Russia to Ban Valentine's Day ?!?

[Admin]

According to an article in USA Today on 18Sep2008, Russia is considering a nationwide ban on Halloween and Valentine's day because they are; (a) western influences, and (b) growing in popularity.

Reference -- http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-09-18-russia-ban_N.htm

I guess it is back to only Women's Day for the ladies of Russia.

- Dan

[kievstar]

and Womens day was invented in USA I believe.

[ConnerVT]

Good luck banning any holiday in Russia.  Russians hardly need any excuse for a holiday.         

[groovlstk]

I can only imagine that this is the work of an ultraconservative lawmaker and has little chance of being passed. Who was the extreme right politician a few years back who created waves by wanting to prevent RW from marrying foreigners?

FWIW, our Russian friends here in the US go completely, 100% gung ho on Halloween.

[Misha]

Good luck banning any holiday in Russia.  Russians hardly need any excuse for a holiday.         

I agree. And I am sure the police officers will go our arresting five year olds in the street dressed up for Halloween 

[docetae]

There are always nuts who want to make talk about themselves and use for that this kind of tactic... It remembers me when they wanted to change lyrics of french national anthem (which is rather bloody but perfect I think)

[Fashionista]

O my. My biggest fear is that Russia will not ban, but rename them, as Russia usually does with things that no longer sound right. So we'll have Valentina's Day and Holy Janitor's day instead.

[SANDRO43]

O my. My biggest fear is that Russia will not ban, but rename them, as Russia usually does with things that no longer sound right. So we'll have Valentina's Day and Holy Janitor's day instead.

Maybe they'll change the date as well :

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Valentine the Presbyter, is celebrated on July 6, and Hieromartyr Saint Valentine (Bishop of Interamna, Terni in Italy) is celebrated on July 30.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine

[msmoby_ru]

I can only imagine that this is the work of an ultraconservative lawmaker and has little chance of being passed. Who was the extreme right politician a few years back who created waves by wanting to prevent RW from marrying foreigners?

FWIW, our Russian friends here in the US go completely, 100% gung ho on Halloween.

He's still on the scene - he was one of the Presidential Candidates - one of the one's who posed no threat   ... Vladimir Zhirinovsky ..

He has also proposed that foreigners taking a Russian Women abroad should pay a tax, and that Russian women leaving the country should relinquish their citizenship !
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/29/content_7692103.htm

[Salmonberry]

Good luck banning any holiday in Russia.  Russians hardly need any excuse for a holiday.         

  100 %

[neo]

It will be replaced by Putin day, everyone must bow to the great mighty leader!

or be sent to the Gulag.

[OlgaH]

People in Russia who want celebrate Valentine day are free to celebrate. It is not an official state holiday and it is just a secular celebration that came to Russia only at the beginning of 1990s.  Orthodox Church has its Day of Love and Family - a Day of Saint Peter and Fevronia.

BTW

Although the mid-February holiday celebrating love and lovers remains wildly popular, the confusion over its origins led the Catholic Church, in 1969, to drop St. Valentine's Day from the Roman calendar of official, worldwide Catholic feasts. (Those highly sought-after days are reserved for saints with more clear historical record. After all, the saints are real individuals for us to imitate.) Some parishes, however, observe the feast of St. Valentine.

The roots of St. Valentine's Day lie in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb. 15. For 800 years the Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/ValentinesDay/default.asp

[UTRO]

It will be replaced by Putin day, everyone must bow to the great mighty leader!

or be sent to the Gulag.

Da!! Nyet!! Pojolst Neo, Quebec already has Putin Day. Sorry Russia!!! :-PPPPPPPPPPPP UTABIS!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine

[Mishenka]

As the population falls in Russia, the Kremlin is busy looking for ways to make it grow. Banning Valentines day would not be in their best interest. They need all the romance they can get if they want to make babies. Fear not.

[OlgaH]

As the population falls in Russia, the Kremlin is busy looking for ways to make it grow. Banning Valentines day would not be in their best interest. They need all the romance they can get if they want to make babies. Fear not.

Mishenka, I would not like to promote just a "romance with making babies"   (really a pagan idea and I understand  why Catholic Church banned St. Valentine's Day from the Roman calendar of official, worldwide Catholic feasts  )   
Babies should be born in loving complete family, because of it we have and promote our official All-Russian Day of Family, Love and Fidelity that also concurs with Orthodox celebration - the Day Of Saint Peter and Saint Fevronia (8 July)  who are protectors of a family 


Moscow the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity : unveiling of a bench of reconciliation 

 

[GoodOlBoy]

....because of it we have and promote our official All-Russian Day of Family, Love and Fidelity........

Celebrating FIDELITY (Faithfulness) ....RM?

It has to be some kind of sick joke. 

BTW...Putin needs to start "celebrating" this day with his wife (instead of his girlfriend).

GOB

[OlgaH]

BTW...Putin needs to start "celebrating" this day with his wife (instead of his girlfriend).

GOB

I see "ducks" or tittle-tattles or piece of scandal are your favorite news in newspapers 

Celebrating FIDELITY (Faithfulness) ....RM?

It has to be some kind of sick joke.

To be more correct promoting FIDELITY  BTW maybe it also would be good in US 

Infidelity Statistics
Percentage of marriages that end in divorce in America: 53%
Percentage of marriages where one or both spouses admit to infidelity, either physical or emotional: 41%
Percentage of men who admit to committing infidelity in any relationship they've had: 57%
Percentage of men who say they would have an affair if they knew they would never get caught: 74%
http://www.infidelityfacts.com/infidelity-statistics.html

[Mishenka]

GOB,
I doubt Putin is concerned about banning Valentines day or any other holiday that boosts the economy. He would never ban anything that causes more money to flow in Russia.

As for his young "heart throb" she is pretty cute. I have only seen respectful photos of them together, nothing racey.  In any case, it is expected of men in most European countries to have women on the side. Who knows, maybe his wife enjoys her own boy toy, or maybe she joins them? Who are we to judge?

Mishenka

[OlgaH]

GOB,
I doubt Putin is concerned about banning Valentines day or any other holiday that boosts the economy. He would never ban anything that causes more money to flow in Russia
 
As for his young "heart throb" she is pretty cute. I have only seen respectful photos of them together, nothing racey.  In any case, it is expected of men in most European countries to have women on the side. Who knows, maybe his wife enjoys her own boy toy, or maybe she joins them? Who are we to judge?

Mishenka

Mishenka, I can understand your position towards Russia and Russian Government, but honestly I thought you are above gossips and such low quality posts as you made...  I was mistaken... 

[55North]

In any case, it is expected of men in most European countries to have women on the side.

Not in the Europe I live in.  Maybe you mean the European part of the RF?

[Mishenka]

Mishenka, I can understand your position towards Russia and Russian Government, but honestly I thought you are above gossips and such low quality posts as you made...  I was mistaken... 

OlgaH you are not mistaken, gossip is above me.  You are simply misunderstanding my spoof of GOB's post. I said Maybe, and Maybe but in any case "who are we to judge what Putin does" it is none of our business. As far as what is considered typical behavior of European men in general, this has been told to me from every European Women I have met. It is no secret, nor is it gossip, it is common knowledge. Most of my closer friends are Euro males and they love to brag about their times with "other" women therefore "it is expected". I am not one of them.

M.

[OlgaH]

Mishenka, I'm not talking about cheating European men or Western men who are also cheat
http://www.infidelityfacts.com/infidelity-statistics.html

Who knows, maybe his wife enjoys her own boy toy, or maybe she joins them?

Your quote above is a typical example of a gossip's beginning  Hope you understand 

 

[Mishenka]

Da Olga, Ya ponimayu ochen horosho,
Izvinite, spacibo bolshoi,

Mishka

[55North]

Interesting link Olga.  Of course, as in the world over, men (and women) 'cheat', possibly for inherent 'biological' reasons.
 
But that still doesn't mean that it is expected and condoned as a matter of course, and especially not within the context of a mature loving marriage.  After years as a unmarried 'serial monogamist', I am now deeply in love with, and married to a Russian lady.  I can assure you that should I stray sexually, not only would I ruin my marriage, but would also find little sympathy for my action within my extended family.  That is the European society  I live in.  Indeed, most divorces are probably due to unfaithfulness, which must surely indicate non-acceptance.

[GoodOlBoy]

......but in any case "who are we to judge what Putin does" it is none of our business....

Sorry, but this is where my opinion parts ways with most everybody else's.

You see, I believe when you are on the "dole" from the taxpayer (collecting a paycheck from the taxpayers or citizens of your country) that person should behave in a matter that does not disgrace his country or his marriage and family.


Example: Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.


GOB