World Braille Day is celebrated annually in all countries on January 4th. On this day, the famous French teacher Louis Braille was born, who created a special raised dot font for blind people. A special combination of convex dots intended for tactile perception is named after the scientist. It allows you to use your fingers to identify alphabetic, mathematical, punctuation, chemical and musical symbols. To designate them, combinations are used that can contain no more than six dots. To indicate symbols, the dots are distributed in the form of a six-dot matrix consisting of two columns. Points are numbered from top to bottom, from right to left. In order to put dots on a sheet of paper, you need a special machine, which has many tiny cells. For piercing, a stylus rod made of metal is used. In order for the printed letters or other symbols to be read from left to right, they must be applied in the opposite direction (from right to left). Upper and middle dots are used to indicate the first letters of the alphabet, and lower dots are used for subsequent letters. Music symbols, mathematical symbols, and numbers are indicated using additional combinations. The traditional six-dot Braille alphabet consists of 64 characters, the improved eight-dot version includes 256 combinations. For an ordinary person, mastering the technique of reading by touch will be quite difficult, but for blind people it is not difficult. To date, millions of different texts have been printed using Braille. Modern technologies make it possible to adapt it to create an accessible environment for people with disabilities. In childhood, relief dot writing is much easier to master. This method is most effective for remembering the correct spelling of words, as well as punctuation marks. The invention of Braille helped blind people integrate into the education system. Now they are graduating from schools and higher educational institutions, becoming famous researchers and scientists in various fields of science. The alphabet, consisting of relief dot symbols, was named after its creator, the Frenchman Louis Braille. He was born on January 4, 1809 in the French settlement of Couvray. His father was a master saddler. He made various leather goods and also owned a large plot of land with vineyards and various buildings. In his father’s workshop, a tragedy occurred with young Louis that changed his entire future life. He wanted to take a closer look at his father’s working tools and accidentally touched a saddlery knife, which, when it fell, damaged the boy’s eye. The injury led to loss of vision. Despite what happened, the matured Louis began to help his father. He was very hardworking and independent. At school, she mastered the alphabet using a special board with three-dimensional letters, which her father made for him. Braille also learned to play the organ and was hired by one of the churches. Louis did not give up hope of improving the reading technique for the blind, which existed in France at that time. At first he tried replacing letters with squares and triangles, and then he turned his attention to the military method of data transmission, which was invented by Charles Barbier. It was based on combinations in the form of a matrix. Louis decided to simplify the matrix and use it to create a new raised font. The first version of a special alphabet for the blind was presented by Braille in 1825 to a school principal who was skeptical about the invention. However, the boy's classmates quickly mastered the new reading method and after a while began to create books themselves. Despite treatment procedures, the inventor’s disease began to progress. However, Louis tried to do as much as possible. In 1837, he produced the first large book, which was called “Istria of France through the centuries.” Louis Braille died at the age of 43 in Couvray, where he spent his childhood and youth. A hundred years later, at the direction of the government, his remains were solemnly transferred to the Pantheon in Paris, where many national heroes are still buried.

January 4 is a special date in the scientific community. Every year at this time the day of an outstanding scientist of the 17th century is celebrated, a personality who made many discoveries in various fields. It was on this day in 1642 that Isaac Newton was born - a British mathematician, physicist, mechanic and astronomer, author of classical physics, president and member of the English Royal Society. One of the founders of modern mechanics, who formulated various theories. He discovered the law of universal gravitation, calculated the movement of planets around the Sun, and the tides in the oceans. In addition, Newton became a founder in the field of acoustics and physical optics. The day on which the holiday is celebrated coincides with the date of his birth. From birth to death, the scientist’s life was filled with incredible coincidences and unexpected circumstances that managed to lead to patterns and significant discoveries. To this day, world scientists use the laws, theorems and formulas discovered by Newton. Isaac was born prematurely and was very sick. For this reason, his parents did not dare to baptize him for several weeks. Despite this, the boy survived and received a name in honor of his father. Isaac himself considered the time of birth on the eve of the Christmas holiday to be a special fateful sign. And although he was in poor health in infancy, he was able to live until he was 84 years old. The scientist sincerely believed that his ancestors were nobles from Scotland, but historians have proven that in 1524 his great-grandfathers were poor peasants. Only in the second half of the 16th century was the family able to become rich and become landowners. Despite the fact that some of the laws and theories invented by Newton have been significantly expanded over the past centuries, he made a significant contribution to the development of the scientific world. Every year on January 4, researchers, teachers and university students, and simply fans of the exact sciences celebrate Newton Day. Most often at this time, people visit the scientist’s burial place, located in Westminster Abbey in London. The tombstone inscription confirms that the genius in the fields of mathematics, physics and astronomy is an authority not only for ordinary people, but also for church ministers. Isaac Newton is officially recognized as “a treasure of the human race.”

January 4 is World Hypnosis Day. This holiday was introduced in 2006 to commemorate the death of Dr. Jack Gibson. The famous Irish hypnotherapist devoted almost his entire career to treating psychosomatic disorders using hypnotic influence. He died on January 4, 2005, and a year later his colleagues proposed holding an annual holiday, the main purpose of which was to debunk the legends and myths surrounding hypnosis. The bad reputation of this technique was created mainly by Hollywood films, which repeatedly show how people under the influence of hypnosis commit crimes and do things that they would never do in ordinary life. Professional hypnotists unanimously declare that their technique has nothing to do with “total control over the mind.” Hypnosis is a state of maximum focused attention in which the patient becomes open to suggestion. When a person is awake, his brain constantly processes large amounts of information, and dozens of thoughts flash through his head every minute. Under hypnosis, a person gets rid of unnecessary things and leaves only one single important thought, on which he concentrates all his attention. This technique was well known in ancient times. Hypnosis was widely used by healers of Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Tibet, India, and China. Mystics are firmly convinced that during hypnosis sessions supernatural abilities awaken in patients, but no one has been able to provide evidence of this, so such assumptions remain just weak theories for lovers of the supernatural. The Persian scientist Ibn Sina was the first to introduce the terms “self-hypnosis” and “suggestion”. In his writings, he noted that a person’s gaze has a certain power that he can learn to control. The German doctor Franz Mesmer, who created the theory of animal magnetism, used hypnotic influence as the basis of his technique. Mesmer used rather original treatment techniques. He believed that all living beings possess certain fluids. With their help, people can establish telepathic communication. When fluids in the body were distributed unevenly, it caused various diseases. Mesmer gathered groups of patients in a closed room and tried to establish telepathic communication with them. He “distributed” the healing fluid using a barrel with magnetized nails, which was touched by all participants in the session. The mastermind behind the theory of mesmerism believed that in a state of trance a person could prophesy or discover something similar to x-ray vision. Mesmer's student Armand de Puysegur discovered that to heal people it is not necessary to touch them. A French magnetizer learned to put patients into a state that resembled deep sleep. At the same time, he himself was at a distance of at least 30 cm from the subject. De Puysegur called the trance state “somnambulism.” From his patients in a trance, he tried to find out what could be the cause of the illness with which they turned to the doctor. Although the magnetizer made an almost scientific discovery, he continued to believe in fluids and the power of magnetism. The Portuguese abbot Faria debunked the myth about the power of magnetism. He devoted an entire book to this topic, in which he smashed the mesmerists to smithereens, and gave a scientific explanation to the phenomenon of somnambulism. According to Faria, hypnotists bewitched their patients through the power of persuasion and did not use magic or supernatural powers. The term “hypnosis” was introduced by another student of Mesmer, Etienne de Couvillers. Subsequently, hypnosis began to be used as an alternative to drug anesthesia, and today this technique is widely used in a special medical field - hypnotherapy.

In Soviet times, Vzletnye sweets were considered one of the symbols of Aeroflot. Lemon-flavored lollipops could be purchased at the airport terminal store or received from the flight attendant at the beginning of the flight. Thanks to the refreshing sourness of candies with an airplane painted on the wrapper, passengers were able to more easily endure bouts of nausea. The Red October factory became the first enterprise in the USSR to begin producing lemon caramel. Sourish yellow candies with a touch of powdered sugar were very popular among children and adults. Caramel is made in many countries around the world, using unique recipes for its production. The famous parvarda in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is produced by extracting the boiled mass from sugar syrup with citric acid. Fragrant montpensier lollipops, named after the royal duchess, are called berlengo in France. Initially, spices gave sweets a fragrant smell, later they began to put fruit essence in them. In the Soviet Union, monpensiers were sold in tins and boxes. A type of lollipop in the form of pads or tablets with lemon flavor was called “Bouquet”. Montpensier was also produced in the form of lemon and orange peels. The lollipops were shaped like thin curved records with two layers of caramel. The top one was yellow, the inside of the candy was white. To add a sour taste, manufacturers used lemon essence. Today, caramel is produced in the form of candies with fruit and berry filling or used to prepare other dishes - cakes, pastries and cupcakes. Chocolates are in greatest demand all over the world. This type of confectionery has not lost its leading position since the appearance of the delicacy in the second half of the 19th century. However, caramel also has a lot of fans. Connoisseurs of candies flavored with one of the most popular citrus fruits have come up with a fun celebration. January 4th is Lemon Caramel Passion Day. In honor of the holiday, they not only remember the history of the appearance of this type of sweets, but also share recipes for making them at home. Caramel made from sugar, butter, citric acid and juice from one citrus fruit is boiled over low heat, adding cinnamon and vanilla sugar at the end to add flavor. The resulting thick mass is poured into molds and allowed to cool. After this, the candies are cut into cubes, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served. The dessert is treated to relatives and friends who share a passion for their favorite delicacy - lemon caramel.

Hot chocolate, a cup of cocoa drunk in bed before bed, and mulled wine with cinnamon not only warm you up, but also give you a feeling of comfort during the cold season. In winter, they bake gingerbread cookies and make gingerbread houses, cook honey-herbal sbitni, and open jars of cherry and raspberry jam. An unusual holiday has been established in honor of traditional delicacies that create a comfortable atmosphere, despite snow drifts and blizzards outside the window. January 4th is Winter Sweets Day. Along with November, dank weather, dampness and slush come into our lives. By mid-December, the length of daylight hours decreases as much as possible, and the body begins to lack the rays of the sun and vitamin D. This is fraught not only with a decrease in immunity and loss of strength, but also with a deterioration in mood. Carotene and vitamin C, which are found in yellow and orange fruits, improve performance and increase vitality. Some people eat fresh lemons and oranges, while others prefer marmalade in the form of sweet slices with citrus juice. Desserts and drinks containing chocolate promote the production of tryptophan and increase the level of endorphins, often called happy hormones. Everyone's favorite winter drinks and desserts help you survive the bad weather. These include hot chocolate, cakes and pastries with butter and cocoa powder. Pies, which are baked not only in the fall after the berries and fruits are harvested, but also in the winter, are an excellent alternative to store-bought desserts. The most popular dish due to its ease of preparation and indescribable taste is charlotte. Housewives add not only apples and raspberries grated with sugar to their baked goods, but also lemons, cranberries, lingonberries and other berries, pecans, cinnamon and vanilla pods. Their aroma has the magical ability to create a festive mood for the New Year and Christmas. Honey gingerbreads in the shape of snowmen, Christmas trees, hares and other forest animals are bought in stores or prepared at home. Grated ginger and cardamom added to the dough give the baked goods a bright aroma and indescribable taste, and also increase their shelf life. Gingerbread cookies are decorated with multi-colored icing, beautifully packaged and presented as New Year's gifts made with love and tenderness. Traditionally, Winter Sweets Day is celebrated at the table with loved ones. The holiday is a great occasion to remember the importance of family values, get together and enjoy your favorite desserts, washed down with coffee or tea. Sweets eaten in a close circle with people dear to the heart, as well as the created warm and cozy atmosphere, bring different generations of people together, and hot chocolate with cocoa warms not only the body, but also the soul.

January 4 (December 22, old style) is celebrated as Nastasya’s Day according to the folk calendar. Its origins come from a church holiday in honor of Saint Anastasia, called the Pattern Maker for her help to Christian prisoners. Anastasia was born into a senator's family in the 3rd century. The father was a pagan, the mother a secret Christian. In secret from her husband, the mother gave her daughter to study the Holy Scriptures with Saint Chrysogonus. Having matured, the girl began helping Christian prisoners persecuted by pagans. After the death of her parents and husband, Anastasia spent her inheritance on food, clothing and medicine for prisoners, came to them in prison and personally provided all possible assistance. The ruler Diocletian ordered the Christian woman to be persuaded to paganism or subjected to torture. But Anastasia chose the second - she was starved, drowned, nothing could replace her devotion to the Lord. As a result, the girl was stretched over a fire between four trees, where she died. On Nastasya’s Day, pregnant women prayed for a safe delivery, for which the people called the saint the Pattern Maker. Anastasia was considered the patroness of expectant mothers. On this day, they ate Lenten porridge, believing that such a ritual would preserve pregnancy and give strength to give birth to a healthy child. Pregnant women also spent the day embroidering patterns on the birth towel - a kind of amulet. The most common pattern embroidered was one that signified life and fertility. Mothers taught their daughters embroidery for the future. On Nastasya's day there was a belief to refrain from beating domestic animals so as not to cripple your legs. Girls were not allowed to have their ears pierced to avoid long healing. You shouldn’t move around barefoot, as poverty will come. They also avoided knitting mittens so that their household would not have their hands tied and put in prison. Signs on Nastasya's day helped to find out the coming weather. Clouds moving in the opposite direction from the wind meant an approaching snowstorm. The abundance of icicles on the roof foreshadowed a good harvest. Low water in the reservoir led to a dry summer and poor fishing. Based on Nastasya's day, similar weather was determined for October.

Americans love two Italian dishes: pizza and pasta. In the USA, spaghetti is eaten with minced meat or meatballs, Parmesan or cheddar, and topped with ketchup and other types of sauce. Residents of the Apennine Peninsula cannot imagine their life without penne, rotini, pappardelle, bucatini, mafalde and tortellini. In honor of the favorite dish, the Spaghetti Museum is opened, located near Genoa. However, the holiday in honor of pasta was founded not by the Italians, but by the Americans. Every year on January 4th, the United States celebrates National Spaghetti Day. In honor of National Spaghetti Day, families gather around a large table and eat freshly cooked pasta. America's favorite dish is Mac'n'cheese, spaghetti with cheese sauce. It owes its popularity to the Kraft company, which in 1937, during the Great Depression, introduced a version of budget pasta made from inexpensive flour. Easy to prepare and high in calories, Mac'n'cheese satisfied the hunger of soldiers during the Second World War. Today, pasta is on the menu of school lunches and home dinners, fashionable restaurants and cafes selling fast food. The history of Mac'n'cheese is quite confusing. The first recipe for making this flour product that has survived to this day dates back to the 18th century. At that time, spaghetti with cheese was made in France and Italy, but the palm still belongs to Switzerland. In this country, Älplermagronen, "Alpine shepherd's pasta", is served as a national dish. The Swiss use cheese from the Gruyere region to prepare them, Americans and Canadians put cheddar in spaghetti. In addition to macaroni and cheese, pasta with meatballs is very popular in America. It is also prepared in Italy especially for tourists from the USA. Paying tribute to the culinary tradition of “pasta”, Americans add olive oil to the dish, frying onions and garlic, and spices from Mediterranean herbs: basil, oregano, rosemary, mint and paprika. To prepare the sauce, tomatoes, cream, Parmesan and other ingredients are used. Classic spaghetti had a length of 50 cm. However, storing such pasta was quite difficult, so over time the standard changed. Today, the length of pasta with a round cross-section varies between 16-25 cm. The pasta is cooked in boiling water for 5-7 minutes until Al Dente (“to the tooth”) and hot sauce is added to it, which brings the hard spaghetti to readiness. Americans love this dish so much that they even invented the Pasta God, who is at the head of a comic religion - Pastafarianism. In honor of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a church in Kansas has held services and other ceremonies since 2005. Adherents of the religion that promotes the interests of the flying pasta monster treat National Spaghetti Day with special respect and celebrate it, like other Americans who deify pasta - the favorite dish of millions of people living in the United States and other countries of the world.

Orthodox holidays on January 4:

On January 4, the Christian world celebrates the feast day of Saint Anastasia, who is also known as the martyr Anastasia the Pattern Maker, Anastasia of Sirmium after her place of death, and Anastasia Pharmacolytria. Unfortunately, no reliable historical sources about her deeds have survived. We only have at our disposal a life that was written in the 6th century, that is, two centuries after her death. In later sources, the biography of the holy great martyr is often mixed with facts from the biography of her namesakes - Anastasia the Elder and Anastasia the Younger, who lived in the 1st and 3rd centuries, respectively. Anastasia accepted martyrdom, and after some time she was canonized and elevated to the ranks of saints. It is known for certain that she lived at the end of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th century. According to some sources, Anastasia died in the city of Sirmium, which is now called Sremska Mitrovica and is located on the territory of modern Serbia. At that time, the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian was ending. This ruler managed to lead his state out of crisis, strengthened the status of the emperor and, in an attempt to restore Rome to its former greatness, organized the persecution of Christians, which became the bloodiest in the entire history of the Roman Empire. Diocletian, long before the adoption of the decisive edict, together with the other three tetrarchs, began to get rid of Christians in his own environment and in the army. Diocletian's intolerance led to a series of cruel tortures and harsh executions. On his orders, the soldiers forced Christians to turn away from their faith, recognize the pagan gods and take part in sacrifices - the highest acts of their veneration. Many refused, for which they were tortured, starved, and kept in prison. The life of people exhausted by injuries, illnesses, and malnutrition turned into real torture. One of Anastasia’s nicknames is Pharmacolytria. From Greek it can be translated as “liberating with the help of a potion/drug.” According to the only life, Anastasia was born in the Roman Empire into a fairly wealthy family. Her father was a senator, and her mother secretly professed Christianity, in which she decided to raise her daughter. Anastasia was a student of Chrysogonus of Aquileia, who suffered martyrdom for the faith in the same year as the saint herself. During Diocletian's persecution, hundreds of prisoners languished in prisons. The young woman bribed the guards, dressed in beggar clothes and secretly made her way into the dungeons. If we recall the “liberating potion,” we can assume that Anastasia relieved the pain of those suffering with the help of medicinal herbs, but she did not limit herself to this. The woman washed them, fed them, bandaged their wounds and tried to comfort those who needed it most. According to one version, Anastasia’s husband was the pagan Pomplius, a cruel and despotic man. When he found out about the secret visits to the dungeons, he beat his wife, locked her at home and even assigned guards to her. Anastasia lost the opportunity to help her fellow believers. She wrote letters to her teacher, who at that time had already been taken into custody and was languishing in captivity for two years. According to some reports, Pomplius was eager to get his wife’s large inheritance, so he tortured her to bring her to death. After the death of her senator father, Anastasia became the sole heir to his fortune. The woman told the teacher about her suffering, but one day he predicted the death of Pomplius. Soon he was assigned to the king of Persia, boarded a ship and died during a storm at sea. When her teacher was killed, Anastasia decided to go on a journey to help Christians along the way. She was able to pass through Macedonia and Greece, but was captured in Sirmium, where she was condemned to death and burned alive at the stake. In Rus', Anastasia became the patroness of women in labor, which was due to the not entirely correct interpretation of her nickname “The Pattern Maker.” In Russian, “permission from bonds” or “permission from burden” meant the process of childbirth. On this day, married women embroidered towels, which later became their amulets during pregnancy. They also turned to the martyr with prayers for intercession.