January 7, Christmas Day for the Russians

Christmas is also a grand religious festival for the Russian people of my country, a festival celebrated for the birth of Jesus. Christmas in Russia is held on January 7 in the Russian calendar every year. The day before Christmas, that is, January 6, is called Christmas Eve (сочельник), and is called Christmas Eve in the West.

On Christmas Eve in Russia, believers fast all day long and cannot break their fast until evening. Believers and non-believers routinely eat Christmas geese on Christmas Eve night, which is indispensable for Christmas dinner. People fill the belly of purchased geese with apples, bread and oiled onions, add various seasonings, and use them to roast cooked food. When the festival comes, ethnic Russians use cypress trees or pine trees to make gorgeous Christmas trees to prepare rich holiday food. At the reunion in the evening, Santa Claus dressed up will give Christmas gifts to everyone and hold a choir.

The Christmas tree is still an indispensable decoration in the New Year and Christmas. The Christmas fir tree (ро г де ственс кая лка), also known as the Christmas tree, is often made of evergreen shrubs in the shape of a tower such as fir and cypress, symbolizing health and longevity. Christians begin to decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and continue to place it until January 14 (the Old New Year in the Russian calendar), while non-Christians decorate the Christmas tree (New Year fir tree) on the eve of the New Year. The custom of decorating New Year fir trees has been popular in Europe since the 18th century. It is said that the gods hide in the evergreen pine trees during the New Year. In order to honor them, gifts must be prepared for them. This is how all kinds of gifts hang on the fir tree at the New Year. Decorating the Christmas tree in the family is the happiest moment for the whole family, young and old. People hang fruits and sugar wrapped in tinfoil and various animals cut with tinfoil on the Christmas tree. They wrap long strings of purchased colored lights and colored beads around the Christmas tree. Under the tree, parents give gifts to their children. Some families also specially invite Santa Claus (Роч д е стве н ский д е д, also known as DRO ло ч ный д е д or DRO е д -DRO ороз) to give gifts to their children. Santa Claus and his granddaughter Snow Girl (Снегурочка) are the main figures in the New Year. Santa Claus is the embodiment of kindness and generosity in Western fairy tales. What attracts thousands of pure childlike hearts most is the big gift bag he carries. He brings warmth and joy to the children. Every Christmas Eve, Santa Claus comes from the north on a deer sled, enters every family with children from the chimney, quietly puts gifts in new stockings or tucked under pillows, giving the children an unexpected surprise. Miss Xue is a symbol of permanent youth and everlasting happiness. Nowadays, Santa Claus and Snow Girl are mostly played by young people. The children's parents make an appointment by phone to congratulate the New Year and give gifts.