RUSSIAN HOLIDAYS

Done by Midukova O.P. School №6

Shumerlya, 2010

RUSSIAN HOLIDAYS

New Year’s Day Christmas, Russian Orthodox Russian Army and Military

Navy’s Day International Women’s Day Russian Orthodox Easter Spring and Labor Holiday Victory Day Independence Day Day of Accord and Conciliation Constitution Day

1-2 January 7 January 2 3 February 8 March 15 April 1-2 May 9 May 12 June 7 November 12 December

NEW YEAR’S DAY

Still the most important holiday of the year, it is celebrated starting on December 31 and stretches until January 13 - “The Old New Year”

CHRISTMAS

Christmas can be celebrated either in the Western Style, on December 24/25 or according to the Old Style calendar, on January 6/7. It begins with the Holy Supper on Christmas Eve, meant to be a time of celebration of the birth of Jesus. Often, families will go to a midnight service between 12 and 3 am.

MASLENITSA

Maslenitsa is the ancient Russian holiday. This holiday not of Christian origin. Essential to Maslenitsa is blini.Scarecrows will be sacrificed, bonfires built, and everybody asks each other for forgiveness. This is a way of saying goodbye to winter and welcoming the spring.

EASTER

This, the most important holiday in the Christian church year, has once again become an important celebration in Russian life. In the Orthodox tradition, Russians will bake kulichi (special Easter cakes) and paint eggs.

WOMEN’S DAY

March, 8 is women's holiday, a holiday of spring and attention to the woman.

This is a national holiday and a day off. Several nations celebrate this, but only a few acknowledge it as an official, non-working holiday .

RUSSIAN ARMY AND MILITARY NAVY’S

This holiday is celebrated on February 23. It used to be called Day of the Soviet Army. Since most all Russian males served in the military, this day has become a time to celebrate all Russian males.

APRIL’S FOOL DAY

It is a day for fun. It is celebrated on the 1st of April. We like to play jokes on the 1st of April. Our jokes are harmless and the victim of them is called an April fool. It is possible to play jokes on friends, parents, relatives

. 1 April is non-official "the Day of Laugh". People tell jokes to each other, newspapers and TV publish funny stories and jokes. The motto of this day: Do not trust anybody on 1 April

SPRING AND LABOR DAY The 1st of May is the traditional holiday of

spring. It opens the sequence of other May holidays. This is the day of triumph of the nature which is full of blossom, of birds' singing, of multicolored flowers and small balls. People have a rest both from the long frosty winter and winter troubles looking forward the summer and summer joys.

VICTORY DAY

Day of the Victory of Soviet people in Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 is one of the military glory of Russia days.

May, 9 is a national holiday - the Victory Day.

Victory Day is a day off, and is annually celebrated by military parade and artillery salute.

INDEPENDENCE DAY Celebrated on July 12 to

mark the independence and founding of modern Russia.

This holiday commemorates the adoption of the 1991 Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation which declared Russia's "independence" from the USSR. In accordance with this view this holiday is generally celebrated simply as show of patriotism for Russia.

IVAN KUPALA DAY Kupala night is believed the most mysterious, enigmatic and yet the most dissolute night of the year. Witches are considered having a feast of their own. Werewolves, water-nymphs, house-spirits, water-spirits and wood-goblins are believed to have special power. All night through people keep bonfires, leap over the flames, cleaning themselves of ill and bad luck.

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