Everybody would receive a vase, a lamp, or porcelain set from the hands of the Empress. Royalty also organized Christmas parties for poor children, which became an annual event. With the establishment of the Soviet Union, Christmas celebrations were strongly discouraged. Clearly, the official state policy of atheism did not take well to religious celebrations.
However, officials came up with a solution by turning many traditional Christmas traditions into a celebration for the secular New Year. In modern day Russia, however, it is still a relatively small and quiet holiday as it falls immediately after the big celebrations for the New Year.
And rather recently, Christmas has come under legal threat as a number of groups have filed lawsuits declaring Christmas unconstitutional. Traditionally, people fasted on Christmas Eve until the first star appeared in the sky. This dish was frequently eaten from a common bowl, and an occasional spoonful was thrown up on the ceiling. If the porridge stuck, it supposedly meant good luck and a good harvest.
Homemade Kiev cake. Savory pies are one of the mainstays of any Russian Christmas celebration. They are either served closed or in open style, and are filled with every flavor imaginable, including herbs, vegetable, fruit, mushrooms, meat, fish, cheese or combinations thereof. It is a sweet drink made from dried fruit and honey boiled in water.
They are normally rewarded with cookies, sweets and money. Babushka means Grand Mother in Russian. It tells the story of an old women who met the Wise men on their way to see Jesus. I've had many emails from Russian visitors to the site who have never heard the story before! Once in a small Russian town, there lived a women called Babushka. Babushka always had work to do sweeping, polishing, dusting and cleaning.
Her house was the best kept, most tidy house in the whole village. Her garden was beautiful and her cooking was wonderful. One evening she was busy dusting and cleaning, so busy that she didn't hear all the villagers outside in the village square talking about and looking at the new star in sky. She had heard about the new star but thought, "All this fuss about a star! I don't even have the time to look because I'm so behind with my work. I must work all night!
She also missed the little line of twinkling lights coming down towards the village at dawn. She didn't hear the sounds of the pipes and drums. She missed the voices and whispers of the villagers wondering whether the lights were an army or a procession of some sort. She missed the sudden quiet of the villagers and even the footsteps coming up the path to her door.
But the one thing that she couldn't miss was the loud knocking on her front door! Babushka gaped in amazement. There were three kings at her door with one of their servants! Babushka gulped. The kings were very pleased when they saw all of the of the home-baked bread, pies and cakes. She dashed about, serving them, asking lots of questions. I bring gold, and my colleagues bring spices and perfumes. I know I could bring a toy. I've got a cupboard full of toys. Come with us when the star appears tonight.
As the kings slept, Babushka tidied up as quietly as she could. Babushka shook herself. There was no time for dreaming, all this washing-up and putting away had to be done. What would she wear? What about the gift? The house will have to be cleaned when they've gone.
I couldn't just leave it. The main way of celebrating Orthodox Christmas is just visiting or inviting relatives with symbolic gifts. On Christmas January 7 , nobody organizes noisy parties, instead just making a modest family dinner. Guests usually bring some cakes and drink tea.
This is, however, not mandatory - usually, the tea with sweets is enough. If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material. This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more. How is Christmas celebrated in Russia? Dec 09 Anna Sorokina. Nope, Russians have a completely different Christmas traditions.
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