In his residence in Veliky Ustyug, Ded Moroz writes letters and prepares gifts
You think you know everything about him? You think that the cold-loving grandfather in a fur-trimmed coat and with a long beard has always been a rosy-nosed good-natured fellow who gives children new year gift bags, and promises adults 'fulfillment of dreams'? You are mistaken: in Ded Moroz's biography, there are many unexpected, and sometimes spine-chilling, surprises.
7 little-known facts about Ded Moroz
1. Once, Ded Moroz was a god, not just a New Year character. The ancient Slavs called him by different names: Morozko, Studenets, or Treshchun. He was the son of the god Veles and the goddess of death Marta, and appeared to our ancestors as a white-haired old man with a long white beard.
2. Once, Moroz had a wife – of course, Winter. And Moroz's servants – Marossi – helped him wrap fields in snow, cover rivers and lakes with an ice crust, and draw frost patterns.
3. The ancient Moroz had a harsh temper: at his will, not only forests and fields froze, but also animals and people. And the Northern Elder had nothing against human sacrifices. This is approximately how Moroz is depicted in the folk tale 'Morozko'. True, the fairy-tale villain quickly reformed under the influence of the kind and sweet Nastenka.
4. In the Russian Empire, there was no tradition of expecting Ded Moroz as a guest for New Year. New Year itself was not considered a special holiday, but only one of the Christmas days. Only in 1700, thanks to the reformer Tsar Peter I, New Year gained the status of a separate holiday.
5. Over time, Grandfather Moroz's character changed, he became kinder, and about 100 years ago he even began to love children. Representatives of the Soviet authorities contributed greatly to the change of Ded Moroz's image. They also invented a relative for the grandfather – his granddaughter Snegurochka, who since 1935 has accompanied her grandfather everywhere, helps him pack boxes for New Year gifts and leads children in round dances around the fir tree.
6. The prototype of modern Ded Moroz is several historical and mythological characters at once: Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as the Slavic pagan gods Korochun, Pozvizd, and Zimnik. The grandfather also has overseas 'colleagues' – for example, the American Santa Claus and the kind Vasily from Cyprus.
7. Veliky Ustyug became the official residence of Ded Moroz in 1998. Before that, Arkhangelsk was considered the city of 'registration' of the Northern Elder. According to unverified data, moving the grandfather to his new address cost the Vologda Governorate and the Moscow Mayor's Office no less than 50 million dollars. Now, in a place near Vologda, there is an amusement park, Ded Moroz's Ice Palace, a hotel complex, a museum, and many souvenir shops. Every year, more than 100,000 guests visit Ded Moroz.
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