On a visit at Zyuzi

We all know the kind-hearted Ded Moroz, who grants wishes on New Year's Eve. But not everyone is familiar with his great-grandfather – Zyuziya, the ancient spirit of winter, the guardian of blizzards and frosts. Our ancestors believed that Zyuziya controlled the cold, warned people of impending frosts, and could bring either a harsh winter or protection from bad weather.

Zyuziya – who is he?

Imagine a short, stocky old man with a long snow-white beard, thick hair, and an iron mace in his hands. He walks barefoot even in the harshest frosts and never wears a hat. Unlike Ded Moroz, Zyuziya is a spirit of the forests and blizzards, rarely showing himself to people. But when he does visit a village, it is always with good intentions. He may warn of the cold, help the poor, or simply stop by to enjoy some kutia.

People spoke of him with respect: “Zyuziya is in the yard – kutia is on the table”. That’s why, on the eve of the New Year, Belarusians would leave a plate of kutia on a separate table as an offering to Zyuziya, hoping that he would be pleased and not bring an overly harsh winter.