The New Year comes to Russian homes with the smell of pine needles, kilograms of bright tinsel, cheerfully winking garlands and, of course, a beautiful Christmas tree. This is exactly the kind of holiday we understand, love and look forward to. And what attributes of festive decor accompany the New Year in different parts of the Earth? I propose to gallop across Europe and find out how representatives of other countries decorate their homes.
Sweden
In preparation for the New Year, Swedes decorate literally everything: walls, doors, window sills, windows. They carefully place light garlands on the windows, giving them the shape of animals, houses, toys... About four weeks before the holiday, they place special candles or electric lamps on the windowsills. Every Sunday, one candle is lit - milestones in anticipation of the holiday. True, in Lately Traditional candles are increasingly being replaced with energy-saving lamps, because the Swedes are very sensitive to environmental issues and savings.
England
In Great Britain, the Christmas tree is always decorated for the New Year. And the British decorate their houses with bouquets of mistletoe - since ancient times, people believed in the magical power of this plant. The fireplace is decorated with large painted felt socks (Christmas Stocking) - one per child - where Santa Claus puts gifts.
The festive decor of the inhabitants of Foggy Albion is dominated by red - the color of the heart, the main organ of our body, blood and life. A variety of heart-shaped figures decorate the Christmas tree.
During the holidays, the house can completely change curtains, sofa cushions, kitchen napkins and tablecloths to red ones.
Germany
For the New Year in Germany, houses are decorated with colorful garlands, pine wreaths and Santa Claus figurines. Four weeks before Christmas, German homes display an Advent wreath consisting of mistletoe, with four candles that correspond to each Sunday of the coming Christmas. They often make various Christmas decorations themselves and paint the windows with festive scenes.
IN New Year's decor Germans are dominated by green and red colors.
USA
Americans begin preparing for the New Year almost a month earlier than us. It happens that the Christmas tree appears in the house at the end of November. In America, it is customary to place a spruce tree in the corner of the room, but so that it is visible to all guests and family members. Most often they use plain colors Christmas balls, and in small quantities. But in America they really love garlands, which decorate both the Christmas tree and the entire house, the facade and the area around the house. Sometimes on the American New Year's tree you can see large bows made of satin ribbon Red. The top of the green beauty is necessarily decorated with a star (symbol of the Star of Bethlehem) or an angel - America is one of the most religious countries in the world.
Another traditional New Year's decoration in the United States is a cane-shaped candy cane, most often decorated with red and white stripes. Often holiday decor complemented by an unusual plant - poinsettia. Moreover, what many take for flowers are actually red-colored leaves.
Japan
In preparation for the New Year, the Japanese traditionally make kadomatsu (a pine tree at the entrance) - this is a kind of greeting to the deity of the New Year holiday. It is made from pine, bamboo, rope woven from rice straw, and decorated with fern branches, tangerines or a bunch of seaweed and dried shrimp. Each of the details of this decoration is symbolic.
The Japanese decorate their houses with bouquets of willow or bamboo branches with mochi hanging on them in the form of flowers, fish, and fruits. These decorations are called mochibana, painted in yellow, green or pink, attached in a visible place or hanging from the ceiling at the entrance, so that the New Year deity - Toshigami, upon entering the house, immediately begins his duties: taking care of the hospitable hosts in the coming year . In every Japanese house on New Year's Day, three branches appear: bamboo, so that children grow up quickly; plums so that the owners have strong helpers; pine trees so that all family members live as long as the pine tree. To ward off evil spirits, the Japanese hang wreaths of straw (or just bunches) in front of the entrance to their houses. A mandatory attribute of the Japanese New Year is the tangerine tree and tangerines, symbolizing happiness, health and longevity.
China
For the New Year, the Chinese decorate the house with pine and cypress branches (symbols of immortality and nobility). At the entrance they always hang branches of blossoming peach, which scare away evil spirits. The house is also decorated with flowers. And above the door, the Chinese attach five long strips of paper, which mean five types of happiness: luck, honor, longevity, wealth and joy. According to ancient tradition, by the beginning of the New Year's celebration, the house should sparkle with cleanliness. Cleaning usually starts from the threshold and ends in the middle of the house.
Instead of a Christmas tree, a Tree of Light is installed in China. It is decorated with flowers, garlands and lanterns. The main color of the Chinese New Year - red - symbolizes life and the beginning of spring, and the New Year itself in China is called the Spring Festival.
Iran
In Iran, a few weeks before the New Year, wheat or lentil grains are planted in small pots. On Nowruz, green sprouts (sabze) will decorate festive table, becoming a symbol of the eternal rebirth of nature, which is no coincidence, because the first day of the New Year in Iran is the first day of spring according to the Persian calendar. Next to the greenery they place the Holy Koran (a later addition to the tradition), and if the family is not religious, a volume of Hafiz, a poet whose beautiful poems about love are known by heart by every Iranian. A mirror is placed nearby - a symbol of purity and tranquility of life, in which the light of candles is reflected - a symbol of happiness. Also on New Year's Day, it is customary to paint eggs (a symbol of fertility), which Iranians do with great pleasure.
Sometimes in Iranian homes before the New Year you can see a vessel with water in which an orange floats - it symbolizes the Earth in the ocean of space.
Denmark
New Year's decor in Denmark is a combination of simple holiday decorations and discreet color range, natural materials and a special Scandinavian charm in the selection of decorative elements, which is difficult to describe in words. This abundance white, symbolizing snow and coolness, wood as the main material in the manufacture of jewelry, animal motifs (decorative deer heads, deer figurines or antlers), monochrome decor, emphasis on a combination of many textures and textures. In Denmark, it is customary to decorate larch for the New Year. And the Danes' favorite New Year's decorations are pine cones, fir branches (carefully placed in jugs of water), glass figurines, wreaths and stars made from dry vine branches.
Some people cannot imagine the New Year without snow and a Christmas tree, while others cannot imagine the New Year without hot sand under their feet and exotic plants, which can be decorated no worse than a Christmas tree.
Greece
On New Year's Day in Greece they decorate the pomegranate tree. And the pomegranate fruit is a mandatory attribute of the New Year's holiday in every Greek home. In Greece, there is a custom according to which at exactly midnight the head of the family goes into the yard and breaks a pomegranate fruit against the wall. If the grains scatter throughout the yard, the family will live happily in the New Year.
India
In India, mango or banana trees are decorated for Christmas. And houses are decorated with mango leaves and poinsettias (the most beautiful spurge, “Christmas star”). Clay oil lamps are placed on the walls and edges of flat roofs.
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia, at Christmas and New Year, it is customary to decorate houses and give each other a plant that is a relative of the European mistletoe - Nuitsia. It is called the Christmas tree because of the bright yellowish-orange flowers that appear around the New Year and reach 10 meters in height. A metrosideros strewn with scarlet flowers can also become a New Year's tree. It is also decorated with figurines of koala bears and kangaroos dressed as Santa Claus.
Among the pre-New Year's chores, familiar to almost every inhabitant of our planet, one of the special places is occupied by home decoration. The holiday comes with the first New Year's decoration that appears in the interior and ends with the last Christmas tree decoration. But in each country, New Year's decorations are far from the same - they have their own traditions, customs, rules...
The custom of decorating homes and courtyards with decorated pine, spruce, and juniper trees and branches was brought to Russia by Peter I. Over the course of three centuries, since 1700, this tradition has taken root so much that today we cannot imagine a New Year’s holiday without the smell of spruce. and shiny tinsel. Residents of many countries agree with us on this.
In Great Britain houses are decorated not only with elegant spruce, but also with branches of holly and mistletoe. The first symbolizes prosperity, the second - hospitality and fertility. Mistletoe, under the wreath of which today, as you know, is customary to kiss, has been considered a magical plant since ancient times. Traditionally, the British hang felt socks and boots over fireplaces, where children find gifts from Santa. The holiday decoration is dominated by red, which can be used on sofa cushions, tablecloths, and curtains before Christmas.
Americans, the same adherents of the green pine beauty. They opt for tall trees that reach the ceiling and place them in as open spaces as possible so that all family members can freely admire the main symbol of the holiday. The Christmas tree is decorated mainly with monochromatic balls. But there are a lot of garlands everywhere in the interior and exterior. One of the central New Year's symbols is a cane-shaped lollipop with red and white stripes.
Austrians are ardent fans designer cards, often made with their own hands, and they prefer not only to give them for Christmas and New Year, but also to hang them from the ceiling, decorating their home.
In Denmark Instead of a Christmas tree, it is customary to decorate larch, and traditional decorative elements include fir branches, cones, wreaths and stars made from dry vines. Prevail everywhere natural materials and white color.
In Greece Along with the Christmas tree, a pomegranate tree is decorated. And pomegranate fruits and other fruits and nuts decorate the table.
Analogous to a Christmas tree in China serve as Trees of Light - trees hung with lanterns, flowers and garlands. Branches of pine and cypress find their place in the house, and branches of a blossoming peach are required at the entrance, which is believed to scare away evil spirits. The Chinese hang five strips of paper above the door, which symbolize the five types of happiness: luck, honor, longevity, wealth and joy. The main color of Chinese New Year is red.
In almost every Japanese At home, before the New Year, a central decoration appears - kadomatsu (pine tree at the entrance). This is a symbolic greeting to the Toshigami New Year's deity. Kadomatsu is constructed from pine branches, bamboo, rice straw rope, and decorated with fern branches and tangerines. The whole house is decorated with woven willow or bamboo branches, on which motibana are hung - figurines of flowers, fish and fruits in yellow, green or Pink colour. The presence of bamboo shoots in the house (so that children grow as quickly), plum (so that the owners have strong helpers) and pine (so that all family members live as long as this tree) is considered mandatory. New Year in Japan is not complete without tangerine trees and tangerines, symbols of happiness, health and longevity.
New Year is celebrated in all countries. This European tradition has spread throughout the world. But Christmas trees don’t grow everywhere. And the New Year tree exists even where there are no Christmas trees. Almost all countries have this tradition of decorating the New Year tree.
In the kingdom Sudan The walnut tree is considered a symbol of the New Year, and its green fruits are said to bring happiness to the house.
IN Nicaragua Instead of spruce, they put a coffee tree with red berries. It symbolizes fertility and family wealth.
On Bali They do not use trees at all, but decorate them with rice stalks and paint the columns with multi-colored paints.
IN Indian Christmas tree replace Garlands of flowers, lush and sometimes huge. These garlands not only decorate the interior, but also hang them on facades, on gates, even on the roofs of houses.
IN Brazil Although Christmas trees grow, artificial ones are used as New Year trees: made from paper, ribbons, wood shavings and synthetic fibers. Sometimes Brazilians also decorate palm trees, but they do not place them in the house; they are used only for hanging festive illuminations.
In some other East Asian countries - in Vietnam, Kampuchea, Korea, Mongolia- An indispensable New Year's accessory is a rake, decorated with various expensive decorations. Apparently, they are the ones who “rakes in happiness” on New Year’s Eve.
But on Cuba often pine trees and sometimes cacti are used instead of palm trees. They are decorated with garlands of flowers, paper toys and tinsel.
IN Africa The Christmas tree is the baobab. But it is not cut down and brought into the house, but decorated on the street for the entire village or town. Of course, in the tourist centers of the Mediterranean coast and in South Africa they try to put Christmas trees . For this purpose, they are specially grown in greenhouse conditions or brought from Europe.
In Vietnam- bamboo. The Vietnamese decorate their homes with miniature tangerine trees with tiny fruits.
Traditional decoration Japan -“pine tree at the entrance” - Kadomatsu This is a greeting to the deity of the New Year holiday. It consists of large compositions of obliquely cut bamboo trunks, decorated with pine branches, red berries, a branch of fern, tangerines, sometimes a bunch of seaweed and dried shrimp.In Japan, the "pine tree at the entrance" - kadomatsu, is available only to wealthy people.
kadomatsu
Therefore, local craftsmen make a New Year's tree from branches of willow, bamboo, pine, and woven rice straws - motibana and decorate it with cakes and rice flour balls. Small balls of glutinous rice (mochi) are painted and strung on twigs. Decorated with sprigs of fern and tangerine. This symbolizes the longevity and prosperity of this house, success in business, happiness and health, perseverance and resistance to adversity and troubles. Mochibana is installed in a prominent place so that the deity of the New Year - Toshigami, upon entering the house, would immediately begin his duties and take care of the owners of the house. According to legend, at the end of the holiday, each family member had to eat as many koloboks of mochibana as his age turned out this year. It was believed that this gives special powers.
motibana
On PhilippinesThey don’t recognize natural wood - they decorate plastic and wire Christmas trees. Even the main New Year's tree among the Filipinos is made of metal fittings and wire. But this does not make the holiday worse - everyone invariably celebrates New Year, give gifts and enjoy surprises!
IN Israel Cypress trees are bred in special nurseries and distributed to everyone on the eve of New Year's holidays. Well, and of course, wherever people live, instead of living trees, they can use artificial spruce trees, of which there is a huge selection in stores. There are even designer models and Christmas trees from famous couturiers, completely strewn with precious stones...
IN China"Fire Trees" are staged on the streets. They are called that because they are decorated with an incredible amount of colorful lights. Whenever possible, the Chinese decorate their homes with dwarf tangerine trees in pots and decorate them with candied fruits. The absence of fresh flowers is replaced with pictures of flowers, which are an important element of New Year's benevolent symbolism. Peonies symbolize wealth and nobility, daffodils symbolize marital harmony.
IN New Zealand The Christmas tree is called pohutukawa, a plant from the myrtle family that blooms with bright red flowers just in December, when summer begins in the Southern Hemisphere. Residents of the island even organize a competition between cities: where the pohutukawa blooms more beautifully.
But this is on the street, and in their houses they, like their Australian neighbors, put up ordinary plastic Christmas trees with traditional European decorations.
Celebrating the New Year is always accompanied by decorating the New Year tree. This tradition originated in Europe and gradually spread throughout the world. Various garlands, Christmas tree tinsel, colorful toys, candies
What do they decorate for the New Year in other countries?
Celebrating the New Year is always accompanied by decorating the New Year tree. This tradition originated in Europe and gradually spread throughout the world. Various garlands, Christmas tree tinsel, colorful toys, sweets - this is not the entire list of what is used to decorate the New Year tree. But this is ours. But what about the situation in those countries where prickly beauties do not grow? What trees are decorated in those countries, and are they decorated with Christmas tree tinsel?
Christmas tree tinsel – and in Africa there is tinsel
Let's move to Africa. Well, somewhere, but here Christmas trees definitely don’t grow. The indigenous people of the African continent can only see them in pictures or when they come to visit us. But the New Year is celebrated here too. The baobab is considered a New Year's tree in African countries. True, they don’t place it in the house (most likely it wouldn’t work), but decorate it right where it grows. For decoration, everything is used (almost like ours). Probably, Christmas tree tinsel would look good on this giant. Of course, decorating it would require a huge amount of tinsel. But if there is a desire, there will always be opportunities. For example, the Tinsel Wholesale company, a leader in the market for the production and wholesale of tinsel, could easily supply large quantities of high-quality goods.
The Kingdom of Sudan considers the walnut tree as its holiday tree, which, according to legends, can bring happiness to the home.
But in Nucaragua, the New Year tree is replaced by a coffee tree, which is decorated with red berries hanging on it.
Residents of the island of Bali prefer not to associate trees with this holiday at all. Using rice stalks and colorful paints, they decorate various pillars. Probably, Christmas tree tinsel would be a good fit for these purposes.
Christmas tree tinsel – for some it’s familiar, and for others it’s exotic
In many countries of the world this is Christmas decoration how Christmas tree tinsel is replaced with flowers. For example, the people of India make large and very lush garlands of flowers, which they then use to decorate their houses, both inside and outside, not neglecting the roofs.
But in the Philippines, natural trees are used as holiday symbol they don't recognize it. Their New Year's beauties are made of plastic or wire. But this does not in any way affect their festive mood.
In Brazil, Christmas tree tinsel could be in demand, because Christmas trees grow here. But in this country they don’t dress them up either. Brazilians use trees made from paper, synthetic fibers, various tapes and wood shavings for this purpose. Sometimes they also decorate palm trees growing on the street.
Residents of Mexico also decorate palm trees by placing gifts under them. And in Cuba, cacti are used for these purposes. At the same time, they are decorated with tinsel and paper toys.
In Japan, Christmas from Europe has become widespread only recently. Here residents try to decorate their home with fir branches and garlands.
It doesn’t matter what country people live in or what they decorate for the New Year. The main thing is that this holiday is associated all over the world with goodness, the desire for a better and brighter future.
A traditional and integral attribute of the celebration of Christmas and New Year originated in medieval Germany. At that time, the Christmas tree was not brought home and decorated with bright toys. Those wishing to celebrate the New Year chose a tree in the forest, hung rags, candles and various improvised, rather simple means on it. After the baptism of the Germanic peoples, the rituals began to take on a different meaning, already as part of the Christian tradition, and spruce trees became a kind of symbol of Christmas Eve (in the Catholic world - December 24). As a “sacrifice” to Christ, people hung the tree with bread and apples: the first was a symbol of communion, the second referred to the forbidden fruit of Adam and Eve. The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree came to Russia only in the 19th century.
Nowadays, each country has its own original way of decorating the Christmas tree. The New Year is celebrated most magnificently in Europe, which is why the Europeans ate - luxurious and richly decorated. The two main colors of the holiday are red and green. They can be found in the decor of the entire home. The Germans, for example, never forget about the traditional spruce wreath on the door, which is a sign of welcome and blessing for all guests.
When choosing the Christmas tree itself, the Germans pay attention to the lush and beautiful tree. They prefer fairly standard decorations - balls and toys, however, they also have a favorite - the nutcracker. By the way, until 1900, people all over the world tried to decorate Christmas trees so that there was literally no free space left on them. And only the last century has brought fashion for minimalism and a stylistic approach to decorating the Christmas tree.
Traditions of Scandinavia
Scandinavians, in particular Swedes, prefer animal figures to traditional balls. The Christmas goat deserves special mention. This is a character who fulfills his New Year's role in as many as three countries - Sweden, Norway and Finland.
On Stockholm Christmas trees you can often see wooden toys that look like homemade ones, as well as eco-friendly straw decorations. By the way, in Sweden it is customary to install a Christmas tree not at home, but in the yard.
Finns most often decorate Christmas trees with handmade toys, as well as flags of different countries and candles.
In Norway, it is customary to cut down a Christmas tree yourself in the forest, and the elder members of the family are entrusted with decorating it, so as to make a surprise for the kids. When the tree is “equipped” with toys and gifts, the rest of the household is called into the room, and they present gifts to each other to the accompaniment of music and singing.
Great Britain
In England, the first holiday tree was erected in 1841 at Windsor Castle. Now the British and Irish, when decorating a tree, are guided by the rule - the brighter the better. There are fewer toys on their trees, but more garlands and various bright, luminous elements.
The main Christmas beauty of the English capital is installed in Trafalgar Square. This tree is traditionally given to the British by the Norwegian people in gratitude for their help during World War II. At that time, the Norwegian royal family lived in London, and the British military took part in the liberation of Norwegian territory from the Nazis.
South America
South Americans also have their own special traditions. In Mexico, it is customary to decorate the house with Christian symbols, depicting the scene of the birth of Christ. Instead of a real Christmas tree, Mexicans decorate an artificial one or put several fragrant branches of live spruce in jars. On the streets, as in many countries with warm climates, evergreen thorny trees replace palm trees.
Among the Brazilians, who have summer on our New Year and Christmas, the tradition has taken root of decorating the Christmas tree with pieces of cotton wool, thus imitating snow.
Rio de Janeiro is also home to one of the most original Christmas trees in the world - a floating one. It is installed on Lake Lagoa and has a height of 85 meters and a weight of 530 tons. The garland of this Christmas tree contains more than 3 million lights, controlled by a computer. A few years ago Christmas tree in Rio entered the Guinness Book of Records.
Asia
In China, small tangerine and orange trees are used instead of Christmas trees, and they are decorated with candied fruits, paper lanterns and flowers. Paper packages with wishes of happiness and wealth are also popular here.
In Japan, due to a shortage of spruce, dwarf pines are used. As decorations, the residents of this country prefer paper items made using the origami technique, as well as rice flour balls painted in different colors. Wealthy people install kadomatsu at their home - a New Year's composition made of bamboo, spruce branches, berries and algae. All components of an unusual tree symbolize something: pine - longevity, bamboo - durability, and so on.
In America, in addition to toys, it is customary to hang edible decorations on the Christmas tree - sweets in beautiful wrappers, oranges, cranberries, and cane-shaped candies. It is believed that the confectioner who first made sweets in the shape of the letter "J" wanted to immortalize the Latin letter with which the name Jesus begins.
Russia
The first home Christmas trees in Russia were installed in imperial palaces, but ordinary residents knew about this tradition only by hearsay. The custom of decorating a winter tree came to the people along with a passion for German culture and literature in the 19th century. The first public Christmas tree was installed in 1852 in the building of the St. Petersburg Ekateringofsky station. One side of it was adjacent to the wall, and the other was decorated with scraps of multi-colored paper. Soon public Christmas trees began to be installed in club buildings, theaters and other places.
From the second half of the 19th century, cardboard toys began to be hung on evergreen trees: garlands, banners, Chinese lanterns. At the beginning of the 20th, special Christmas tree decorations began to be sold in stores - glass balls, first German, then Russian production. In the same century, the custom of decorating the Christmas tree faded due to economic problems. IN Soviet time The tradition of celebrating Christmas and New Year has undergone many changes, but still managed to defend itself.
Even during the war years, families tried not to leave their children without Christmas trees. Instead of traditional toys, there could be anything on the trees, made from improvised materials.
Now the traditions of decorating Christmas trees in Russia are almost equal to those in Europe and America. Many families adhere to their own customs and decorate their trees with retro toys from grandma’s chest. Some people update their collection every year and even order designer “things” for their Christmas tree. Some people show creativity and originality in decoration, using other items instead of toys and garlands: sports balls, jewelry, fluff and feathers, ribbons, bows and even CDs.
