To date, the folklore festival of Kuzminki has gradually been forgotten. Especially in cities. In the villages they continue to celebrate this holiday, but not as widely and brightly the Pancake week, Easter or Christmas . This happens on November 14 each year, and this holiday is called in different ways: Kuzminki, chestnuts, chicken coops or winter meeting, as this is the first winter holiday.
History of the Kuzminki Festival
The history of the holiday Kuzminki looks like this: in the III-IV centuries. lived the brothers Kuzma and Demyan, who were later regarded by the Orthodox Church as saints for their free medical treatment. They took up any work, but mainly engaged in healing. They say that even wild animals went out to their brothers to be treated for their ailments without fear. But the brothers never paid for their work. The condition they had was only one, so that the owners were fed up with porridge. That's why one of the main dishes on the festive table is porridge.
On this day, it has always been customary to prepare for the wedding and the girls for marriage were asked to tie their wedding in the same way that the ice binds the river. In the autumn holiday of Kuzminki the girl became the mistress of the house and prepared dinner for the whole family. The main dishes on this day were kurik and chicken noodles. And in the evening, "Kuzmin evening" was arranged - games were played, jokes and everyone was treated to porridge "sipschina", prepared from different groats.
In addition, it is believed that the brothers still patronize the chickens and this day was also called "Kuryi Name Day." Therefore, on this holiday, it was necessary to roast and eat a chicken. But in order not to give birth to ugly chickens, in no case it was impossible to break chicken bones. And the people arranged a variety of "chicken fun": cockfighting and various contests, where chickens were distributed as gifts. And the children begged the owners of feathers from plucked chickens. It is desirable, that they were the most extreme from the right wing, then from them excellent brushes for a list of wooden toys turn out. And the guys are more mature, fun for the sake of going to steal neighboring hens in the morning. But no one seriously took these pranks, realizing that this is a tribute to tradition.
This is how they celebrated this holiday in villages and villages, but today they do not even remember it everywhere. And in cities everything happens very differently.
In schools, teachers organize a children's folklore festival of Kuzminki among primary school pupils. Children get acquainted with the history of this event, its rituals, find out who Kuzma and Demyan are, participate in contests and amusements, and also show the knowledge of Russian folk proverbs and ditties about the fall. And at the end of the holiday, they cook their own cooked pies with their own hands.
It happens that the local lore museums organize festivals about the meeting of winter. On this day, everyone is familiarized with the history of this holiday, the traditions of its celebration in this locality. And often everyone is treated to delicious porridge.
But there are places in the cities where the autumn holiday of Kuzminki is celebrated on a grand scale. All interested persons take part in contests, games and games. Winners receive prizes, but not simple souvenirs, but a live rooster or chicken. Master classes are held on the production of the talismans of Kuzma and Demyan from natural materials. At such events, folk music groups, amusing the guests of the holiday, are obligatory, as well as exhibitions of old utensils where exhibits of peasant life are exhibited. And everyone can taste buckwheat porridge from the field kitchen with hot tea. And the mass celebration ends with dispelling the huge straw "Kuzma".