New Year
New Year
New Year is the principal winter
holiday, as opposed to Christmas. It is universally recognized as such by both
secular and religious people. Whereas New Year is mostly an occasion merely for
parties and drinking in the West, most of the traditions associated with
Christmas fall on New Year in Russia. The welcoming of the new year is
considered the most significant occasion of the winter.
The New Year's tree is identical to
a Christmas tree in the West. It is decorated in the same way, with ornaments,
lights and garland. Stars are usually perched atop the tree rather than angels,
and ornaments of a religious nature as well as nativity scenes are notably
absent.
Folklore holds that Ded Moroz
("Grandfather Frost") is charged with the responsibility for
delivering presents on New Year's Eve. He is a large, bearded and grandfatherly
man resembling Santa Claus, although he has no saintly identity, nor sleigh nor
reindeer. He is sometimes said to be dressed in blue rather than red - this is
a point of contention. Either way, he emerges on New Year's Eve with a
gargantuan, overflowing sack of gifts and dispenses them to each family. The
actual procedure of doing this is not a significant component of the mythology;
he doesn't come down the chimney, but it doesn't really matter how he gets into
your dwelling. Perhaps through the front door, perhaps through the window - who
knows?
Instead of elves to help him, Ded
Moroz has his grand-daughter Snegurochka ("Snowy"), with whom he
lives somewhere in the northern forest. Snegurochka is generally portrayed as
an attractive young blonde girl, often dressed in light winter attire and
sometimes a red cap. Presents are also given on New Year. There is no
requirement of waiting until the morning of New Year's Day to open them;
instead, they are usually presented and opened shortly after greeting the New
Year at midnight.
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