If you ask Russian which holiday is his or her favorite, he or she with a high probability will say that it is the New Year. In my opinion, it's the most popular and famous holiday in Russia. As you guess the New Year is celebrating at night from 31st December to 1st January, and unlike Christmas in Europe or America it has nothing common with religious holidays.
At the New Year all Russians buy a fir-tree and put on it many different colorful toys, those toys are mostly are made of glass, but sometimes you can find even a wooden toy on a fir-tree. There is also a luminous garland on it. The New Year is considered to be a family holiday. The whole family gathers around the table, eats different tasty things, communicates and decides was the last year good or not. After that, at 12.00 pm whole family listens the president’s speech and counts punches of one of Kremlin’s towers clock. When there were twelfth punch, all drink a full glass of champagne, make a wish and congratulate each other. There are many beautiful fireworks at the streets, so most people go out and shoot their own fireworks and watch fireworks of others. There is also another one nice New Year tradition. If there are little children in family a Father Frost and his granddaughter Snegurochka is invited (in Russian he is called Ded Moroz). Father Frost asks children to sing him a song, or to tell a poem, or to dance. Then Ded Moroz and Snegurocka give children their presents (of course, if they were good and obedient children this year).
So, the New Year is very cool holiday and everyone likes it very much.
I completely agree that New Year is one of the best holidays we have throughout the year! Also, for me, New Year is very familiy-connected hoilday. All 17 New Years that I had in my life, I was celebrating with my familiy. Only once the circumstances were that my father stuck in Finland during the New Year. I remember that we were all very dissappointed with that; however, he was on phone with us during the most important moments like president speech and punches of the Kremlin's clock!
ОтветитьУдалитьI'm looking forward to this New Year, because I will have two free weeks for relaxing after this hard 2012 year. New Year is a time for happy, time for giving and getting gifts, time for decorating the New Year tree, time for coming home and meeting with good friends.
ОтветитьУдалитьI agree with Irina. I really waiting for the New Year Holidays! Even the idea of spending them in front of my TV with my family, watching New Year films and eating New Year dinner.
ОтветитьУдалитьNevertheless, I think that you have not mentioned one very important thing - presents. Of course, you say about Father Frost and Snegurochka, but not only they bring presents to children. Even adults usually buy presents each other (By the way, have you already bought presents to relatives and friends? I must confess, I have not. I hope I will find the time to do this in the near future).
Well, today is 25th December, and it is a Catholic Christmas, and it is the first step to the New Year holidays!)))