Moscow around Christmastime is an inspiring time in Russia. With the arrival of snow and the addition of festive decorations, the already picturesque city becomes a lovely spot. Although Christmas Day is on December 25th, the Gregorian calendar places the holiday in the first week of January in Moscow. From the Russian Winter Festival, which begins in the middle of December and continues until the middle of January, to the “Journey into Christmas” festival, which begins on December 22 and spans 30 locations, Moscow offers various Christmas events. The weather is below freezing, so insulating apparel is a must. Ice skating, Christmas markets, and the world-famous lighting ball on Manezhnaya Square are among the festive attractions in the city.
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Christmas Traditions in Moscow
Since the Russian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, Christmas in Russia is traditionally observed on January 7th. Having said that, celebrating two Christmases and maybe even two New Year’s is very normal for Russians. Christian practices and old pagan rituals are observed together in these traditions.
Traditional Christmas Meals
Roast pig, goose, pirog, and pelmeni (meat dumplings) are main course meals on Christmas Day in Moscow. Gingerbread, honeybread (Pryaniki) cookies, fruit pies, and other types of fruit (fresh and dried) make up the dessert menu. Around 80% of Russians are Christians (78% Orthodox). Therefore, devotees of Christ in Moscow also abstain from meat for the forty days leading up to Christmas. As a culmination of the Nativity Fast, the Christmas Eve dinner is vegetarian and consists of twelve dishes (one for each of the twelve apostles).
New Year Celebrations
The Russian New Year is also more grandiose than the American Christmas, complete with gift-giving by Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) and his “Granddaughter” and elf-like companion Snegurochka. Gathered around the Christmas tree in a circle, the children eagerly await their arrival. The Christmas tree lights will go on as soon as they arrive. One public tree that represents the arrival of a new year is the Christmas tree in Moscow’s Red Square. The “Journey into Christmas” celebration, which takes place across the city at 30 different locations beginning on December 22nd, is another popular event in the area.
Fortune-Telling and Caroling
Singing Christmas carols (kalyadki) and predicting the future (koliada) are two long-standing Moscovian Christmas customs that have their origins in the ancient world. The Russian Orthodox Church does not approve it, yet many still perform it as a Christmas tradition. On the other hand, Svyatki, the Russian Christmastide, is a two-week period immediately after Christmas that is deeply linked to pagan practices, including fortune-telling and caroling. Epiphany is celebrated on January 19, and Svyatki continues till then. This is a popular choice for rural teen girls who are interested in using magic to find out things like their marriage prospects. Wax, apples, playing cards, and mirrors are some of the tools they use.
Table Decorations
Tablecloths are also a Christmas table decoration in Moscow, representing the swaddling garments that the infant Jesus wore. As a reminder that Jesus was born into low circumstances, hay is placed on or near the table. A large white candle, also representing Jesus, covers the middle of the table, as does a miniature Christmas tree.
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The Story of Babushka
One well-known aspect of Russian Christmas customs in Moscow is the tale of Babushka, an elderly lady who encountered the Three Magi on their journey to see Jesus. Although it is more recognized in the United States and Western Europe than in Russia, the Babushka narrative is a well-known Christmas fable. “Babushka” implies “grandmother” in Russian. She is a lady renowned for her immaculate home and lovely garden. She is the protagonist of a tale that starts in a little Russian village. A new star appeared in the sky, but she was too preoccupied with her task to see the parade of lights approaching the settlement.
As she went about her nightly duties, the Three Wise Men paid her a visit. They thought the new star would guide them to a newborn monarch, so they set out to find him. Along with a present for the kid, they requested that Babushka accompany them on their travels. As Babushka reflected on her own child’s death, she considered retrieving toys from her cabinet. Despite this, Babushka apparently never found the Three Wise Men or the infant Jesus. The legend has since spread that on January 6th, Babushka makes house calls, leaving presents for children in the hopes that she will be pardoned if she finds the infant Jesus among them. It seems that this narrative was written in 1907 by an American poet and writer named Edith Matilda Thomas; it is not widely known in Russia.
