Welcome to the residence of Mother Winter. Fairytale holidays in the homeland of Mother Winter Mother Winter Yarensk in contact
If it weren’t for winter... It would be... Some other name, because there’s no escape from the change of seasons. Why was winter called winter and not something else? And why is this snowy and frosty time of year respectfully called mother and even a sorceress?
Why is winter called that?
Some people prefer summer with the sun, sea and fruits, others gravitate towards spring with its amazing renewal of life and the awakening of nature. There are also fans of autumn with its misty sunrises and carpets of yellow leaves. But no one will argue that winter is truly a fabulous time of year.
This is the coldest season, coming after autumn and giving way to spring. The word itself is similar in sound and pronunciation in languages of Proto-Slavic origin. In Ukrainian this time of year is also winter, just like in Bulgarian, but with the emphasis on the first syllable. In Czech, Slovak and Polish – zima, in Latvian – zìema. It is also found in other languages, for example, in Indian - hima. Translated into Russian, this word means snow, which, in general, is completely logical and natural, because this season is associated with snowfalls, blizzards, blizzards, and snowdrifts.
In Sanskrit this word sounds very poetic - the time of falling snows, and in Greek - the time of snow or the time of rains. There is also an unconfirmed assumption that explains the etymology. According to him, winter is the deity of the winter period, who was responsible for the corresponding season. The ancient Slavs had a deity in the pantheon of gods - the cow Zemun (or Zimun), created by the creator of the world Rod. She lived on the island of Berezan, in the central part of which the mysterious Ripean Mountains were located. A milk river flowed through them - just from the milk of the Zemun cow. In this case, associations with white, snowy colors can be traced.
Winter enchantress: what is so remarkable about this time of year?
Winter is a sorceress, sorceress, queen. This is not a complete list of epithets that can be found in literature, and in everyday life in relation to winter. Why are such metaphorical expressions used? It's all about nature. Of course, winter varies from region to region. But in most of them, in winter, ordinary streets, courtyards and houses are transformed, wrapped in a snow-white blanket that hides all the imperfections of the world until spring.
An early winter morning is a wonderful sight. The first timid rays of the sun breaking through the frosty transparency of the air, ruffled sparrows, multi-colored slowly swirling snowflakes. A winter evening is a limitless source of inspiration. They are long, long, touching, bewitching, as if inviting you into a fairy tale. Winter is a magician and enchants anyone who is ready to open up to its charms. A piece of magic this time of year is added by special winter holidays – New Year, Christmas, Epiphany.
How did the expression “Mother Winter” come about?
In the Russian language there is a stable expression “mother winter”, which can be heard quite often. And at first glance, it is very contradictory, because winter is cold, cold, and mother is directly associated with care, warmth, and affection.
But in this case, such an expression is not an indication of fertility, but just an opportunity to rest from intense field work. But why then did the peasants wait so impatiently for the arrival of spring? After all, peaceful relaxing holiday- it's so cool.
In fact, this stable expression confirms the fact that our ancestors lived in a different climatic zone, different from the modern middle zone in the order of seasons. If we turn again to Sanskrit, we can find out that the word “hima” is consonant with the English humidity - humidity. And initially it meant the wet season, the opposite of the dry summer season.
In Russian, -khim is found only in borrowed words. And if you analyze them, they are in no way connected with the word “winter”. But etymologically, the words “winter”, “humus” (top fertile soil layer), “humor” (humor) are actually related, since they are connected by the general definitions “fertile”, “moist”, “favorable” and are derived phonetic forms from the same word.
If we analyze the word “summer” in the Indo-European lexical context, it in no way evokes associations with fertility and grace. For example, in ancient Greek mythology There is an expression “Sink into oblivion”, that is, disappear without a trace. In German there is a phonetically close to Russian “summer” leiche, and in English – late, which translates as “corpse” and “dead person”, respectively. Analogies can be continued and continued right up to the ancient Greek titanide Leto, who gave birth to Zeus’s twins Apollo and Artemis, who, as we know, were not distinguished by modesty and pious behavior. In many countries, summer is a dry season, a time of death, unlike Russia, where it is favorable for life.
Thus, this expression goes hand in hand with the ethnic group since the departure from those areas where winter was a fertile, rainy, wet and fertile season, in contrast to the dry “dead” summer.
Mother, queen, sorceress, sorceress - all this is winter. And no matter how much we love other seasons, its arrival is inevitable, like the rising and setting of the sun. This means that you need to make the most of the positive things from this season and prepare for the coming seasons so that you have something to remember.
In Russian there is an expression “Mother Winter”.
Don't you hear the contradiction this expression contains? Winter is cold, nothing grows, and for some reason she is affectionately called Mother. Clearly the ends don't meet...
You say, Winter - the peasant is triumphant, resting. good time of the year.
No, mother is an indication of fertility, and not just an opportunity to rest. If this were really a vacation, we wouldn’t be looking forward to spring so impatiently. There is more meaning here than meets the eye. This expression preserves evidence that our ancestors previously lived in a completely different climate zone. It differed from the central zone of modern Russia in a different order of seasons. The key to understanding the meaning of this expression was given to me by Sanskrit. In Sanskrit the word "winter" is pronounced "hima". In this phonetic form, it is not only consonant with the English word “humidity” (humidity), but also synonymous with it, since in the foothills of the Zagros winter was called the wet season. Thus, the word “winter” originally meant “wet season” as opposed to the dry, summer season. In the Russian language, the root “chem-” is present only in the borrowed words “humor”, “humus” (fertile soil layer), which, from the point of view of formal analysis, are not even related to the word “winter”. In fact, etymologically the words “winter”, “humor”, “humus” are related, since they not only go back to the concept of “fertile, moist, favorable”, but are also phonetic forms derived from once one word.
The etymology of the word “summer” in Russian is not clear; if we take into account its meaning in the Indo-European lexical context, it will not seem blessed. For example, in Greek mythology there is an expression “to sink into oblivion.” IN German the word “Leiche”, phonetically close to the Russian word “summer”, means “corpse”, and the English word “late”, from the same phonetic series, one of the meanings of “deceased, deceased”. This line can be continued all the way to the goddess Leto, whose children Artemis and Apollo literally sow death around them. Summer is death, the dry season when life practically dies, although in climatic conditions modern Russia is a favorable season.
Thus, the expression “mother winter” travels with us from the region where our ethnic group lived, where winter was a wet, rainy and, therefore, fertile season, in contrast to summer, a dry, that is, “dead” season. It wasn't necessarily Africa. This applies to the Middle East as well. For example, in Mesopotamia, it was “winter” that was considered the “farmer of the gods”, responsible for the waters of life and for everything that grows.
In Arabic, the desert is Sahel. It sounds exactly the same in Old Russian SUKHO
Rus' was in the vastness of Trans-Euphrates, to the west of it. Rome was in Sudan, and Greece was somewhere in Egypt...
Based on materials from V. V. Makarenko
On December 21, for the birthday of the snow sorceress, her whole family will gather in Yarensk: Father Frost, Mother Blizzard, Winter’s faithful companion Siverko, daughter Snegurochka, aunties and uncles Snowmen and Snow Women, as well as numerous nephews and nieces Snowmen and Snowflakes. In honor of this event, a winter ball “Snowy Lace of Winter” will be held.
On your way to the homeland of Mother Winter, be sure to stop in the village of Belopashino - village games, treats and a Russian stove... Belopashino gatherings are even more fun!
Program of events at the Mother Winter Residence:
DECEMBER
December 1-21- Festival “Tales of the Lena Forest”:
- Competition “Happy Birthday, Winter!”;
- “Opening of the festival “Tales of the Lena Forest” (theatrical performance);
- Festival of Masters “A treat for good people!” ( interactive programs, exhibition-fair, master classes, etc.);
- Opening of the Christmas tree in the clearing near Mother Winter;
- “Rising Stars” (children's creativity competition);
- “Wedding in winter's tale"and the opening of the "Alley of Lovers";
- “Miracles for the New Year” (opening of the New Year tree);
- “Winter Snow Ball” (theatrical performance).
December 24-27- interactive theatrical performance “New Year's Adventure of Snowy and Snowy.”
December 27-30- a festive away program with the participation of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden “Invite a fairy tale into your home.”
JANUARY
January 2-12- New Year's receptions at the Winter Residence.
6th January- a theatrical performance based on the work of Nikolai Gogol “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”.
Jan. 7- Christmas festivities.
January 17- “Carols came to us for Christmas time” (folk festival).
Svetlana Vyaznikova
My children and I recently visited Mothers of Winter. It's just a fairy tale! I invite you to look at our photo report.
Met us Mother Winter is in the largest and brightest room - the hall where the throne is located.
Throne Mother Winter is not easy, but magical. Whoever sits on it and makes a wish will definitely come true!
In the hall Mother Winter Snowman lives, there is an elegant Christmas tree.
The walls of the hall are decorated with paintings by local artists.
Told us Mother Winter about her palace, about what is in it.
Have Mother Winter has her own dining room, where she treats guests to tea with snowflakes (meringue).
And children mother Winter treated us to snowflakes
There is a fireplace in the dining room, which she lights when guests are cold.
There is a room called the bedchamber, where Mother Winter is resting.
In that room there is a bed
The chest of drawers on which the boxes stand, in them Mother Winter keeps its decorations.
Carved antique stove
And this is a winter outfit Mothers of Winter
To be continued.