Thread: Christmas

How are the winter holiday's celebrated in Russia? What are some fun traditions? Is it at all like the American way?

Originally Posted by iamjames

How are the winter holiday's celebrated in Russia? What are some fun traditions? Is it at all like the American way?

Not exactly American way. People start to celebrate at 31 December and until the 14 Jan (The Old New Year - New Year by Grigorian calendar). Orthodox Christmas selebrated at the 7 Jan, but not by all people. I'm personally not too religeous, so for me it's just another vacant day.
The New Year's night is the main part of all these holidays. Traditions? President's speech at 11:55 pm, drinking champagne during the Kremlin bells sounding, fireworks and... frankly speaking usually I don't remember what happens next... D@mn vodka!

Christmas is not celebrated in Russia, almost at all. It is considered a holy day, and it falls on the 7th of January. New Year is celebrated widely, and, let's say, the most anticipated holiday of the year.

About "like the American Way". When you gonna stop thinking you're an example to the rest of the world?

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

When you gonna stop thinking you're an example to the rest of the world?

Это довольно разумное предположение в наше время. Но то, что меня раздражает - это 'American way'. Рождество происходит из Европы!

I never celebrate Christmas. It may sound very cruel but it is how things are in my little world. Not that I don't believe in God. I don't think there's any connection here. I guees I don't celebrate it because my parents don't do so. I'm not used to this kind of celebration. Furthermore, the Russian people have quite a different Christmas from the European or American one. I think it is more religion-related.

I don't celebrate it. Though I know quite a few people who celebrate it twice (both Catholic and Orthodox), they are not religious so it's just a reason for... um .. celebration.
I'd say New Year is still concidered far more important holiday than Christmas.

Originally Posted by iamjames

How are the winter holiday's celebrated in Russia? What are some fun traditions? Is it at all like the American way?

http://www.cnshb.ru/Cnshb/aris/fermer/dig/d_128.htm
http://www.museum.ru/eduportal/sait/svatki/svatki.html

The tradition of celebrating the Christmas was weeded out by Soviets. In 1917 Church was officially removed from participating in governing the country and from power also. Soviet Union was a secular state and though religion practice was not, strictly speaking, forbidden it could cost you a career if you were spotted in the Church.
Since then the rich Russian tradition of celebrating the Christmas came to the end. After 1991 when SU had ended its existence these traditions became slowly reintroduced, though, I think it will never be celebrated in such a way it used to be before the revolution. Though, I must admit, that Russian Orthodox Church is making great efforts of re-introducing the practice. Orthodox Christmas (celebrated on 7-th of January) was declared an official holiday regardless of the fact that over 30% of the Russian poopulation are Muslims and some another great part is the Jews.
(That hardly seems fair since Islamic and Jewish New Years should also be declared holidays then Of course that means that I won't go working these days).
For Russia Christmas is a religious date, not just the day when you don't go to work, so it's celebrated mostly by those who feel religious and whom that date seems important to.

I cook myself a salad (Оливье one, Russians will understand me ), fry some rissoles and watch the liturgy on TV.

That's my Christmas And of course a little cause to put a small chocolate bar under the New Year's tree.

regardless of the fact that over 30% of the Russian poopulation are Muslims

What?!!! It's a joke, isn't it?!

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

regardless of the fact that over 30% of the Russian poopulation are Muslims

What?!!! It's a joke, isn't it?!

Well, the figure turned out to be inaccurate. There are about 20 millions of muslims in Russia which makes about 13%.
30% is the total quantity of people of non-orthodox confessions (Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and others) There are some number of atheists too.

Originally Posted by Ramil

There are about 20 millions of muslims in Russia which makes about 13%.
30% is the total quantity of people of non-orthodox confessions (Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and others) There are some number of atheists too.

Вас послушать - так у нас религиозная страна. 20 миллионов "мусульман" - это надо понимать как 20 миллионов человек, принадлежащих к нациям, у которых традиционной религией считалось/считается мусульманство. Тоже самое про православных: 70% - это, мягко говоря, лукавые цифры. Но эти цифры устраивают религиозных вождей. Правда - не в их интересах. Наверное поэтому они отказались от выяснения реальной религиозной самоидентификации населения во время последней переписи.

Originally Posted by Юрка

Originally Posted by Ramil

There are about 20 millions of muslims in Russia which makes about 13%.
30% is the total quantity of people of non-orthodox confessions (Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and others) There are some number of atheists too.

Вас послушать - так у нас религиозная страна. 20 миллионов "мусульман" - это надо понимать как 20 миллионов человек, принадлежащих к нациям, у которых традиционной религией считалось/считается мусульманство. Тоже самое про православных: 70% - это, мягко говоря, лукавые цифры. Но эти цифры устраивают религиозных вождей. Правда - не в их интересах. Наверное поэтому они отказались от выяснения реальной религиозной самоидентификации населения во время последней переписи.

You may be right. According the latest population census (2002) there were about 14.5 million people who declared that they profess Islam.

http://www.katolik.ru/modules.php?na...ticle&sid=1528

Orthodox christians - 86.5% (about 126 millions) I think this figure includes atheists.
Muslims - 10% (about 14.5 millioins)
Armenian-Gregorian - 0.8% (about 1.1 million)
Pagans - 0.5% (about 670 thousands)
Catholics - 0.35% (about 480 thousands)
Lutheran and Mennonites - 0.3% (about 430 thousands)
Buddhists - 0.25% (about 380 thousands)
Yahud (Jews) - 0.15% (about 230 thousands)
Unknown ethnical groups and unspecified - 1.15% (about 1.5 million)

Here's another article:
http://www.usembassy.ru/bilateral/print_religiousr.php

My point is, though I am an Orthodox christian myself, that as soon Russia declares itself a secular state it must not show any religious preferences including religious holidays.

Originally Posted by Ramil

The tradition of celebrating the Christmas was weeded out by Soviets. In 1917 Church was officially removed from participating in governing the country and from power also. Soviet Union was a secular state and though religion practice was not, strictly speaking, forbidden it could cost you a career if you were spotted in the Church.
Since then the rich Russian tradition of celebrating the Christmas came to the end. After 1991 when SU had ended its existence these traditions became slowly reintroduced, though, I think it will never be celebrated in such a way it used to be before the revolution. Though, I must admit, that Russian Orthodox Church is making great efforts of re-introducing the practice. Orthodox Christmas (celebrated on 7-th of January) was declared an official holiday regardless of the fact that over 30% of the Russian poopulation are Muslims and some another great part is the Jews.
(That hardly seems fair since Islamic and Jewish New Years should also be declared holidays then Of course that means that I won't go working these days).
For Russia Christmas is a religious date, not just the day when you don't go to work, so it's celebrated mostly by those who feel religious and whom that date seems important to.

It is a tradition with the Russian people to celebrate anything that could provide them with an extra day off. We aren't very hard-working, I suppose. At least, that's what I can see in real life and that's what I can say about myself. If there's no great incentive to do something, I will think twice before starting doing it.

Make sure that you supply your posts with accurate information. As I read your first post (with the 30% reference), I thought you'd definitely got all your info confused or rather that you were anti-Russian/Muslims/whatever.

Effectively, Russia's a religious country. I don't have much statistics to bear out my reasoning but my take on this matter is that Russia is increasingly multi-national country. Caucasians, Chinese, and Jews constitute most of the non-Russian part of the country. Sometimes it seems utterly disgusting to me but at other times, it's quite ok by me - especially when I take into account the number of immigrants in the developed world.

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Caucasians, Chinese, and Jews constitute most of the non-Russian part of the country.

Do you know that the second biggest ethnic group at Russia is Tatars?

Originally Posted by Basil77

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Caucasians, Chinese, and Jews constitute most of the non-Russian part of the country.

Do you know that the second ethnic group at Russia by population is Tatars?

I do. But they live largely in Tatarstan, I guess. RIght? THe nationalities mentioned by me tend to inhabit all Russia.

Originally Posted by Basil77

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Caucasians, Chinese, and Jews constitute most of the non-Russian part of the country.

Do you know that the second biggest ethnic group at Russia is Tatars?

Ukrainians. Then go Tatars. But that's beside the point. Don't confuse nationality and religion. I'm half Tatar myself but I am an orthodox christian. There are also ethnic Russians who profess Islam don't forget about that.

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Originally Posted by Basil77

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Caucasians, Chinese, and Jews constitute most of the non-Russian part of the country.

Do you know that the second ethnic group at Russia by population is Tatars?

I do. But they live largely in Tatarstan, I guess. RIght? THe nationalities mentioned by me tend to inhabit all Russia.

Wrong!

Don't make me laugh. They live everywhere, believe me I know.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Originally Posted by Basil77

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Caucasians, Chinese, and Jews constitute most of the non-Russian part of the country.

Do you know that the second ethnic group at Russia by population is Tatars?

I do. But they live largely in Tatarstan, I guess. RIght? THe nationalities mentioned by me tend to inhabit all Russia.

Wrong!

Don't make me laugh. They live everywhere, believe me I know.

Okk, I will. Is everyone in Tatarstan trying to move out? For example, go live in Moscow? I don't think so. Here's the difference. What's more, the Tatars have their own republic within Russia.

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

What's more, the Tatars have their own republic within Russia.

The Caucasians have their own republics within Russia too, but что толку?