Grandmother's Porridge: What to Do on January 8 for Children's Health 0 19

January, which opens the new year, is filled with amazing holidays, each of which carries a special meaning. Behind us are the Day of Ilya Muromets, the Day of Saint Peter, Fedulov Day, and Nastasiya's Day.

Folk Calendar: Grandmother's Porridge

Among other holidays that the folk calendar reminds us of, January 8 is the day of Grandmother's Porridge or the holiday of midwives and mothers. Its roots go back centuries to the ancient Slavic veneration of Mother Earth, which is why this event is often referred to as Mother's Day.

Modern people know about midwives, or delivery grandmothers, mainly from literature and cinema. This term is not used in modern medicine. Women dreaming of children and preparing to become mothers communicate with gynecologists.

In the past, midwives, who were also called healers, facilitated the birth of children. They were held in high regard and had authority. It was the midwife who assisted in childbirth and helped mothers safely deliver their babies. She knew how to properly “wrap” the newborn in swaddling clothes so that he would sleep peacefully and not cry at night.

After childbirth, midwives provided assistance to young mothers, giving advice on proper feeding and increasing breast milk. “The grandmother will come – she will help with everything,” “Every grandmother has her own tricks,” our ancestors used to say.

Grandmother's Porridge: What to Do

In ancient times, on January 8 (December 26 in the old style), in the morning, women, bringing gifts with them, would go with their children to congratulate the midwives who helped their children be born. The midwives, accepting the presents, would treat their guests to porridge. It was believed that such food contributed to the strong and healthy growth of children. Future mothers also visited the midwives.

The porridge served to the midwives was prepared especially delicious, with the addition of honey and nuts. It was made from a mixture of millet and buckwheat.

In some regions, families would visit midwives as whole families or invite them to their homes to feed them well and spend the whole day with them. On the table, in addition to other dishes, there was always porridge, which was served to the midwives, and the hosts also ate it.

It was believed that such food, if not forgotten on the day of Grandmother's Porridge, would strengthen the family and preserve happiness, peace, and tranquility within it. “On the holiday of porridge, everyone walks with a spoon – a full ladle will not scatter the family.”

When sending the midwives home, the hosts would always give them money, gifts, and a basket of food.

On January 8, according to tradition, women would come to church with pies that were brought to the Mother of God on the Day of the Assembly of the Most Holy Theotokos. At this time, services were held in churches in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Help in Childbirth.”

Grandmother's Porridge: Folk Omens

Grandmother's porridge can predict the weather. For example, if January 8 is a clear and sunny day, a good harvest of millet can be expected in the summer. If the cries of tits are heard in the morning, frost is expected by evening. If jackdaws and crows are noisy, snowfalls and blizzards will soon begin. The same is “said” by porridge that has burned in the oven.

Grandmother's Porridge: What Not to Do

The holiday has its own prohibitions. During this time, the elders watched the words of the youth, for “a word is not a sparrow.” Something said accidentally can break a fate. For example, on the day of the healers, it was forbidden to mention a rope and to buy one, as it was considered to be for the deceased. It is also forbidden to:

boil kissel – someone close may fall seriously ill;
clean the house, especially if the family is expecting an addition – this may complicate childbirth;
sew or knit – this leads to a close quarrel.

It was forbidden to raise one's voice at women in the family, to punish children, to quarrel with a spouse, or to plot against neighbors. Any negative action may reflect in the future.