Let’s celebrate New Year with our favorite books!
New Year and Christmas are the happiest, brightest and most desired holidays of the year. At the time fairytales become reality, and adults remember their childhood. We make snowflakes and decorations, think about gifts for loved ones, and then together with them rejoice at the wonderful finds under the tree. This is the element of nature and creativity. Whether a blizzard is raging, whether the wind is howling, or the frost binds roofs and windows – in the fabulous winter time, we still go sledding, play in ice towns, set off fireworks and take part in festive contests. The feeling of a miracle is due to New Year's traditions. One of them is family readings loved by children and also their parents. There are so many things to read about – the Nutcracker and the Moomins, poor Magi and little children who believe in a fairy tale, New Year and Christmas miracles. Again, like dozens of years ago, the beautiful Oksana falls in love with the blacksmith Vakula, the avaricious Scrooge transforms into a cheerful, generous kind, and Gerda saves Kaj from the eternity of the Snow Queen. Winter holidays are a rare time of the year when we can be with our loved ones, when we don't have to run anywhere. Let's go on a journey through the fabulous pages of our New Year's library, and it will definitely give you a sense of magic!
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is one of the most popular books to read on the winter holidays. It teaches us to enjoy simple things, value time and be open to people with their joys and sorrows. Christmas comes for everyone, whether it is a poor clerk, miner, lighthouse keeper or a helmsman. It is a time to meet with family, to return to the thoughts and hopes of youth. Time for lessons from the Past, Present and Future. Time for mercy. Even a callous old man, who probably never loved anyone except himself and his money, can become again as merry as a schoolboy and as light as a feather, generously giving out Christmas gifts. He will change his fate, and people who have recently bypassed his house will say: «He was kind to me in this or that, and for the memory of one kind word I will be kind to him».
"Christmas Eve" by Nikolai Gogol is the most famous story from the cycle "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka". The fantastic and comic atmosphere of the work is emphasized by the colorful illustrations by Olga Ionaitis: they vividly convey characters, emotions and situations. The love story of the blacksmith Vakula for the beautiful Oksana turns into a real Christmas miracle. The poor demon, who stole the moon to prevent the blacksmith from going on a date, is forced to drag him to St. Petersburg, to the court of Catherine II, in order to get the shoes worn by the queen as a gift for the beloved. The cheerful and mysterious time of Christmas carols is reflected in the atmosphere of warmth and sincerity in a snow-covered village before the holiday. This story will give the feeling of a fairy tale to readers of all ages – it will acquaint children with the "funny and terrible" world of the great Russian writer, and will return adults for a short time to their semi-mystical childhood, for which the heroes of fairy tales are as real as witches, sorcerers and evil spirits in Gogol's stories.
"The Legend of the Christmas Rose" by Selma Lagerlöf is a parable about humility, childish faith in miracles and a willingness to get in touch with the divine presence in life. On Christmas night, two monks go to Göinge Forest, where a robber family lives, to see firsthand its transformation into a beautiful Garden of Eden. Golden thrushes twinkle in the branches, like stars, waves of light and heat flood fragrant flower meadows, on which angels playing harps descend. But only a simple and pure heart is worthy of meeting the messengers of bliss. The fairy tale of the famous Swedish writer will give children the anticipation of festive magic, and remind adults of the atonement and forgiveness that everyone deserves – you have only to believe in them.
"The Snow Queen" is the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen, beloved by many generations of readers. This is a winter parable about the beautiful imperfection of the natural world, about the transformation of youth into maturity, about the purity of the soul and the clarity of a child's view of the world, which turn enemies into friends and pacify the elements. This is a fairy tale about true love, which people and animals serve, which is able to resurrect dead flowers, arouse the compassion of the Little Robber Girl who does not know affection and warmth, and melt a frozen heart. The story of Kaj and Gerda is a metaphor for darkness and light that fight in the soul of every person, a metaphor for the triumph of good, warmth and life over separation and destruction. A tale of a real Christmas miracle.
"The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E. T. A. Hoffmann inspired Tchaikovsky to create the famous ballet. And not without reason: the magic fantasy of the German storyteller is a real falling star in the world of imagination, the "visible music" of a revelation that happens only in childhood and only during the mysterious time of Christmas Eve. Impossible things happen, the reality changes completely, and now the story of the enchanted prince from the land of toys and sweets becomes a part of the life of a little girl Marie, who believes in miracles. In Denis Gordeev's illustrations, children look like dolls, and toys are so alive, as if they want to escape from the pages of a book. This creates the illusion of a double world, in which a fairy tale is more real than reality itself, people turn into dolls, and toys take on a human form.
"The Silver Hoof" by Pavel Bazhov is an Ural tale about the magic that came into the life of the little orphan Daryonka. A new home, a loving grandfather, a sweet and smart kitty Muryonka, a calm life. And in the forest nearby lives a wonderful goat, carving precious stones with its hoof. Once in winter Daryonka and grandfather Kokovanei leave to look for Silver Hoof...
"The Wild Beast" by Nikolai Leskov is not only a historical excursion into the landlord's life with its cruel morals and entertainment, but also a story about the holy gifts that every person, whether it is a rich man or a beggar, can bring to the manger of the newborn Christ. These are repentance and humility, forgiveness and love for friends and foes.
In the estate, where the little storyteller happened to spend the winter, the guilty bear Sganarelle was sentenced to death. He was the favorite of the serf Ferapont. Ferapont himself had to shoot the beast if he tried to run into the forest, but how could he have killed his friend? And how could his master, known for his cruelty, endure such a disregard for his will? However, the Christmas miracle happened, and the old landowner forgave the servant. In the sacred mysterious time, the time of spiritual renewal, his soul was completely transformed: from a cruel tyrant, he turned into a kind-hearted one, and to the end of his days helped those in need. This is an amazing story about friendship between man and beast, about moral lessons that the beast can give to man, and about the fact that even the most callous and indifferent heart is capable of compassion.
New Year and Christmas period is a great time when reality around us changes and becomes a fairy tale for a few wonderful days. These are brightly decorated living rooms with waves of silvery rain on the windows. These are stained glass snowflakes and snow maidens. These are the flowers of fireworks in the night sky and the pine scent of the Christmas tree. These are the rustling packages and the delight of children unrolling them. These are tangerines, sparkling bubbles of lemonade and champagne and a richly set table. All this constitutes a simple mosaic from which our anticipation of a miracle is formed. But there is something obligatory to feel the fairy tale complete. This is a part of ourselves, our unique perception of the holiday that we share with our loved ones. This is attention, care and tenderness that will make this day unforgettable. The heroes of Dickens' story "The Gift of the Magi" had nothing but loving hearts and determination to sacrifice their most valuable things, but poverty did not take away their holiday – they themselves became the best gifts for each other. Let us also be simple and sincere, like children, sensitive to the atmosphere of the holiday and attentive to our loved ones. The fairy tale hides very close, in the folds of the dusty trench coat of everyday life, and opens up to anyone who is ready to believe it.
Text A. D. Kulikova, fiction lending library
Decoration: O. V. Koshevaya
