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Tags: Russian holidays

Articles:

	Russian Pancakes Recipes
	Since the Pancake Week (or Maslenitsa), the famous Russian holiday, is approaching, we decided to get you acquainted with interesting recipes of Russian pancakes – a traditional food we eat during these days.
--17-02-2012--
	Russian New Year's Feast
	Whence is the tradition to meet the new year at a festive table? What dishes did great-grandmothers and grandmothers of modern Russians cook for this holiday? In the very beginning, in the epoch of Peter the Great who decreed to celebrate the New Year on the night of December 31st to January 1st, the main thing on this holiday was not the table, but dancing. For dinner, supper and breakfast our ancestors had... only dances and drinks to satisfy thirst.
--15-12-2011--
	Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden)
	Snegurochka, i.e. Snow Maiden, is an indispensable New Year's character from Russian fairy tales, the charming granddaughter of Father Frost, his constant companion and assistant. Sometimes she is depicted as a little girl, and sometimes as a young lady.
--13-12-2011--
	Halloween in Russia: How to Scare Baba-Yaga and Stay Alive
	Halloween is a very popular holiday which is now celebrated in many parts of the Western world. Of course, Russia, under its cultural and religious traditions, doesn't look like a country where such holiday can be very widespread. But why are there so many vampires and witches on Russian streets on October 31? And what have Russians added to this traditional celebration? Read this article and you'll see. Just don't get scared...
--28-10-2011--
	New Year Traditions and Beliefs in Russia
	January – the first winter month – was once called prosinets (azure-like) in Old Rus’, because after the low gloomy sky of December it brought islets of clear dark blue sky. But January was also famous for its blizzards and frosts. Hence is its ancient name of sechen’ (whipping one). Besides, January also used to be the month of Vasily (Basil) in honor of St. Basil, whose day fell on January, 1st – the turning point of winter.
--25-10-2011--
	Ivan Kupala Day: Looking for Fern Flower
	Day of Ivan Kupala (aka John the Baptist, or Ivan the Herbalist) in the olden days was one of the most sacred, important and the most rackety festivities for the Russian people. All partook in the celebrations: they would gather herbs and flowers, twine wreaths, make bonfires, jump over them and play, bathe in rivers and lakes and perform divinations about one’s intended.
--25-10-2011--
	Bright Holiday of Pascha, or Russian Easter
	The festival of all festivals – this is how Pascha was called in pre-revolutionary Russia. In those days it was a custom to make merry at fairs, entertain on see-saws and merry-go-rounds, pay visits, and give and take presents. Yet, the greatest pleasure after many days of Lent was certainly the Easter feast.
--28-08-2011--
	Maslenitsa, the Holiday of Spring and Sun
	The tradition of Maslenitsa takes its roots in pagan times, when the Russian folks would bid farewell to stark winter and welcome long-awaited spring with mouth-watering pancakes, as round, yellow and hot, as the Sun itself, as well as with games, songs, dances and burning down the Winter effigy.
--28-08-2011--
	What and Why is Defender’s Day?
	February 23 is celebrated all over Russia as the Homeland Defender’s Day. Now a public holiday, it was first established in 1922 as the Red Army Day and from 1949 to 1993 it was named Day of the Soviet Army and the Navy. Nowadays, however, it has gained a more general sense of the Man’s Day, as a just match for the Women’s Day following it on the calendar.
--28-08-2011--
	Happy Old New Year!
	Sounds strange, doesn't it? For Russia it is quite OK. Comrade Lenin had no idea of the present he was giving to many generation ahead, when signing the decree “On introducing the West European calendar in the Republic of Russia” on January 24, 1918. He presented the Russians with the unique holiday of the Old New Year! How naive he was supposing that we would celebrate the New Year like all the rest, only by the Gregorian calendar!
--28-08-2011--
	Merry Russian Christmas
	Christmas in Russia strangely falls on January 7 and not on December 25 like in Europe and all Catholic and Protestant countries, since the Orthodox Church of Russia still adheres to the Julian calendar. Hence the confusing matter with the New Year, which precedes Russian Christmas instead of following it and, moreover, interferes with the traditional Christmas fast.
--28-08-2011--
	Father Frost the Red Nose
	The key figure of the Russian New Year is certainly Ded Moroz (Father Frost, or Grandfather Frost, to be more exact) who arrives wearing a red caftan (old-style long garment) decorated with traditional embroidering and edged with snow-white fluff, a red cap, white mittens and felt boots.
--26-10-2011--
	RUSSIAN NEW YEAR
	New Year is the main holiday of the year in Russia– the most welcome and the most beautiful one, rich in history, fascinating traditions and amusing customs.
--28-08-2011--
	Russian Holidays
	The Russian love for holidays is known the world over. We adore holidays, indeed. But who does not? Perhaps our love for holidays is special for its indiscrimination – anything goes, just give us a chance to break the daily working routine and indulge into the surfeits of merry-making, eating and drinking.
--28-08-2011--

News:

	Turkey Day to be Celebrated in Rostov-on-Don
	An unusual holiday – Russia's first Day of Turkey – will take place in Rostov-on-Don, May 26,2012.
--22-05-2012--
	Victory Parade Is Held on Red Square in Moscow
	A Victory Day military parade took place today in Moscow's Red Square to commemorate 67 years since victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
--09-05-2012--
	New Year Holidays to Become Shorter in Russia
	Russia's Parliament has enacted a bill to increase May holidays for two days on account of the New Year holiday week.
--16-04-2012--
	Red Marches to Be Held over May Holidays
	The Communist Party of the Russian Federation plans to hold a series of rallies and marches in downtown Moscow over May holidays.
--05-04-2012--
	Kaliningrad Celebrates Herring Day
	Kaliningrad will celebrate a traditional Herring Day by holding the annual gastronomic festival during two weeks, April 2-14, 2012.
--02-04-2012--
	Penguin Day to be Celebrated in Krasnoyarsk
	The Penguin Day will be celebrated in Krasnoyarsk park of flora and fauna “Royev Ruchey” in the end of March. The park’s staff decided to organize this event after the funny flightless birds had appeared on the territory of the zoo.
--19-03-2012--
	Bear Day to be Celebrated in Yaroslavl
	Yaroslavl residents will celebrate the Bear Day (or Komoeditsa), the ancient Slavic holiday that is associated with the awakening of famous Russian animal and the advent of spring. The festival will be traditionally held on the last Sunday of March.
--07-03-2012--
	Russian Pancake Week to be Celebrated in London
	The celebration of the Russian Pancake Week (Maslenitsa) will be held in London for the fifth time. According to the words of Sergey Shpilko, the head of Moscow Committee on tourism and hotel industry, the upcoming event will provide an advertising of Russia as a tourist destination.
--17-02-2012--
	Russians Still Can't Decide About St. Valentine's Day
	According to a recent opinion poll, St. Valentine's Day has become more popular among Russians, yet this holiday has more opponents than supporters.
--15-02-2012--
	The Most Romantic Animals to Be Chosen in Kazan
	On February 14, the loveliest animal couple will be chosen in Kazan zoo by voting of its visitors. The action is dedicated to St. Valentine's Day.
--14-02-2012--
	Day of Cold to be Held in Naryan-Mar
	A new holiday will take place in the Nenets Autonomous Area and Arkhangelsk region for the first time. The Day of Cold will be held February 29 in order to unite people living in the Far North.
--07-02-2012--
	Pancake Week to be Celebrated in Russia
	Pancake Week (or Maslenitsa) - the last week before Lent, will be celebrated in Russia at the end of February. A big number of traditional colorful events will be held in various Russian cities all across the country.
--02-02-2012--
	Yekaterinburg to Celebrate Russian Vodka Birthday
	At the end of January Russian scientist Dmitry Mendeleev defended his dissertation on Russian vodka's composition. The birthday of this drink will be soon celebrated in Yekaterinburg.
--18-01-2012--
	Russians to Celebrate Epiphany
	Russian Orthodox believers will celebrate Epiphany January 19, 2012. People will be able to take a dip in the font with an ice-cold water, that will be placed in the centre of Moscow for the first time.
--17-01-2012--
	The Day of Folk Tale to Appear In Russia
	A new event will appear in the calendar of Russian tourism – the Day of Folk Tale is going to be marked on March 7.
--13-12-2011--
	The Best Place for Christmas is Home
	The recent poll opinion has found out the Russians' favourite places for spending their New Year and Christmas holidays.
--12-12-2011--
	Russian Constitution "Comes to Age"
	Today Russia marks the Constitution Day for the 18th time in its contemporary history. Though this date is no longer a day off in Russia, two thirds of Russian people still celebrate it.
--12-12-2011--
	Moscow Zoo to Celebrate Halloween
	Moscow Zoo invites to participate in Halloween festival together with real bats, cockroaches, snakes and owls.
--28-10-2011--
	Muslim Holidays Can Be Days Off in Russia
	The Russia's State Duma proposed changes to the Russian Labour Code which will allow regions to introduce their own public holidays.
--29-09-2011--