**SHROVETUDE***

The family rites are naturally blended with communal rituals. For example, the funeral was attended not only by relatives but by the whole village. The wedding was also a public event. The rite of seeing off the recruit to the army did not fit into the framework of one family; the aid work inherently could not be confined to the family, the Yuletide was attended by all.

Shrovetide, like the Yuletide, was one of the links in an unbroken chain, composed of public and family rituals. In the annual cycle, Shrovetide took a definite and specific place. It also was in some way the continuation of the family ceremonies, such as the wedding. At the Shrovetide week, husband and wife always visited the wife's relatives. A trip to his mother-in-law for a pancakes party was accompanied by several social conventions. In this week, finally were established kinship between the newlyweds and their relatives.

But played (experienced) the Shrovetide not only newlyweds and their parents but all -young and old. It was celebrated with especially abundant food, pancakes.

Not for nothing, the Shrovetide week was called the "Wide" Shrovetide from Thursday till the end.

Going out for horse-riding was the main thing at the Shrovetide. The outing showed off horses and harnesses; also, there was a sport-playing sense.

The carriage and the harness in the Russia North were regarded as art functions. A painted arc with bells, sleigh, copper and even silver plaques on the breeching, collar, saddle, tasselled harness decorated the outing that had been waited for a year after the last Shrovetide.

All the young people were skating on the snow and ice.

Sledding was a favourite childhood activity and not only during Shrovetide. From the thick wide boards were made special children sleighs. You couldn't fall or turn over from such sleds. Small kids dragged them on a rope. A sleigh with the gazebo called "the box." If on the bottom of the sleigh pour water and freeze it, such sled particularly fast rushed down the slope.

Fun for the unmarried and married young people were wooden boards, on which rode standing in pairs, holding each other. A long, well-hon board was put on top of the slope, wallowed in snow and poured water on. The whole Shrovetide week, people skated on the boards, screaming and falling, screaming and hooting, speeding down with songs. The couple who stayed on their feet rolled away across the river or away from the village.

At the end of the week solemnly was burned the Shrovetide (straw, set in the middle of the village scarecrow).

Spring was just around the corner.

Sequentially shifting labour weekdays and holidays formed a harmonious whole year's cycle.

Years lived evolved for people of different ages, quite unlike each other, but deriving as naturally and consistently as episodes of a classic drama.