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What is the holiday on December 26: traditions and prohibitions

Today, December 26, is the International Day of the Croupier, the Day of Gifts. Believers celebrate the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Read about the holidays and signs of this day in the article Komersant ukrainskyi

International Croupier’s Day

International Croupier Day is celebrated annually on December 26. The need for a new profession arose with the emergence of the first gambling houses that appeared more than 300 years ago.

Employees of gambling houses and casinos who monitored the game, handed out winnings, or collected bets were called croupiers.

Day of Gifts

Boxing Day falls on December 26. The holiday is celebrated every year in only a few countries, mostly those historically connected with the UK (Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand) and some European countries.

In Germany, it is called “Zweite Feiertag”, which means “second celebration”.

Boxing Day in English sounds like Boxing Day, which means Boxing Day. It refers to boxes of gifts.

This day also has religious roots and is celebrated as St. Stephen’s Day in Ireland and in one of the regions of Spain – Catalonia. In some European countries, such as Hungary, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands, Boxing Day is celebrated as a second Christmas. In South Africa, the holiday is called the Day of Goodwill.

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary

on December 26 (January 8), our ancestors celebrated the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For believers, this holiday is no less important than Christmas. The Orthodox Church interprets the name of this event as a gathering of believers in honor of the mother of Jesus. In Ukraine, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also known simply as “Bogoroditsa”.

The Feast of the Mother of God brings the whole family together to pray to the mother of Christ, without whom Christmas itself might not exist, and to the entire Holy Family.

What to do on December 26

On this Orthodox holiday, people turn to the Mother of God with prayers, asking for protection from calamities and adversity, for peace in the family and on earth, for love, for healing, and for the health of children and loved ones, and also expressing gratitude.

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary was of particular importance to the people because it was considered a great women’s holiday. As we have already mentioned, it was customary to honor pregnant women, new mothers, and midwives who helped with childbirth. On this holiday, children who have turned one year old are cut for the first time, so that they grow up healthy and are not afraid of difficulties. Also, in the old days, pies were baked on this day – some were taken to church, and some were distributed to women in labor and midwives.

Folk signs on December 26

What the weather is like today will be like that for the whole of January.
Flocks of crows fly overhead – expect a blizzard.
If the day is frosty, the summer will be cold.
If it snows, the next year will be fruitful.

What not to do on December 26

You can’t quarrel or have conflicts.
You should not neglect helping your neighbors, as this is a day of good deeds and mercy.
It is not advisable to do heavy physical work.

Angel’s Day on December 26

Name days are celebrated on December 26: Alexander, Dmitry, Mikhail, Maria, Efim, Grigory, David.