CHILDREN SOCIAL ROLES IN WINTER CALENDAR RITUALS

Abstract. For many centuries, the processes of children and youth education and socialization were determined by traditional pedagogy. One of the forms of social education was the ritual annual circle, which consisted of cycles of calendar customs and rituals dedicated to various forces of nature that were associated with the life of peasant farmers. It is shown that the winter cycle of holidays and rituals was an important part of the agrarian circle. The beginning of the new year was the day of the sun's rebirth, the time of the winter solstice, the birth of the world. The essence of the holiday lay in agrarian and magical rituals aimed at protecting livestock from misfortune and pestilence and ensuring economic prosperity for the whole of the coming year. This was achieved by the ritual reproduction of agricultural work, in which all family members participated, fulfilling the roles defined by tradition. It has been proven that certain social roles were assigned only to children, especially boys. On the day of the winter solstice, the Koliada holiday was celebrated, which began with a long family dinner, commemoration of deceased ancestors, after which children brought dinner to their godfathers and godmothers, grandparents, and thus caroling began. Carol singers were viewed as specific guests who came only once a year, and the harvest and family well-being in the following year depended on their arrival. The main and obligatory condition for the carolers to perform their spell-casting and magical actions is a worthy meeting and generous gift of special ritual food. Children’s caroling took place only on this evening. New Year’s Eve was a popular holiday, which was aimed at begging the «generous god» for prosperity in the new year. The celebration began the day before with a «generous evening». In the morning, boy children, who were considered a kind of symbol of wealth, goodness, health, and hope, participated in sowing rituals and received a reward for doing so. Adults baked ceremonial cookies in the shape of birds and animals for the children carolers and sowers on Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Children’s performance of special social roles during the winter holidays had an important educational value: by wishing others well, prosperity and health, they developed positive moral qualities. The children participated in a joint action, realizing that they were active participants in the community life.