For those of our members who are not familiar with Russian culture, “a magical time called Christmas is loved in Russia as well as all over the world. Christmas in Russia commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is celebrated on 25 December in the Julian calendar used by the church, which falls on 7 January in the common Gregorian calendar. This public holiday is celebrated by Russians as one of the main high days of the year. The ancient pagan culture formed many customs of Russia’s Christmas. From the end of December to January people performed different rituals, asking pagan gods for a fruitful year, and held a winter festival called Koliada. After the adoption of Christianity, such rituals mixed with the new customs into unique Christmas traditions that Russians still adhere to.”