40 days falls on Christmas. Is it possible to celebrate the anniversary of the death of loved ones earlier?

“There are holidays that have their own smell. At Easter, Trinity and Christmas there is something special in the air. Even non-believers love these holidays. My brother, for example, interprets that there is no God, but on Easter he is the first to run to matins” (A.P. Chekhov, story “On the Way”).

Orthodox Christmas is just around the corner! Happy Celebration have a bright day(and even several - Christmastide) there are many associated interesting traditions. In Rus', it was customary to devote this period to serving one’s neighbor and deeds of mercy. Everyone knows the tradition of caroling - singing songs in honor of the born Christ. Winter holidays inspired many writers to create magical Christmas works.

There is even a special genre of Christmas story. The plots in it are very close to each other: often the heroes of Christmas works find themselves in a state of spiritual or material crisis, the resolution of which requires a miracle. Christmas stories are imbued with light and hope, and only a few of them have a sad ending. Especially often, Christmas stories are dedicated to the triumph of mercy, compassion and love.

Especially for you, dear readers, we have prepared a selection of the best Christmas stories, both Russian and foreign writers. Read and enjoy, may the festive mood last longer!

"The Gift of the Magi", O. Henry

A well-known story about sacrificial love, which will give everything for the happiness of its neighbor. A story about tremulous feelings that cannot but surprise and delight. In the finale, the author ironically remarks: “And here I told you an unremarkable story about two stupid children from an eight-dollar apartment who, in the most unwise way, sacrificed their greatest treasures for each other.” But the author does not make excuses, he only confirms that the gifts of his heroes were more important than the gifts of the Magi: “But let it be said for the edification of the sages of our days that of all the givers these two were the wisest. Of all those who offer and receive gifts, only those like them are truly wise. Everywhere and everywhere. They are the Magi." As Joseph Brodsky said, “at Christmas everyone is a little wise man.”

“Nikolka”, Evgeniy Poselyanin

The plot of this Christmas story is very simple. At Christmas time, the stepmother acted very meanly to her stepson; he should have died. At the Christmas service, a woman experiences belated repentance. But on a bright holiday night a miracle happens...

By the way, Evgeny Poselyanin has wonderful memories of his childhood experience of Christmas - “Yule Days”. You read and are immersed in the pre-revolutionary atmosphere of noble estates, childhood and joy.

"A Christmas Carol", Charles Dickens

Dickens's work is the story of a person's true spiritual rebirth. Main character, Scrooge, was a miser, became a merciful benefactor, and turned from a lone wolf into a sociable and friendly person. And this change was helped by the spirits who flew to him and showed him his possible future. Watching different situations from his past and future, the hero felt remorse for his wrong life.

“The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree”, F. M. Dostoevsky

A touching story with a sad (and joyful at the same time) ending. I doubt whether it is worth reading to children, especially sensitive ones. But for adults, it’s probably worth it. For what? I would answer with the words of Chekhov: “It is necessary that behind the door of everyone there is a happy happy person someone would stand with a hammer and would constantly remind him by knocking that there are unfortunate people, that, no matter how happy he is, life will sooner or later show him its claws, trouble will happen - illness, poverty, loss, and no one will see him or will hear how now he does not see or hear others.”

Dostoevsky included it in the “Diary of a Writer” and he himself was surprised how this story came out of his pen. And the author’s writer’s intuition tells him that this could very well happen in reality. The main sad storyteller of all times, H. H. Andersen, has a similar tragic story - “The Little Match Girl”.

"Gifts of the Christ Child" by George MacDonald

The story of a young family going through difficult times in their relationships, difficulties with a nanny, and alienation from their daughter. The last one is the sensitive, lonely girl Sophie (or Fosi). It was through her that joy and light returned to the house. The story emphasizes: the main gifts of Christ are not gifts under the tree, but love, peace and mutual understanding.

“Christmas Letter”, Ivan Ilyin

I would call this short work, composed of two letters from a mother and son, a real hymn of love. She is the one unconditional love, runs like a red thread through the entire work and is its main theme. It is this state that resists loneliness and defeats it.

“Whoever loves, his heart blooms and smells fragrant; and he gives his love just like a flower gives its scent. But then he is not alone, because his heart is with the one he loves: he thinks about him, cares about him, rejoices in his joy and suffers from his suffering. He doesn't have time to feel lonely or wonder whether he is lonely or not. In love a person forgets himself; he lives with others, he lives in others. And this is happiness.”

Christmas is a holiday of overcoming loneliness and alienation, it is the day of the manifestation of Love...

"God in the Cave", Gilbert Chesterton

We are accustomed to perceive Chesterton primarily as the author of detective stories about Father Brown. But he wrote in different genres: he penned several hundred poems, 200 short stories, 4000 essays, a number of plays, the novels “The Man Who Was Thursday”, “The Ball and the Cross”, “The Migratory Tavern” and much more. Chesterton was also an excellent publicist and deep thinker. In particular, his essay “God in the Cave” is an attempt to comprehend the events of two thousand years ago. I recommend it to people with a philosophical mindset.

“Silver Blizzard”, Vasily Nikiforov-Volgin

Nikiforov-Volgin in his work surprisingly subtly shows the world of children's faith. His stories are permeated with a festive atmosphere. So, in the story “Silver Blizzard”, with trepidation and love, he shows the boy with his zeal for piety, on the one hand, and with mischief and pranks, on the other. Consider one apt phrase from the story: “These days I don’t want anything earthly, especially school!”

"Holy Night", Selma Lagerlöf

Selma Lagerlöf's story continues the theme of childhood.

Grandmother tells her granddaughter interesting legend about Christmas. It is not canonical in the strict sense, but it reflects the spontaneity of the people's faith. This is an amazing story about mercy and how " pure heart opens the eyes with which a person can enjoy seeing the beauty of heaven.”

“Christ visiting a man”, “Unchangeable ruble”, “At Christmas they offended”, Nikolai Leskov

These three stories struck me to the core, so it was difficult to choose the best one. I discovered Leskov from some unexpected side. These works by the author have common features. This is both a fascinating plot and general ideas of mercy, forgiveness and doing good deeds. Examples of heroes from these works surprise, evoke admiration and a desire to imitate.

"Reader! be kind: intervene in our history too, remember what today’s Newborn taught you: to punish or have mercy? To the One who gave you the "verbs" eternal life"...Think! This is very worth your thought, and the choice is not difficult for you... Do not be afraid to seem funny and stupid if you act according to the rule of the One who said to you: “Forgive the offender and gain yourself a brother in him” (N. S. Leskov, “Under Christmas was offended."

Many novels have chapters dedicated to Christmas, for example, “The Unquenchable Lamp” by B. Shiryaev, “Conduit and Schwambrania” by L. Kassil, “In the First Circle” by A. Solzhenitsyn, “The Summer of the Lord” by I. S. Shmelev.

The Christmas story, for all its apparent naivety, fabulousness and unusualness, has always been loved by adults. Maybe because Christmas stories are primarily about goodness, about faith in miracles and the possibility of human spiritual rebirth?

Christmas is truly a holiday of children's faith in miracles... Many Christmas stories are devoted to describing this pure joy of childhood. I will quote wonderful words from one of them: “ Great holiday Nativity, surrounded by spiritual poetry, is especially understandable and close to a child... The Divine Child was born, and to Him be praise, glory and honor of the world. Everyone rejoiced and rejoiced. And in memory of the Holy Child, on these days of bright memories, all children should have fun and rejoice. This is their day, a holiday of innocent, pure childhood...” (Klavdiya Lukashevich, “Christmas Holiday”).

P.S. When preparing this collection, I read a lot of Christmas stories, but, of course, not all of them in the world. I chose according to my taste those that seemed the most fascinating and artistically expressive. Preference was given to little-known works, which is why, for example, the list does not include N. Gogol’s “The Night Before Christmas” or Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker.”

What are your favorite Christmas works, dear matrons?

Yuletide and Christmas stories in Russian literature of the 18th-21st centuries.

wonderful winter holidays have long been included and probably still include, and ancient folk Christmastide(pagan in origin), and church feast of the Nativity of Christ, and worldly New Year's holiday. Literature has always been a reflection of the life of the people and society, and even the mysterious yuletide theme- just a treasure trove fantastic stories, conveying a world of the wonderful and otherworldly, always bewitching and attracting the average reader.

Christmastide, in the capacious expression of A. Shakhovsky, - "evenings of folk fun": fun, laughter, mischief are explained by a person’s desire to influence the future (in accordance with the proverb “as you begin, so you end” or with the modern one - “as you meet New Year, that’s how you’ll spend it”). It was believed that the more fun a person spends the beginning of the year, the more prosperous the year will be...

However, where there is excessive laughter, fun, fervor, it is always restless and even somehow alarming... This is where an intriguing plot begins to develop: detective, fantastic or simply romantic... A plot that is always timed for Holy Days – time from Christmas to Epiphany.

In Russian literature, the Yuletide theme begins to develop from the middle XVIII century: at first it was anonymous comedies about games, Christmas tales and stories. Their characteristic feature was the long-standing idea that it is during the Christmastide period that “ devilry"- devils, goblins, kikimoras, banniks, etc. This emphasizes the hostility and danger of Christmas time...

Fortune-telling, caroling by mummers, and dish songs became widespread among the people. Meanwhile, Orthodox Church for a long time condemned such behavior is considered sinful. The decree of Patriarch Joachim of 1684, prohibiting Yuletide “possessions,” says that they lead a person into “soul-destructive sin.” Yuletide games, fortune-telling and mummery (“mask-playing”, putting on “animal-like mugs”) have always been condemned by the Church.

Subsequently, a need arose for folk Christmas tales and stories to be processed literary. These began to be studied by writers, poets, ethnographers and folklorists, in particular M.D. Chulkov, who published the humorous magazine “Both this and that” throughout 1769, and F.D. Nefedov, from the end of the 19th century. publishing magazines with a Christmas theme, and, of course, V.A.Zhukovsky, who created the most popular Russian ballad "Svetlana", which is based on a folk story about a heroine fortune-telling at Christmas time... Many poets have also turned to the theme of Christmas time XIX century: A. Pushkin("Fortune telling and Tatyana's dream"(excerpt from the novel “Eugene Onegin”) A. Pleshcheev("The Legend of the Child Christ"), Ya. Polonsky ("Christmas tree"),A. Fet ("Fortune telling") and etc.

Gradually, during the development of romanticism, the Yuletide story attracts the whole world of the miraculous. At the heart of many stories - Bethlehem miracle, and this is the transformation of just a Christmas story into a Christmas story... Christmas story in Russian literature, in contrast to Western literature, appeared only by the 40s XIX century This is explained by the special role of the holiday, which is different from Europe. Christmas Day– great Christian holiday, second in importance after Easter. For a long time in Russia, the world celebrated Christmastide, and only the Church celebrated the Nativity of Christ.

In the West, the Christian tradition became much earlier and more closely intertwined with the pagan one; in particular, this happened with the custom of decorating and lighting a Christmas tree for Christmas. The ancient pagan rite of veneration of the tree turned into a Christian custom. Christmas tree became a symbol of the Divine Child. The Christmas tree entered Russia late and took root slowly, like any Western innovation.

From the middle of the 19th century. The appearance of the first stories is also associated with Christmas themes. Earlier texts, such as "Christmas Eve"N.V.Gogol, are not indicative, firstly, Gogol’s story depicts Christmastide in Ukraine, where the celebration and experience of Christmas was closer to the Western one, and secondly, in Gogol the pagan element (“devilishness”) prevails over the Christian one.

Another thing "Night on Christmas Day" Moscow writer and actor K. Baranova, published in 1834. This is truly a Christmas story: the leading motive in it is mercy and sympathy for the child - a typical motive of the Christmas story. The massive appearance of such texts is observed after they were translated into Russian Christmas stories Charles Dickens early 1840s – “ A Christmas Carol", "Bells", "Cricket on the Stove", and later others. These stories were a huge success among Russian readers and gave rise to many imitations and variations. One of the first writers to turn to the Dickenian tradition was D.V.Grigorovich, who published the story in 1853 "Winter evening".

In the emergence of Russian Christmas prose important role played "Lord of the Fleas" And "Nutcracker"Hoffmann and some fairy tales Andersen, especially "Christmas tree" And "The Little Match Girl". The plot of the last fairy tale was used F.M.Dostoevsky in the story "The boy at Christ's tree", and later V. Nemirovich-Danchenko in the story "Stupid Fedka".

The death of a child on Christmas night is an element of phantasmagoria and too terrible an event, emphasizing the crime of all humanity towards children... But with Christian point sight, little heroes acquire true happiness not on earth, but in Heaven: they become angels and end up on the Christmas tree of Christ Himself. Actually, a miracle occurs: the miracle of Bethlehem repeatedly affects the destinies of people...

Later Christmas and Yuletide stories Almost all major prose writers wrote To.XIX – AD XX centuries Yuletide and Christmas stories could be funny and sad, funny and scary, they could end with a wedding or the death of heroes, reconciliation or a quarrel. But with all the diversity of their plots, they all had something in common - something that was in harmony with the festive mood of the reader, sometimes sentimental, sometimes uncontrollably cheerful, invariably causing a response in the hearts.

At the heart of each such story was “a small event that has a very festive character”(N.S. Leskov), which made it possible to give them a general subtitle. The terms “Christmas story” and “Yuletide story” were, for the most part, used as synonyms: in texts under the heading “Yuletide story” motifs associated with the holiday of Christmas could predominate, and the subtitle “Christmas story” did not at all imply the absence of folk motifs in the text Christmas time...

The best examples of the genre have been created N.S. Leskov. In 1886, the writer wrote a whole cycle “Yuletide Stories”.

In the story "Pearl necklace" he reflects on the genre: “A Christmas story is absolutely required that it be timed to coincide with the events of the Christmas Eve - from Christmas to Epiphany, so that it is somewhat fantastic, had any morality... and finally - so that it certainly ends funny. There are few such events in life, and therefore the author is forced to invent himself and compose a plot suitable for the program.” Some kind of Christmas stories are "Vanka", And "At Christmas time" A.P. Chekhov.

In n. XX century., with the development of modernism in literature, parodies of the Yuletide genre and humorous recommendations on how to write Yuletide stories began to appear. So, for example, in the newspaper “Rech” in 1909. O.L.D”or(Orsher I.) provides the following guidance for young writers:

“Any person with hands, two kopecks for paper, pen and ink and no talent can write a Christmas story.

You just need to adhere to the well-known system and firmly remember the following rules:

1) Without pig, goose, Christmas tree and good man The Christmas story is not valid.

2) The words “manger”, “star” and “love” should be repeated at least ten, but no more than two to three thousand times.

3) Bell ringing, tenderness and repentance should be at the end of the story, and not at the beginning of it.

All the rest does not matter".

The parodies indicated that the Yuletide genre had exhausted its possibilities. Of course, one cannot help but note the interest in the spiritual sphere among the intelligentsia of that time.

But the Yuletide story moves away from its traditional norms. Sometimes, as, for example, in the story V.Bryusova "The Child and the Madman", it provides an opportunity to depict mentally extreme situations: the miracle of Bethlehem as an unconditional reality in the story is perceived only by the child and the mentally ill Semyon. In other cases, Christmas works are based on medieval and apocryphal texts, in which religious sentiments and feelings are especially intensively reproduced (the contribution of A.M.Remizova).

Sometimes, by reproducing the historical setting, the Yuletide plot is given a special flavor (as, for example, in the story S. Auslander "Christmas time in old Petersburg"), sometimes the story gravitates towards an action-packed psychological novel.

I especially honored the traditions of the Christmas story A. Kuprin, creating wonderful examples of the genre - stories about faith, goodness and mercy "Poor Prince" And "Wonderful doctor", as well as writers from Russian diaspora I.A.Bunin ("Epiphany Night" and etc.), I.S. Shmelev ("Christmas" etc.) and V. Nikiforov-Volgin ("Silver Blizzard" and etc.).

In many Christmas stories childhood theme– main. This topic is developed by a statesman and Christian thinker K. Pobedonostsev in his essay "Christmas": “The Nativity of Christ and Holy Easter are primarily children’s holidays, and in them the power of Christ’s words seems to be fulfilled: Unless you are like children, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Other holidays are not so accessible to children’s understanding...”

“A quiet night over the Palestinian fields, a secluded den, a manger. Surrounded by those domestic animals that are familiar to the child from the first impressions of memory - in the manger the entwined Baby and above Him the meek, loving Mother with a thoughtful gaze and a clear smile of maternal happiness - three magnificent kings following a star to a wretched den with gifts - and in the distance on the field there are shepherds in the middle of their flock, listening to the joyful news of the Angel and the mysterious choir of the Heavenly Forces. Then the villain Herod, pursuing the innocent Child; the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem, then the journey of the holy family to Egypt - how much life and action there is in all this, how much interest for a child!”

And not only for a child... Holy days are such an amazing time when everyone becomes children: simple, sincere, open, kind and loving to everyone.

Later, and not surprisingly, the Yuletide story was “revolutionarily” reincarnated as New Year. New Year as a holiday replaces Christmas and is replaced by the Child Christ kind Grandfather Frost... But the state of awe and expectation of a miracle is also present in the “new” stories. “Christmas tree in Sokolniki”, “Three assassination attempts on V.I. Lenin” V.D. Bonch-Bruevich,"Chuk and Gek" A. Gaidar- some of the best Soviet idylls. There is also an undoubted orientation towards this tradition of films. E. Ryazanova "Carnival Night" And "Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath"…

Yuletide and Christmas stories are returning to the pages of modern newspapers and magazines. Several factors play a special role here. Firstly, the desire to restore the broken connection of times, and in particular, the Orthodox worldview. Secondly, to return to many of the customs and forms of cultural life that were so violently interrupted. The traditions of the Christmas story are continued by modern children's writers. S. Serova, E. Chudinova, Y. Voznesenskaya, E. Sanin (mon. Varnava) and etc.

Christmas reading has always been a special reading, because it is about the sublime and non-vain. Holy days are a time of silence and a time for such pleasant reading. After all, after such a great holiday - the Nativity of Christ - the reader simply cannot afford anything that would distract him from high thoughts about God, about goodness, mercy, compassion and love... Let's take advantage of this precious time!

Prepared by L.V.Shishlova

Used Books:

The Miracle of Christmas Night: Christmas Stories / Comp., intro. Art., note. E. Dushechkina, H. Barana. – St. Petersburg: Artist. Lit., 1993.
Star of Bethlehem. Christmas and Easter in poetry and prose: Collection / Comp. and joined M. Pismenny, - M.: Det. lit., - 1993.
The Star of Christmas: Christmas Stories and Poems / Comp. E.Trostnikova. – M.: Bustard, 2003
Leskov N.S. Collection Op. in 11 vols. M., 1958. t.7.

Orthodox Christmas is just around the corner! Many interesting traditions are associated with the celebration of this bright day (and even several Christmastides). In Rus', it was customary to devote this period to serving one’s neighbor and deeds of mercy. Everyone knows the tradition of caroling - singing songs in honor of the born Christ. The winter holidays have inspired many writers to create magical Christmas stories.

Especially for you, dear readers, we have prepared a selection of the best Christmas stories from both Russian and foreign writers. Read and enjoy, may the festive mood last longer!

"The Gift of the Magi", O. Henry

“Nikolka”, Evgeniy Poselyanin

"A Christmas Carol", Charles Dickens

Dickens's work is the story of a person's true spiritual rebirth. The main character, Scrooge, was a miser, became a merciful benefactor, and turned from a lone wolf into a sociable and friendly person. And this change was helped by the spirits who flew to him and showed him his possible future. Observing different situations from his past and future, the hero felt remorse for his wrong life.

“The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree”, F. M. Dostoevsky

A touching story with a sad (and joyful at the same time) ending. I doubt whether it is worth reading to children, especially sensitive ones. But for adults, perhaps it’s worth it. For what? I would answer with the words of Chekhov: “It is necessary that behind the door of every contented, happy person there should be someone with a hammer and constantly remind him by knocking that there are unfortunate people, that, no matter how happy he is, life will sooner or later show him its claws , trouble will strike - illness, poverty, loss, and no one will see or hear him, just as now he does not see or hear others.”

"Gifts of the Christ Child" by George MacDonald

“Christmas Letter”, Ivan Ilyin

I would call this short work, composed of two letters from a mother and son, a real hymn of love. It is she, unconditional love, that runs like a red thread through the entire work and is its main theme. It is this state that resists loneliness and defeats it.

Christmas is a holiday of overcoming loneliness and alienation, it is the day of the manifestation of Love...

"God in the Cave", Gilbert Chesterton

“Silver Blizzard”, Vasily Nikiforov-Volgin

"Holy Night", Selma Lagerlöf

Selma Lagerlöf's story continues the theme of childhood.

Grandmother tells her granddaughter an interesting legend about Christmas. It is not canonical in the strict sense, but it reflects the spontaneity of the people's faith. This is an amazing story about mercy and how “a pure heart opens the eyes with which a person can enjoy seeing the beauty of heaven.”

“Christ visiting a man”, “Unchangeable ruble”, “At Christmas they offended”, Nikolai Leskov

"Reader! be kind: intervene in our history too, remember what today’s Newborn taught you: to punish or to have mercy? To the One who gave you the “verbs of eternal life”... Think! This is very worth your thought, and the choice is not difficult for you... Do not be afraid to seem funny and stupid if you act according to the rule of the One who said to you: “Forgive the offender and gain yourself a brother in him” (N. S. Leskov, “Under Christmas was offended."

Christmas is truly a holiday of children's faith in miracles... Many Christmas stories are devoted to describing this pure joy of childhood. I will quote wonderful words from one of them: “The great holiday of Christmas, surrounded by spiritual poetry, is especially understandable and close to a child... The Divine Child was born, and to Him be praise, glory and honor of the world. Everyone rejoiced and rejoiced. And in memory of the Holy Child, on these days of bright memories, all children should have fun and rejoice. This is their day, a holiday of innocent, pure childhood...” (Klavdiya Lukashevich, “Christmas Holiday”).

What are your favorite Christmas works, dear matrons?

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