January 25 – we invite spring

January 25 in the folk calendar is Tatyana’s day. Also this day had the name “Babiy Kut” – the so-called fenced-off place near the stove, where women did household chores away from prying eyes.

According to tradition, on Tatyana’s day, “spring was called.” The oldest woman in the family baked a loaf, which was considered a symbol of the sun, and evenly distributed the pieces among all household members. According to the loaf, they judged what the year would be like: if it rose more in the center – to a successful year, if it rose evenly from all sides – the year would pass smoothly and calmly, if the crust was burnt – fortunately, and if there was a birthday girl in the house, she was allowed to eat this slice. But a crack on the crust of the loaf was a bad omen – it was believed that then some kind of trouble would happen in the family in the coming year.

Each member of the family had to eat a piece of loaf. At the same time, they asked the sun to quickly drive away the frosts and call for spring. However, this had to be done before sunset. Our ancestors believed that those who eat on this day after sunset will face health problems. If the loaf was not completely eaten, it was not left the next day, but fed to livestock or poultry – for their health and good offspring.

To bring spring closer, feasts were arranged, and round dances were danced on the streets, which were designed to attract heat and sun.

Unmarried girls in the morning were engaged in household chores, did the cleaning in the house – they believed that this would help to improve their personal lives. Early in the morning they took rugs and went to the river to knock out all the dust and dirt that had accumulated during Christmas time. Then the rugs were hung on the fence, so that the guys could judge by their cleanliness how economic a spouse would come out of a girl.

Also on this day, women twisted skeins of yarn as tightly and tightly as possible – so that the cabbage was born, and the heads of cabbage were just as tight and strong.

Also, according to popular beliefs, on Tatyana’s day to help another person – for good luck, to feed stray animals and street birds – to wealth, to quarrel or quarrel with someone – to ruin relationships for a long time.

Folk signs on January 25 are as follows:

– if it snows – by a rainy summer;

– if the snow has stopped, but the sky is in clouds – the next day you can expect snowfall;

– if the sun peeps through the clouds – by early spring;

– if by evening the frost has weakened – to snow or rain;

– if the dogs howl – to a cold snap.

Dreams that occurred on the night of January 26 are called empty, they mean nothing. So you should not pay attention to what you dreamed about.

Alena Bodrienko.

Photo by Moscow agency