There is no any other universally celebrated holiday as New Year. No matter whether you are a Christian or any other religion follower, you definitely celebrate it somehow. During its centuries-long history, Armenian people has had three ”new years” called Kaghand, Navasard and, finally, New Year.
The word “kaghand” derives from the Latin word calendar, which in Armenian means the first day of the year, symbolizing the awakening of nature. All provinces had great Kaghand celebrations, festive rites were performed in the temples, which were accompanied by sacrifices to the gods.
Then Armenians started celebrating New Year according to the Armenian calendar, on Navasard 1, the day when the founder of the Armenian nation patriarch Hayk defeated Titan Bel granting freedom to his dynasty. From that time Armenians began to celebrate the New Year on August 11. It is believed that it happened in 2,492 before Christ.
Table decoration wasn’t as ”porch” as it’s nowadays. The house bread, baked by housewives containing coin called “dovlat” was put. Bread was divided into 12 parts, and the family member who found the ”dovlat” was expected to have a great success in the coming year.
According to the old tradition, the Armenian New Year’s symbol was not Santa Claus, but Kaghand Pap (Armenian Santa Claus) who appeared with a big cane and sheepskin-made fur coat. What refers to the Christmas tree, Armenians used olive branches and with colored threads hung dry fruits and pastries from it. The landlords used to take the olive branches to the church, and after receiving the priest’s blessing brought it back and put in the center of the table.
Currently Armenians celebrate New Year on December 31 and Christmas on January 6 as it’s a month that marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Being born on that month, Jesus Christ destroyed the hell, emancipated the humanity from eternal death and led them to the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why January has become the beginning of all months for Christians.
