Hello, Ivan! I want to share with you how we celebrate New Year’s Eve in Russia. It is a special holiday for us, because it is filled with many traditions, many of which are passed on from generation to generation. Let’s start with the fact that preparation for the New Year begins long before the holiday. Already in December people start to decorate their homes, buy gifts for friends and family, as well as choose outfits for the festive evening. In the streets of cities are emerging New Year’s fairs where you can buy souvenirs, sweets and even skating under the open sky. One of the main symbols of the New Year is the christmas tree...

One of the most large-scale and favourite holidays in Russia is the new year. And as it gets closer and closer, I suggest you plunge into the history of this celebration and to learn as traditions of celebration of New year changed. We will begin with pagan Russia. Though data since that period remained a little, some data nevertheless reached our days. Ancient Slavs had two holidays reminding new year: kolyadal (day of a winter solstice | on December 21) and komoyeditsa (day of a spring solstice | on March 21)...