In the attic, Christmas tree decorations lie in boxes and are waiting for their finest hour to come - their fabulous time. Quietly calling each other throughout the year, they remember the past holiday. How bright and fun they were hanging on the tree, how everyone admired them, especially the kids.
How carefully and tenderly they were first hung on Christmas tree branches, one toy after another, ball after ball, icicle after icicle. The garland was always the first to appear on the tree - it was proud of it, blinking and shimmering with pride and pleasure. And the most important thing on the tree, on the top of the head, like on a throne, sat a peak. The final touch is tinsel and the tree is ready. The lights turn off, the garlands come on, and the tree in all its glory causes a storm of delight among everyone who decorated it.
And now the toys hear steps and feel the gentle touch of human hands. A new fairy tale begins!
The first fairy tale, about New Year's toys
Days fled by days, inexorably approaching the holidays - Christmas and New Year. The snow cover had long since fallen to the ground, covering it with its delicate blanket. And the fairy tale hovers everywhere and everywhere.
- Bah, when are we going to decorate the Christmas tree? — the Boy asked one day.
- With what?
- Like what? — the Girl was surprised. - New Year's toys!
- Yes, that’s understandable! But which ones?
- As always - the ones in the attic in boxes! — the children looked at Grandmother in bewilderment, not understanding her.
- Do you know that before there were no toys on the Christmas tree - fruits, sweets, and nuts were hung on it?
- For what? — the Boy asked, not understanding more and more.
“That’s how they appeased the spirits of the forest in the old days.”
- Grandma - what is this, your new fairy tale?! - a joyful echo scattered around the room.
- You can say so. The main thing is to see and hear her,” Grandmother said mysteriously. - So here it is. In those distant times, it was believed that the Christmas tree had a wonderful gift - the gift of eternity. She was the only one who was green at all times. In winter, among the trees that had shed their leaves, she showed off her evergreen clothes. People believed that the spirits of the forest lived in the tree, so they hung the gifts of nature, cajoling them so that the year would be good and fertile. Only later, after many, many centuries, they began to hang toys, but they still resemble those gifts. Well, tell me, what New Year's toy looks like a gift?
- Balloons! - the Boy shouted loudly. - They look like apples!
- Icicle! - added the Girl. - She looks like a carrot!
- Do you want us to decorate our Christmas tree with virtues this year?
- How is that? — the Boy was surprised.
- We'll make them toys. For example, if you dream of love, then do something kind to your loved ones, or say kind, gentle words, or give a gift to your loved one. And only then, depicting love in a toy, hang it on the Christmas tree. This is how the first toys appeared!
“Oh,” the Girl cried out enthusiastically, “I know how to portray it!”
- So how is it?
- Hearts!
- And you can also have a swan, a dove. Whoever wants it. Well, what are we doing?
- Let's do it!
For several days, the children cut out and glued something in their room, and in the evenings Grandma told them interesting stories.
— We can say that the first garland appeared on the tree along with the gifts. While appeasing the spirits of the forest, people did not forget about the evil spirit that could prevent them from living in goodness. To defeat him and prevent him from doing evil in the new year, the tree was illuminated with smoldering firebrands. They shone in the darkness, and the evil spirit ran away, to the joy of everyone.
Time passed, and candles replaced the firebrands. When the candles are lit, a special atmosphere is created in the house - an atmosphere of celebration, comfort, warmth and, one might say, mystery.
Now, of course, there are many different modern garlands of light bulbs, but they, just like their ancestors - candles and firebrands, protect the house from the forces of evil. When the garland lights up, it winks, letting us know that the main magic happens at night!
- Which! - everyone gasped.
—Toys tell stories. Everyone has their own, and while the tree is standing, they have time to tell their tale to their neighbors.
Everyone's eyes lit up - they so wanted to hear a new fairy tale.
The history of the appearance of toys in Rus' for children
A story about toys for children
Children about the history of toys
A toy as an attribute of childhood
Author: Egorova Galina Vasilievna. Position and place of work: homeschool teacher, Motyginskaya comprehensive boarding school, Motygino village, Krasnoyarsk Territory. Description of material: This story briefly outlines the history of the toy's origin. This material may be useful and interesting for primary school teachers and teachers of older groups of kindergartens. Information about the toy can be used in themed classroom hours. Goal: Formation of an idea about the toy through a story. Objectives: - educational: tell a brief story about the origin of the toy; — developing : develop attention, memory, imagination, curiosity; — educational: to cultivate interest in the history of ancient toys and Russian culture. Contents: What appears in the house from the moment a child is born? Of course, toys. Moreover, since childhood he has been surrounded by bright, beautiful rattles, which over time turn into balls, pyramids, cubes, and rings. Toys have been necessary for children at all times.
Based on archaeological research and some literary sources, one can judge the history of toys in the ancient world. In ancient Egypt, toys were mainly made from wood and fabric. Figurines of domestic animals, dolls, and balls have survived to this day.
The masters of Ancient Egypt tried to convey the reality of the surrounding world in a toy: a crocodile toy with an open mouth, a tiger with its prey, and much more. Some toys could even tell us about the social structure of Ancient Egypt: corporal punishment of a slave or a working slave. In ancient times in Greece and Rome, toys were a special means of education. Artistic toys made of ivory, amber, and terracotta (dolls, animal figurines) have survived to this day. Handicraft production of toys was established, which sold well in different countries. Many toys of that time had winding mechanisms, which indicates the high professionalism of the craftsmen. Many toys from the Middle Ages are in museum collections in different countries. Toys belonging to representatives of the nobility and their children have been preserved: horses the size of a child, armor, helmets, shields, swords. Every rich house had a doll - the keeper of the hearth. Entire doll houses with furnishings made of expensive materials with decorations made of precious metals and stones have been preserved. Such mascot dolls were made in one copy, kept as family heirlooms and passed on by inheritance. For poor children, toys were made from short-lived materials: straw, bark, trees, clay. Therefore, they have not survived to this day.
In Rus', toys had great educational value. With them, skills were passed down by inheritance, they prepared for life, developed physically and spiritually. The first toys were bells, noise pendants, colorful rags, and rattles. And then the child received balls, bows, tops, whistles, and dolls. The heyday of toy crafts dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, when folk wooden and pottery toys began to develop. Gzhel, Dymkovo toy, Gorodetskaya became popular. With the development of industry and means of transportation, the contents of toys also changed. Cars, trains and other modes of transport began to appear. Over time, pneumatic, magnetic, and electrified toys will appear. The development of the electronics industry provides new opportunities in creating complex children's toys.
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