For
Russians, there is no holiday more important than the New Year’s Day. Christmas
is less popular in Russia compared to Britain or the USA, where it is the
greatest holiday of the year. After the Revolution in 1917 religion was called
as "opium for people" and Christmas was banned throughout Russia,
along with other religious holidays. So celebrating the New Year’s Day became a
sort of "replacement" for it. Only after 75 years, in 1992, Christmas
became openly observed. Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January
7th, in accordance with the old Julian calendar. A lot of people go to church
services that night.
By the way if follow the orthodox rules, from the end of
November till the first star on the sky on the 6th of January it’s
fasting time. But not many people follow it; otherwise they wouldn’t be able to
celebrate the New Year’s Day which falls on the last week of the fasting. This mess happened because of the use of two
calendars, the new one and the old one. But before that we celebrated the New
Year’s Day a week after Christmas and it was ok, fasting was over and there was
no need to break orthodox rules. Don't be surprised, but at midnight on the 13th
of January people in Russia celebrate Old New Year on the Julian calendar, used
in Russia before 1918. Everything goes in the same way. Russian people
celebrate twice.
New
Year’s Day is the most beloved holiday in Russia. People start waiting for it
since the end of summer. It’s like a light spot during long and dark
winter. People usually make grandiose
plans on New Year’s party. There is also
a tradition among big organizations to rent a restaurant for employees and to
make an entertainment program for them as a team building means and also to see
the workers in real informal life.
People gather
for the New Year‘s celebration at night on the 31st of December. Russian
Holiday tradition includes a decorated New Year's tree - Yolka (fir tree). For Russian,
the New Year is a family holiday; people think about friends and relatives
prepare presents for everyone. But young
people prefer to have the New Year parties of their own and often visit New Year’s
parties at night clubs, but only after Midnight, because it’s a strong
tradition to greet the New Year with champagne, listen to the Kremlin chimes
beating 12 o'clock and watch the congratulation of the President in a family
circle. Even those who don’t like champagne should drink a bit anyway.
After the President’s tost people shout
[SN’ovim G’odahm] (Happy New Year) and then tell other toasts. For example, translated
into English as follows, "My grand-grandfather said: "I have
a desire to buy a house, but I have no opportunity. I have an opportunity to
buy a she-goat, but I have no desire". So, let's drink to having
correspondence of our wishes and opportunities!"
Many of
such toasts are said during this night dinner. In every house one could smell
tangerines; it’s a symbol of sun and future summer, the host usually cooks fish
dishes as a symbol of fertility. By the way no NY celebration can omit special
salad Olivier. This salad should be in every family.
Ingredients:
1lb of
bologna
1 can
(15 oz) of sweet peas
3 middle
size potatoes
4-5
middle size carrots
5-6 eggs
1 bunch
of green onions
1 bunch
of fresh dill
5-6
middle size cucumbers (pickled with salt not with vinegar, that is important)
black
pepper
salt
Mayonnaise
by taste (the more the better)
Children
wait for this day so eagerly; they have a pause at school, about 2 weeks. Small
kindy-kids write letters to Grandfather Frost (Rus. Ded Mor’oz) and describe
what presents they would like to be presented.
Moms prepare masquerade costumes for children. Ded Mor’oz has a granddaughter Sneg’oorochka
(Snowmaiden). They come together at a kid’s home and give presents in exchange
for a poem or a song. Ded Moroz usually
looks like Santa, but he wears long outer garment that can be red or blue.
Snegoorochka has a long plait, a
kok’oshnik (woman's headdress in old Russia) and a blue fur coat. For travelling around Russia they use a
sleigh harnessed to a troika (three horses harnessed abreast).
There is
a special New Year song about little fir tree. Kids usually sing it and dance
around the tree. This dance is called Chorovod. It’s very old and popular.
Usually not only kids but also parents dance it outside after dinner at New Year’s
Night.
Then the firework comes. It continues the tradition to scare evil
spirits with loud sounds and fire.
Everybody hugs, congratulate each other and feel happy.
