- Christmas Traditions: Russian New Year Tree - Nina
That's right, Russians don't decorate the tree for Christmas. The roots of this tradition lie in the country's history. In the Soviet Union, religion was officially separated from the state, so from the mid-1920s until the early 1990s, Christmas wasn't celebrated at all. During the decades of atheism, most Christmas traditions, including gift-giving, Father Christmas and decorating the tree, were simply moved to New Year's Day, making sure they were stripped of their religious content; Father Christmas was renamed Father Frost.
Here are five tips on how to decorate the tree according to Russian traditions:
Celebrate Christmas and New Year the Russian Style
In Russia, the tree (or yolka, the diminutive from "fir tree") is called the New Year Tree and is put up just before the New Year's Eve. Naturally, in Russian families with children who passionately believe in Father Frost, doting parents can put the tree up weeks before that, but normally, Russians buy and decorate their New Year trees on Dec. 28-31.
They are not in a hurry to take it down, either. In most Russian families, the tree stays at least until the end of the school holidays, Jan. 10, while some others may keep it as long as the Chinese New Year! After that, the winter season is considered over and done with. Time to go back to work.
How to Choose the Right Christmas / New Year Tree: Artificial or Real?
Many Russians, especially when their children have already grown up, tend to choose an artificial tree over a real one, due to environmental concerns. They like original ideas: fake trees made with silver foil, or small symbolic trees to put on the dining table, as well as loose fir tree branches bought or picked up at the market to decorate the table and the whole house.
But whenever children are involved, Russian parents will go to great lengths to preserve the atmosphere of magic. Real fir trees are bought at special tree markets and the whole family gets busy decorating it.
However, Russians never decorate their front doors with Christmas wreaths nor place window candles on their window sills. Both are Western traditions alien to Russia.
Christmas Tree Decorations the Russian Style
A Russian New Year tree has to be multicolored. The idea of a color-coordinated tree is totally unknown there. The brighter, the merrier! It takes quite a bit of taste and designer's talent to decorate a Russian tree so that the colors and shapes don't clash, to create a balanced and finished look.
Normally, the lights are put on first, hidden deep in the branches of the tree. Then, the decorations are placed on the tree's branches making sure there's enough variety and color but the tree doesn't look too busy. Finally, the decorated branches are covered with lengths of tinsel of all shapes and colors. This way, when you turn the tree lights on, they reflect from the ornaments and tinsel creating a truly magical look.
On top, a fancy spike or star is mounted. In the days of the Soviet Union, it had to be a five-pointed star, as opposed to the star of Bethlehem. These days, though, any kind of star or spike will do, as long as it's pretty. Many Russians use vintage decorations that used to belong to their great-grandparents and can be highly collectible, according to the vintage ornaments collector and expert Kim Balaschak.
Please note there are certain types of ornaments Russians never use. They never use Nativity scenes or characters because, as you remember, the tree is decorated for the New Year, not for Christmas. They never use Russian national crafts to decorate the tree -- you'll never see a matryoshka or a Russian egg on a New Year tree! The figurines of Father Frost and Snegurochka -- his pretty and kindhearted granddaughter who accompanies Father Frost in his travels -- as well as various folk-tale characters and fancy beasts are, however, very popular.
Mind you, there's one other character Russians never use. It's the so-called Babushka -- a supposedly Russian Christmas figure that, however, is an entirely Western invention of unknown (and definitely not Russian) origin. In Russia, the story of Babushka never existed and no one has ever heard about her. If you speak to a Russian about Babushka, all you'll get is a puzzled shrug.
Russian Christmas, New Year and Gift Giving Traditions
In Russia, the gifts are given on New Year's Day. Children expect Father Frost to hide gifts under the tree or under their pillows. Gifts are never placed under the tree for everyone to admire for days beforehand, like it is done in the West. Father Frost brings them invisibly on New Year's Eve, so that the gifts are not under the tree yet when children go to bed.
And in the morning of Jan. 1, lo and behold! Children and adults alike discover their gifts.
Russian Orthodox Christmas: Nothing to Do with the Tree or Gifts
Although the Russian Christmas takes place on Jan. 7, it has nothing to do with the New Year tree (which may well be down by that point). The Russian Christmas is a strictly religious holiday, and many Orthodox Church officials of today openly denounce the "pagan" traditions of Father Christmas, the tree and gift-giving.
Although some Russian winter season aficionados make three sets of gifts to give away:one for Dec. 25, another for New Year, and yet another one for the Russian Orthodox Christmas of Jan. 7, it's not common practice. In Russia, gifts are given for New Year's Day, and never for Christmas!
Additional Reading:
Main Russian New Year Tree Has Been Cut Down The Voice of Russia, Dec 15, 2010 (last accessed Dec 16, 2010)
Russian New Year Russia-Info Centre, Dec 6, 2007 (last accessed Dec 16)
Irene Woodhead - Irene Woodhead is a bilingual English/Russian freelance writer and translator. After years of working as a professional opera/jazz singer, ...
