Transcript Russian Holiday Traditions By: Andrea Brockman Important Dates • 1-2 January – New Years Day • 7 January – Orthodox Christmas • 8 March.

Russian Holiday Traditions
By: Andrea Brockman
Important Dates
• 1-2 January – New Years Day
• 7 January – Orthodox Christmas
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
• April – Easter (Paskha)
• 9 May – Victory Day (1945)
• 12 June – Russian Independence Day
Shrovetide
Russians welcome spring
during this time. This
celebration comes seven
weeks before Easter, and
lasts seven days. People
make noise and play tricks.
Go sledding and have
snowball fights.
Easter
Easter is an important religious
holiday in Russia. Russians paint
eggs with wax and bright dyes and
eat special Easter cakes and
cookies.
The red egg is considered a
symbol of Easter. The Easter egg
has many specific purposes, it is
a traditional Easter present given
to friends and relatives as an
Easter salutation. There is a
proverb saying that once you
wash your face in the water with
the Easter egg in it, you will
always be healthy and beautiful;
the fire will die, if the Easter egg is
thrown into it. People usually visit
their relatives. The traditional
greeting, if translated is “Christ is
alive” the answer is “Christ is truly
alive”.
Victory Day
Victory day marks the end of
World War II (1939-1945).
It is also to commemorate
the millions fallen in the war.
Flowers and wreaths are
placed on wartime graves
and veterans come out into
the streets wearing their
military medals. Russians
remain silent for one
minute. This silence honors
those who died in the war.
Independence Day
This is the newest
holiday in Russia.
Celebrating the
day Russia broke
away from the
Soviet Union in
the year 1991.
Women’s Day
On this day men give women gifts,
usually flowers. Men also are supposed
to do all the housework, this is pretty
nice – at least once a year women can
have some rest and forget about dishes,
cooking, kids , and can take a magazine
and relax on the coach.
CHRISTMAS
Thirteen days after Western
Christmas, on January 7th, the
Russian Orthodox Church
celebrates its Christmas in
accordance to the old Julian
calendar. It’s a day of both
solemn ritual and joyous
celebration.
CHRISTMAS
After the 1917 Revolution, Christmas was
banned throughout Russia, along with other
religious celebrations. It wasn’t until 75 years
later, in 1992, that the holiday was openly
observed. Today, it’s once again celebrated in
grand fashion, with the faithful participating in
an all-night Mass in incense-filled Cathedrals
amidst the company of the painted icons of
Saints.
Christmas is one of the most joyous traditions.
On Christmas Eve it is traditional for all family
members to gather to share a special meal.
The various foods and customs surrounding
the meal differed in Holy Russia from village
to village and from family to family.
CHRISTMAS
In old Russian traditions, whose roots are in
the Orthodox faith, is that the Christmas
Eve is to fast and meal. The fast lasts until
after the evening worship service or until
the first star appears. Once the first star
has appeared in the sky, the festivities
begin. The meal is called “The Holy
Supper.” The family gathers around the
table to honor the coming Christ Child. A
white table-cloth, symbolic of Christ’s
swaddling clothes, covers the Table. Hay
is brought forth as the reminder of the
poverty of when Jesus was born. A tall
white candle is placed in the center of the
table as a symbol of Christ “the Light of
the World.” And a large round loaf of
Lenten bread, “pagach,” is symbolic of
Christ the Bread of life.
Babushka
Babushka is a traditional
Christmas figure who distributes
presents to children. The legend
is told that she declined to go
with the wise men to see Jesus
because of cold weather.
However, she regretted not going
and set off to try and catch up,
filling her basket with presents.
She never found Jesus, and that
is why she visits each house,
leaving toys for good children.
NEW YEARS
Because Christmas
was not celebrated
during the Soviet
Union, New Years
was the important
time – when ‘Father
Frost’ brought gifts to
children.
New Years
• Children expect presents
• Adults expect the New Year will bring ease, wealth,
and contentment.
• The old new year is marked January 13-14th.
• It is considered a family holiday and it is celebrated
with family members and dear friends.
• There is a popular belief that however one greets the
New Year, that is the way one will live the New Year.
• So, people celebrate with a hearty meal and lots of
champagne in hopes the New Year will bring
abundance and wealth.
The FIR Tree
As soon as you bring a beautiful tree into
your house, there is a puff of pine
needles and freshness – it is clear that
the New Year is fast approaching. The
house or flat is immediately set in
order, floors are washed and carpets
are cleaned. The day before, it is the
rule to array the fir tree, to decorate
with fir or pine branches with cones,
garlands, snowflakes, and ribbons of
paper streamers. Under the fir tree are
placed the toys delivered by
Grandfather Frost and the Snow
Maiden.
New Years
On the evenings before New
Year’s, young children sing
and dance in a ring around the
tree, telling rhymes and
singing. The elder children go
to kolyadovat, that is, they go
from house to house,
apartment to apartment, to
perform the ancient Christmas
rite of the glorification of the
holiday through he singing of
songs. They wish happiness,
health, and good luck, and in
return, they are given nuts,
apples, cookies, sweetmeats,
and a small coin.
NEW YEAR
• New Year supper begins
at 10 and lasts for three
hours.
• To see off the old and to
see in the new.
• At exactly five minutes to
midnight, the Russian
President delivers his
address to the Russian
People.
• And at Midnight the
chimes of the Kremlin in
Moscow strike Twelve
times.