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Why carolers dress up as animals, foreigners and otherworldly creatures According to the idea of ancient people, the other world is, as it were, this world turned upside down. And accordingly, the representatives of that world are the same as us, but a little different. And accordingly, the carolers changed their clothes according to categories - "alien", otherworldly. It could not be a person, but an animal, that's how those animal images appeared in groups of carolers. It could be "strangers" by category - foreigner, that's how we have, for example, "German". These may not be people, but in general – demonic beings, so the carolers wrapped their hands with straw, stood on stilts or, conversely, squatted down, spoke in very deep, low voices, or, on the contrary, very squeaky.
A week after Christmas Eve, on December 31 (January 13), the Generous Evening was celebrated (the day of the Christian saint Reverend Melania). This day was also called Melanka. According to tradition, the celebration was accompanied by going round the houses to wish people happiness, health and well-being in the New Year. They were also generous with theatrical groups: "Melanka" and "Vasyl" and "Ryazheni". If you compare Christmas carols and Christmas carols ("Chedryk, Chedryk, Chedryvochka, a swallow has flown in"), then the swallows, spring, sowing of rye are mentioned in the carols. This indicates that the ancient Slavs celebrated the beginning of the New Year in the spring.
One of the beliefs leads us to the cult of ancestors, which is prominently featured in Christmas rituals. On "Holy Eve" (Christmas Eve), the evening dinner, consisting, in the Lubensk district, mainly of kuti and uzvar (dried fruit decoction), has a family and, in particular, memorial character: kuti is left for the night for deceased relatives; according to popular belief, vague reflections of small, doll-like people descending to the table can be seen on the wall. The ancient Slavs met the New Year with songs, dances, jokes of the dressed-up people, funny pranks. This cycle of rites received the general name - carols. Caroled in Russia since December 25. They dressed up in leather, put on scary masks, went from house to house, sang songs. It was still dark, on the early New Year's morning, there was a knock on the door or window. The owners already guessed who was knocking and opened the door hospitably. Guests entered the house, scattering bread grains around the house and chanting:
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