Christmastide is an amazing day between Christmas Eve and Epiphany, filled with magic and faith in miracles. At this time, Christianity and ancient paganism are intertwined in the most bizarre way and give any person the opportunity to hope for the help of those forces in which he believes. For a long time in Rus’, on holy days they celebrated the Nativity of Christ, caroled, told fortunes and… made amulets. Yes, yes – it was believed that it was necessary to make these mystical little things, designed to protect people from evil misfortunes, during Christmas time. Then the amulet will receive special power and will faithfully serve its owner for a whole year. A figurine-amulet made for Christmastide will protect from evil all year long. Let’s try to create a small miracle with our own hands – let’s make some kind of amulet for ourselves or our loved ones. Whether to believe in its magical power or not is a personal matter for everyone, but, in any case, it will make a nice and original souvenir and a good gift. A doll is not just a toy Let’s start with dolls. Since ancient times, our ancestors have skillfully made them, sincerely believing in the power of homemade amulets and their influence on the destinies of people. Each doll had its own name and was intended for a variety of life situations. Making homemade amulets dolls is an ancient tradition of our ancestors. However, there were general rules. So, only women and girls were supposed to make amulets; materials for production are exclusively natural: linen, wool, cotton, straw. The face of all the dolls was left white – this symbolized the purity of thoughts and prevented evil spirits from entering the figurine. It was not allowed to use scissors (the fabric was torn by hand) and needles (the doll’s body and clothes were tied, not sewn). And, most importantly, you had to work in a good mood and with all your heart wish well to the person for whom you were making a talisman gift. The main thing is that the amulet is made with a good mood and sincere wishes for good. For example, the Kubyshka doll – it was made as a guardian of human health and therefore stuffed with medicinal herbs. This doll was placed in bed for a sick child or adult and wished for a speedy recovery. If you don’t believe in the power of such manipulations, then simply fill the doll with those herbs whose smell you especially like – you’ll get a good flavoring. Doll Kubishka. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com They also made a motanka doll from linen threads for health. It was believed that flax would take away all ailments and heal a sick person. Motanka doll – a talisman for health The role of the dolls – winter fevers – was to lure and pull over the spirit of illness that had flown into the house. Therefore, such amulets had to be bright and enticing. They were made from sticks wrapped in scraps of worn clothing, stored in a pile, and burned when spring came. Winter fever – bright dolls that protect against diseases If there were no children in the family, they made a Moskovka doll – a woman with six swaddled babies. Our great-great-grandmothers believed that she would bring a long-awaited pregnancy. This amulet also protected large families, and in fact there were a majority of them in Rus’. The Moskovka was hidden somewhere higher and was not given into the hands of anyone else. Moscow doll. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com The Veduchka doll was made by a woman trying to be a good mother, close to her child. The hands of this doll were intertwined with the hands of a small baby doll and thereby symbolized their close family connection and love. Veduchka doll. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com The small doll was stuffed with any cereal – buckwheat, oats, millet or peas. Depending on the content, it could be called either Pea or Grain. It ensured a good harvest and, accordingly, prosperity for the family. In general, it was done immediately after the harvest, but during Christmas time it is also possible, especially since there are no problems with grain now at any time of the year. A small doll will bring a good harvest and prosperity. Lovebird dolls were made as a wedding gift for newlyweds. Both parts of this craft merged into one and symbolized the strength of the marriage. Lovebird dolls are a symbol of a strong marriage. The Kolyada doll was made on the eve of the Slavic holiday of the Birth of the Sun, which began after the winter solstice and ended at the end of Christmastide. Kolyada brought peace and tranquility to the house. Sometimes this doll was burned on the last day of Christmastide. It was based on a birch log, on which the dress (exclusively made of new fabric) was put on. Two bags were tied to the doll – one with salt and one with grain, and a broom was tucked into the belt to ward off evil spirits. Kolyada doll. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com Baba Yaga was a special doll. In our minds, this is an evil witch who lives in the forest. But the Slavs considered her a good helper and adviser in all matters. The doll was hung on a window or door; she had a broom in her hands to sweep unkind guests out of the house. Baba Yaga doll. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com The Northern Bereginya doll is different from others. To make it, they took seven pieces of colored fabric, folded them into strips, folded them in half, and tied a scarf on top that went into the sleeves. Fabric for work had to be torn from worn clothes. They placed the doll in the northern corner of the hut and believed that it would protect the house from all misfortunes. Northern Bereginya protects the house from all misfortunes Domovoi to help you Do you believe in the existence of brownies – mysterious spirits that protect our home and carefully monitor order in the house? If so, don’t forget to appease your brownie on the eve of Christmas or in the second week of Christmastide: put a bowl of milk and sweets in a secluded corner. The invisible “owner of the house” will really like it if you make his image – a funny old man with a thick beard. The brownie is an invisible owner and helper. But if you personally prefer a young brownie, remember the famous Kuzya from the children’s cartoon and take this image as a basis. Brownie Kuzya is a familiar character. It is best to make a figurine of a brownie from natural materials, for example, from clay… A cheerful brownie from clay… or from straw and burlap. A brownie from burlap and straw. You can put a bag of grain or a banknote in the hands of a toy brownie – then financial well-being will not take long to arrive. “Money” brownie. photo from the site ru.pinterest.com If a brownie holds a spoon in his hands, all family members will always be full and happy with life. Brownie with a spoon. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com You should place the brownie figurine in the hallway or, even better, in the kitchen – the favorite habitat of this spirit. The place of a brownie is at the hearth. But don’t forget – all brownies, without exception, simply adore cleanliness, so your pots and plates should shine. And if a brownie buys a pair – a “housewife”, then order will be ensured both in the kitchen and throughout the house! A pair of brownies has more fun together. Felt boots-whisperers make wishes come true. Amulet items are not only designed to ward off evil spirits, they can also make wishes come true. Here, for example, are whispering felt boots. If you put them outside the door at dawn, putting grain in one felt boot and coins in the other, and whisper your wishes inside, they will certainly come true. Trust these felt boots with your dreams. Miniature felt boots can be hung on the New Year tree, used as a keychain or a souvenir in the car. Felt boots-whisperers. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com Mastering the felting technique is not at all difficult, and you won’t need much material for tiny models. Use lace, beads, sequins or embroidery as decoration. Decorative felt boots. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com Broom, broom, give us some money. Another well-known amulet that many of us use every day in the household, without thinking about its magical powers, is an ordinary broom. With its help, housewives get rid of dust and dirt, while simultaneously sweeping away bad thoughts and negative energy from the house. We sweep away problems and worries along with the trash. You can easily make a talisman with your own hands, which will become an original decorative element that adorns the interior of your apartment or cottage. To do this, several additional objects are attached to the broom, embodying various magical powers. For example, garlic is a counteraction to evil; wheat or legumes – to attract wealth; bay leaf – health; nuts – success in business; corn represents the continuation of life; sunflower with seeds – the health and well-being of children; pepper is a symbol of male power; bast shoes – home comfort. You can also attach a figurine of a brownie to a broom – these two symbols will complement each other perfectly. Broom-amulet. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com Such a beautifully designed broom is mounted on the wall as an original decorative panel. By the way, it is believed that it is better to make a magic broom not for yourself personally, but to present it as a gift to a blood relative or a very close friend – in this case the magic will work as it should. A broom-amulet decorated with various objects. Horseshoe for good luck An object in the magical power of which many people still believe today is a horseshoe. Finding a lost horseshoe is a sign of great luck. The lucky ones who discovered this iron thing on the road carefully took care of it and hung it on the doors of their homes with the ends up. A horseshoe is an ancient symbol of well-being. But what to do if there are no shod horses grazing near your house for a long time, and the roads are even more so occupied by numerous cars? You will have to make a horseshoe on Christmastide with your own hands and believe that it will bring good luck and drive away all evil spirits from your home. You can make a horseshoe with your own hands You don’t have to be a blacksmith to make a horseshoe. This thing has a fairly simple shape that can be easily cut out of wood… A horseshoe made of wood… sewn from fabric or knitted from threads… Homemade horseshoes. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com … bake from salt dough (it makes simply amazing things). Horseshoes made of salt dough. Photo from the site ru.pinterest.com Remember that a horseshoe, suspended with its ends up, attracts wealth to the house. The ends of the horseshoe pointing upward will attract money into your home. And when turned upside down, it creates a kind of energy dome that protects the house from all misfortunes. The energy dome created by a horseshoe will save the house from misfortune. So decide what is more important to you – money or protection – and decorate your interior with this cute amulet. May the horseshoe bring what you need into your home. And whether you believe in the magical power of Christmas charms or not, may the magical days between Christmas and Epiphany bring good luck and awaken the creativity in each of us. Want to know more about amulets? Then take a look at this fascinating and useful collection, you will like it:
- Folk dolls of the Lipetsk region
- Amulet for the dacha – for good luck))
- Kuzma Kuzmich and his broom. Semidachny amulet
- Rag doll-amulet “Herbal Pot”
