Thread: Russian Orthodox Christmas in the U.S.

Privet! I'm fairly new here to this message board and I hope that it is appropriate for me to start this particular thread in this General Discussion forum.

I understand that Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, 13 days after Christmas is celebrated in the United States. I am interested to find out from Russians living here in the U.S. when it is that they celebrate Christmas? Is it on December 25th, January 7th, or perhaps both days are actually celebrated?

Spasibo!

Originally Posted by Kirkenes

Privet! I'm fairly new here to this message board and I hope that it is appropriate for me to start this particular thread in this General Discussion forum.

I understand that Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, 13 days after Christmas is celebrated in the United States. I am interested to find out from Russians living here in the U.S. when it is that they celebrate Christmas? Is it on December 25th, January 7th, or perhaps both days are actually celebrated?

Spasibo!

The Russians start drinking approximately on December 20th and stops sometime after January 15th (so it's really hard to tell when and what exactly each individual celebrates at any particular moment)

@Ramil - lol

@Original poster.

In my experiences, it varied slightly.

Depending on the age of the person and their marital status and how long they have been in America. The older (24+) crowd, seemed to be more assimilated with the American dates and holidays, and if they were married to, or living with Americans this was especially true. The younger ones, say teenagers, or even early 20's, if they were still living with their parents, or if the family was relatively "Fresh off the boat" so to speak, tended to stick with the Russian calendar.

So basically it cames down to personal opinion.
My friend Zheka moved to seattle from kazakhstan like 10 years ago, He's like 20 and his wife is also around that age and from Ukraine. They speak perfect english (yes russian among themselves, and me) and I don't think are especially religious, yet as far as I know probably celebrate both. On the 25th with each other and probably 13 days later with their families. So really its the best of both worlds. How can you beat Christmas twice a year?

My family celebrates the American Christmas and although a lot of my family isn't Orthodox, the кутя is still made. mmmmmmmmmm кутя

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

..., the кутя is still made. mmmmmmmmmm кутя

Кутя
http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%83%D1%82%D1%8F

My experiences agree with what people said in this thread. It depends on the individual and how important it is to celebrate Christmas on a particular date.

On a side note, the Russian population must have had an impact on the people in my area instead of the other way around because it seems like no one takes down their decorations until weeks after the 25th which means they unwittingly celebrate Orthodox Christmas. With that in mind, I have celebrated Orthodox Christmas myself a few times.

Yes, although Orthodox Christmas has nothing to do with outdoor decorations.

Apparently, it deals with indoor decorations only.

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

@Original poster.

In my experiences, it varied slightly.

Depending on the age of the person and their marital status and how long they have been in America. The older (24+) crowd, seemed to be more assimilated with the American dates and holidays, and if they were married to, or living with Americans this was especially true.

Spasibo to everyone for your replies.

During the past several days I've had a chance to talk to two of my Russian friends who have both lived here in the U.S. for more than 8 years. Both of them are planning to have their big Christmas celebrations on December 25th.

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

My family celebrates the American Christmas and although a lot of my family isn't Orthodox, the кутя is still made. mmmmmmmmmm кутя

Unfortunately I don't know the cyrillic alphabet yet, but I came up with "kutja" as a possible transliteration for кутя by using the translit.ru site. When I did a google search on "kutja" I found one result in the first several pages saying that said it is a wheat or barley porridge served during Easter or Christmas.

It also mentioned "kutya" as an alternative spelling and when I did a search on this I found many more results. Here is one of the links to information about "kutya" that I came across:

http://www.recipezaar.com/77525

To the Ukrainians Christmas is not Christmas without Kutya, a ritual dish and an integral part of the Holy Night Meal, is served only during the Christmas cycle of holidays which ends with the Feast of Jordan on January 19. The origin of this dish goes back to days immemorial when the early Ukrainian ancestors first cultivated wheat. A relic of customs practised three thousand years before the Christmas era. This dish should be prepared several days ahead of of time for flavour to develop. It keeps very well in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or so. Kutya is high in nutritional value and should be eaten any time.

If anyone has any Russian Christmas experiences they would like to share, I'd be interested to learn more about this tradition of serving кутя during Christmas meals.

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

Yes, although Orthodox Christmas has nothing to do with outdoor decorations.

It must not be an important thing for all Orthodox Christmas because I know of a few people who are Orthodox and have outdoor decorations. I think it is just them trying to fit into American culture like most other people when they come here.

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

My family celebrates the American Christmas and although a lot of my family isn't Orthodox, the кутя is still made. mmmmmmmmmm кутя

How common is it for Russians to also serve кутя during New Year's celebrations?

Well, I don't know that many Russians here, but we usually have кутя at least once or twice.

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

Well, I don't know that many Russians here, but we usually have кутя at least once or twice.

Spasibo for your reply xRoosterx.

So would that be once during New Year's Eve and then perhaps again on New Year's Day that you would serve кутя?

I'd also be curious to know what some of the other dishes are that might traditionally be served during a Russian New Year's gathering?

Sometimes on New Years Day, but especially on January 7. The 'Christmas Dinner'usually consists of кутя, potatoes, salad, bread with a type of garlic spread, peas/beans, homemade tea, rice, etc. I guess I'll just tell you what we have in a week or so.

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

Sometimes on New Years Day, but especially on January 7. The 'Christmas Dinner'usually consists of кутя, potatoes, salad, bread with a type of garlic spread, peas/beans, homemade tea, rice, etc. I guess I'll just tell you what we have in a week or so.

Spasibo for your reply xRoosterx.

Earlier today I received a very nice New Year's greeting in the form of a slide show from one of my best friends in Russia. Although I was very impressed that everything was written in nearly perfect English, I thought it was interesting that she used "Congratulations" at the very beginning of her greeting.

Is the Russian equivalent of "Congratulations" a very common way to start a New Year's greeting is Russia?

Well, I'm not a native speaker and I haven't heard it.

Originally Posted by Kirkenes

Is the Russian equivalent of "Congratulations" a very common way to start a New Year's greeting is Russia?

"Поздравляю (-ем)!" (literally "I (We) congratulate/Congratulations) is a common way of greetings, whether it's a holiday, a birthday or any other happy occasion. The greetings can be specified (a name of the holiday added): "Поздравляю с Новым Годом!", "Поздравляю с удачной покупкой", etc.

Also the whole phrase can be shortened: the word "Поздравляю" is omitted and only "c" + a name of the holiday in instrumental are left: "С Рождеством!", "С Новым Годом!", etc.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

...or any other happy occasion.

Not necessarily "happy" ones.

Originally Posted by Rtyom

Not necessarily "happy" ones.

Well, yeah. It depends on the person's sense of humor. )))