Do Russians like winter? Wondering if Russians like winter?.

It may be strange, but many people answer no. Russians are tired of the constant cold and are waiting for summer. And of course many people look forward to winter because it is associated with New Year and Christmas. This is a favorite holiday in Russia, which we congratulate on the first snow of the year, which usually falls in November.
In Russia, Christmas Eve is traditionally called Sachyelnik (Сочелник).

The name originates from the word sochivo (сочиво), which is a special and symbolic food made from grains, seeds, honey and nuts. This meal symbolizes the end of the 40-day birthday fast, when the first star appears in the evening sky on Sochelnik night. During December until the end of January, Russians decorate their homes, offices, shops, super factory products and streets. At this time, the temperatures drop and the streets turn white with snow, which enhances the color of the Christmas decorations on the streets.

Supermarkets have many products on display and many discounts are available on products such as chocolates during this time. As always, people wear warm clothes when they have a cold, but when they have a severe cold, they wear a fur coat.

For children, winter is always like a holiday because it gives them the opportunity to play in the snow. If the temperature drops below 30 degrees, the school lessons are cancelled, which would certainly excite children, but they love to walk with their friends. Adults have fun playing various sports in winter. At this time of year, the parks are full of people. Many of them ski both in open and closed trails and ice hockey. Sledding is a traditional Russian pastime. In the past, they were used as a means of transportation in countries. Although they are still used to this way in the north, today in most of Russia, they are only for entertainment.

Sledding down the hill is very popular. This is something perfect for the Russian winter. How fun it is to drive down the hill fast! And how boring it is to drag the sled back up the hill again and again. In winter, it is also popular among Russians, especially if there is no sled nearby. besides sitting on cardboard, progress is slower and your chance to spin is greatly reduced. Also, many people like to make snowmen with their hands from small twigs. Making a snowman face is a really creative process. Another source of entertainment is playing snowballs. Children like to play snowballs.

You will understand how popular it is when you come to the street on a frosty and sunny day. After class, children run out into the street and start playing. So be careful when you pass the school, because the snowball can hit someone. You can even join if you want. Try it and you will find it very exciting. Sometimes the children split into groups and built snow forts specifically to play snowballs. After playing, they slam them all together with a loud noise. It’s always fun too. It gets dark early in winter in Russia. And it’s time for fireworks. They are becoming more and more popular every year. What different fireworks can be seen here! Big and small, monochromatic and multicolored, and absolutely all of them are noisy. Both children and adults like the fireworks here. In fact, sometimes it’s nice to walk in winter. Go to the park and enjoy the beauty of dreamy nature. And when you get a pink blush on your cheeks, you can go home. Grab a cup of tea or coffee here so you don’t catch a cold. Try borscht, or other Russian soups.

Did you know that Christmas is celebrated in Russia on January 7?

Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but the general holiday period is from December 31st to January 8th. December 25 is not a public holiday in Russia, although you may find Russians celebrating it. Russians celebrate this holiday as one of the most important peak days of the year. Historically, the holiday was largely shaped by ancient pagan culture and later Christianity. All these ancient traditions echo from Russia’s long and rich history. At night there is a beautiful Christmas service and many Christians go to church on Christmas night.

After church, Russians give each other gifts. When they come home, they eat delicious traditional New Year’s dishes such as pepini, pickled mushrooms, pickled apples and sour tea for Christmas dinner. Traditional dishes often include meat pies, vegetable fillings and fish. Sbiten (сбитень) means a traditional Russian drink. A drink made with spices and honey was common before tea became popular in Russia.

There are also many lovely Christmas parties, work and family dinners. There is an interesting tradition where children sing special Christmas carols (“kolyadki”) and receive delicious sweets. An old pagan culture shaped many Russian Christmas customs. From the end of December to January, various rituals were performed, pagan gods were invoked for a fruitful year and the winter festival Koliada was organized. After the adoption of Christianity, such rituals were mixed with new customs to form the unique Christmas traditions that Russians continue to follow today.

Interesting fact, Russian Orthodox Christmas:

Because the Russian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7. In the XXI century, the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar is 13 days. But interestingly, in the year 2100, there will be 14 days that will move the Russian Christmas to January 7th. The Soviet era was not kind to Christmas and all church days – they were forbidden. But, despite this fact, many people still celebrated them secretly. Thus, many Christmas traditions became a part of one of the most popular Russian holidays, New Year.

Conclusion

However, people never forgot Christmas and its traditions. During the celebration, Russians can still observe such ancient elements of Russian holiday as fortune-telling on Christmas Eve, koliada, and singing carols (kalyadki), while worshipers follow a strict fast, which ends when the first star appears in the sky on the night of Christmas Eve.