Sivukha and boyar fun in the Northern War
When New Year’s festivities came to Russia only in 1699 by order of Peter I, in the next 1700, the joy of their appearance was overshadowed by the start of the Northern War (1700-1721). But according to Alexander Orishev, historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences and head of Timiryazev RGAU-MSHA’s history department, the public fell so much in love with the new celebration, both at the time and throughout the country’s history. Eid was celebrated in spite of the most difficult moments.
“In fact, Russia was at war for almost the entire reign of Peter the Great, but the New Year was celebrated even in wartime conditions – and they did it on a grand scale. In those years, the celebration was celebrated for three days, during which it was necessary to actively eat and drink.
Among alcoholic beverages, preference was given to the famous sivukha with a strength of 40-45%. Ladies should use it too. Information that they were sometimes drunk, so that each lady was assigned a guard, who monitors the order and observance of secular rules, ”said the doctor of science.
In addition, by order of the king, houses would be decorated with pine, spruce or juniper branches. The historian explains that this tradition was adopted by the first Dutch emperor, who believed that the Russians should be led by these people.
“Celebrating with the mandatory participation of the army has become a tradition for Peter I. Then they began to arrange “funny” fireworks, which were fired from rifles and launched gunpowder rockets,” Orishev said.
Speaking about that period, historian Sydyp Baldruev added that the holiday in our country was welcomed and celebrated brightly because it took place approximately at the same time as the popular Christmas time.
The author Alexei Tolstoy in the novel “Peter the Great” perfectly reflected how the festivities were held in those years. He told about the tsar, who traveled all over Moscow, lighting fireworks, shooting from cannons, visiting disguised people and boyars.
There is also evidence of an informal association of Peter I’s close friends, such as the “Cathedral of the Most Joking, Drunk and Extravagant”, which was responsible for organizing drinks that visited the boyars and allegedly forced them to live in a new way – on the way to modernization,” said the historian.
In the future, according to Baldruev, the tradition of celebrating the New Year became even stronger, it was especially pronounced among the nobility and bourgeoisie, who tried to organize balls, receptions and other entertainments.
“Ordinary people treated the new year in the same way as other classes. The New Year was a point of departure, a time when one could escape from everything bad, including wars, ”the historian said.
Civil war and masquerades in masks of “white” generals
But later – during the First World War (1914-1918) – the New Year in Russia had to be postponed for a while. But according to Doctor Orishev, not because of the fight. The thing is that at that time the question of getting rid of some customs of foreign origin arose.
“Then there was a call to abandon the round dance around the New Year tree, on the pretext that such dances came to Russia from Germany.
Historian, World War II, who learned that captured German soldiers held a celebration with a Christmas tree in the hospital. Nicholas immediately ordered that this tradition be declared “enemy” and banned.
Already since 1915, the New Year in Russia was no longer celebrated, but this did not last long. Thus, during the Civil War, the Bolsheviks began to organize masquerade balls, which took place on New Year’s Eve.
Masks of the “white” generals Denikin, Kolchak, Yudenich were used as scary masks. Masks symbolizing “blood-drinking capitalists” and the Entente were particularly popular. At the same time, the New Year tree was decorated not with toys, but with red stars and flags. The Bolsheviks looked to the New Year as an alternative to the Orthodox Christmas, others saw it as an unnecessary noble pastime.
By the way, Vladimir Lenin really liked the holiday, he believed that it was worth celebrating for the joy of children, ”said the head of the history department.
New Year in the Great Patriotic War front and back
According to the historian Orishev, despite all the difficulties and during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), they celebrated the New Year, primarily by organizing a holiday for children.
“Even in besieged Leningrad New Year’s morning demonstrations were held. A glass jar can serve as a gift, and inside it can be a piece of bread and a small circle of horse sausage.
Everyone had a common desire, to which they turned to Santa Claus: “The war would soon be over.”
New toys appeared on the Christmas trees – tanks and airplanes cut out of cardboard, empty casings, Santa Claus with a gun. Burnt out light bulbs also served as decoration. It is characteristic that during the war years the industry continued to produce New Year’s toys. True, in limited quantities and only from production waste – wire and metal chips, ”the doctor of historical sciences stressed.
Also, according to him, some houses had Christmas trees, but that was a rare occurrence. Most people limited themselves to a branch or drew a tree on the wall. Many celebrated the New Year at work, trying to fulfill or even exceed the plan until the holidays.
The feast was also celebrated on the front.
“The peculiarity of the New Year’s celebration at the front was that it was celebrated in a new place each time. Soldiers on this day could be gifted with real delicacies, such as captured Italian canned food. Concerts were held for the warriors to raise morale at the front. One way or another, but the celebration of the New Year during the war was a reflection of the Russian mentality, which nevertheless implies the observance of unshakable traditions,” he said.