Merry Christmas 2022 From Whole Bike! • Whole Bike

I do love Christmas, it’s not solely a particular time of 12 months the place folks get collectively once more but additionally a time crammed with smiles, happiness and goodwill in the direction of all. Brightly coloured twinkling lights, the falling snow, the jolly customers, heat blankets and scorching drinks. Whole Bike is all about folks and it’s so onerous to crate the “excellent Christmas put up” however I do attempt to typically it may well take hours choosing theme, footage, and story behind this 12 months’s put up to point out my guests you’re greater than visitors and income to me.

Whole Bike chances are you’ll or could not know is run by simply me, Michael Le Pard and a some nice volunteers behind the scenes that assist me in our very pleasant group boards or with creating high-quality evaluations. It’s a whole lot of work and it’s by no means been about income however the drive to assist others. 2022 has been a blended 12 months for TMW as inflation, a stagnant economic system, totalitarian governments, vaccine accidents and even wars take the main focus away from the thrill and freedom of motorcycling. However every little thing that’s nice in life all the time roars again once more!

This 12 months I considered my very own Christmas journeys to Europe to the standard methods Europeans do issues and rejoice Christmas. I’ve been lucky sufficient to go to the Christmas markets of Germany, England and Spain through the years. Since Europe and Russia are a lot, should older than North American traditions it’s attention-grabbing to see Christmas traditions nonetheless in apply at this time that pre-date the settling of the USA or Canada! Such is Europe when a home is a brand new home whether it is constructed after 1800.

This 12 months I picked a Christmas tune that I’m certain you’ll be singing as you learn and I additionally have a look at a Russian Christmas custom of The Story of Ded Moroz and the Snow Maiden which pre-dates our Santa Clause tales and Veliky Ustyug, the house of Father Frost’s home in St Petersburg alongside the just-as-fantastical-sounding trans-polar railway. Fairly the attention-grabbing reads. Get pleasure from and Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas 2022 From Whole Bike!

THE STORY OF DED MOROZ AND THE SNOW MAIDEN

Yearly, a gray-haired bearded wizard involves the vacation, who lights the lights on the tree and offers the youngsters items (those that behaved properly). He’s accompanied by the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden, a woman of ice.

So the place did they arrive from. Let’s determine it out.

Nobody is aware of how Ded Moroz appeared, however his age is unquestionably greater than 1000 years. The Slavs had Morok because the god of winter. An indignant matted previous man in a protracted linen shirt, pants and bast footwear. He lined every little thing in his path with snow or was ice together with his stick, and he may beat naughty youngsters or take them into the forest in his sack. It was believed that upon assembly him, an individual would flip into an ice statue, subsequently they had been very afraid of him. Therefore the expression “faint” and “confuse the top”.

The lifetime of the Slavs straight relied on the climate and what sort of harvest the land would give. And if there are good frosts and a whole lot of snow, then the harvest will probably be good. Subsequently, they started to lure the spirit of winter. On Christmastide or Maundy Thursday, inviting him with pancakes or kutya, leaving them on the porch or underneath the window. Then, at Christmas, there was such a frost that the snow crackled. Therefore, the extra affectionate names Studenets and Treskunets appeared.

The picture additionally modified: a protracted fur coat and a hat appeared. The employees was embellished with the top of a bull, an emblem of fertility. Heat three-fingered gloves (it was believed that deities had fewer fingers than people). However he was nonetheless a fierce shaggy previous man.

After the baptism of Russia, Studenets was forgotten. In 1841, V.F. Odoevsky wrote the fairy story “Moroz Ivanovich”, the place Moroz acts as an edifying educator, gifting a hardworking and obedient Needlewoman, and punishes the Leninist. He himself lives in a properly, sleeps on featherbeds manufactured from snow. And underneath the featherbeds the grass, which the peasants sowed in autumn. In 1965, primarily based on the fairy story, A. Rowe shot the movie “Frost”, the rights to which had been purchased by Hollywood.

However Moroz Ivanovich teamed up with the Christmas tree solely within the second half of the nineteenth century, when there have been makes an attempt to create a personality giving items to youngsters. The analogy with Nikolai Ugodnik didn’t take root. And, by the start of the twentieth century, the picture of Santa Claus started to take form.

After the revolution, all New 12 months traditions had been persecuted and returned solely to 1936.

The picture of the Snow Maiden might be the picture of a sacrificial woman who was taken to the forest to appease the god of winter and get an excellent harvest. In 1869 a fairy story was revealed the place childless grandfather and grandmother sculpt their granddaughter out of the snow, which involves life. In the summertime she goes along with her associates to the forest, jumps over the fireplace and melts. There may be one other model of the fairy story, the place the Snow Maiden is killed out of envy, however then she is reborn, and the girlfriends are despatched to the forest to be eaten by animals. In 1873 A. Ostrovsky, impressed by the fairy story, created the play “The Snow Maiden”, the place she is the daughter of Frost and Vesna-Krasna. They let her go to the folks, within the village of Berendeyevka, the place Snegurochka is able to sacrifice her life to expertise love. Within the spring she dies.

In 1968, close to the river Mera, the place Ostrovsky wrote his play, an entire village was constructed for filming the movie “The Snow Maiden”. After that, the surroundings was dropped at Kostroma, the place the park “Berendeevka” arose. In 2008, the Snegurochka’s tower was constructed, the place she receives visitors nonetheless. And since 2009, formally and yearly, on April 4, the birthday of the snow magnificence has been celebrated.

For the primary time Snegurochka appeared with Ded Moroz in 1937 on the Moscow Home of Unions on the New 12 months’s vacation. She helped the previous wizard, lead spherical dances, play with youngsters and who, if not her, would assist persuade even probably the most shy youngster to learn a rhyme. She is his granddaughter. Not a single New 12 months character from different nations has such a cute accompaniment. Generally they’re joined by a Snowman, who additionally seems in Soviet New 12 months cartoons. And a little bit New 12 months boy, who appeared within the early twentieth century, in a go well with with the variety of the subsequent 12 months, to which Santa Claus passes relay race.

Ded Moroz was a sort previous man in a protracted fur coat and a hat with a magic employees, with which he lights the vacation lights on the tree, and in his bottomless sack with items. He provides everybody a vacation, driving round in a sleigh pulled by three horses, and may be very well-liked.

In fact, such a personality can not do with out his residence and mail. The primary residence of the wizard appeared in Arkhangelsk within the late Eighties. And in 1991, the official mail of Father Frost was registered.

In 1995, the Laplandsky Nature Reserve on the Kola Peninsula launched the undertaking “Fabulous Lapland – the area of Father Frost”, in accordance with which the residence of Father Frost was positioned within the Chunozero property.

Since 1998, the state vacationer undertaking “Veliky Ustyug is the homeland of Ded Moroz” has been working. Throughout the framework of this undertaking, since 2005, the official birthday of Ded Moroz has been celebrated on November 18. Roughly on today, the primary frosts hit Veliky Ustyug. Vacationer trains journey to the town from many cities of Russia. You possibly can go to the wizard’s tower, meet with him, participate in New 12 months’s video games and enjoyable. Take a experience on the Emelya oven. Stroll by the proprietor’s rooms and see how he’s residing. There may be additionally a museum with items that youngsters give to Ded Moroz. A small zoo with northern animals, a winter backyard, a path of fairy tales and a put up workplace of Ded Moroz

The Moscow property of Ded Moroz was created throughout the framework of the identical undertaking in 2004. Right here you may go to the Snegurochka’s tower, the Ded Moroz’s tower, the Inventive tower, an ice skating rink and the trail of fairy tales. Additionally, you will be invited to the Snegurochka cafe with scorching tea and pies.

The homestead is open all 12 months spherical, however the peak of exercise is from November 18, Father Frost’s birthday, till mid-January, when faculty holidays finish.

On the finish of December 2011, a residence appeared in Murmansk. The home of Lapland’s Father Frost was erected on the territory of the Murmansk Lights park.

All initiatives exist independently. However a very powerful factor is taken into account to be the residence within the official homeland of Father Frost – Veliky Ustyug within the Vologda area .. That is the place all letters to the wizard come if they don’t have a particular handle. All year long, there are festive concert events, sport packages, inventive grasp courses, excursions across the towers.

The property receives over 20 thousand letters yearly.

Yearly, on December 22, Ded Moroz arrives on the foremost sq. of St. Petersburg to mild the primary Christmas tree. The tactic of arrival is all the time stored secret and is distinguished by ingenuity. The wizard can go down in a scorching air balloon, fly in by helicopter or arrive in a sleigh.

Ded Moroz kicks off the huge Ded Moroz race and opens the Christmas honest.

Additionally, “DedMorobuses” are beginning to run across the metropolis. At their stops, merry Grandfathers frost play fiery melodies and provides items to residents.

Ded Moroz visits youngsters in hospitals and orphanages, provides items collected by the townspeople and the town administration.

And in Gatchina lived the World Cossack Ded Moroz. This picture was invented in 2010 by Vasily Pestryak-Golovaty. He himself created a dressing up embellished with epaulettes and aiguillettes. Along with the employees, he has a dagger and saber, in accordance with the Cossack custom. And as an alternative of a belt, a sash. He attends matinees, visits youngsters in hospitals, participates in Cossack occasions. In response to legend, the Cossack Ded Moroz involves the vacation with the Snow Maiden and the little boy New 12 months’s. He performs with youngsters, distributes items and leads spherical dances. Cossack Ded Moroz got here from the taiga, he used to was an strange individual, after which determined to change into Ded Moroz and lives in his residence in Gatchina, Leningrad Area. Earlier than that, he congratulated youngsters and adults within the costume of an strange Ded Moroz for 30 years.

He spends daily at work, travels across the nation all 12 months spherical and meets with youngsters. December 19 is his birthday, on today he not solely provides, but additionally accepts items. As a hereditary Cossack, his purpose isn’t solely to congratulate youngsters, but additionally foster patriotism and love for the Motherland, in addition to assist disabled youngsters and orphans.

Sadly, in 2016 Vasily Pestryak-Golovaty handed away, however in 2019, within the Stavropol Territory, Tersky Cossack Ded Moroz appeared. The World Cossack Ded Moroz’s dream of creating this picture immortal got here true.

The actual Ded Moroz is aware of the right way to cheer the viewers. He is aware of a whole lot of jokes, songs and dances. In 12 strikes of hours he manages to go round all the homes and prepare items in probably the most sudden locations. And even when not everybody believes in his existence, however everybody enjoys that ambiance, which this ruddy previous man creates regardless of his superior age. Turning any occasion into an actual vacation. Getting into each home, dancing and having enjoyable.

There may be a lot kindness, fairy tales and magic. Care for these emotions. And have an excellent holidays!

…and now for a particular Christmas tune picked by Whole Bike for this 12 months…

Holly Jolly Christmas

Have a holly jolly Christmas
It’s the perfect time of the 12 months
Now I don’t know if there’ll be snow
However have a cup of cheer
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And if you stroll down the road
Say howdy to associates you recognize
And everybody you meet
Ho ho the mistletoe
Is hung the place you may see
Someone waits for you
Kiss her as soon as for me
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn’t hear
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas
This 12 months
Ho ho the mistletoe
Is hung the place you may see
Someone waits for you
Kiss her as soon as for me
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn’t hear
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas
This 12 months!

 

Russia: The Russian village that’s like a residing Christmas card

There are two methods to succeed in Father Frost’s home: by prepare, or with the fairies. Nobody advised me concerning the fairy categorical, so I’ve come to Veliky Ustyug from St Petersburg alongside the just-as-fantastical-sounding trans-polar railway.

The provincial outpost in Russia’s north-west seems, superficially, to be a crumbling citadel set astride the Sukhona River. However the weatherboards sagging on its periphery conceal a city flush with retailers’ mansions and alight with the domes of cathedrals that escaped destruction throughout the Soviet period.

The Christmas spirit is conjured by the ensemble of Seventeenth-century cathedrals encircling the city sq.. It positively vibrates from the profusion of fairy-tale turrets, bell towers and bling-lacquered domes arising from these buildings – a few of Russia’s best-preserved Jap orthodox architectural constructions.

I climb the creaking spiral staircase to a turret protruding from the Church of Procopius of Ustyug, and behold from behind its gold-foiled domes a wash of inexperienced panorama spiked with steeples and bisected by a silver thread of river. In winter, the river freezes shut, snow quilts the roads and powders the bushes and embanks the basilicas, turning the city right into a residing Christmas card.

However it’s summer time now, and the groundwork is being laid for a festive Christmas. Past Veliky Ustyug’s embellished skyline, deep in a taiga forest, Russia’s Father Frost (often called Ded Moroz) is working his manner by youngsters’s Christmas letters. He’s figuring out who has been naughty and who has been good.

I discover Ded Moroz sweating beneath flamboyant robes and beaming from inside a voluminous cloud of beard. He hasn’t all the time lived on this wood cottage: in 1998, Moscow’s mayor proposed finding the Russian people hero’s property on this expanse of forest on Veliky Ustyug’s outskirts; the fortunes of the once-thriving river port had declined after commerce was diverted to the Baltic Sea within the 18th century, and it was hoped such publicity would reverse its unhealthy fortune.

And so it did. For Russian youngsters so adore Ded Moroz, they journey from throughout Russia to see him – even within the depths of winter, when the temperature drops to minus-36 levels. As many as 7000 arrive in Veliky Ustyug daily between New 12 months and January 7, the day on which the Jap Orthodox Christmas falls. Ded Moroz is ready for them, presents in hand.

I think about the winter crowds as I glide by the 12 rooms of Ded Moroz’ home, quiet now in summer time: one comprises a snow labyrinth, one other is crammed with Christmas bushes created by his followers (together with one cleverly constructed from plastic forks); there’s a dressing room hanging together with his lavish outfits, a wall papered in images of him with well-known folks (together with Russian President Vladimir Putin) and a bed room with its tower of herb-filled pillows – one for every day of the week.

Contained in the property’s put up workplace, stacks of neatly sure letters await Ded Moroz’ consideration. Greater than 200,000 envelopes are delivered right here every year – from throughout Russia, from Malaysia and Mongolia and the US; every one comprises a request for a particular present.

However what about those that had been naughty, I ask?

“All people will get a gift finally,” Ded Moroz assures me.

However he appears to own a mischievous streak himself. For whereas good youngsters obtain their items instantly, he says, eyes twinkling, “the naughty youngsters should wait.”

TRIP NOTES
Story by Catherine Marshall travelled as a visitor of Intrepid.

TOUR
Veliky Ustyug is likely one of the stops on Intrepid’s Russia Highlights New 12 months journey and its Footsteps of the Reindeer Herders Expedition. Costs begin from $2435 per individual and embrace in a single day prepare journey to Veliky Ustyug.