Maslenitsa 2021: when does it start, how to make a stuffed animal and spend a holiday

Maslenitsa is an old Russian holiday, so both adults and children love it. The celebration symbolizes farewell to the cold in winter and a meeting with warmth in spring. And also on the Russian national holiday, they eat delicious pancakes, make a stuffed animal and, according to tradition, burn it.

Let's figure out how fun and when to hold Maslenitsa in 2021 and how to make an interesting stuffed animal with your own hands.

What is Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa is not only the most beloved national holiday, but also the oldest Slavic one, since its history dates back to pagan times. In fact, Maslenitsa personifies the end of winter and the onset of a warm, sunny spring.

By the way, the tradition of baking pancakes for Shrovetide appeared for a reason! Nourishing and hot kruglyashy symbolized the warm spring sun, giving people hope for a new life and a good harvest in the future.

The holiday, which lasts seven days, used to be celebrated on a grand scale: fungames, cheerfulsongs, generous treats. And even now, noisy folk festivals in honor of the Russian national holiday are often held in cities and villages.

Every family can organize a humorous farewell to cold weather! It will be great to get together, invite relatives, friends, fry delicious pancakes, make a scarecrow a carefree company and burn it with songs.

The last day of Maslenitsa is dedicated not only to fun, but also to forgiveness of offenses. Indeed, on this day, forgiven Sunday comes, on which it is just right to forgive old grievances, ask each other for forgiveness, and make peace with loved ones.

Surely, many people know that the holiday does not have a specific date. It is different every year. Therefore, for many people, the question of what date to celebrate Maslenitsa in 2021 is relevant. As you know, it is celebrated 49 days before the bright and great Easter (in 2021 - this is May 2). This year, Maslenitsa week begins on March 8, which means the holiday itself, i.e. Maslenitsa will be celebrated on March 14, 2021.

And what can you do for Shrovetide? Earlier, on pancake week, people had fun with all their hearts, and now you can repeat the traditions of our ancestors and also have a sincere holiday.

Fun on Shrovetide that will appeal to both adults and children:

• sledding;
• prepare delicious and original pancakes;
• go to the city carnival fair or festivities;
• arrange walks with a small company with relatives and friends: lead round dances, jump over a fire, sing songs and dance;
• and, of course, make and burn a scarecrow.

Why and when a scarecrow is burned on Maslenitsa

The main tradition for Shrovetide is to burn a scarecrow. Such a ceremony was of great importance for our ancestors, and now this tradition is more of a festive and entertaining character.

Let's now figure out why and why they burn a scarecrow on Shrovetide? Since ancient times, people believed that along with the burning of a doll, various troubles, sorrows, adversities leave their lives. That is, the stuffed carnival symbolizes the past year and everything old that weighs down the soul and prevents us from moving forward.

In addition, the burning of the effigy personified a symbolic farewell to winter, thanks to which spring will come at the right time and will help to grow a wonderful harvest in the future.

In ancient times, such a rite was taken very seriously, with special respect, and they pinned their hopes on it. Now people just like to maintain Russian folk traditions and have fun.

When is a scarecrow burned on Maslenitsa in 2021? It is customary to burn the holiday symbol on the last day of the pancake week, that is, on Sunday. In 2021, the Maslenitsa effigy will be burned on March 14.

Original pancakes

Pancakes can be cooked even every day, but, as if by magic, it is during Shrovetide week that they seem especially tasty, and their preparation is cozy.

It is impossible to imagine Shrovetide without delicious homemade pancakes. Thanks to this beautiful tradition, you can experiment all week by baking pancakes with a variety of recipes.

And, of course, any pancakes will ideally complement a variety of fillings. Here are the fillings you can use to make pancakes for Shrovetide in 2021:

• mushrooms and cheese;
• mushrooms, sour cream and herbs;
• boiled condensed milk and ground walnuts;
• homemade coconut paste made from coconut flakes and condensed milk.

Video: how to make original pancakes for Maslenitsa

How to make a stuffed animal on Maslenitsu

Making a scarecrow for Shrovetide with your own hands is not at all difficult! It is enough to stock up on the necessary materials and follow simple instructions. To make the process of creating a scarecrow for Maslenitsa in 2021 especially interesting and memorable, involve your family, children and friends in creating the doll.

Straw stuffed animal

To make a stuffed animal for Shrovetide from straw, you will need: two long sticks (or two wooden poles) to form a skeleton, straw, ropes (or long, strong strips of fabric), old clothes or bright fabric.

Making a stuffed carnival from straw takes place in several stages:

• Two sticks are taken and a cross is made of them... If you want to make the doll big, it is better to use large wooden poles. The junction of two sticks or poles is tightly tied with rope or wire. The long pole will stand upright and act as the torso, and the shorter pole, parallel to the ground, will act as the arms.
• Then you need to shape the doll's body from hay.... Attach the straw to the sticks so that you have the shape of your arms, head, body. You can secure the hay to the base with ropes or long strips of fabric.
• Then start creating the face... There are two options for making a face for a stuffed Maslenitsa with your own hands. In the first option, you can simply attach pieces of fabric to the straw face that resemble eyes, nose, lips, if you originally formed a head from straw on the pole. And in the second, more popular case, you must first fill a bag of light natural fabric with hay, tie or sew up tightly at the bottom. And after that, attach the head - that is, you can simply put it on the pole with a hole in the bag. Then there is the opportunity to show imagination and, as your heart desires, to gradually draw the face of a stuffed Pancake week. The pictures below will help you choose a suitable face image.
• Now you need to dress up the symbol of the holiday... For this, it is not a sin to use old clothes made from natural, non-synthetic fabrics. It is best if the clothes are variegated and colorful, so that the stuffed animal is smart and bright. It is also advisable to use ordinary fabric and make a semblance of a blouse and a fluffy skirt from it.

Video: how to make a stuffed animal for Shrovetide from straw.

Broom scarecrow

Many needlewomen choose a broom to create a stuffed Maslenitsa with their own hands. Firstly, it is very easy and simple to make a doll from a broom, and secondly, the implementation of the product does not require serious expenditures in time and money. But how to make a scarecrow for Shrovetide from a broom? You will need a broom, paper (or straw), rope, old clothing, or cloth.

Let's look at the step-by-step instructions for performing the product:

• First we make the head... Make a small bag out of light-colored fabric, fill it with crumpled pieces of paper or straw. The head should be round and firm. After that, place your head on the handle of the broom and tie it neatly. Now you can draw the face of a scarecrow for Shrovetide. From above it is not superfluous to attach a bow, a scarf, make improvised hair from straw.
• Now take an old small blouse and stuff the sleeves with straw or crumpled paper to make your hands... Tie the base of the arms and forearm to prevent the doll from chafing paper or straw.
• Then you can put the blouse on the broom... Do this to leave room on the lower wider part of the broom for the skirt. Tie bright ribbons or strings around the neck and waist. The ribbons will hold the clothes.
• It is also worth choosing a beautiful skirt for the stuffed animal.... You can make a real skirt for her in small sizes, or improvise from any fabric.

Video: how to make a stuffed carnival from a broom.

Scarecrow burning tips

Burning an effigy on Shrovetide is an ancient rite that is interesting to carry out to this day. So that the festive process brings only positive emotions, you must follow certain rules:

• Observe safety precautions: do not burn the scarecrow near houses, buildings, flammable objects.
• If there are kids at the party, be careful not to get too close to the fire.
• Also watch out for pets.
• When making a stuffed animal, do not use any synthetic materials! When burned, they will create the most unpleasant and harmful smoke, which can spoil the impression of the holiday.
• After burning the effigy on Shrovetide, make sure that it is completely burned out and there are no embers left.

Photo gallery

You can make a scarecrow for Shrovetide with your own hands without any effort. It is enough to devote a little time to the process and show your imagination. The process will become especially interesting if you connect children to the manufacture.

For inspiration and ideas, you can see photos of a variety of Maslenitsa stuffed animals:

Video gallery

Now you can watch and study the video on creating a stuffed Maslenitsa with your own hands. Below you will find instructions, master classes:

Maslenitsa is a truly wonderful Russian folk holiday, in honor of which you can have fun all week and eat delicious, ruddy pancakes, as well as pancakes and pies, experimenting with fillings. Pancake week is another great occasion to meet with loved ones and loved ones, to solemnly say goodbye to winter and, according to tradition, burn the Maslenitsa effigy.