New Year. How To Meet? How To Stretch The Pleasure, And Not "run Out"

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 16:05

-Girlfriend, how did you relax?

- I had a good rest! Only I was very tired …

Does this sound familiar to some of us? I think everyone is familiar to one degree or another. Not necessarily such a state as fatigue after "rest" happens precisely on New Year's Eve days. I remember once after the move, very tired, we, in an apartment that had not yet been arranged, decided to leave everything, and go for a walk in order to relax a little, unwind. It was there, on a suburban walk, that we were knocked out. There was no strength at all. We barely returned home. Sleep. No, SLEEP! Then we had an ingenious phrase about the need to rest well rested. Otherwise, there is no strength for this very rest.

Now is the beginning of the whirlwind. Cheerful, noisy, massive. And there is an opportunity to get carried away with the preparation for the celebration of the new year so that on the 31st there will be one desire - to curl up in a ball somewhere in a warm room and sleep. Well, judge for yourself. We begin, it seems, decorously, to go shopping, to look after gifts, and some (for example, my grandmother), even groceries according to the old memory of the Soviet years. Everything is "decorous and noble."

But shops and malls have their own history. Cheerful people walk in crowds, buy something, everywhere there is music, and tinsel, and balls, and Christmas trees, like them, sticks! We become infected with a wonderful New Year's mood, join the holiday, and a kind of pleasure flywheel begins to spin inside us.

After some time, and for some reason suddenly, cheerful excitement gives way to some fuss, it becomes not so fun when we remember that we forgot this and that, and we should also buy gifts for forgotten relatives and friends, and to the hairdresser it is necessary, and the Christmas tree, and so many things that the head is spinning! We run skipping to the store, we no longer catch our festive state, because our eyes are in a bunch, our back is wet, the scarf has strayed to one side, the horse is not lying around at home, and even the herring has a “fur coat” to buy and cut, where there is still Olivier in time when at the very eyes already on the forehead climb, well, exactly like a mad herring.

There is so much whirlwind in my text: “The flywheel is spinning, and the head is spinning” … Probably not by chance, in connection with the New Year theme. The cyclical nature of time, the wheel of the year, a new turn, all these words describe the great pulse of the Universe, whose heart “beats” constantly.

A year is the time of a complete solar cycle. It is “born” and “dies” according to the version of our distant ancestors, in order to be born again. And so, by one date in this cycle, I want to draw your attention. Very soon our dear Sun will go to the farthest distance from our Mother Earth. The longest night of the year is ahead. I would say the longest Yin in the year. Night, darkness and cold. Energy Day, which may not be accidental, when there is such darkness and cold around. Day of the Black Sun according to the Druidic calendar.

Long ago, when archaic people noticed the cycle of time, and considered the luminaries to be Gods, they composed the legend of a dying and reborn God. Such was Osiris, about the same god was honored by the Druids, and the tradition has survived to this day. Indeed, in Christianity, the baby Jesus is still born every Christmas - the new Sun of the world. Getting away from the circle, mandala, or wheel of Samsara is very difficult.

Yoll. This is the name of the holiday of the Black Sun Druids. They have all holidays - on the days of the solstice, well, or the equinox. On the energetic day, the 22nd, the Sun will "die" and there will be three days of "night and darkness". Then he will rise again. Straight, for Christmas, by the way. True, Catholic, but three days after the Winter Solstice. A new cycle of time will begin. Such pies.

So, it turns out, on New Year's Day, making all the wishes, we are somewhat late with the request. We run, not remembering ourselves, on such important days that we could usefully spend and prepare our traditional New Year in a new way. Not being driven before December 31st. Without running Savraskaya for groceries. After all, something can be done right next Monday or Tuesday.

Cookies are traditionally baked on Joll. Such, you know, ginger, with cinnamon. Such that in the nose pinched from the sharpness, falling down, such, unusual, sandy. It is usually baked in the form of the Sun. So people help him to rise again. (We have Shrovetide, here, about the same role is played by cookies on Yoll, like we have pancakes. We will soon live to see pancakes).

I suggest that these days of the Solstice not bake anything, but just make dough. It would be good for such a dough to lie in the cold to become elastic, almost plasticine. The waist will last until the holiday (and there - the grass won't grow, right?), But you will have a preparation for the festive table and, at the same time, chic entertainment for your loved ones. As they say, two in one. And even three. Because cookies are food. And last year's salads after midnight will already be in the throat for all guests.

On the Winter Solstice, archaic peoples (and therefore our ancestors) made predictions. They wondered that is. They asked about the future. In these nights of darkness and cold, they tried to comprehend the future. For the New Year we (already very smart, not archaic) make a wish. And we burn pieces of paper. We wash it down with alcohol with bubbles. Does it taste good to you? Bya… sounds so-so…. I did not try. I taught my family and friends to use cookie figures.

The dough mixed in the Solstice, which successfully lies in the refrigerator until the New Year, always helps. Even in the case of unexpected guests. The main thing is to knead it a little more - you will not regret it. The bottom line is that, having made a wish, to mold a figure that reflects it, this is a wish. For example, one adult already retired girl blinded a man in a runner's pose in order to make healthy legs. And she did it! She enrolled in the pool, and her legs are now in order. What prevented her from signing up there 20 years ago - God knows. But the "Runner" contributed.

You can do "New Year's sculpting" cookies whenever you want. Before the chimes, or after. It is possible both before and after. Cookies are baked for 15 minutes. The smell is worth it - just fabulous. Ginger and cinnamon, vanilla, all these “homemade” aromas under the twinkling of the tree lights - something fabulous. As they say, "everyone molds!" Nobody refuses, which is strange. However, what am I talking about? On New Year's Eve, even worse miracles happen.

I have already lost the habit of preparing a bunch of salads for the New Year. To tell you the truth - the cookies were the highlight of the program. Nobody wants anything. Is that fruit and hot. And then men. Nobody "permits" to eat last year's food at night. The days of scarcity are over. Of course, it’s great if on January 1 there’s something to eat in the fridge, and I’m not against the “blanks” at all, however, I suggest you try a different format.

Everyone is given dough. Everyone sculpts what they want. Literally. Give shape to your desires. And all the people sculpting those Easter cakes look like "kindergarten, pants with shoulder straps," which is very touching. Then they poke their noses into the oven - when already. Then … then they solemnly take out their creations. You can also make icing, paint this miracle. Kindergarten "Snotty" at the same time nervously smokes around the corner.

….. Well, yes, salads are still required. Some people hesitate to eat cookies, it's true. I had to, it was business, to look for boxes so that everyone could give his masterpieces to take home. They were hung on the tree and eaten at Christmas. This also happened. But if there is a lot of dough, everyone will eat cookies on New Year's Eve too. There is. And sculpt again. And again there is. You see, here, too, is the wheel of Samsara in full measure.

Only a fun Salon Test will help to take them away from this lesson. Salon - because he is playful. But the test results are recognized by everyone, I say from experience. I didn’t think that passing psychological tests was a good topic for a feast, until in one company they made me think about “tyzhpsychologist”. And the result was stunning. Everyone vied with each other to share their answers, discussed the answers of other guests, laughed, and so on. I share, therefore, tested in practice.

Here's a test:

It has seven questions. It is better to write down the answers so that they can be read aloud later, or everyone will read to himself. It will be interesting anyway

• What is your favorite color and three feelings that this color evokes in you?
• Name your favorite animal and the three feelings it evokes in you.
• How do you feel about dogs?
• How do you feel about cats?
• Imagine your favorite body of water. What do you feel when you are around him?
• You are standing on the seashore. Describe the flight of the seagull.
• This question is answered quickly. What comes to mind first. You suddenly find yourself in a completely white room. Your actions.

And now the key to the test

• Your favorite color is yourself. The feelings that you experience are your personal and spiritual qualities.
• Favorite animal is your beloved person. Feelings are how you relate to him.
• Attitude towards dogs is attitude towards men. Regardless of the sex of the subject. That is, how a woman or how a man relates to men.
• Attitude towards cats is attitude towards women. Also, regardless of the gender of the respondent.
• Favorite body of water is your attitude to sex.
• The flight of the seagull is your motive for achievement. Flying - smooth, choppy, up, down determines how you achieve your goals.
• White Room - Your attitude towards death.

And even this seventh question does not darken the joyful mood, but allows you to reconsider your desires, and beg you for another piece of dough. Magic Test of Desires.

And here is his recipe:

Gingerbread Cookie. Ingredients (about 18 cookies). I make three servings. Neighbors come to the smell and laughter.

flour - 250 g

butter at room temperature - 70 g

brown sugar - 80 g

egg - 1 pc

cocoa - 1 tbsp. a spoon

ground ginger - 1 tsp

fresh grated ginger - 1 tsp

ground cinnamon - 1 tsp

ground cloves - 0.5 tsp

soda - 0.5 tsp

for decoration

icing sugar - 250 g

large egg white (about 40 g) - 1 pc

lemon juice - 1 tbsp a spoon

warm water - 2-3 tbsp. spoons

food colorings

beads and snowflakes

Preparation

1. Cut the butter into cubes, combine with sugar, egg and beat with a mixer for 2-3 minutes - you should get a homogeneous mass.

2. Add flour, baking soda, spices, ginger and cocoa. Stir (I use a planetary stand mixer). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until New Years.

3. Divide the dough in two. Place the first piece on a large sheet of baking paper, flatten with your hand, cover with another sheet, and roll out with a rolling pin. You should get an even layer with a thickness of 5-7 mm.

4. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Make figurines out of the dough (if you wish, poke holes for the braid with a straw), place them on a baking sheet and send them to the oven for 10 minutes. If the cookie is thicker than 7 mm, it will take an extra 3-4 minutes.

5. While the first batch is baking, do the same for the second batch of dough. If the dough is soft, put it back in the refrigerator. Let the cooked cookies cool and start decorating.

6. Combine all the glaze ingredients, beat with a mixer for 8-10 minutes. You should get a dense, glossy mass. Swipe the glaze with a knife, it should keep the trail for about 10 seconds - it is convenient to paint with such glaze. If the icing is thin, add more powdered sugar and punch with a mixer. If, on the contrary, it is rather dense, pour in a tablespoon of warm water.

Spread the glaze on bowls and paint with food coloring. Then transfer to pastry bags and start decorating. If you want to cover the gingerbread with an even layer of icing, first sketch out the edges and then fill in the middle. You can level the surface with a toothpick or brush. Decorate the cookies with edible beads, snowflakes.

A creative evening is guaranteed for you! With coming!

Your Irina Panina.

Together we will find the way to your hidden possibilities!