Russian Holidays

[jb]

Here is a little something I wrote a long time ago.  It was originally posted on another forum for the benefit of the newbies, hoping to perhaps keep them from making some mistakes.  We are now beginning a new year with all the major holidays yet to come so I thought I'd repost it here.
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Russian holidays, gift suggestions, and other tidbits

Here's a little something I concocted that the newbie might find of value:

Holidays and Traditional Days for Gift Giving in Russia
• January 1st - New Year
• January 7th - Orthodox Christmas
• January 14th - Old New Year
• January 25th - St.Tatiana's Day
• February 14th - St.Valentine's Day
• March 8th - Women's Day
• May 1st - Labor Day
• Easter Sunday- Movable Feast
• May 9th - Victory Day
• September 1st - Knowledge Day
• December 25th - Catholic Christmas
• December 31st - New Year
New Year
January 1st. New Year is probably the most important holiday in Russia. People have a 3-day vacation; the celebration starts on December 31st and carries on through the 1st of January. New Years Day is as important in Russia as Christmas is in the West, actually it is celebrated in pretty much the same in the way people celebrate Christmas here, however there are some differences and here they are:
The traditional drink is champagne which people drink at midnight. Everyone prepares gifts for his or her friends and relatives, kids await Father Frost (almost the same character as Santa Claus but with a little bit of "Russian flavor"). Almost anything can be a gift.

Orthodox Christmas
January 7th. Orthodox Christmas is not celebrated as widely as the New Year, but it has gained popularity in recent years. Religious people stay in church all night before the Christmas, but most prefer to celebrate it at home with their families. Since most Russians who profess a religious belief are Orthodox, this will be the most important religious holiday to them. Drinking a lot on Christmas is not considered to be good manners, so bottle of wine or champagne would not be really appropriate, but anything useful in household or something to be used by entire family would be a great gift. Think in terms of candles, small Icons, or perhaps a religious medal to be worn on a small chain around her neck. If you opt for this type of gift be sure the chain is long enough so that the medal will be covered by her clothing, Russians do not flaunt their faith by wearing large or gaudy crosses which are visible to the casual glance.
Do not forget about the usual gifts such as flowers, cakes, and candies.

Old New Year
January 14th. This is a very unique tradition which was started in 1920s when Russia made a transition from an "old-style" Julian calendar to a new Gregorian calendar. But nothing could stop people from celebrating the New Year twice: first the regular schedule and the second, on the Julian. It is not an official holiday but almost everyone celebrates it and it is the tradition to keep New Year/Christmas trees decorated until this day. This day is not ordinarily associated with gift giving.

Saint Tatiana's Day
January 25th. This holiday has its origins dating back to 1755; Russia's oldest University was established in Moscow and dedicated to Saint Tatiana. She is the protector of students and those who study. All college students and teachers celebrate this day. So if your lady is a "Tatiana", she would be happy to receive a gift on this day. Also see details about other Patron Saints below.

Saint Valentine's Day
February 14th. This is a very new holiday to Russia which came from Western Europe and America. I'm not sure if you need any explanations on this one.

Women's Day
March 8th. This is a major holiday which you cannot miss whatever happens. It is one of the very first days of spring when everybody honors their wives, girlfriends, mothers, sisters, aunts, i.e.,,,,any woman who has importance in your life….. If your lady lives with her mother or has a small daughter, we bet she will be pleased if you get something for them as well on this day.
Easter Sunday
Movable Feast Day. Usually this holiday is celebrated one week after the western religious Easter. As the Orthodox religion grows in significance in modern Russia more and more families celebrate Easter in their homes. As with Christmas, drinking is not part of this celebration so giving wine or champagne is not appropriate, cakes, candy, fruit baskets, and flowers, especially lilies, are appreciated.


Labor Day and Victory Day
May 1st. This is a national holiday in Russia, however it is not affiliated with women, usually the only persons receiving gifts this day are veterans of "The Great Patriotic War" (World War II), should your lady have a grandfather or a favorite uncle who falls into this category she will be giving him something on this day, but it is not usual for lovers to exchange gifts on this day.

Knowledge Day
September 1st. This is the day when all school and college students start their regular studies. It is also the day when teachers' summer vacations are over. No matter which one she is: either student or a teacher, or even the mother of a small student, you will not regret if you buy something special for the student or teacher in your life.

Catholic Christmas
December 25th. This one is an example of Russia following the West's footsteps. If your girlfriend is Roman Catholic, or a convert to one of the western Protestant faiths, this is the day to send a Christmas gift. December 25th isn't an Orthodox religious holiday in Russia and very few people celebrate it in their homes.
If it is your intention to wed a Russian girl, she will eventually have to understand the importance of your culture as well as hers. Gift giving on this day will stress the cultural importance of December 25th in the western culture.

Individual Patron Saints Day
With the possible exception of very exotic names, most women in Russia are named for a favorite Saint. Within a family, a girl's Patron Saints day will be remembered. Usually with a small gift, this is a unique opportunity to surprise your girl with your knowledge of Russian customs.

I hope this helps someone avoid a blunder.

[RacerX]

jb has done a nice job with this...

only a couple of points:
- each FSU country will have it's own "official days*
- Valentine's Day is important in most of the FSU
- Woman's Day is as important, you might be able to skate by the first time, but she will not like it if you forget the second

*and if you're dealing with the American consulate, they will take both 'ours' and 'theirs'

[Bruno]

Interesting site

earth holidays... all the hollidays from the world... search by country possible : http://www.earthcalendar.net/index.php

 

 

 

 

[Vaughn]

       Maslenitsa: Eat, Drink, Kiss Winter Goodbye [/b]

If you've ever witnessed a Maslenitsa celebration, you'll likely never forget it. By far, a true Russian experience.....

The time has finally arrived to eat bliny (pancakes), get drunk, and say goodbye to winter: It is maslenitsa week.

Maslenitsa, the only pagan holiday officially kept by the Russian Orthodox church, is a week-long oasis of meat, fat, alcohol, and fun between two fasts - the Christmas fast, which starts after Christmas, and Lent, which lasts until Easter.

Because of the floating Christian calendar, there is no set date for maslenitsa, but it usually takes place in late February or early March.

The word maslenitsa is both the name of the holiday and of a straw doll dressed in rags associated with the holiday. The maslenitsa doll, usually a few meters high, has either a frying pan or a pancake - blin, in Russian - attached to it, and its name originates from maslyany blin, or "greasy blin."

As a symbol of winter and death in olden Russia, the doll was cursed in special maslenitsa songs. In those days, maslenitsa was also known colloquially as obmanshchitsa, or the deceiver, because it was a week-long break between two long fasts.

Each day during maslenitsa week has a particularly character. Monday, for example, is a day for co-ed sledding. On Tuesday, women and men party separately. On Wednesday and Thursday, mothers-in-laws and sons-in-laws take turns inviting each other for bliny. The festivity reaches its climax on Sunday, when the maslenitsa doll is set on fire.

But two activities are practiced steadily throughout the week: drinking and eating bliny.

During the Soviet era, when religious holidays were outlawed, maslenitsa was papered over as the secular "holiday to bid farewell to the Russian winter."

Despite the name change, the essence of the holiday - drinking a lot and eating a lot - did not change, and Russians continued to celebrate by making bliny and gulping vodka toasts.

Officially the first maslenitsa gulyaniya, or public celebration, happened last year in the Yubileiny Palace of Sports on the Petrograd side.

This year, a celebration will take place all day Sunday at the Central Park for Culture and Leisure, or TsPKiO, on Yelagin Ostrov.

According to a spokeswoman of the city Culture Committee, the festivities will include sledding, singing, dancing and burning a maslenitsa doll. Fresh, hot bliny will be on sale.

The first non-sanctioned maslenitsa parade in St. Petersburg took place in 1984, when a group of eight people led by theater director Sergei Gogun appeared on
Maslenitsa: Eat, Drink, Kiss Winter Goodbye



Nevsky Prospect near Kazan Cathedral carrying a nearly 4-meter maslenitsa doll on a pole. The procession, surrounded by a growing crowd of onlookers, walked down the prospect towards Ploshchad Vosstaniya.

"The police were arriving in cars to keep an eye on us, but they were so surprised by the sight of our enormous doll that by the time they might have made up their minds to arrest us, we had dismantled the doll and mixed with the metro crowd," Gogun recalled.

He said the celebrants took their doll to the outskirts of the city and burned it there.

[prince_alfie]

Cool, but I would include Chinese New Year. For me, the only excuse to celebrate one holiday over a period of 2 weeks! 

[beattledog]

Yes, these holidays are also celebrated In Ubekestain.  It drives me nuts that they celebrate two Christmas and New years days, etc.

beattledog

[prince_alfie]

Okay does that mean twice the number of Xmas present to buy? Wow, Bloomingdales must be happy bout that.

[Elen]

Okay does that mean twice the number of Xmas present to buy? Wow, Bloomingdales must be happy bout that.

As you are going to include China New Year in that list  you should buy presents 5 time - Catholic Christmas, New Year, Orthodox Christmas, Old New Year and China New Year

If seriously The only one holiday from these 5  ones when Russian used to get ( and present) gifts is New Year. ( a night from Dc 31 to Jan 1) .  Orthodox Christmas is pure religion holiday - not evrybody celebrates it at all and there are no gifts for Orthodox Christmas except little ones like special Christmas post card or something like that - not huge at all ( hope this would not change because of comercial western influence)

[beattledog]

Yes, the two holiday celbratation is crazy to our westeners.  I think that it depends more on the family on whether gifts are given.  My woman is Muslin, but her family celebrates all the Christian holidays, both Christmas, Easters, New Years, etc.  It can be expsive. I told her that I will celebrate only one of the holidays once a year, not twice

Great Beattledog

[SANDRO43]

I am not much familiar with life in Israel, but if they observe Muslim Friday, Hebrew Saturday and Christian Sunday, they would have a 4-day working week. Worth considering moving there, were it not for the prevailing (moderately tense) situation .

[prince_alfie]

Sweet, so I wish that we could respect all of the holidays... Just add in Pioneer Day and I think that we are set...