The New Year with Armenian accent

Let’s start from the very beginning

Let me begin the story about the holiday in Vandazor with telling about myself. For me the New Year always begins with decoration of the New Year tree. However, this year I first decorated the New Year tree of our Vanadzor town and then my fir tree at home. There is nothing better than installing a tree topper on the town’s 20 meter main New Year tree.

I participated in the ceremony of lighting festive lamps on the New Year tree in Vandzor square, while when people were shopping and cooking.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… My New Year has begun.

Santa Claus – a migrant worker

The New Year has been of particular importance for Mkrtich for the past 12 years. This is the only “occasion for coming to Armenia to his family – to the spouse and the children. During those years the children married and 55 year-old Mkrtich became a grandfather. Since that time he has played a role of Santa Claus as he comes from the cold north – from Russia, always with lots of gifts.

“The New Year is a family holiday for me; it must be spent with the family. I come every year, much changes during this time – children did not recognize me when they were little, Mkrtich says.

Silva, his spouse, complains that she is the only one who is responsible for all household duties. Every year she expects her husband will come and take a burden of man’s duties on his shoulders, but one winter month is not enough for solving all problems.

The New Year in a temporary hut

Aren, 4, has been living in a temporary hut since the day of his birth. Such temporary huts appeared in Vanadzor following 1988 earthquake. That’s when the “disaster area notion appeared first and has been preserved until present many people have not been provided with the residential area yet. Aren’s life includes a temporary hut with wooden walls, neighboring houses and a yard where he entertains himself.

Aren’s parents, grandparents and the aunt live together with him in this house. His grandmother – 50 year-old Nelly Simonyan notes that the New Year holiday is very important for their family and they celebrate it together. ‘When the earthquake occurred in 1988 we lived in the rented flat but the building collapsed, we have been living in the temporary hut since that time. At the New Year night we toast to getting own house in the New Year’.

The New Year in the church with pomegranate in one’s hand

Two years ago the Armenian Apostolic Church introduced a new tradition. Since that time a ceremony of blessing pomegranate has been held at the New Year night. It should be noted that the new tradition has many followers. At the midnight many residents of Vanadzor come to the St. Grigor Narekatsi Church and bring as many pomegranates as possible so that the God would bless them.

Vaan Azaryan, a priest, noted that last year, when they had decided to mark the pomegranate blessing ceremony, they doubted whether the congregation would accept the new tradition: “Why should not mark this beautiful holiday? This is one more step to God and it allows meeting the upcoming year with his blessing.

Gor, 24, had been suffering from the disease during the whole 2015 year. He did not want to speak about it: “I am sure the God played a great role in my recovery. It is my choice to meet the New Year in the church in token of gratitude. For the first time in my life I meet the New Year in the church, says Gor, holding a pomegranate in his hand.

The New Year far from Armenia

The snow, covering Armenia on December 31, seemed to be a fairy gift for many people, but not all were of such opinion. Many residents took some measures in Advance to meet the New Year far from colds and snowstorms. Anahit went to sunny Egypt together with her sister. “We always celebrated the holiday at home, following Armenian traditions to visit our kin, to lay a posh table. This time we have decided to diversify our life, Anahit noted.

Last year Anahit had to meet the New Year alone far from home, as she worked in Holland.
This time she has made a choice herself – to leave Armenia together with her sister for warm Egypt for holidays.

According to Anahit, they had a wonderful rest and it was not expensive, though they were accommodated in the five-star hotel.

It is said that the beginning of the year sets the tone to its run. So, let’s see what the year 2016 will bring for me and my characters.