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TRADITIONS OF THE HOLIDAYS
The holiday is not like the other days. The environment changes, and loved ones behave differently than usual. In ancient times there was a great emphasis on festivals. They necessarily involved all members of the community, and everyone had a different function. The modern man craves for a miracle The holiday is not like the other days. The environment changes, and loved ones behave differently than usual. In ancient times there was a great emphasis on festivals. They necessarily involved all members of the community, and everyone had a different function. The modern man craves for a miracle no less than his ancestors. Therefore, holidays are necessary for him as well. Ancient holidays had several characteristics. Long ago they gave a certain rhythm to human life. In pagan times, the holidays were seasonal, marking the beginning of sowing, the first roundup of cattle, the harvest and other important events. This had a deep meaning. Failure to observe the timing of agricultural work could have unfortunate consequences. If for some reason the sowing did not start on time, it led to crop failure. Not having knitted woolen socks or mittens in time for Yule, a person risked freezing. The holiday signified a change in the nature of work. In Christian tradition, seasonal cyclicity has been preserved. Many rituals were also preserved, without which a holiday is not a holiday. Certain foods were prepared and certain songs and dances were performed. As long as the majority of the population was rural, the tradition of celebrating holidays throughout the village was preserved. Holidays united people in the cities as well. All the townspeople, from the town mayor to the poorest servant, rode down the mountain. At these moments, everyone felt a sense of belonging to a certain culture. The tradition of collective celebrations had been observed before. They could feel their community with the rest of the people.