Discover the Magic: Top 11 Fun Facts About Christmas in Russia You Never Knew

1. Christmas Decorates You

In Soviet Russia, Christmas decorates you! That's right, comrades: Russian families deck out a New Year's tree called Novogodnaya Yolka to celebrate the holiday and enjoy visits from the frosty dynamic duo, Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and his gift-dispensing sidekick, Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden).
Source => culturalawareness.com

2. Ded Moroz's Troika Ride

Forget eight reindeer and a red-nosed leader, it's all about horsepower – quite literally – when Yuletide rolls into Russia: In the Motherland, Santa Claus goes by the name Ded Moroz, who rides a troika pulled by three horses and teams up with his helpful granddaughter Snegurochka, or the Snow Maiden, to keep presents safe from the clutches of the nefarious Baba Yaga.
Source => usatoday.com

Did you know that in Germany, St. Nicholas has a wild sidekick, Knecht Ruprecht, who carries a kid-sized sack not for punishing naughty children but to serve as a helper during Christmas? Find out more about this intriguing tradition!

=> Fun Facts about Christmas-In-Germany

3. Goose-Apple Feast

In Mother Russia, goose cooks you with apples: During the festive Russian Christmas Day celebrations, the tables of families accross the country are laced with delicious dishes, one of which is the traditional and sumptuous baked goose, beautifully served with apples.
Source => timeanddate.com

4. Yolka: The New Christmas Tree

You know what they say, when life gives you Christmas, make a yolka! In Russia, they've certainly gone with the holiday flow and adapted their traditions, trading their Christmas tree for a New Year's tree: During the Soviet era, Christmas traditions were abandoned but the New Year's tree, known as "yolka," gained prominence. Today, many Russian families decorate a yolka with ornaments and lights, awaiting the arrival of Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), who's like Santa Claus with a Russian twist.
Source => npr.org

5. Time-Traveling New Year

They say variety is the spice of life, and in Russia, they like their New Year's celebrations with a side of time travel: The Old New Year is observed informally on January 14th according to the Julian calendar, in addition to the official New Year on January 1st. This nostalgic family holiday, sometimes called "Orthodox," marks the end of the New Year holiday cycle with traditional large meals, lively singing, and festive drinking.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Ded Moroz's Civilized Entrance

Move over, chimney sweeps: Ded Moroz trades in Santa's soot-covered boots for a more civilized entrance. No rooftop creeping or cookie thievery for this festive fellow: he simply walks through the front door of Russian homes to deliver gifts and cheer.
Source => bridgetomoscow.com

7. Koliada: Caroling with Spirits

Ghosts just wanna have fun: In Russia, the koliada tradition consists of singing carols and receiving candy or small change, with costumed participants embodying the spirits of the dead, who return to bless their homes and get their share of earthly treats - making trick-or-treating look like child's play.
Source => news.itmo.ru

8. 40-Day Nativity Fast

Santa's in for a long, lean season in Russia: they celebrate the festive season with a 40-day Nativity Fast! Not just a fleeting fad like those 3-day juice cleanses, this centuries-old tradition is all about spiritual reflection, renewal, and making Christmas Eve dinner taste extra delish.
Source => advantour.com

9. Starlit Christmas Eve Feast

In Soviet Russia, Christmas fasts you: Devout Russians traditionally hold off on chowing down on Christmas Eve until the appearance of the first star, a celestial nod to the guiding star of the Magi, before kicking off a twelve-dish feast representing the twelve Apostles, with specialties like sochivo porridge, beet soup, and a honey-infused drink called vzvar – and definitely not a vodka-infused one for this meal!
Source => ancestralfindings.com

10. 12 Apostles, 12 Dishes

Whoever said "you are what you eat" never attended a Russian Christmas dinner: the father of the family leads a 12-course feast, each dish symbolizing one of the 12 apostles, complete with hay under the tablecloth to represent Jesus' manger and various seemingly strange customs like eating unpeeled garlic to avoid evil and placing honey on the forehead while declaring love for one another, just like bees and their sweet honey. The dinner starts with the youngest child reading the Nativity story from St. Matthew's Gospel, adding a touch of tradition to this fascinating blend of flavors and beliefs.
Source => orthodoxtraditions.blogspot.com

11. New Year's Eve Extravaganza

In Mother Russia, Christmas celebrates you: The New Year's Eve festivities take center stage during the holiday season in Russia, featuring family feasts, gift exchanges, and glittering New Year's trees adorned with tinsel and glass ornaments. The party doesn't stop there – Russians even tune in to the president's televised New Year's message and await the arrival of Ded Moroz, the local Santa Claus with a flair for frosty fashion.
Source => taipeitimes.com