Russian Christmas Tree Tradition

January 7 through january 19 mark the dates for russian christmastide also called svyatki.

Russian christmas tree tradition.

Often russian christmas and russian new years are combined into a long winter celebration. In russia the christmas holiday became the official celebration with the baptism of rus ordered by prince vladimir in the late 10th century. In the orthodox tradition nothing is eaten or drunk on christmas eve until the first star appears in the sky. He is accompanied by snegurochka a snow maiden said to be his granddaughter.

On new year s eve he places presents for children under the new year tree as opposed to a christmas tree. The russian santa claus is named ded moroz or father frost. Christmas became an official holiday and a non labor day in russia in 1991. Eclipsed by new year s celebrations russian christmas is somewhat less important than it is in other eastern european nations.

During the early mid soviet period religious celebrations were discouraged by the official state policy of atheism until 1936 but despite this. Christmas in russia occurs on january 7th according to the russian orthodox calendar. Christmas is a time for visiting family attending church services and enjoying a christmas feast. Celebrating the new year is a more important holiday in russia than christmas.

Russian orthodox christmas takes place on january 7th following the old calendar this is the 25th of december and the celebration lasts for six days. Many christmas traditions such as decorating a fir tree and giving presents turned into new year s traditions.