JP, here is a schedule of things which your lady will likely observe and if you can plan in/around those dates I'm sure she will be excited about your arrival.
25 December: Nothing, it is an ordinary day and nothing is celebrated. She will be at work most likely.
Dec 30-Jan 1: The New Year holiday is the single biggest of the year. Family dinner or parties will take place on New Year's eve and last all night including watching the President address the nation (he'll announce the next year's state holidays so everyone will be watching) at the stroke of midnight.
The family will watch a movie titled "
The Irony of Fate" which is a tradition sometime during the evening and will be shown on multiple TV channels.
Russians/Ukrainians don't exchange Christmas gifts nor have Christmas trees. They'll exchange "New Year gifts" on 1 January and will likely be gathered around the "Yolka" which is the "New Year tree."
Fireworks are an important part of the New Year celebration so don't worry--the country isn't at war--it will just sound like it. Oh, don't be too afraid when relatives (if not relatives then certainly the drunken neighbors in an adjoining apartment) begin setting off fireworks indoors. Just be caught up on your prayers, make the sign of the cross every time a lit sparkler slams into old silk curtains, and promise God that you'll serve time in Africa if the building survives without crumbling in a smoldering heap on top of you before dawn. Likely you'll survive so you might wish to check up on those tickets to Africa.
On the morning of the New Year you'll revisit all those leftovers from the night before at breakfast time so if you've never had cake, ice cream and champagne for breakfast--this is the time to start baby!
Sometime after breakfast and after the exchange of New Year gifts it is a tradition to walk (along with 25 billion of your neighbors) to a popular landmark or square where you'll actually be nice and greet strangers with the expression of "с Новым Годом!" (listen to how
it sounds here) and remember this day fondly because it is the only time locals will be friendly and acknowledge strangers out on the plazas.
Christmas Eve arrives on 6 January and Christmas Day is on 7 January. Many folks (even if they haven't gone to church all year) will fast (no meat/no dairy/no alcohol--except for New Years) the 40 days before Christmas but the Christmas meal will more than make up for the days of fasting. No gifts are exchanged on Christmas--that was already done on New Years day. Many families go to church on Christmas Eve and if invited remember that it is an all night service (called an "all night vigil") and as there are no pews in Orthodox churches, you'll stand all night. Ever seen anyone sleep while standing? Here is your chance...
If a glutton for punishment you could stay to celebrate the "old New Year" on 14 January.
I will be in Russia enjoying the same great traditions and wish you a great trip!
