Snow Maiden and Santa Claus are popular characters and constant guests of any New Year. Heroes are always cheerful and friendly - congratulate adults and give gifts to kids. But the history of the celebration, as well as the real roles of Frost and the Snow Maiden, amaze the imagination with its cruelty and an abundance of bloody details.
Snow Maiden and Frost: Scandinavian interpretation
According to Roman chronicles, the Celtic priests - the Druids - among other trees were especially honored conifers (spruce, pine). Green giants from the sacred groves were regularly offered gifts - food, flowers, jewelry and human sacrifices. However, the latter is an unconfirmed fact, although the Russian Snow Maiden and its modern interpretation is considered a cultural borrowing from wild, unenlightened Varangians.
Where does the Snow Maiden come from?
The cruel spirit of winter - the Elder of the North - demanded a respectful attitude. The Snow Maiden girl was necessary to appease the deity of nature. Either an orphan was chosen for the role of the Snow Maiden, or the lot was thrown within the settlement. Who are the parents of the Snow Maiden - it was completely unimportant.
Roman historians described the tradition of sacrifice in a very colorful and with many unappetizing details - pouring ice water and tearing open the belly of a young girl were indispensable attributes of Celtic celebrations, as well as decorating the sacred firs with the remains of people.
There is no particular faith in the Roman chroniclers, since the Druids were known for their pacifism and respect for all living things - trees, herbs, animals and people.
Snow Maiden: Slavic interpretation
The common roots of the peoples of the Indo-European group allow us to draw conclusions about a single mythological space, in the light of which the characters, heroes and main motives of fairy tales and legends are repeated and intertwined. The Russian Snow Maiden is an echo of the general cosmogonic concept and partial cultural borrowing. The character is found mainly in Slavic tales, in Europe such an image does not exist.
One of the indispensable external signs and modern New Year attributes is the crown of the Snow Maiden. This artifact, according to the observations of culturologists, dates back to the image of the great-Snegurochka - the Slavic spirit of Kostroma. Kupala's sister, Kostroma, was portrayed as a girl in white robes with a crown (possibly the same Snow Maiden’s crown) on her head and an oak branch in her hand. Meetings and seeing off Kostroma (the personification of spring) were accompanied by special rites. Like a fairy-tale character, familiar to us from numerous literary works, Kostroma left people - just like the Snow Maiden in the summer. Kupala's sister was “in power” for some time, and then “got sick” and “died”.
It is still unknown how the Snegurochka girl came from Kostroma, but it is the ancient Slavic deity that lies at the heart of modern family holidays.
Does the Snow Maiden have a family?
To the question "Who are the parents of the Snow Maiden?" There are several answers in mythology - Winter and Lada, Spring and Winter - two mutually exclusive principles.
Obviously, this could not have done without the intervention of otherworldly forces, but the modern legend of Moroz and his granddaughter does not recognize his parents as a Snow Maiden in principle.
Where are the Snow Maiden's parents? Based on the Old Norse and Old Slavonic understanding of the holiday, the girl’s parents would be “in chocolate”. The Snow Maiden, who was chosen for the solemn sacrifice, was promised eternal life, and prosperity and prosperity were promised to all her relatives.
Snow Maiden and Santa Claus: the evolution of images
Traditional Santa Claus from Russian fairy tales has evolved into a good old man for a long time. Great Moroz, aka Morok, was a chthonic deity, and no one would want to meet with him.
The lord of snow and endless winter, Moroz-Morok was also known for his love of deceit, which is preserved in the numerous proverbs of the languages of the Indo-European group. Favorite entertainment of the good grandfather Moroka was to confuse the traveler and drag him into a swamp or thicket, where the latter died from cold and exhaustion. It was possible to appease Morok only with special offerings and gifts that were placed outside the door and on the side of the road.
Over time, Santa Claus matured strongly and began not only to freeze, but also to bestow mortals. This motive can be traced in folk and author's tales.
A pair of "Snow Maiden and Santa Claus" was formed much later - at the beginning of the 20th century.
Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden: traditional costumes
An old man of enormous growth in a white fur coat covered with hoarfrost - so distant ancestors imagined the formidable Frost. Long gray hair and a white disheveled beard with icicles are indispensable signs of a sovereign of winter. The kingdom of the Call of Frost was winter - at this time of the year he and only he owned the whole world.
Often at modern celebrations, Grandfather comes with a staff in his hand - his ancestor also had the same. With the touch of this powerful weapon, great frost could freeze rivers and lakes, turn the earth into icy plains and split mountains. Under the influence of the artifact, people and animals turned into blocks of ice, so it was vital to appease the deity.
Another magical artifact - a belt that can be seen in modern Morozov, he acted as a kind of talisman.
Things are much more complicated with the Snow Maiden - it is unclear who the Snow Maiden's parents are, where she came from, and how her traditional costume came about. Presumably, the girl’s white or blue fur coat speaks of her “winter” origin and makes her related to the named relative - Santa Claus.
Snow Maiden: urban legends and modern "horror"
A popular version on the world network about the true origin of the holiday and the images associated with it slightly sounds like cheap horror films.
According to the best Hollywood traditions, the role of the Snow Maiden, according to the popular urban legend, was played by a young maid who did not know a man. This unfortunate girl was not only exposed to frost and doused with ice water, but also subsequently "decorated" with her remains in the trees in a nearby forest. All these ritual actions are attributed to the Druids - the ancient Celtic eco-pacifists, who were not allowed to offend any living creature by the laws.
The priests of the cult believe very little in such desecration of sacred groves and trees. Outsiders were not allowed into the territory where seasonal rituals and ceremonies were performed - all the more unlikely that an unknown girl could be in the sacred grove until the complete glaciation. Yes, and desecrate the ancient spruce with carrion, the age of which could be several hundred years old, the Druids would hardly have begun.
The image of the unfortunate girl Snegurochka, frozen to death, is partly the merit of the victorious Romans, and partly the usual horror stories from the series “in the black, black city”.
"Revolutionary" Snow Maiden from the USSR
With the change of regime of the new government - the Soviet one - new holidays were also needed. The Catholic Christmas with bourgeois attributes - fat Santa and his elf servants - seemed to the party leaders insufficiently ideologically seasoned.
The national traditions of the small peoples of the USSR were spread over relatively small territories, and a huge country needed another holiday - a new, bright and absolutely unique.
“Kremlin Christmas trees”, which went down in history as an example of grandiose celebrations for the elite, became the beginning of the legend of the Soviet Snow Maiden, because the strict old man Santa Claus is very far from the kids, and many kids are still afraid of the terrible beard and unusual clothes of the New Year's guest. The invitation of the Snow Maiden to the children's party allows you to make the celebration more comfortable and homely. To the question "Who are the parents of the Snow Maiden?" one can answer unambiguously - the mass media entertainers and the organizers of the Kremlin New Year's events of the 30s.
Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden: how to please children?
Supporting children's faith in the New Year miracle is not easy. Artists do not always want and can work out the fee, which is sometimes immodest, and the scenery, on the contrary, leaves much to be desired.
For kids and their parents, a big surprise may be the fact that the young Snow Maiden weighs a good hundred kilograms, and Santa Claus smells of beer.
Mass events are the best choice, because at such holidays there is not only a huge bright Christmas tree, but also a real Santa Claus, who, although far away on the stage, congratulates everyone at once.
Even better, if the father of the family or another male relative enters into the role of a good wizard. So the children are guaranteed to receive heartfelt congratulations, gifts and memories of this New Year's miracle.
