|
January, 1: The New Year is first on the calendar and in popularity. Many celebrate it twice, on January 1 and 14 (which conesponds to January 1 in the Julian calendar, used in Russia before 1918.
January, 7: Orthodox Christmas. This period from 7th till 19th of January is the Saint Christmas week, when people have fun, wear fancy-dresses and walk from one home to another singing Christmas songs and all masters should give them sweets. In the night of the 7th of January (according to the orthodox calendar) Christmas is. In Christmas holidays people try to be better, purer (cleaner); it is the time when Christian values take peculiar importance (meaning), it is time for good deeds.
January, 13: Old New Year . Russians had a different calendar before February 1918. The difference between Julian (the old Russian) and Gregorian (European) calendars was 13 days, and after the Soviet government adopted Gregorian calendar Russians started to celebrate many holidays twice: according to the new style and the old one.
January, 25: Celebrated like Students' Day, very popular among students.
February, 23: Non-official "Men's Day". Soldier's Day, known until recently as Soviet Army Day, popularly viewed as holiday for all men and closely followed by its female counter-part, Women's Day, March 8, when women receive flowers, presents and are toasted by men.
March, 8: Official "Women's Day" . On this day men give women gifts, usually flowers. Men also are supposed to do all the housework, this is pretty nice - at least once a year women can take a break and forget about all those dishes, cooking, kids, take a magazine and relax on the coach...
April, 1: is "the Day of Laugh". People tell jokes to each other, newspapers and TV publish funny stories and jokes. The motto of this day: Do not trust anybody on 1 April ("Pervoye aprelya - nikomu ne veryu").
April, 12: Space Day. On this day in 1961 the first man on Earth – Yuri Gagarin from Soviet Union – made a first trip in space. That was a tremendous breakthrough in scientific development and gave a strong push all over the world towards exploration of space. This is a great occasion to express your respect to people who are involved in scientific works and developments nowadays and present them with gift set and bottle of good tasteful cognac.
May, 1: Mayday, until recently officially termed International Workers' Solidarity Day, is now known as Spring and Labour Day. On some years, it occurs on or close to with Russian Orthodox Easter, so some people celebrate in church while some attend customary demonstrations.
May, 9: Russia celebrates Victory Day on May 9 to commemorate the millions fallen in World War II. Flowers and wreaths are laid on wartime graves on this day, and veterans come out into the streets wearing their military orders and medals. Alas, there are fewer of them with every passing year.
June, 1: The International Day of Children Defense. What is sunnier, joyful, and memorable than the childhood? A child gets to know the world, learns good and friendship, and finds out new in familiar things. A child is happy when he is loved, warmed fed and understood. The children are the future of the mankind. Tomorrow is in their hands. Their right for life and dignity must be respected and defended.
June, 6: Ivan Kupala Day stands out among other summer holidays for it is one of the most important and beloved by everyone celebrations, having pagan roots of our ancestors beliefs. The 7th of JULY is a day of birth of St. John the Baptist, Ivan's Day, as it's called here. The night from July 6 to 7 is believed to posses some magic opportunities, unique for this night only. On Saint John's day sorceresses collect some herbs that are said to possess certain magic powers. It is believed that the fern blossomed on the night before acquire magical properties and people become invisible to his enemies and find all treasures buried in the ground. Picking the flower was quite a challenge as it was thought to be guarded by devils. The day yet has another name Ivan Kupala, after a god from pre-Christian mythology that had to do with water; and that's why this night was feted with particular cleaning rites, using two elements - fire and water.
June, 12: June 12 is Russia's newest holiday, Independence Day, which commemorates the adoption in 1991 of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation.
September, 1: is the Day of Knowledge - it's the beginning of a school year. Children go to schools with flowers for teachers, there are meetings before the classes start - nice and exciting.
November, 7: the anniversary of the socialist revolution of October 1917 which established communist power — still survives. The system is gone, but many still cling to the custom.
December, 12: The Constitution Day. This day the first Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted in 1993 (previous Constitutions were all Soviet Union's). It is a recent public holiday, and there are no special customs connected with this day.
|
|
| |
|
