Traditions this time of year

[mendeleyev]

One of our family traditions is to watch the Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром (The Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath) on New Years Eve. Millions of homes across the FSU will watch this, and some families also view the Sequel which was released in 2007. It is a New Year tradition all across the FSU.

We celebrate Christmas on 7 January but as life seems to have slowed down a bit near 25 December we will catch a movie or two on YouTube. This weekend we are viewing Burnt By the Sun, a movie set in the CCCP during the Stalinist purges before war broke out.

There is so much to be gleaned about life not only during that time, but even today. If you were to visit our home you'd find that we routinely serve hot tea most of the day and especially in the PM hours. We serve it with jam on the side as a sweetener if you'd like. The banya in the movie is much like so many Russian banyas you might encounter. Sharing a home with multi generations of family members is another.

As for language it makes it fun for language learners to hear the conversations in action. Produced in 1994 this movie is well produced and the acting is good so that your ability to follow and learn from conversations is enhanced.

This is available free on YouTube, 2 hours and 25 minutes with English subtitles as a fully length feature:


 

[Muzh]

Jim,


My MIL says Spasibo Bolshoi and a Merry X-mas to you and yours. She loved it.

[mendeleyev]

с удовольствием!

I'm glad that she enjoyed it.

[mendeleyev]

  Were it possible, I'd be a kid again this time of year. Admittedly, some of the coolest New Year parties take place in the children's gardens. Just watch...
 
 
 
 
 
 Often parents come to attend/enjoy these children's garden events as the children dance and sing. Here the children are singing the Дед Мороз (Grandfather Frost) song:
 
 
 
 
 Some quick holiday facts:
 - Christmas doesn't arrive until 7 January
 - Christmas trees are called "New Year trees"
 - Gifts are exchanged on the New Year, January 1
 - Gifts are called "new year gifts"
 - Santa Claus isn't unknown by any stretch, but he doesn't serve this part of the world. (His cousin) Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden are the stars here(Дед Мороз и Снегурочка).Often dressed in blue, Grandfather Frost and his granddaughter the pretty (usually blonde) Snow Maiden are very popular. Here they make a grand entrance to a party:
 
 
 
 
 
 Snegurochka will tell a story and then the children will dance: 
 
 
 

 

[mendeleyev]

While very innocent when around children, Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden do know how to enjoy the night life as well. Often Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) can be very sexy, and in fact REN TV in Russia uses a series of station ID's (there are 10 of them) in which the Snow Maiden is dressed in racy blue and white lingerie for late night station breaks. Grandfather Frost enjoys a snort or two (or 222) of vodka and often he smokes. But not around children.
 
 
Russian singer Galina shows the more sexy side of Snegurochka: