people celebrate Russia's economic and social achievements and pay tribute to famous Russians on Ju On this day, in 1991, Russian parliament formally declared Russian sovereignty from the Soviet Union. The son of Mikhail’s patronymic name would be Mikhailovich. Before the wedding a groom and a bride have farewell parties with their friends and girlfriends. According to them, you can attract good luck and fight off evil spirits, bring fertility to your family or your farmland. The ceremony and the ring exchange take place on the first day of the wedding. All men in Russia are liable for call-up (including reservists), so they all are celebrities. Russian traditions consist of very interesting blend of Christian and pagan customs. Besides, school holidays usually take place in the first week of this month. Easter is the day of the resurrection of Christ. The Russian Easter egg tradition dates back to pre-Christian times when people saw eggs as fertility symbols and as symbols of protection. Saint Tatyana’s Day. Traditions. Russian name days are an interesting tradition with Christian origins and a part of Russian culture. A spectacular example is Lent, which many Christians keep in early spring in a memory of passions and death of Christ. Many Russians use this public holiday to relax. Here's a quick list of official public holidays and other Russian festivities. Christmas was banned as a religious holiday under the reign of the Soviet Union in 1929, and as a result New Year’s Day was made into the bigger celebration; if people wanted to celebrate Christmas, they had to do so in secret. The official Christmas/New Year holiday season in Russia lasts from December 31st to January 10th. Don’t forget the Russian Christmas cookies called kozulya, made into the shape of a sheep, goat, or deer. On Christmas Eve, some people fast until they see the first star in the sky. Russia Day (Russian: День России, Den' Rossii) called Day of adoption of the declaration of state sovereignty of RSFSR (Russian: День принятия Декларации о государственном суверенитете РСФСР, Den' prinyatia Declaratsii o gosudarstvennom suvernitete RSFSR) before 2002, is the national holiday of the Russian Federation. For dessert, Russians enjoy fruit pies, gingerbread and honeybread cookies, called pryaniki, and fresh and dried fruit and nuts. If you don’t like crowds, though, you should stay away, because the Moscow city center will be packed the whole day – especially the parks and cafes, and anywhere near Red Square. Russia Day (День России Den Rossii) National Day, celebrated on June 12. Russia Day. Although this day is an official Russian holiday, many Russian citizens are still somewhat ambivalent towards the holiday. On this day women usually give men small gifts. The perfect example is Midsummer Night with jumping over the fire and circle dances. These traditions take place alongside Soviet-era customs such as the salad called оливье (aleevYEH) and the traditional Russian dish of aspic: студень (STOOden') and холодец (halaDYETS). The meal often consists of 12 dishes, representing the 12 disciples of Jesus. Awareness of them, and their perceived importance, depends on various factors including region and age. The Russian Santa Claus is Father Frost, known as Ded Moroz in Russian, who brings presents to children, accompanied by his Granddaughter Snegurochka, the snow maiden. s that may seem strange to an outsider is borshch, also spelled borscht. The perfect example is Midsummer Night with jumping over the fire and circle dances. At Christmastime and many other holidays it was popular to tell fortune, mostly for unmarried girls to know who will be their husband. Ivan Kupala Rituals. Orthodox Christians also celebrate Advent, the forty day period before Christmas which commemorates the arrival of Jesus into the world (Advent comes from the latin “Adventus”, or arrival). Kupala got the name Ivan after the baptizing of Russia, when he was replaced by John the Baptist (the way he was percepted by common people), who baptized Christ and whose birthday was celebrated on 24 June. … 12 April – Cosmonauts’ Day. A first name, which is the given name 2. One example of this is … Eggs represented renewal or new life. On this day … It became a recognized public holiday in Russia in 1918, and it is the current analog of “Men’s Day” celebrated on February 23rd. With a total area of 17,075,400 square kilometers, it covers more than a ninth of the Earth's land area. The New Year is the first in calendar and in popularity. Men may give spring flowers, especially tulips and lilacs, to women, and parents may buy balloons and ice-cream to their children to celebrate the end of the cold season in Russia. Russia day is the only public holiday Russians have in summer, taking place on June 12th. New Year’s Eve is considered the most magical time of the year in Russia. St. Tatyana’s Day is a day when student’s celebrate the end of the winter term. Some of them went out on a street and asked a name of a first passer-by (this shall be the name of the girl’s future groom), others tried to see him in a dream or in a mirror in a dark room. Russian holidays reflect all aspects of Russian history, customs and traditions. Russian Easter shifts from year to year because it falls on the first Sunday … The best man and maid of honor are called Witnesses or Свидетели (svideteli) in Russian. Holiday Traditions - Russia In Russia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar for religious celebrations. Every summer comes a chain of open air holidays and rituals. Copyright © 2021 Russia.com All rights reserved. Russia - Russia - Daily life and social customs: During the Soviet era most customs and traditions of Russia’s imperial past were suppressed, and life was strictly controlled and regulated by the state through its vast intelligence network. You cannot use this module until you edit the available options. The Magic Ice of Siberia is … On this day in 1961, the first manned space flight in the history of the … One of the main aims of this holiday is to help young boys and girls to meet each other. May Day: Russian Traditions for the Spring Holiday. Some may go on a retreat to their country homes (called dachas) to work in the garden or spend time with their families. ... and most of us are very proud. Russian traditions, superstitions and beliefs include superstitions and customs of Russians. The holiday was officially established in 1992. Every summer comes a chain of open air holidays and rituals. Non-official "Men's Day" is 23 February, it is a public holiday called "The Homeland Defender's Day". Russia’s holiday calendar is a great reflection of the multi-faceted and diverse history of this country. It contains public and patriotic holidays (many of which lead back to Soviet times) organically combined with religious ones, celebrated back in imperial Russia. In fact, in Russia, this holiday is not called “Women’s Day.” Customs, Traditions And Celebrations. The hero… Maslenitsa is widely known as Sun and Spring Festival, its main traditions are fun, jokes and pancakes cooking. Popular holidays such as New Year, Christmas, Christmastime, Epiphany and Maslenitsa come with millions of traditions. Relationships between culinary and traditions in Russia are very tight: there are special «ritual» dishes which need to be prepared on certain days, such as Easter cakes and pancakes on Maslenitsa. 1. Many holidays can last a couple of weeks. His daughter’… Talking about Russian national personality, people often use a phrase « Russian mystique». The official anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution had been commemorated on November 7, but this was canceled after the collapse of the USSR. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for Russians to observe two Christmases and two New Year’s Days—with the first Christmas on December 25th, and the second New Year’s on January 14th. Russia's New Year celebrations include the lighting of the New Year's tree and a visit from Ded Moro z (or Grandfather Frost), the Russian version of Santa Claus. Official "Women's Day" is 8 March. This dish is sometimes eaten from one common bowl to symbolize unity. Then they break their fast with a meatless dinner. Some will celebrate Advent by adhering to a strict vegan “fast”, while others will abstain from eating altogether. On that day people wore girths of flowers and wreaths of herbs. Victory Day Celebrations in Russia in 2020 In 2020, Russia is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Victory Day. Nowadays many restaurants have «fasting menu» in this period, and many non-religious people also keep the fast. Many carolers wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves so they can prank those who aren’t generous with their rewards. Relationships between culinary and traditions in Russia are very tight: there are special «ritual» dishes which need to be prepared on certain days, such as Easter cakes and pancakes on Maslenitsa. The holiday came to Russia from Byzantium … This is the newest holiday for Russians, celebrated since 2005. But old habits die hard, and people were psychologically tuned to having a day off in early November. Right” will be. New Year is accompanied by making wishes, snowballs, building snow forts and snowmen, sledding. Russia is the largest country in the world by area. Much of the fortune-telling has to deal with finding out who “Mr. It will be true to … But, there is an older New Year's Day tradition on January 14th that many in Russia also celebrate. One traditional Russian Christmas Eve dish is sochivo or kutya, a porridge made from wheat or rice, served with honey, poppy seeds, fruit, and chopped walnuts. And don't dare to critisize the way our country is -- Russia is Children go caroling around the neighborhood wishing their neighbors a happy new year, who reward them with cookies, sweets, and money. Easter. Weddings, removals, funerals, long trips – all these events were necessarily accompanied by rituals. January: International Festival of Snow and Ice Sculpture, Krasnoyarsk. The land area of Russia is 1.8 times larger than the United States. When a ​ Russian person is named after a saint, he or she has the opportunity to celebrate the day appointed for the saint in addition to a birthday. The Russian word for Christmas Eve “sochelnik” comes from the word “sochivo”. The holiday was supposed to be commemorated with a military parade, the "Immortal Regiment", fireworks and other traditional celebrations with leaders and representatives of different countries as guests. Vzvar is served at the end of the meal, which is a sweet drink made from dried fruit and honey boiled in water. Even non-religious people often enjoy celebrations of national holidays and execute certain rituals. A middle name, which is a patronymic, or version, of the father’s first name. In Russia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar for religious celebrations. Many of them are now inseparable parts of everyday life, or simply common social etiquette, though they often have their origins in superstition. The name day is also called the “angel day.” International Women’s Day in Russia was first marked on March 8, 1913, when women demanded the right to vote via a public demonstration. In a recent poll, only about 1 in 5 Russian citizens consider this day to have significant symbolic meaning and most view this day as simply an excuse to have a day off from work. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, people were free to celebrate Christmas again, but to this day it still remains the smaller, quieter holiday following the big New Year’s celebrations. It is also common for people to have picnics or barbecues. Though its name sounds simple, it is the most misunderstood of all Russia’s holidays. It is also the only national holiday that wasn’t celebrated in the USSR. There are specific types of flowers, however, for Women’s day and any old rose or, god forbid, bunch of pansies simply won’t do. When Russian Orthodoxy was adopted, eggs took on Christian symbolism. Russia’s “Old” New Year is celebrated on January 14th according to the Julian, or Orthodox, calendar. For many centuries they have determined the rhythm and the lifestyle of the nation – from clearly written annual calendar to marriage and other rituals. January 1 - The New Year. Christmas night begins a two-week period known as Yuletide, or Svyatki; a time for fortune-telling and caroling. In Russia, the first ten days of May have come to be known as “May … Both Valentine’s Day and Women’s day are celebrated in Russia and both involve giving bucket-loads of flowers. Young girls try reading their fortunes in tea leaves, mirrors, candle wax, and barn noises to name a few. It’s a shifting holiday. May is upon us and that means longer days and warm sunshine. Christmas and Epiphany are very religious holidays that are celebrated in the church and with family members. Other popular foods for this meal include beetroot soup or borsch, solyanka, a salty stew, served with individual vegetable pies made with cabbage, potato, or mushroom, sauerkraut, porridge dishes such as buckwheat with fried onions and fried mushrooms, salads, potatoes, dried fruit, beans, and other fruits and vegetables. There are actually two New Year’s holidays celebrated in Russia. May Day (May 1) is a holiday rich in history and folklore, celebrating the return of spring! Russian names are comprised of: 1. Russia.com / Culture / Russian traditions. And if it came to a wedding, almost every step of young people is accompanied by this or that ritual. Many of them survived to this day. After the meal, Orthodox Christians attend a midnight church service, which lasts until the break of day. This celebration is the smaller of the two New Year’s holidays, and Russians usually spend the day with family. The meal on Christmas Day breaks the vegan fast with courses like roast pork and goose, pirogi, pelmeni, or meat dumplings, aspic, and stuffed pies. The history of National Unity Day is connected with the Time of Troubles and the Polish intervention in 1612. As a child, we remember our grandparents leaving delightful little May Day baskets, as well as the fun tradition of dancing around the maypole at school. Despite their seemingly unique matrimonial ceremonies, Russian weddings have adopted some western traditions, including incorporating bridesmaids into the wedding party. Learn more about May Day and 10 ways to “bring in the May.” Russia Day Facts Many foods are prohibited these days; you shall not eat meat and many other products. The best place to celebrate Russia Day is undoubtedly Moscow, where a huge celebration is always held right on Red Square. 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