Traditional Russian holidays and celebrations.

Every country has its own national holidays, but there are holidays that are common for many countries. People all over the world know New Year's Day, Christmas and Easter. In Russia New Year's Day is the most popular holiday, but in the West people pay more attention to Christmas.

There are dates and events in our country that are memorable to Russian people. They are the Victory Day, the Woman's Day, the Day of Spring and Labour, the Independence Day, the Country Defendant's Day, the Constitution Day, Maslenitsa. Besides, there are many professional days in our country, i.e. Teacher's Day, Miner's Day, etc.

New Year s Day is a family event in Russia. People begin to prepare for this holiday beforehand. Everything is rush and bustle. There is a great air of expectation. People decorate their New Year trees and their homes with colored lights.

They usually put their presents under the tree. When the Kremlin clock strikes 12, the people of Russia listen to the President's speech on TV. New Year in Russia is a time to be together with the family and close friends.

Christmas in Russia is celebrated on January 7th. It is celebrated with all night services in churches.

The Russian Orthodox Church recognizes January 7 as the day Jesus was bom. This is actually not so strange; the Romans celebrated Christmas on January 6th up until the year 354, when the bishop of Rome changed it. Some say this change was made according to scholarship available at the time, others say that the day was moved to appease northern pagans who celebrated the birth of a sun god on this day. In the Soviet Union, Christmas was effectively banned under the officially atheist Soviets in 1925. The holiday has not gained much in popularity since its official reinstitution in 1992. Some Russians do not celebrate the day at all, while some have a small family dinner, and a very few exchange gifts.

The Country Defendant s Day is celebrated on February 23rd. This holiday is devoted to soldiers and officers and everybody else who defended the country or is in the Russian Army.

This holiday was first celebrated in Moscow as "Day of the Birth of the Red Army" in 1922. The name was changed again in 1946 to "Day of the Soviet Army and Navy." As the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, the holiday's name was also changed to its current "Day of the Defendants of the Fatherland."

The Mother's Day is celebrated on March 8th. It is a day off. Men and boys try to please their mothers, sisters and wives by giving presents and flowers.

Maslenitsa (maleness) marks the end of winter and beginning of spring. During this festival people make pancakes with different fillers. They dance and sing the traditional songs, dance and visit each other.

Easter is the main Orthodox festival. People color eggs and enjoy traditional Russian dishes. Churches hold special services on this day.

Maslenitsa and Easter do not have the exact date of celebration.

The Day of Spring and Labour is celebrated on May 1st.

It was formerly International Worker's Solidarity Day under the old Communist system. It is celebrated with parades, concerts, food, and drink and traditionally kicks off the dacha season.

On this day people prefer to go outdoors and take part in all kinds of outdoor activities.

The Victory Day is celebrated on May 9th. It celebrates the end of the Soviet Union's participation in World War II in Europe. People put flowers at the tombs of the soldiers who were killed during the war. The main ceremony is held in Moscow. People lay flowers in Moscow's Victory Park and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Independence Day is celebrated on June 12th.

On this day Russia became an independent country after the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991. This is an official holiday.

People s Unity Day is celebrated on November 4th. It is an official holiday and a day off.

Constitution Day is celebrated on December 12th.

The date of this holiday changed several times in the course of the history, with each new Russian constitution from Lenin to Stalin, to Brezhnev and to Yeltsin. It is celebrated with fireworks. It is the day off for the Russians.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04