Christmas Holidays with a RW

[mark2353]

Tell them that if they won't stop harassing you your mark2353 will turn into mark666 and then they'll be in biiiiiiig trouble! 

Cute! There are some good features about getting divorced! I no longer have to socialize with those individuals. 

[Russiangirl]

Our other Christmas holidays were in non-Christian countries (Thailand, Egypt, Russia)... 

A tree will be something as they never had a real tree before...

Her son is already questioning me why Christmas is in December and not January...

LOL, Gator, a very entertaining account. Although your "heathen wife" may be pulling your leg a bit...

1) Russia is a Christian country, and was such since appr. 9th century AD. If you ever visited, you may have noticed quaint ancient buildings with crosses on top - they are called churches, LOL. 

Eastern Orthodox considers other braches of Christianity at best schizmatic (i.e., Catholics) and at worst heretical (everybody else).

Therefore note to the wise - if you are a presbitarian, baptist, or any other Christian faith which emerged after the first milenium, and marry a truly religious Christian RW, she will most likely consider you a heathen, LOL.

2) Live tree - of course we had them, but not as beautiful as here...

3) Russian Christmas is celebrated on January 7. Russian church follows the "old" Julian calendar created in 44 BC by Julius Caeser astronomer. It did not accept the "new" civil calendar adopted in 16th century. December 25th in "old" calendar falls on January 7th of the "new" calendar.

Same with New Year - "old" New Year January 1th falls on January 13th. Yes, confusing, but think about it, you get to celebrate each holiday twice. Whoo-hoo!

[AnastassiaAsh]

Eastern Orthodox considers other braches of Christianity at best schizmatic (i.e., Catholics) and at worst heretical (everybody else).

Very true. And it really shows in the whole attitude of Russians towards Americans or other foreigners. Big conflict here. To be able to marry in church, a foreigner first must be converted to the Orthodox faith and then marry his lady. She will never get a blessing or permission from any father of Russian Orthodox Church to marry a foreigner with any other different faith. These are the rules.

[kievstar]

Regarding marriage in Orthodox church in Ukraine you can do the following and has worked for men I know and I am setup as well for my marriage in 2009.  I also know Russian Orthodox churches in USA who take handouts. Have a meeting with priest and express intent in converting and children raised Orthodox.  Show proof not currently married and no criminal background. Give money.  Marriage is set.  I may convert in future but I have been Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic in the past and tired right now of officially converting to different religions.  I like the handout method.  Same as the Catholic church when I wanted my divorce to go away - green handshake.  Orthodoxes are a lot cheaper on the green than Catholics.

[catzenmouse]

This sounds really juvenile but one of the great pleasures of our first Christmas together was introducing my wife to all the old favorite Christmas TV programs (Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Year w/out a Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, etc.). She loves them all, although her fave is a more recent one, Polar Express.

"A Christmas Story" is our favorite holiday movie but we enjoy most the older and newer ones as well.

Do you all have 3 gift giving days? 25th for Western Christmas, 1st for New Years and the 7th for Russian Christmas?

We ration out the gifts and it is fun to have all three days for presents.

[groovlstk]

"A Christmas Story" is our favorite holiday movie but we enjoy most the older and newer ones as well.

 
Long ago when I was in college, I had a long rehab from back surgery after a hockey injury, and my two youngest nephews would hang out with me most days while their mom worked. They loved A Christmas Story and they were at that age when they feel reassurance by watching the same program over and over again and hearing the same stories repeated. I must've watched A Christmas Story 500 times with them. In June. In July. And August. It scarred me so bad that I'll gladly sit on a sofa and drool for 24 hours straight while watching The Yule Log rather than have to watch A Christmas Story again. It's a really funny movie, but after the 100th viewing you start to see Ralphie and his friends as Nazy youth and his parents as Communists.

[Ooooops]

I'm an Russian Orthodox Christian.   My husband is "non-believer".   We got married in Buddhist Justice of Peace Office.   

[Ooooops]

I must've watched A Christmas Story 500 times with them. In June. In July. And August. It scarred me so bad that I'll gladly sit on a sofa and drool for 24 hours straight while watching The Yule Log rather than have to watch A Christmas Story again.

 

I love that movie.   Bee-bee gun and tung stuck to the pole and overdressed little boy...      But I'd go crazy as well if I have to see it 500 times...