In Russia the religious festival of Christmas is being
replaced by the Festival of Winter but there are some traditions that are
still kept up in some parts of the country.
In the traditional Russian Christmas, special prayers are said
and people fast, sometimes for 39 days, until January 6th Christmas Eve, when
the first evening star in appears in the sky. Then begins a twelve course supper
in honor of each of the twelve apostles - fish, beet soup or Borsch,
cabbage stuffed with millet, cooked dried fruit and much more.
Hay is spread on the floors and tables to encourage horse feed
to grow in the coming year and people make clucking noises to encourage their
hens to lay eggs.
On Christmas Day, hymns and carols are sung. People gather in
churches which have been decorated with the usual Christmas trees or Yelka,
flowers and colored lights.
Christmas dinner includes a variety of different meats - goose
and suckling pig are favorites.
Babushka is a traditional Christmas figure who
distributes presents to children. Her name means grandmother and the legend is
told that she declined to go with the wise men to see Jesus because of the cold
weather. However, she regretted not going and set off to try and catch up,
filling her basket with presents. She never found Jesus, and that is why she
visits each house, leaving toys for good children.
The role of Father Christmas was played by Dedushka Moroz
or Grandfather Christmas.
