Quote Originally Posted by Throbert McGee View Post
Is it widespread to celebrate Рождество with gift-giving on 7 January?

My understanding is that long before the atheist Bolsheviks appeared on the scene, gift-giving (and ёлочки, and Дед Мороз) in tsarist Russia was associated with the New Year, and Christmas was a rather formal and solemn religious holy-day, but not a festive holiday.
New Year is still the biggest holiday in Russia and Christmas is not so big. Christmas in Russia is kinda like New Year(except for NY ) in US and New Year in Russia is like Christmas in US - gift- and congratulations- wise. Many people go to church that day (even people who go to church twice a year)

Quote Originally Posted by Throbert McGee View Post
(And "recess" in the American elementary-school sense, when the children are allowed a free half-hour of time for play between lessons, would be перерыв, as far as I know.)
посыпаю голову пеплом
I was using Lingvo translator because I didn't know exact translation, thank you