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There was an article in the Soviet press in the 1990s: 1. Late at night in the dead of winter, a man was walking on a road full of ice and snow when he suddenly heard a "poof" and looked up. It turned out that a boot fell in the snow ahead. Almost at the same time, a girl's voice came from the building behind her: "Please tell me which direction my toes are pointing?"

This is not a prank. This is the divination that girls do for their marriage, that is, divination.

Since ancient times, Russia has had the custom of divining marriage for girls. On the night of Christmas (from Christmas to Epiphany), the girl took off her boots and threw them outside the door. When the boots land, where the toes point, the fiance is there. If the toe of the shoe points to her house, then the girl can't get married within the year. This custom is very popular not only in Russia but also in some European countries.

Snowball (полот?снег) is a unique custom in Russia: at night when the moon is hanging in the sky, girls gather at the entrance of the village, grab a handful of snow, knead it into a ball and throw it in the wind. If the snow falls very fragrant, it indicates that the girl will have a handsome husband; If the snow falls silently on the ground, it indicates that the girl will marry the deaf or the old man.

This kind of divination is often performed on religious festivals. It is said that divination is the most effective on the eighth day of Christmas, that is, St. Vassili's Day. Until now, Russian girls of marriageable age often divine the happiness of themselves and their relatives and friends on the night of Vassili Festival.

They have many tools for divination, such as playing cards, candles, mirrors and beans.

Girls often use birch branches to tell their fortune. On the mourning day (a folk festival held on the seventh Thursday after Easter), the girls came to the birch tree, knitted rings with birch branches, then walked to the river and threw the rings on the water. Where the birch branches float, the girl's fiance is there. If the ring floats smoothly on the water, it indicates that the girl's family life will be happy; If the ring rolls back and forth or is hooked by something, then the girl's future life will be bumpy and difficult; If the ring sinks, the girl can't get married this year; If the ring resurfaces and floats against the current, it is an excellent sign. The rustling of reeds in the river bend (зашумелинадзатонмом) Who is the first to enter the new house?

A respected elder? Husband of the head of the family? Or a good housewife, neither. The cat was the first to set foot in the new house. If the owner of the new house doesn't have a cat, borrow a cat from a friend and let it stay in the new house for a day. There are various folk stories about the reasons for this custom. First, the cat is the natural enemy of the mouse. The mouse will either be eaten or run away, and the new house will be quiet from now on. Second, in ancient Russia, cats were superstitious about witchcraft and were the embodiment of wizards. Their sharp claws are used to repel the devil's attack, so the new house is brightly lit and full of vitality, which can really be described as "fighting poison with poison." Thirdly, it is said that the family god (equivalent to the kitchen god in China folklore) and the cat are good friends. Usually, the cat will bring the family god to the new house. With the protection of family gods, we can eliminate disasters and exorcise evil spirits. Fourth, cats symbolize comfort, housekeeping and everything goes well. According to mortals, only a virtuous and capable housewife can keep the house in good order, so that every corner is warm and peaceful. No wonder some Russian proverbs associate cats with their wives, such as: ктокошекюби. Letting cats enter the new house first may reflect the Russian people's desire for a happy family. Cats are still pets of many Russian families.

However, ancient Russians' fear of cat witchcraft did not fade with the passage of time. If a Russian sees a black cat crossing the road, he usually drinks three mouthfuls of foam behind his left shoulder to ward off evil spirits. They think it's unlucky for a black cat to run past them. 3. Bitter! Bitter!

At the Russian wedding banquet, there were waves of "bitterness" and "bitterness!" (Горько! Горько! ) generally speaking, one person takes the lead and others echo. At every climax, the bride and groom will stand up and exchange a sweet kiss. It is said that Russians think that wine is bitter (or sour) and unpleasant to drink, and newlyweds should kiss it to make it sweet.

The main belief is the Orthodox Church, which is the national religion of the country.

(2) Festivals

Christmas, Baptism, Meat Festival and the old calendar year are celebrated every year.

(3) Eating habits

Daily bread is the staple food, while fish, meat, poultry, eggs and vegetables are the non-staple food. They like beef and mutton, but they don't like pork very much. They prefer sour, sweet, salty and slightly spicy food.

Russian breakfast is usually very simple, just a few pieces of brown bread and a cup of yogurt. But Chinese food and dinner are very simple. They want to eat patties, steaks, braised beef, kebabs, roasted pheasants, fish balls, fried potatoes, red-painted chicken and fish. They like to eat many dishes in China and enjoy Peking Duck, but they don't eat edible fungi, jellyfish and sea cucumbers.

Russians must drink soup in Chinese food and dinner, and ask for thick soup, such as fish fillet soup, meatball soup, chicken soup and so on.

In cold dishes, they like to eat raw red market, raw onion, pickled cucumber, sauerkraut, sour cream and sour cream with salad. They eat cold dishes for a long time.

They drank a lot of beer. They like strong vodka and can't put it down. They have the habit of adding lemon and sugar when drinking black tea. Usually, they don't drink green tea. Yogurt and juice are the favorite drinks for women and children.

(4) Politeness

Russians are generous and cheerful, like to talk and laugh, have strong organizational discipline and are used to unified action. This nation thinks that giving guests bread and salt is the most attentive performance. When people meet, they say hello before shaking hands. Friends hug and kiss on the cheek. When meeting people, they pay attention to punctuality. In social occasions, men will also help women pull the door, take off their coats and divide dishes for women at the dinner table. When you call Russians, you should call them Russians. You can't just call them by their last names. They love cleanliness and don't leave things in public places casually. They attach importance to cultural education and like art and art appreciation. Many young people in contemporary Russia have also begun to worship western culture. They are used to taking a steam bath, and the method of washing is also very special. When washing, you should beat yourself with China branches and then water yourself with cold water.

(5) Taboo

When dealing with Russians, we can't say they are stingy. When you meet them for the first time, you can't ask each other personal questions. You can't talk about a third person behind their backs. Don't ask a woman's age.