Russian Christmas Tree Tradition

Eclipsed by new year s celebrations russian christmas is somewhat less important than it is in other eastern european nations.

Russian christmas tree tradition.

Christmas became an official holiday and a non labor day in russia in 1991. On new year s eve he places presents for children under the new year tree as opposed to a christmas tree. In the orthodox tradition nothing is eaten or drunk on christmas eve until the first star appears in the sky. Russian orthodox christmas takes place on january 7th following the old calendar this is the 25th of december and the celebration lasts for six days.

Often russian christmas and russian new years are combined into a long winter celebration. It began regaining popularity only recently partially because russian leaders starting with vladimir putin annually attend a christmas liturgy. Russian christmas religious traditions. January 7 through january 19 mark the dates for russian christmastide also called svyatki.

Celebrating the new year is a more important holiday in russia than christmas. The russian santa claus is named ded moroz or father frost. During the early mid soviet period religious celebrations were discouraged by the official state policy of atheism until 1936 but despite this. Christmas is a time for visiting family attending church services and enjoying a christmas feast.

However given the early christian community kievan rus celebration may have a longer history. In russia the christmas holiday became the official celebration with the baptism of rus ordered by prince vladimir in the late 10th century.