Holidays in Russia

[admin]

One of the most common questions we would hear when my wife first came to America was if Russians celebrate Thanksgiving. Of course, for some people it seems clear that this is a uniquely American holiday though not for all. Russia has some holidays in common with Western countries such as New Year and St. Valentines Day.

Russia has many of it's own holidays but also celebrates some of the same holidays, although according to a different calendar due to Eastern Orthodox differences with the Gregorian Calendar.
I have included a video clip here that teaches how to say some common holidays celebrated in Russia along with their english versions.

[DmitryS]

As far as I know, Thanksgiving Day is a uniquely American holiday and it is not celebrated in Europe/Asia/Africa/Australia.
Of course, there are many Americans who only know American way of life and who sincerely believe that the whole world lives exactly as they do.

[admin]

Yes this is correct, and just to be clear- I didn't intentionally select a video that so happens to have the Russian translation of Thanksgiving this is purely coincidental. So, lets be clear that the translation exists purely in the sake of having a way to say the name of that American holiday in Russian. It is important to get to know holidays important in Russian Culture such as Vocmoye Marta, Kreshenie and Maclenitsa.

[CarlyG]

I never knew St. Valentines Day is celebrated in Russia!
We have more in common than I first thought

[Javier]

Monday — a meeting. This day in villages, as a rule, of straw did a stuffed animal of the Pancake week and dressed him in old lady's wear and after that put on a stuffed animal a pole and with singing of songs carried on sledge on village. Then this stuffed animal, i.e. the Pancake week put on a snow mountain with which driving on sledge began. Tuesday — games. From this day entertainments began: namely drivings on sledge, and also festivals, and every possible representations. In the big wooden buffooneries gave representations, as a rule, led by Parsley (clown) and the grandfather special a pancake week. In streets the big groups, dressed up in masks and driving about on familiar houses everywhere came across. In these houses they absolutely arranged with an impromptu cheerful house representations. The big companies the youth drove through the city, astride three or on simple rural sledge. Was held in high esteem this day and other entertainment which consisted in driving from ice-covered mountains.  Wednesday— the gourmand. This day the entertainment in all houses was covered with by all means pancakes and other viands. In each family this day by tradition covered tables with rather tasty meal, and also duly baked pancakes, in villages by sharing the cost this day cooked beer. Everywhere on a pancake week there were theaters and numerous trading tents in which were on sale, nuts, honey spice-cakes. Here, far without departing from tents directly open-air, it was possible to drink from a boiling samovar hot to tea. Thursday — revelry which named still crisis or wide Thursday. On Thursday the middle of games and fun had just. This day passed a pancake week fisticuffs or as them named — cams which originated from Ancient Russia. Friday — mother-in-law's evenings. Variety a pancake week of customs this day has been directed on acceleration of weddings and to assistance of youth in a finding to itself of suitable pair. It is a lot of attention and honors it appeared on a pancake week just married! The tradition of this holiday demands, that they necessarily elegant and beautiful left «on people» in specially dressed up and painted sledge, and also this day paid visits to all who walked at them on wedding that a newly-married couple solemnly under numerous songs rolled down from an ice slope. But by the most important event on a holiday which it has been connected with a newly-married couple, there was, as a rule, a visiting of the mother-in-law by sons-in-law for which she prepared in advance and, certainly, baked traditional pancakes. The invited mother-in-law (there was also such custom) has been obliged to send since evening all necessary for baking of pancakes: a frying pan, a ladle and so forth, and the father-in-law sent a bag of buckwheat and the cow oil. Disrespect of the son-in-law for this event was considered as disgrace and insult, and was an occasion to eternal enmity between it and the mother-in-law. Saturday — the sister-in-law a sit-round gathering. The sister-in-law is a sister of the husband. So, this Saturday day young daughters-in-law received the native. As we see, on this «to a pancake week fat» every day this generous week it was accompanied by a special feast.Sunday — a seeing-off. Relatives and friends went to each other not to celebrate, were sorry for deliberate and casual insults and the afflictions caused during the current year. At a meeting (at times even with the stranger) it was necessary to stop and with triple bows and «plaintive words» to ask a mutual pardon: «Forgive me in what I am guilty or has sinned before you». «Yes God will forgive you, and I forgive», - the interlocutor then in reconciliation it was necessary to kiss answered. And certainly burned the Pancake week stuffed animal. Farewell to the Pancake week came to the end in the first day of the Lent — Pure Monday as whch considered as day of clarification from a sin and ferial food. Men usually «rinsed teeth», i.e. drank vodka much, arranged fisticuffs and etc. On Pure Monday necessarily washed in a bath, and women washed the dishes and "soared" dairy utensils, clearing it of fat and the rests of the ferial.