Christmas

[GoodOlBoy]

I am curious. Since the holidays are just around the corner, does anybody else celebrate BOTH Christmas's (December 25th and January 7th) in your household?

I live in Florida and I don't know about you, but my Christmas tree is pretty dry (fire hazard) come January 8th !

[daveyj]

On this topic, I understand that Russia is on the Julian calendar and so celebrates Christmas on Jan 7th, 13 days later than the west.

Are there any other differences in their approach to the holidays?  Do the Russians  go to work as regular on Dec 25?   And is the whole christmas season in Russia celebrated with the same fervour as the West? or is it more like an Easter for example?

thx
d

[groovlstk]

We don't celebrate Orthodox Christmas but New Year's Eve has taken on a whole new meaning since my wife arrived. Forget those "prix fix dinners w/champagne toasts at midnight" crap they advertise in most US areas or the lame parties at friends' homes - we go to Russian restaurants where even parents with children along party all night and have breakfast before heading home with the sun shining. My wife is not a party girl but on NYE all bets are off if you're among Russians 

[Jack]

I am curious. Since the holidays are just around the corner, does anybody else celebrate BOTH Christmas's (December 25th and January 7th) in your household?

daaa, I do, and I love it.  I really enjoy the Christmas holidays. Two Christmas Eve's, two Christmas Day's with a holiday called New Years in the middle.

[Fogged]

I will celebrate two Christmas's this year. Heading to see my parents first and then leave for Ukraine to spend New Year and Orthodox Christmas with my fiancee. Should be fun and I am looking forward to it.

[lindochka]

Our extended family in Eastern Europe includes members of three different religions as well as some who profess no religion. Some of us observe Christmas on 12/25, some on 1/7, some do both (husband is Russian Orthodox and wife is Roman Catholic) and some do neither. Almost all of us do New Year's, however, with the exception of our relative who is a Russian Orthodox priest.

My experience of Orthodox Christmas both in the US and in the FSU has been that it's a much quieter observance than Christmas in the West, extremely family-oriented and much more spiritual in nature.

New Year's is another matter entirely, even in a small town in the FSU. My DM, who can easily sleep as many hours per night as FSUW are reported by WM to do, is up all night partying, as are most of my relatives. I usually collapse around 4 AM, along with the younger children.

Hope you have big fun in Ukraine!

[kievstar]

Celebrate both and gifts are given on both. 

[philb]

We too celebrate both.  Since there is not a Russian Orthodox Church where we live we usually go to Denver and attend services there.  The other nice thing about celebrating both is that it is much easier for me to get time off from work around January 7th then December 25th.  We do the same for Easter.

[BC]

I'll echo Jack.

[UTRO]

I'll be spending Christmas at home with my Children on the 25th and then flying to Moscow on the 29th to celebrate the New Year in Svet's city. I'll also experience Russian Orthodox Christmas for the first time too, but I'm assured it is nothing like December 25th in the West. New Years is the Big Day and Svet's Mum is cooking up a Suckling Pig

[Chicagoguy]

Don't forget "Old" New Years Eve on 13 January. For the determined party set you can drag this out from 24 December until 14 January !!!

[ScottinCrimea]

Don't forget "Old" New Years Eve on 13 January. For the determined party set you can drag this out from 24 December until 14 January !!!

Most in Ukraine do!