monetary wealth. You should imagine the desired picture down to the smallest detail and feel the joy of acquiring material wealth. Then you need to plunge your head eight times in a row and get out of the bath. The candles should burn out, and five coins should be put in the wallet and kept until next year.

Preparing for the celebration

Preparing for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ is a real magical rite, the observance of which will ensure prosperity for the whole year. Every housewife should take note of Christmas signs.

In order for the house to become a full bowl, you should prepare as many different dishes as possible, in total there should be at least twelve of them.
To get rid of loneliness, invite more guests.
To attract the capricious Fortune, clothes and table decorations (tablecloth) must be exclusively new.
If on Christmas someone manages to break or spill something, superstitions say: difficulties, quarrels and disagreements will come.

To attract wealth, you need to have a shiny coin and regularly look at it while preparing dishes. The very last thing you should bake is a Christmas pie (cake). You must put the mentioned coin in the dough. The one who then gets a piece of her will know real happiness.

Features of the festive feast

Sign for the Christmas table
Even a family feast on this day is subject to special rules. Folk signs for Christmas suggest the following:

Sit down to eat no earlier than the first star rises. Before your meal, read prayers of thanksgiving.
An even number of people must take part in the gala dinner. If there are fewer eaters, place an additional empty device. Life will go calmly and measuredly.
You cannot cut and taste the Christmas loaf before the first star rises, otherwise constant scandals will begin in the house.
To make your household healthier, place a clove of aromatic garlic on each corner of the table.
Today we need to feed the animals especially generously. This will attract good luck and prosperity.
If during a pleasant dinner a pet cat settles down under the table, everyone present will live for another year.
To stock up on health and luck, be sure to treat the cat sitting under the table.

On the night (12 o'clock exactly) of Christmas, open the entrance doors, forgetting about the frost. Take a broom in your hands and tap it on the threshold several times. Evil spirits and evil spirits will hasten to leave the apartment or house.

Signs for singles

Do you want to find happiness in your personal life? Perform Christmas rituals that will help you achieve what you want. Unmarried girls are strictly forbidden to sweep the floor or take out the trash before the holiday. Popular superstitions say: if you scare off your betrothed, you will remain a wench forever. What other recommendations are there for unmarried and single people?

Eat an apple at the holiday table and count the number of seeds in it. If the number is even, it will be a wedding, if it is odd, wait further. If there are six or more seeds in an apple, you will receive incredible happiness and luck.

A young girl (boy) will find out the name of her betrothed (betrothed) if she takes the first piece of food into her mouth without chewing it, goes out into the street, and stands until a passerby calls a name.

To get married, single young ladies must dress up before the sun goes down. Were you lucky to see a shooting star in the sky? Make a wish immediately - it will definitely come true.

Christmas Conspiracies

For many centuries, Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve have been characterized by mystical and truly wonderful events. It is at this time that it is customary to pronounce various conspiracies. They may be different. Some people want to protect their family from troubles and misfortunes, while others want to attract love or financial well-being into their lives.

All year protection

The words of the conspiracy are pronounced before it is time to sit down at the festive table. Say once and last until next Christmas.

“On the bright night, on the night of Christmas, a great miracle takes place - Christ is born. Christ is born into the world, the whole earth is saturated with his grace. And the grace of God will fall on me, it will protect me from every misfortune, it will protect me from damage and the evil eye, every misfortune will fly by. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! As the son of God, he is merciful and patient to everyone. Just as He forgives everyone on earth, loves everyone, takes pity, blesses everyone, so fate would be merciful and favorable to me. Key, lock, tongue. Amen".

Attract love into your life

This conspiracy is pronounced only on Christmas Day. It is endowed with the most powerful power. To pronounce it, take running water from a tap, stream, etc. Choose the best glass, wine glass or goblet in your home for this water. Give this water to someone for whom you have warm and tender feelings. The words must be read over the glass before your love drinks from it.

The words are as follows:

“It holds on, dries up, does not go away, like rivers dry up in the desert, like breast milk disappears in a mother’s breast from grief, like trees burn and dry up from a forest fire, so that the servant of God (NAME) dries up without the servant of God (NAME). How a spring will dry up if the streams that feed it dry up. How the sun burns a stunted thorn in the desert, so that the servant of God (NAME) withers and suffers for the servant of God (NAME). How a door holds on to the jamb, how a baby holds on to its mother’s breast, how a fish thrown ashore strives for water, so that the servant of God (NAME) holds on and strives for the servant of God (NAME) and does not go away at every hour, at every hour. minute. I will go out, servant of God (NAME), without crossing myself, I will walk along a wide street without blessing, I will reach a fast river without praying. Just as I quench my thirst in a clear river, so the servant of God (NAME) will quench his melancholy and sadness next to me. Look at me, listen to me, caress me, drink the water I serve. Amen. Amen. Amen".

To become a mother

During the Christmas season, various kinds of conspiracies are pronounced. So for those women who dream of a baby, there are words. To perform this conspiracy, take water, preferably holy water. You need to wake up early in the morning on January 7th and, leaning on your right knee, stand on the threshold of your home and say the following words:

“Mother, Most Holy Theotokos! Come visit me, and if not, then a messenger has come, a son or daughter. I pray to You, Mother of God, to help my servant (name). In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Amen. Amen".

After the spoken words, you need to drink water from a glass.

Christmas is an important holiday for all people. We congratulate each other on the birth of Christ and wish each other goodness, prosperity and health. He awakens in us the warmest and most sincere feelings. This is a day of miracles and fulfillment of desires. You can change your life through rituals. Christmas night is the most mystical and amazing time.

What else to do on Christmas

You should definitely celebrate the Christmas holiday in a good mood. You will become frowning, nervous, and irritated, and you will live like this for a whole year. Interesting folk signs about Christmas recommend performing simple rituals:

To become strong and healthy, bring water from the street early in the morning, let your household members wash themselves with it and take a sip.
Let the eldest member of the family pour fresh milk, and let the family drink it and thank the Higher Powers for the holiday.
To attract wealth, go outside in your home clothes and wait until you are well cold and your body is covered with goosebumps. Say something like: “The amount of goosebumps on your skin equals the amount of money in your wallet.”
If a husband and wife are living poorly, and there are constant scandals in the house, fill a bucket with water, take it outside in the evening and leave it there overnight. On Christmas morning, bring it in and boil it over the fire. Add the resulting water to food, drink, water for washing and washing.

Don't miss the night of January 7th - the perfect time for fortune telling about the future. According to popular beliefs, it is today that the forces of Good come into conflict with Evil, which is reflected on the material level by all sorts of unprecedented miracles. It has been tested several times: a wish made on Christmas Eve comes true in the very near future.

Folk signs for Christmas for health

Our ancestors believed that during the Christmas holidays it was necessary to follow a number of rules in order not to anger higher powers, but to enlist their blessing and support. And those who do not break the unwritten rules will be healthy and happy in the coming year. Therefore, signs for the glorious holiday of the Nativity of Christ on health deserve special attention. And the most accurate of them are the following:

You can’t sew on holidays, otherwise one of your family members’ eyesight will deteriorate.
The first of all guests on January 7 should be a man entering the house, and then the whole family will be healthy
If a person gets sick on Christmas, he will be sick all year long.
On Christmas Eve, the whole family should dance in a circle near the Christmas tree growing on the street - this will scare away all diseases for the whole year
If the kutya turns out fluffy and tasty, then the whole family will be healthy, but if it’s burnt and bland, you need to expect trouble
If chickens at Christmas first peck the grain and then drink water, it means that the owners will not be afraid of illness in the coming year; if it’s the other way around, then one of the family members will get sick.

Christmas Eve customs you need to follow to stay healthy

It has long been believed that higher powers bestow health and happiness on those people who themselves are ready to help those in need and observe traditions. Therefore, in order to be healthy in the coming year, you need not to skimp on treats for guests and carolers, as well as feed your pets generously and to the full.

According to custom, when leaving a church service, you must give alms to the poor, not only with money, but also with food. Popular wisdom claims that compliance with this rule will guarantee good health for all family members.

Signs for the weather

While listing all the signs for Christmas, one cannot lose sight of the signs that predict the weather and harvest for the coming year. Here are some of them.

If Christmas Day is clear, there will be an excellent harvest. You should not count on good harvests if there is a thaw on the holiday. An excessively warm day promises a cold spring.

There will be a lot of bread and honey if Christmas is marked by a snowstorm. This sign is especially relevant if the snow flies in large flakes. A clear and starry Christmas sky promises a bountiful birth of livestock and an increased yield of forest products (berries, mushrooms).

But the most important sign for Christmas, which even completely non-superstitious people observe, says: how you celebrate the Christmas holiday, so will your future life this year. Therefore, celebrate the celebration together with your closest people at a generous table in harmony, prosperity, love and you will have great happiness!

Signs of Christmas

This Christian holiday has a special magic. Christmas signs will help predict changes in the weather, family and personal life, and in everyday life.

Weather

Our ancestors paid attention to the weather and the behavior of animals on Christmas Day. Based on this, it was possible to predict weather changes in the near future and the harvest.

a frosty Christmas foreshadowed severe cold at Epiphany;
severe frosts could be expected if the sky was clear and the moon was bright;
harbingers of a fruitful summer - the starry sky and frost on the branches;
if Christmas falls on a new moon, there will be no good harvest;
heavy snow on January 7 - for a prosperous year;
The Christmas snowstorm foreshadowed a big honey harvest.

Many Christmas signs were associated with pets. For example, if a cat sharpened its claws on the walls before the holidays, then the weather will worsen, and if it curls up into a ball, the temperature will drop, expect severe frosts.

Life

Broken dishes on a holiday promise quarrels

For the owners, it was important who would be the first to enter the house on a holiday. If it was two men, then you can hope for good luck, peace and mutual understanding in the family. A woman comes - expect strife and illness. Getting married on this day promised a long and happy family life.

The following were considered bad omens:

broken dishes or spilled drinks - to a quarrel;
a howling dog means trouble; to prevent it, you need to release the animal from the leash with the words: “Just as the rope does not hold you, so trouble will not hold on to my house”;
stumbled on the way to church - to a severe illness in 12 years (the verbal formula “I’m going to God, he will save me” will save me from illness).

A very good Christmas omen was the birth of a lamb.

Analogies were drawn between the biblical stories about the birth of Christ in a shepherd’s cave and rest in a sheep manger. The offspring symbolized profit in the house, a wonderful harvest.

If there is no peace in the family, on Christmas night they put a bucket of water outside. In the morning, frozen water was placed on the fire, and a plot for reconciliation was read over it. The water was used for cooking and washing my husband’s things. It was believed that if you ask God for something at three o’clock in the morning, you will definitely get what you want.