The scout movement owes its birth to the English retired Major General Robert Baden-Powell. As commandant of the fortress during the Boer War, R. Baden-Powell formed a detachment from the local young population that was involved in collecting intelligence, as observers and liaisons. This action helped to hold the fortress until the main forces arrived. At the beginning of the 20th century, after retiring, he wrote the book “Intelligence for Boys.” After its publication, the scout movement appeared. The book was written in the form of an interesting game and called for the education of strong-willed qualities and perseverance in young people. The goal of the book - education in the lap of nature and the ability to survive in difficult conditions - was achieved, and already in 1907 the first scout camp was organized; in England, by the end of that year, the scout movement had more than 60,000 members. The scouting movement included not only boys, but also girls, for whom a special unit was created - the Girl Scouts. In the early 20s, the scouting movement expanded beyond the UK and spread throughout the world, acquiring international status. In 1921, the scout movement existed in 63 countries. In 1972, the Scout movement was enormously popular, already existing in more than 100 countries and with 13 million members. International Scout Day began to be celebrated in 1910, and was dedicated to the date, January 5, when scout organizations were officially recognized and became a special royal charter. The motto of scouting organizations was the call: “Be prepared!”, and the emblem was a three-petalled lily, the petals of which mean: “Before yourself, before your neighbors, before God!” The voluntary principles of the scouting movement attract many young men and women. At scout camps, members of the organization learn to work individually and in teams, lead a healthy lifestyle, improve their skills and knowledge, and get the opportunity to apply their skills in real conditions. Also in scout camps, constant work is carried out on personality development and personal growth. Constant communication with friends and peers helps develop self-confidence in a teenager, develop communication skills, and learn to communicate not only with peers, but also with adult members of the organization.

Today, millions (maybe billions) of people have begun to lead a healthy lifestyle. Almost every person at one time or another in their life thinks about their health, but does not know how to combine a healthy lifestyle with their natural and essential needs in everyday life. It was for this purpose that a unique holiday was invented - International Fasting Day, which people throughout the civilized world celebrate on January 5th. This celebration appeared relatively recently and immediately gained enormous popularity not only among ordinary people, but also among people with enormous financial resources and power. Almost everyone is aware of the ultimate goal of this holiday - 100% food relief in the midst of the New Year holidays. This date, and indeed the celebration itself, cannot be called an “official” holiday that is celebrated in a particular state. He appeared (as his many fans and admirers claim) relatively recently. According to professionals (nutritionists), this is an extremely important event for people who love nourishing and tasty (and most importantly, plentiful) food. It helps to minimize damage to human health during the long and cheerful feasts that take place throughout the New Year's celebrations. On this significant day, the main task of lovers of “good food” is to adhere to a balanced and light diet. It is recommended to repeatedly reduce the intake of foods with significant calorie content (it is possible to simply reduce the portions of the dishes themselves). Also, if necessary, minimize the intake of alcoholic beverages and sweet carbonated liquids. Ideally, you should focus on green and black tea; you can also easily use all kinds of herbal infusions. A fasting day is an amazing way to bring your body to an optimal state in the shortest possible time during stormy and fairly long feasts, where extremely high-calorie food is always present in huge quantities. This kind of unloading will have a beneficial effect on the ongoing digestive processes and will almost instantly free the body from accumulated toxins and wastes. Thanks to this fasting day, you will certainly normalize your weight and get rid of the extra pounds that you gained during the New Year holidays. As nutritionists advise, after a fasting day you should definitely return to the proper and balanced diet that you have followed throughout the entire calendar year. You should also exclude all kinds of physical activity during the International Fasting Day - this will help minimize the occurrence of stress for the body as a whole. Of course, you should not forget about your taste preferences, because food should bring maximum pleasure. Therefore, you should definitely pay close attention during this holiday to selecting your favorite products that are 100% to your liking. Everything here is in your hands, because the holiday should not be a burden. It should bring only extremely positive emotions and impressions. It is for this purpose that International Fasting Day was invented.

Every year on January 5, Belarus celebrates the Day of Social Protection Workers. The professional holiday was established in 1998 in accordance with the Decree of the President of the country in order to emphasize the significance and importance of the work of social services that provide support to all segments of citizens. Historically, modern social services began their existence in 1917, when the first social centers were formed in the Belarusian Republic, part of the Soviet Union, taking care of social insurance for workers and peasants. Until the end of 1919, the Soviet government adopted decrees one after another on issues of social security for its citizens, and most importantly, the Central Commission for the Social Protection of Workers was created. Today, almost 40 thousand people work in the field of social protection and labor authorities, who daily offer professional psychological and advisory support to the population, provide financial assistance to families, pensioners, veterans, people with disabilities and other segments of the population who find themselves in difficult life situations. Thus, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus and all organizations subordinate to it are the most important link between the population and authorities. They are also a guarantee that decisions taken by the state on issues of labor and social protection will be communicated to the population and implemented in full. Such a policy has a positive impact on the general mood of citizens as a whole and ensures its integrity. On this day, congratulations are accepted not only by social protection workers, but also by employees of the Ministry of Labor, as well as employees who, in their professional activities, are conductors of state social policy. Traditionally, in honor of the holiday, solemn cultural events and meetings are organized, at which particularly distinguished employees are presented with awards, letters of gratitude, certificates of honor and bonuses from senior management.

The Tutsindan holiday is both religious and folk. Celebrated on January 5, two days before Orthodox Christmas in Serbia, as well as Montenegro and Bosnia. Literally translated from Seob it means “The Day of the Slaughter of the Christmas Pig.” Although the holiday is officially considered Orthodox, it also retains some pagan elements. This is not surprising, because almost everywhere where Christianity was implanted, it more or less merged with local pagan beliefs. This manifests itself in the form of traditions, folk beliefs, and small local peculiarities that appear during religious rituals. Pagan elements in the rituals of Tucindan have existed since the very beginning of its celebration. The Serbian Orthodox Church was founded in 1219, with Saint Sava as its first Archbishop. This man pursued a competent and balanced policy of attracting his compatriots to the Christian faith. He tried not to eradicate folk customs, but, on the contrary, preserved them, but adapted them to Orthodox traditions. This is what made it possible to attract a large number of Serbs to Christianity. Likewise, some beliefs that run counter to Christian dogmas are associated with Tucindan. For example, on this day it is customary to slaughter a pig. Its blood is believed to have healing properties. Sometimes it is collected and used as a remedy. On a holiday, a pig is not slaughtered, but rather slaughtered. This must be done with one blow, with a mallet or the blunt side of an ax. The instrument is first lubricated with salt. A pig intended for slaughter is called bozhichnyar. It is customary to prepare it the next day and serve it on Christmas Day. The traditional way of preparing bozhicnyar is spit roasting. Then you need to decorate it and bring it into the house. But modern city dwellers often prepare it in other ways, without being able to bake the whole pig. In some areas, the decoration of the Christmas table is not a pig, but a lamb, goose or turkey. There are other customs associated with Tucindan. So on this day: 1. Housewives knead the dough for a holiday pie. This must be done in a good mood and with bright thoughts. Otherwise the dough will not work. The pie will not be baked on the same day, but the next, that is, on Christmas Eve. 2. They don’t take anything out of the house. It is believed that by getting rid of old things in Tucindan, the Serbs will attract misfortune and poverty. 3. Children are not punished for pampering or even serious misconduct. On the contrary, you need to praise children and give them gifts. According to popular belief, if parents punish a child on a holiday, they will face his bad behavior throughout the next year. 4. A young oak tree is cut down for badnyak, which is also called a Christmas log. Moreover, you need to cut down a tree with three blows. If this does not work, the trunk is simply broken off by hand. It will be possible to bring the oak log into the house only the next day. In pagan times, badnyak personified for the southern Slavs the spirit of the passing year, the change of seasons and the renewal of the world. It was ritually burned on the day of the winter solstice. With the advent of Christianity, the tradition was preserved, but was dedicated to Christmas. Serbs burn badnjak in the oven, having previously coated it with honey and sprinkled it with grain bread. In Tucindan, services are held in churches in Serbia and believers are sure to attend them. Parishioners usually come in families. Christmas in Serbia is generally considered a family holiday, just like the days preceding it. It is customary to celebrate it with relatives, gathering several generations under one roof.

Stories about life situations that have become legendary, and funny tales are usually told during family gatherings and meetings in the company of friends. Small funny and cheerful, and sometimes sad stories take people back to the past - carefree childhood, school and student years, the times of the emergence of heartfelt affections and first love. In honor of the tradition of reminiscing, an unusual holiday was invented. January 5th is Little Stories Day. The celebration falls during the New Year holidays. Therefore, on January 5, it is customary to remember incidents that happened to friends and loved ones at night during the chimes or at other times. In the collection of life stories, everyone has stories with a good ending, like Zhenya Lukashin from the film “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!” The holiday is a good reason to share a couple of such funny incidents and cheer up yourself and those around you. Most people are careful about their family history. They collect photographs of grandparents and create family trees, tracing the family tree back to the seventh generation and further back into the centuries. One way to honor the memory of ancestors can be the tradition established on the Day of Little Stories. The holiday encourages people to write down the stories of older family members. Their unhurried narration will help piece by piece to recreate the past, without knowledge of which, as we know, a person has no future. Family stories and legends are the foundation that cements different generations of a family. Often in small and large stories about the past lies the wisdom shown by people whose black and white portraits hang on the walls of the house or are carefully stored in old photo albums. A meticulous and thoughtful person can always benefit from family legends, taking advantage of the experience of their ancestors on occasion. That’s why it’s so important to make the celebration of Little Stories Day traditional in your family circle. Home readings have been a popular way of spending leisure time in Rus' in the families of the nobility and nobles since the time of Vladimir Monomakh. Touching stories about musical evenings are present in A.P.’s childhood memories. Chekhov and M.I. Tsvetaeva. Reading books and telling fairy tales to children by mother F.M. Dostoevsky spent time in the living room, which largely influenced his development as a writer. Fairy tales and legends told in childhood by A.S. Pushkin’s nanny Arina Rodionovna formed the basis of his literary works, aroused the poet’s interest in Russian folklore and partially shaped him as a person. Family readings played a special role in the emergence of a whole galaxy of Russian writers, artists, musicians and scientists. As well as retelling fairy tales, traditions and legends to children. Little Stories Day is an excellent opportunity to look into the past not only of your family, but also of your country. The holiday calls for remembering forgotten customs and reviving traditional ways of spending leisure time in Rus'.

There are about 300 thousand followers of Zoroastrianism in the world - one of the oldest world religions, which arose in the 7th-6th centuries. BC. The supreme deity Ahura Mazda and his emanations in the person of holy spirits call on believers to adhere to good thoughts and words in life, and to do only good deeds. The teaching is based on the revelations of the legendary prophet Spitama Zarathustra, who formulated its moral basis: “Happiness is to those who wish happiness to others.” Today Mazdaism, the second name for Zoroastrianism, is widespread in Iran, India, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and the USA. Believers, in addition to studying the holy book "Avesta", read prayers throughout the day, take part in services and rituals. The rituals are carried out by mobeds - high-ranking priests who lead the temples and are considered the descendants of the first disciples of Zarathustra. His followers attach great importance to religious ceremonies, in which the main role is played by light and sacred fire - the earthly embodiment of the image of God. Zoroastrians celebrate Nowruz (new year) and hold memorial services for the souls of the dead (porse) and purification rites (barashnu). One of the major religious celebrations is the Zervana-Karana Festival, which is celebrated on January 5th. The Avesta says that the omnipotent and omniscient Akhur Mazda created heaven and earth. Besides the world, he created six deities: Spetna Armaiti (holy piety), Vohu Mana (good intention), Khshatra Vairya (elected power), Asha Vahishta (best truth), Haurvatat (integrity) and Ameretat (immortality). These incarnations of Ahura Mazda are not the only significant categories of philosophical teaching. The personification of time and space in Zoroastrianism is Zervan - “Father of Greatness”. The destinies of people and everything that happens in this world are predetermined by this deity of yours. Zervan's power lies in the fact that he is stronger than good and evil. The personification of these categories were the sons of the “Father of Greatness”: Ahura Mazda and his antipode - Ahriman. The Zervana-Karana holiday was established to fight evil, to create in people the opportunity to escape from endlessly closed time, the cyclical nature of the world in the form of birth and death. The teaching pays great attention to astrology, horoscopes consisting of 32 cycles, and totem animals. All religious events in Zoroastrianism are tied to the zodiacal circle and the movement of the Sun across the sky. This also applies to Zervan-Karan. On the eve of the celebration, January 4, when the luminary appears at 14 degrees of the sign of Capricorn, they try to remain silent, do not drink or eat anything from sunrise to sunset. A trap for evil is a corridor, which is created from two candles, a small and a large mirror. Only trained people who are familiar with mediation and other spiritual practices can peer into the reflection of themselves and the fire. In honor of the holiday, Zoroastrians light oil lamps and decorate their homes with branches of sacred plants - pine and spruce. Games and fortune-telling, torchlight processions and masquerades are held on Zervan-Karan, which are held until January 17 - the time of passage of the Sun from 15 to 27 degrees Capricorn. Laughter and fun that reign for 12 days, and tearing off the masks of Evil from the carnival participants symbolize its exposure and the victory of Good over the forces of darkness.

Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh in India (Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti)

On January 5 (December 23, old style), according to the folk calendar, Fedulov Day is celebrated, named in honor of the holy martyr Theodulus. He lived during the reign of the pagan emperors in the 3rd century in Thessalonica in Greece. I read the Holy Scriptures in the Evangelical Church, and was a righteous and devoted Christian to the Lord. When the persecution of Christians began, Theodulus was offered to embrace paganism and renounce Christ, or die. The martyr chose certain death for the sake of faith in the Almighty. While awaiting execution in prison, Theodulus and his friend the deacon Agathopodos managed to convert the prisoners to Christianity with sermons about God. Afterwards, the saint was drowned in the sea, with a stone tied to his feet. On Fedulov's Day, people tried to complete preparations for the Nativity of Christ. Women were preparing sweet cookies for Christmas. It was wrapped in a towel and hidden in bins to prevent evil spirits from entering it. According to legends, on this day it was impossible to cut, prick, or drip, because if a wound occurs, it will not heal within a year. Housewives should not shorten their clothes so as not to shorten their lives. Medical operations were also avoided. The Fedulov day was dedicated to household chores, in particular taking care of livestock and birds. So that the evil spirits could not reach them, the owners covered the holes that appeared in the barn with rags, removed the manure, laid a straw bedding, covered the manger with thistles, and fed the animals to their fill. Housewives baked bran cakes and fed every last crumb to their livestock. The birds were given millet that had been calcined in the oven. The weather on Fedulov's day promised similar weather for November. The strong wind predicted a rich harvest. If a cat climbed near the stove, severe frost was expected. The activity of chickens and the snoring of a horse foreshadowed an imminent snowstorm.

In winter, active recreation enthusiasts engage in alpine skiing and snowboarding, and participate in hockey, curling, luge and freestyle competitions. The cold season encourages creative people to create sculptures from ice and snow. Masters demonstrate their talents during winter carnivals and festivals held in the Japanese city of Sapporo, Quebec, Canada and on Mount Holmenkollen in the capital of Norway. Since 1963, competitions have also been held in the northeast of China in the province of Heilongjiang, which owes its climate to Siberian winds with snowstorms, snowdrifts and winter temperatures from -16 to -38 °C. Every year on January 5, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival opens on the banks of the Songhua River. Activities include fireworks displays, art competitions, ice fishing, fashion shows, skiing at Yabuli, sports games, concerts and ice-hole swimming. The river on which Harbin stands is the main supplier of building materials. Thick blocks of ice are cut from the frozen surface of the Songhua to create buildings, sculptures, slides and lanterns. The creations of the masters become crystal clear thanks to the use of demineralized water. On average, it takes 220,000 m3 of ice to create ice figures. Colored lanterns are used to illuminate massive sculptures and architectural structures (bridges, palaces, temples and pagodas). The festival in Harbin lasts about a month, and subject to frosty and snowy weather, the ice sculptures remain in the open air until the end of February. Most events are held at two main venues: the Island of the Sun and the World of Ice and Snow. Residents of the Middle Kingdom and tourists from many countries around the world come to admire the skills of the sculptors. The famous ice lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden, areas with snow and ice figures, is visited by about 18 million people annually. The Harbin Festival, which has become one of the main cultural events of the year in China, was first held in 1963. The exhibition grounds were closed during the Cultural Revolution, which lasted from 1966 to 1976, but then their work resumed. Every year, sculptors from around the world compete in the skill of creating detailed figures from ice and snow. In 2007, a composition dedicated to Dr. Norman Bethune from Canada was included in the Guinness Book of Records. The sculpture, 8.5 m high and 250 m long, is recognized as the tallest snow figure in the world. The organizers of the festival in Harbin amaze tourists with the wonders and scope of imagination of the craftsmen who create a real winter fairy tale, returning adult guests to childhood. In 2019, more than 10,000 specialists took part in creating the structure from snow and ice. The same number of workers are required to transport and install architectural structures, for example, a snow palace the height of a 16-story building. Massive ice sculptures are obtained as a result of painstaking work and the use of chisels, saws, laser machines and cranes by craftsmen. The Harbin International Festival is a symbol of the triumph of human genius, talent and creativity. Therefore, connoisseurs of beauty from different parts of the planet come to China on January 5 for its opening ceremony.

Orthodox holidays January 5:

January 5 is marked in the Orthodox calendar as the day of remembrance of St. Niphon, Bishop of Cyprus. He went through a difficult path and found the strength to rise from the abyss of the Fall. Nifont's struggle still inspires people and gives them hope that sincere repentance leads to forgiveness. Niphon was born in the Paphlagonian city of Plagion. As a child, he was a kind and meek child, often visiting the temple with his parents. Nifont received his education in the Byzantine Empire, where his immediate circle was formed. Friends led Nifont along a crooked path. He began to lead a depraved life and stopped attending church. Niphon was sure that his sins would not find forgiveness, so there was no point in begging him. Every year he sank lower and lower, until finally, during a chance meeting, one of his friends named Nicodemus told Niphon that his face had turned black. He compared him to an Ethiopian. The future bishop at that moment realized that all the dirt of his soul began to poison his body. Nifont finally realized the depth of the abyss into which he had been rapidly falling over the past years. Frightened by his fate, he went to the temple in horror, where he asked for help in the fight against his sins. A small miracle happened here. Nifont turned his gaze to the icon depicting the Virgin Mary and she smiled at him. Taking this as a good sign, Niphon began to desperately pray to the Mother of God. When he returned to the crooked path and committed sins, the face of the Virgin Mary turned away from him. If Nifont again took the right path and sincerely repented of what he had done, then she would illuminate him with her merciful smile. Nifont was an ordinary person; it was difficult for him to resist temptations. One of the most terrible sins of the future bishop was idle talk. Although Niphon tried to eradicate it, all his attempts were in vain. As punishment, God sent him a serious illness that exhausted his body. Niphon suffered, but one day Anastasia the Pattern Maker and the Virgin Mary came to him in a dream, they convicted him of the sin of idle talk and healed him of a terrible illness. This moment became a turning point in Nifont’s life. He finally realized what fate was in store for him, so he resolutely renounced everything worldly and took monastic vows. The man repented and spent days frantically praying to God, trying to receive forgiveness. Niphon realized that his spirit was too weak, and therefore his flesh was easily led by temptations. He decided to tame his body. The monk exhausted himself in order to subjugate the flesh to the spirit. The demons tried to prevent the cleansing of Niphon. They hated him, whispered blasphemous speeches and came up with new temptations. They managed to sow doubt in his soul, which sprouted from a tiny seed and entwined his spirit with steel shackles. Nifont spent four years in difficult spiritual struggle. Ultimately, he prayed to Jesus to remove his doubts and convince him of his existence. Another miracle happened - at the command of the Lord, the Face of the Savior came to life, which strengthened Nifont’s faith and put an end to the fight against demons. From the grace that descended on Niphon, he began to cry, and the demons stopped all attempts to tempt him, because they no longer had power over his spirit. Saint Niphon received a blessing and an amazing gift. He could see demons among people and drive them out by the power of his faith and prayer. This gift helped Nifont save many from a terrible fate. Already a gray-haired old man, the saint went to Alexandria. On the eve of his arrival, the patriarch had a vision in which God pointed to the newcomer as a person worthy of a high rank. Niphon was ordained bishop of one of the cities of Cyprus - Constantia. Unfortunately, after moving to his new abode, he lived very little. It is believed that Nifont learned about his imminent death three days in advance. In the last hour of his earthly life, the elder was met by the Virgin Mary with many saints. Since Nifont was a famous fighter against evil spirits, on his holiday in Rus' they baked flat cakes according to a special recipe. It was believed that such a treat would help protect livestock from the machinations of harmful spirits. Before baking began, the barn was thoroughly cleaned. The walls were thoroughly caulked if, during the inspection, cracks were found that released precious heat. The floor was covered with fresh straw, and bunches of thistles were hung from the beams near the ceiling. This plant was believed to ward off evil spirits. After completing the cleaning, they began to knead the dough. The main ingredient was bran. The cakes were taken out of the oven and still hot, wrapped in a clean towel. It was extremely important to do this quickly so that not a single evil spirit had time to touch the baked goods. Then the cakes were carried to the barn and given a piece to the horses, cows, goats, and sheep. The chickens were fed special grain. The day before the holiday, it was placed in a pole in front of the stove and it warmed up for a day. For themselves, people baked gingerbread in the shape of animals. It was believed that windy weather on this day predicted a good harvest.

Memorial Day of St. Paul, Bishop of Neocaesarea

Memorial Day of the Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete

Memorial Day of St. Theoktistus of Novgorod