Our ancestors knew well what to do on Christmas Eve before Christmas and Epiphany. Christmas Eve was considered a special magical day when spirits and evil spirits come to earth and predict the future. There are many signs before Christmas that can predict what the year will be like. Before Epiphany there are also traditions, by observing which people become spiritually purer and healthier. It is believed that in the period from January 6 until Epiphany, you can tell fortunes, predicting fate, and such fortune-telling will be the most truthful.
What to do on Christmas Eve before Christmas - signs and traditions
Since ancient times, Christmas Eve has been considered a special day on which it is necessary to adhere to strict rules and know what needs to be done: fasting, maintaining peace and preventing evil thoughts. On this day, all Orthodox people look forward to a miracle in the form of the appearance of the first star in the sky - a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, signifying the birth of Christ. At this moment, strict Lent ends, and, according to tradition, all relatives gather together. Traditional porridge is served on the table. They also prepare uzvar, a drink made from dried fruits. It is believed that it is necessary to dress festively, preferably in white, and black clothing is not allowed. According to tradition, young people sing carols and receive treats. There are also prescriptions for what to do on Christmas Eve before Christmas - signs that can predict the weather, harvest, luck and love.
Signs of Christmas Eve
- A snowstorm on Christmas Eve means a short winter.
- Frost-covered tree branches - to a rich wheat harvest.
- A cold spring is foreshadowed by warming temperatures on Christmas Eve.
- A good harvest and early spring are heralded by snowfall on January 6th.
- If you go hunting on Christmas Eve or during the holidays, then a misfortune may happen to the hunter in the near future.
- A falling star from the sky is a very good omen.
- Warm Christmas Eve - soft bread.
- If a young girl sneezes during the evening meal, it means marriage. If he's a guy, he'll be a good Cossack.
What to do on Christmas Eve before Orthodox Christmas - fortune telling on January 6
Eve Orthodox Christmas is not only the threshold of a great holiday, but also has a special mystical meaning. From time immemorial, young women have been telling fortunes about their betrothed or good luck on Christmas Eve. However, the church believes that doing fortune telling on Christmas Eve before Christmas is a great sin.
Fortune telling on Christmas Eve January 6
- The girl lies face down in the snow, and then quickly gets up and leaves without looking back. The next morning you need to come to this place and evaluate the print. If the depression is deep, it means several marriages. If the imprint is noticeable, it means loneliness. If there is a snowdrift in this place, you need to be careful throughout the year. If the print has smooth, clear contours, the husband’s character will be good, and if the mark is excised, the husband will have a difficult character.
- Squeeze a blank sheet of paper in your hands, place it on an iron utensil and set it on fire. Then, following the trail of burning paper, they look at what the outline looks like and thus predict fate.
- From the evening of January 6 to 7, a piece of bread is placed in the boot of one of the household members, and in the other boot - plain paper. If the next morning a person puts on a boot with bread first, it means a rich year, if with paper, it means an empty and unsuccessful year.
- They take several onions and sign them with the names of the expected future grooms, then put the onions in water. The bulb that sprouts first indicates the name of the future groom.
- Mirrors - large and small - are placed opposite so that a corridor is formed. Lighted candles are placed at the edges. It is believed that if you peer into the corridor for a long time, you can see the future groom. If an image appears, quickly say: “Forget me.”
- The girl must throw her shoe over the fence. The direction in which the sock is facing will be the one from which the future groom will come.
What to do on Christmas Eve before Christmas - conspiracies on this day
Christmas Eve has a special mystical power, so it is believed that any conspiracies before Christmas come true. True, the church does not approve of such rituals, considering that making conspiracies on Christmas Eve before Christmas is a sin. We will give some of the powerful conspiracies.
Spells that are done on Christmas Eve
- A church candle is placed on the windowsill facing east and the electricity is turned off. When the first star appears, they say the words three times: “... just as a star shines in the sky, speaking of joy, when Christ appeared, so great happiness awaits me, and good luck will follow nearby. I, God’s servant (name), will be happy and successful in all my accomplishments.” After this, the candle is extinguished.
- They buy a new linen towel and slander it: “I charm you against seventy-seven ailments and illnesses, from seizures and damage. Just as the Mother of God washed her son and dried him with a towel, so my towel will be blessed. Whoever I wipe with it, I will erase all ailments from him.” If someone in the family is sick, this towel is used to wipe the sick person.
- Take a joint photo with your loved one or glue together single ones. They are placed on a light tablecloth and a church candle is lit at midnight. In the photo, candles are dripping with wax and saying the spell words: “Power of Christmas, help, love (name)’s dear one. Let him love as I love. Let him not sleep, just as I do not sleep. Let him be engaged to me from now on, unite with me forever.”
What to do on Christmas Eve before Epiphany - traditions on January 18
Epiphany Christmas Eve is the day before the great holiday of January 19 - Epiphany. Epiphany Christmas Eve is a preparation for the holiday, therefore on this day, January 18, certain traditions are observed by believers. We described below what to do on Christmas Eve before Epiphany and the traditions of the holiday.
Traditions of Epiphany Eve - what to do on this day
- The water in churches is consecrated with the Great Jordanian Consecration after the Liturgy.
- Before the service, believers do not eat anything in order to drink holy water after the Liturgy and take holy items with them.
- At night or on Vecherie, it is customary to swim in an ice hole or in a consecrated pond. Swimming gives mental strength and health.
- Guys and young girls go caroling to their neighbors as mummers, receiving treats for it. This tradition is common in some areas, and the evening itself is called "Generous Evening". Women dressed up as men, men dressed up as women until the mummer no longer recognized himself.
- In ancient times, it was customary to collect snow on Epiphany. The women knew that such snow could bleach any canvas. And if you wash your face with it, then beauty and attractiveness are guaranteed. This snow was used to treat diseases and was thrown into wells to keep water in them.
Is it possible to guess on Christmas Eve before Epiphany - what is done on the night of January 18 to January 19
The ancients believed that Epiphany Eve turns the year around, so this evening is most favorable for fortune telling. There are ancient and modern methods predict the future, and the ritual is always performed in the evening or on the night of January 18-19 by candlelight. Many rituals are performed on Christmas Eve before Epiphany, but whether it is possible to guess - everyone decides for himself.
How can you tell fortunes on Epiphany Christmas Eve from January 18 to 19
- At night, 12 wishes are written on paper and placed under the pillow. In the morning they pull out one of them. Whatever happens will come true.
- At night, a mirror is placed under the pillow with a wish written on it and fir branches are placed around it. If the inscription is completely erased in the morning, the wish will come true.
- With the help of cereals or nuts you can predict your future. You need to scatter them on the table and make a wish, and then count them. If the number is even, it will come true, if it is odd, it will not.
- The girls run out into the street. If the first person you meet is a young man, get married, if you are an old man, no.
- A group of girls does not fill the basin with water to the brim. Inscriptions with names are attached to the edges of the pelvis or fateful events are written: meeting a loved one, wedding, failure, birth of a child, illness. Using a walnut shell, they make a kind of boat, put the stub of a lit candle inside and put it into the water. Whatever event the shell floats to, that will come true.
Now one can only guess how fun our ancestors had a time, with what impatience people waited for this magical time - Christmas Eve and Christmastide, when it is necessary to observe traditions before Epiphany, have a lot of fun with carols, fortune telling and spells before Christmas, and so many Christmas signs could show the future.
Christmas Eve, the eve of one of the most long-awaited and brightest holidays in Orthodoxy, is a very unusual day! After all, it is on January 6 that the whole world freezes in anticipation of a great miracle - the birth of God's Son. Our ancestors had a lot of troubles associated with this day. It was necessary not only to prepare the Holy Evening with 12 Lenten dishes, but also to devote time to the festive dishes that were placed on the table on January 7th. Therefore, all the worries fell on women’s shoulders. And how can you not forget about yourself in this pre-Christmas chaos, not lose the spirit of Christmas that fills your soul with light?
Very simple. Firstly, during the preparation for the holiday, we call on all our loved ones for help. And secondly, we listen to the advice that your favorite site has collected for you.
What to do on Christmas Eve
It is advisable for girls and women to confess and receive communion before January 6th. This rule also applies to men. BUT! Since a woman is more busy preparing food for the holiday, cleansing her soul and body through confession is most necessary for her. It is believed that this will help prepare dishes that will bring health to all household members and guests.
On Christmas Eve, it is advisable for women to get up as early as possible. After washing, you need to read the obligatory prayers and, before the household members get up, have time to prepare kutya and uzvar. As our ancestors said, “until the sun goes down, we will stand in the dark.” By the way, the cooking process for modern housewives can be greatly facilitated if you pour cold water over both wheat and dried fruits in the evening. If you manage to prepare kutya before the whole family wakes up, your home will have prosperity and health all year long.
Prepare holiday dishes definitely need to good mood. And even if you quarreled with someone the day before, be sure to make peace. Christmas is a holiday of reconciliation and faith in miracles.
Also on Christmas Eve, women should give up... coffee. Yes, yes, precisely from this drink, beloved by many. The fact is that on January 6, our ancestors did not eat until the first star rose. And since many of us can no longer refuse food (due to various reasons, including due to illness), so you can just give a small gift - give up your usual pleasure for one day. And this will help you fully experience the spirit of Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, women are not allowed to clean the house, otherwise quarrels will arise out of nowhere. All preparations should be completed before 15.00. After all, it is from this moment that preparations for the solemn service begin in churches.
Also, on January 6, you need to go to church to pray for your family and friends. Take your spouse and children with you and let it become family tradition, which will unite the family. And even if you don’t make it through the entire service, don’t worry. On this day, the most important thing is desire!
When setting the table for dinner, be sure to choose the most beautiful tablecloth, arrange the festive dishes and dress up yourself so that your spouse gasps with delight. New and elegant clothes for girls this is a sure sign that future husband will be secured. And for married women- this is a guarantee that there will be prosperity in the house all year long.
Also remember that Christmas Eve is a warm holiday and therefore turn off the lights, light candles in the house, filling it with living fire. By the way, our ancestors believed that living fire was also protection from evil spirits.
Be that as it may, let the candles burn in your house on Christmas Eve, let the happy laughter of children sound, and a bright Christmas fill your hearts with love and mercy. Happy upcoming holiday!
And be sure to find out
And it was necessary to prepare very seriously - from being properly prepared, to bringing oneself into a certain state of mind - readiness for the miracle of the birth of the Lord..
What is possible
Christmas Eve is the first day of a very long Orthodox holiday complex called “Svyatki”. In fact, preparation for all upcoming holidays. That is why it was important to spend this day correctly.
Fast. Christmas Eve is the end of one of the longest (40 days) fasts, so we had to endure it all to the end with honor. Moreover, on January 6, from the very morning until the end of the festive Liturgy, it was impossible to eat anything at all. That is, approximately until three o'clock. And then it was still impossible to relax - right up until Christmas, savory dishes were seriously limited.
Attend church. Especially the pre-holiday Liturgy and Vespers. Still more effective way They haven’t figured out how to tune your spirit in the right way. What is characteristic is that this Liturgy has existed almost since the 4th century after the Nativity of Christ and has remained virtually unchanged since that time.
Fortune telling, as usual, was undesirable, but quite acceptable. Especially those that were held on the night from 6 to 7.
Caroling. It was from the evening of Christmas Eve that this matter could be dealt with officially. But how is a topic for a separate article, since each Orthodox country had its own special traditions in this regard.
But for folk signs it was possible to follow. Still, this is not fortune telling, but the quintessence folk wisdom, which was extremely rarely wrong. So if the night before Christmas was clear and starry, then the summer will be generous.
Prepare gifts. Still, Christmas is coming - family holiday, an integral part of which, especially from the point of view of children, are gifts.
What not to do
All true believing Christians on this day had to prepare their spirit and body for the great event - the birth of the Savior. Hence the rather strict rules regarding what was categorically forbidden to do.
- It was impossible to work around the house. That is, washing, cleaning, even cooking had to be done in advance.
- Drink alcohol. Seriously, many people forget about this important everyday aspect, but this is also one of the most important components of fasting, which is not just a restriction in food, but also a conscious restriction of one’s lifestyle in general.
- It was undesirable to indulge in sinful thoughts, swear, quarrel, or plot something evil. All a person’s actions and thoughts should have been aimed at preparing for the holiday.
The Joinfo.ua team and journalist Artem Kostin believe that you will also be interested in learning about other holidays of the Yuletide cycle, for example -
On Epiphany Christmas Eve, people prepare for the great holiday and many different signs, rituals and traditions are associated with this day. There is a certain list of prohibitions, that is, things that are strictly forbidden to do on this day. It is believed that if you neglect them, you can bring trouble upon yourself.
Christmas Eve – what can you do and what can’t you do?
Since ancient times, on the eve of Epiphany, people have tried to spend time with their families and prepare for the celebration. Most of the time it is customary to prepare lean food for festive table. It is important to understand what it is, what you cannot do, and what you can do, so as not to bring trouble upon yourself and not anger the Higher Powers.
- On the eve of the celebration, it is customary to prepare sochivo, which is a dish of porridge and sweet additives and it must certainly be on the table.
- Before Baptism, fasting is observed, and believers can determine the extent of it themselves, focusing on their own health. It is important to consume only lean foods, do not use vegetable oil. There are people who completely refuse food and drink on Christmas Eve.
- For those who are interested in how to behave on Epiphany Christmas Eve, you should know that on this day it is customary, with the appearance of the first star, to go outside, looking at the sky and asking Higher powers help in fulfilling your cherished desire.
- You definitely need to collect sacred water, which has enormous energy. You should definitely sprinkle your home with it in order to... They also drink water for health, wash their faces with it and use it for other purposes. It can be added to ordinary liquid, and it acquires the properties of a saint.
- It is recommended to visit church on this day to pray for yourself and your relatives.
To understand how to celebrate Epiphany Christmas Eve, you need to know what is strictly forbidden to do on this day:
- The Church does not approve of noisy parties and celebrations on this day; in order to better listen to yourself and become closer to God, you need to behave modestly, fast and read prayers.
- When studying what Epiphany Eve is and what cannot be done on this day, it is important to note that scandals and quarrels are strictly prohibited. It is necessary to control yourself and restrain yourself not only externally, but also internally.
- It is forbidden to overeat during the evening meal, since gluttony is not welcome. You cannot eat meat and fish, so there should be only lean dishes on the table.
- Another rule regarding what not to do on Christmas Eve is to sweep the trash out of the corners and throw it away. In ancient times, it was believed that on this day the souls of dead people come to the holiday, gather in the corners, and after Baptism return to heaven.
Is it possible to work on Epiphany Christmas Eve?
When a church holiday comes, many people think about whether it is allowed to engage in physical labor on this day. The clergy assure that on this day it is necessary to give up activities that are not obligatory, for example, working in the garden, construction, and so on. On Christmas Eve, you cannot be distracted from preparing for the celebration and it is important to devote time to rest and prayer.
Is it possible to do laundry on Epiphany Eve?
To obtain accurate information regarding such issues, it is better to contact clergy, who assure that there are no prohibitions regarding washing, and this applies to everyone Orthodox holidays. It is worth noting that on Epiphany Christmas Eve you can do laundry, but you only need to do it before lunch. If possible, it is best to postpone such chores for a while. For Baptism, water is an important component, so washing is prohibited for another two days after it.
Is it possible to clean on Epiphany Christmas Eve?
On the eve of the great holiday, according to tradition, the whole family should gather to prepare. Almost the entire day is devoted to preparing treats that will be served on the table in the evening, so it is recommended to clean up in advance. For those who are interested in whether it is possible to clean the house on Epiphany Eve if a lot of dirty dishes or dust has accumulated, the answer is clear: cleaning can be done, but it is recommended to do this before lunch.
Is it possible to heat a bathhouse on Epiphany Eve?
IN modern world The bathhouse is more viewed as an entertainment option, while just a few decades ago, it was a place where people performed hygiene procedures. If a person is guided by this goal, then washing in a bathhouse on Epiphany Eve is not prohibited, especially since this is how the believer cleanses the body of dirt and prepares for the service. As for pagan traditions, it was believed that snow on this day had enormous power, so they drowned it and washed it in the bathhouse with the resulting water. This helped women stay young and beautiful for a long time.
Is it possible to tell fortunes on Epiphany Eve?
If you ask the clergy this question, the answer will be a clear “no,” and it applies not only to this holiday, but to other days. The Church believes that magic is from the evil one, and therefore performing any rituals is prohibited. If you turn to pagan traditions, then since ancient times people have used different methods of predicting the future. Many people believe that telling fortunes on Epiphany Eve is not only possible, but also necessary, since this is the last day of Christmas fortune-telling.
There are a huge number of different rituals with which you can find out about what to expect in the future, whether you will be able to find love, improve your financial situation, and so on. It is important to take fortune telling seriously and do everything according to the rules, otherwise you should not count on a truthful answer. Another rule is that you cannot tell anyone about the use of magic and it is better to perform rituals alone.
Is it possible to knit on Epiphany Christmas Eve?
In ancient times, handicrafts were not only a way of entertainment, but also an opportunity to create beautiful things for yourself. In the modern world, handmade items are becoming more and more popular. Many people believe that knitting on Epiphany Eve is prohibited because it is a sin. The clergy say that if this action is necessary, then time can be allocated for it. It is important that needlework does not interfere with prayer. One more thing prerequisite You cannot devote time to selfish goals, that is, if knitting is a source of income, then you should give it up on holidays.
Is it possible to embroider on Epiphany Christmas Eve?
All the rules regarding needlework have been described above and they are also suitable for those who want to take up embroidery or sewing. If all preparations are completed, the temple is visited and prayers are said, then you can do what you want. For those who are interested in whether it is possible to sew on Epiphany Christmas Eve, you can give one more useful advice– during the process it is recommended to read any prayer, for example, “Our Father.” Many needlewomen report that while embroidering on holidays, the thread often breaks or gets tangled, and this should be taken as a sign that you need to stop.
Is it possible to cut your hair on Epiphany Eve?
According to existing superstitions, you cannot cut your hair on all religious holidays. It is prohibited to carry out any manipulations with the hair, from combing to different hairstyles. As for whether it is possible to get a haircut on Epiphany Eve, the eve of the celebration is considered the ideal time to get a haircut, get rid of negative energy, and prepare for the holiday. It is important to consider that if you cut your hair on the day of Epiphany, you can shorten your life and attract illnesses.
Is it possible to drink alcohol on Epiphany Eve?
Many church holidays are accompanied by feasts and if the preparation of dishes is more or less clear, then disputes over whether you can drink alcohol or not often arise. Answering the question regarding whether it is possible to drink alcohol on Christmas Eve, the clergy say that dinner should be fast and only wine can be served at the table, and it does not matter whether it is red, white, dry or dessert.
Understanding what Epiphany Eve is and what cannot be done on this day, it is worth pointing out that any strong drinks are prohibited. It is important not to drink a lot so as not to reach the stage of intoxication, since religious holidays are not a reason for drunkenness, as many believe. You cannot violate this prohibition, since it is considered a sin, and a double one.
On Orthodox Epiphany Eve, Christians traditionally fast and do not eat until the first star, offer prayers to the Lord and thank him for his protection. At this time, many are wondering what they can do and what they should refrain from.
On Christmas Eve you should not drink alcohol or overeat. Fasting excludes meat and fish from the menu. On this day traditional dish on the table of Orthodox Christians appears juicy, made from cereals with the addition of honey and nuts.
The Church does not approve of all kinds of activities, so those who follow all the canons should refrain from such pastimes.
The pre-holiday day does not allow scandals and quarrels, so try to control yourself and do not allow yourself to make harsh statements. Time spent in prayer helps to tune into positive thoughts.
Remember that the desire for a righteous lifestyle helps the soul to develop and reach for the light. Your actions should not be overshadowed by bad thoughts. Living in sincere faith and following the commandments of the Lord helps to overcome difficulties.
