Do you know that Russians are probably the only ones who get to celebrate winter seasonal holidays more times then anyone else ?! The history goes back to 1500-something years, when the Gregorian calendar has been introduced to Europe. Orthodox Russia was still using older Julian calendar, up until the Revolution of 1917, when the communists finally decided to switch over to what everyone else used. Doing so they automatically pleased the entire working class by giving them two full sets of holidays i.e. “Old New Year” and “New New Year”, “Old Christmas” and “New Christmas” and so on. Are you starting to see the advantages now? Even if you’ve missed a party, soon there will be another one.
Now about the New Year. This holiday also has not such a long history. Russia began celebrating the New Year as a separate holiday in 1700, when, on the order of Czar Peter the Great, Russia started to count the new year as beginning in January. Of course, Peter The Great used to do everything on a grand scale and his first New Year’s parties were quite noisy with the cannons firing, fireworks, riding three-horses-sleighs and dancing till the dawn. However, Christmas was still the main holiday until the communists attempted to minimize the role of faith in ppl’s life and more attention has been paid to the New Year instead of Christmas.
Well, for my generation the biggest party of the year in Russia is still New Year. So, what exactly New Year celebration means? Of course, we do have the tradition of christmas tree – usually a fir tree. Russia’s version of Santa Claus is Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost). An old pagan character who was married to Winter. He dresses in a long coat and he travels in a sleigh pulled by three white horses. He carries a big crystal stick which has the power to freeze if someone misbehaved! No chimney antics – Ded Moroz is way too serious for such childish nonsense! LOL He also has got a granddaughter Snowgirl (Snegurochka) – according to the fairy tale, she is made from snow and there is a rather sad sweet story associated with her. After falling in love, Snegurochka’s heart got so hot that she began to melt. It is probably almost the only tale with unhappy end that I know of. Yet still beautiful. However the image of that Snowgirl is always accompanies Grandfather Frost and both of them could be found under the decorated Tree. We did believe in childhood that it is them who bring the presents
As for the adult part of New Year celebration…After listening to the traditional New Year speech from the president, everybody tries to open a bottle of champagne and make a wish within the first seconds of the New Year. There are those famous Kremlin Chiming Clock – The Main Clock of the State. So when they started to strike the midnight, this is the moment to open the bottle and to make a wish and to say a tost… Soon after, many go outdoors to wish “Happy New Year” to one another, kissing neigbours and strangers (whom exactly you manage to kiss depends on how drunk you are by that time, of course
) , to launch New Year rockets and fireworks, and to light Bengal lights. And from there – the party just begins ! Until approximately 4 a.m. there will be plenty of people outside, by 6 a.m. you’ll be meeting lost souls unable to find their way home. Of course, despite of the main celebration takes place during the night from December 31st to January 1st, but many people continue visiting their friends and relatives with New Year greetings for several days or even weeks. It is also quite common to have a New Year party with colleagues from work several days before December 31st. The big New Year celebration usually ends after January 13th, when the country celebrates the so-called Old-Style New Year. This event is unofficial but is a very popular holiday and represents the beginning of a new year in the old Julian calendar. After that, people remove the decorations from their houses, discard the New Year’s Trees, and get back to work. Finally. LOL. So, if you managed to count, Russians celebrate essentually two New Years and sometimes two Christmases (Western and Orthodox) which makes December and January a very festive time indeed. And I don’t think any one of them will ever become outdated
Well, that was a bit of historical digression. Now…to me personally…the whole Christmas holidays are somewhat strange time. In UK there is not as much New Year celebration, but very much of a Christmas tradition. As much as I enjoy time off work during the Christmas break, the 25th by itself means little to me and usually spent, like an ordinary day, unless we’re invited somewhere for the Christmas dinner. I don’t feel I should be doing all the same things that people around me doing, like turkey, presents, etc…Although I do respect other’s beliefs, it would’ve been hypocritical of me to mimic them, isn’t it ? It is kind of strange feeling of being "not here and not there "…Can’t really enjoy Christmas as much as people around me enjoy it. And can’t celebrate New Year in the same fashion like we used to…a confusing time. And when all our friends begin to phone us on a New Year night, that’s when it gets to the real missing. I’m glad that my son was young enough when we brough him to UK not to have much of the sentimental memories. And the next generation will be adapted even more. And that’s how it should be...
Now about the New Year. This holiday also has not such a long history. Russia began celebrating the New Year as a separate holiday in 1700, when, on the order of Czar Peter the Great, Russia started to count the new year as beginning in January. Of course, Peter The Great used to do everything on a grand scale and his first New Year’s parties were quite noisy with the cannons firing, fireworks, riding three-horses-sleighs and dancing till the dawn. However, Christmas was still the main holiday until the communists attempted to minimize the role of faith in ppl’s life and more attention has been paid to the New Year instead of Christmas.
Well, for my generation the biggest party of the year in Russia is still New Year. So, what exactly New Year celebration means? Of course, we do have the tradition of christmas tree – usually a fir tree. Russia’s version of Santa Claus is Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost). An old pagan character who was married to Winter. He dresses in a long coat and he travels in a sleigh pulled by three white horses. He carries a big crystal stick which has the power to freeze if someone misbehaved! No chimney antics – Ded Moroz is way too serious for such childish nonsense! LOL He also has got a granddaughter Snowgirl (Snegurochka) – according to the fairy tale, she is made from snow and there is a rather sad sweet story associated with her. After falling in love, Snegurochka’s heart got so hot that she began to melt. It is probably almost the only tale with unhappy end that I know of. Yet still beautiful. However the image of that Snowgirl is always accompanies Grandfather Frost and both of them could be found under the decorated Tree. We did believe in childhood that it is them who bring the presents
As for the adult part of New Year celebration…After listening to the traditional New Year speech from the president, everybody tries to open a bottle of champagne and make a wish within the first seconds of the New Year. There are those famous Kremlin Chiming Clock – The Main Clock of the State. So when they started to strike the midnight, this is the moment to open the bottle and to make a wish and to say a tost… Soon after, many go outdoors to wish “Happy New Year” to one another, kissing neigbours and strangers (whom exactly you manage to kiss depends on how drunk you are by that time, of course
) , to launch New Year rockets and fireworks, and to light Bengal lights. And from there – the party just begins ! Until approximately 4 a.m. there will be plenty of people outside, by 6 a.m. you’ll be meeting lost souls unable to find their way home. Of course, despite of the main celebration takes place during the night from December 31st to January 1st, but many people continue visiting their friends and relatives with New Year greetings for several days or even weeks. It is also quite common to have a New Year party with colleagues from work several days before December 31st. The big New Year celebration usually ends after January 13th, when the country celebrates the so-called Old-Style New Year. This event is unofficial but is a very popular holiday and represents the beginning of a new year in the old Julian calendar. After that, people remove the decorations from their houses, discard the New Year’s Trees, and get back to work. Finally. LOL. So, if you managed to count, Russians celebrate essentually two New Years and sometimes two Christmases (Western and Orthodox) which makes December and January a very festive time indeed. And I don’t think any one of them will ever become outdated Well, that was a bit of historical digression. Now…to me personally…the whole Christmas holidays are somewhat strange time. In UK there is not as much New Year celebration, but very much of a Christmas tradition. As much as I enjoy time off work during the Christmas break, the 25th by itself means little to me and usually spent, like an ordinary day, unless we’re invited somewhere for the Christmas dinner. I don’t feel I should be doing all the same things that people around me doing, like turkey, presents, etc…Although I do respect other’s beliefs, it would’ve been hypocritical of me to mimic them, isn’t it ? It is kind of strange feeling of being "not here and not there "…Can’t really enjoy Christmas as much as people around me enjoy it. And can’t celebrate New Year in the same fashion like we used to…a confusing time. And when all our friends begin to phone us on a New Year night, that’s when it gets to the real missing. I’m glad that my son was young enough when we brough him to UK not to have much of the sentimental memories. And the next generation will be adapted even more. And that’s how it should be...