To all recent and old members of Elenas Models: just a few days left before the biggest holiday of the year in Russia and Ukraine — the New Year’s Eve!
Yes, in these countries it’s NOT Christmas but the New Year’s Eve that is celebrated as the most important holiday of the year, when the whole family gathers around the festive table and exchanges presents with each other.
Why is New Year the biggest holiday of the year in Russia and Ukraine?
This tradition comes from the times of the USSR when religious holidays were forbidden. People just changed what they used to do on Christmas to the New Year. Being a civil holiday, it didn’t attract consequences from the atheistic state.
When is New Year celebrated in Russia and Ukraine?
It’s celebrated on the night from 31 December to 1 January. Most festivities happen after the midnight 12 am. There are TV concerts with famous singers and artists that are pre-recorded in a way of a themed musical. These shows are on TV after the midnight. You are supposed to celebrate all night long. 1 January is a public holiday.
How is New Year celebrated?
Typically, in Russia it’s freezing cold outside, so most people celebrate indoors. They gather in groups around a festive table, families with kids, singles with friends, and eat, drink, and enjoy the special New Year broadcasts on TV, or simply play music, dance, and have fun. Visiting friends and family before or after the midnight is also popular, and these visits don’t have to be arranged in advance, just show up and you will be welcome. Most people celebrate at home but it is also popular to spend this night at a party in a restaurant or cafe, which would need to be booked long in advance.
Russian Santa is called Ded Moroz and accompanied by his granddaughter, Snow Girl
Russian Santa Claus is called “Ded Moroz” (Grandfather Frost), dressed in red and white. Traditionally he should be accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Girl), dressed in light blue and white.
The two characters lead kids and adults to hold hands and dance around the decorated New Year Tree (same as Christmas tree), singing songs, which is called “khorovod”. The colourful duo also runs a little New Year quiz, asking questions and riddles, and giving prizes for correct answers. Kids can recite their best New Year verses for Grandfather Frost, to be rewarded with gifts. At the end, everyone gets a present from Ded Moroz, usually a specially decorated packet of assorted candies.
You can place an order with a service company for Grandfather Frost (with or without Snow Girl) to visit your home party, although most often this role is played by a neighbour or the family’s father, dressed as Ded Moroz. He looks exactly the same as Santa! 😉 All large parties at restaurants will, of course, have their own Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, and the necessary quiz and ritual dance around the tree, and candy presents.
We have collected a few stories from Russian and Ukrainian people, how they celebrate their most important event of the year. Some are from families, and others from singles. This will give you a taste of how women you are talking to may be celebrating their New Year’s Eve.
Read these colourful New Year stories from our guest authors:
- New Year and Christmas in Ukraine (Kiev region)
- My New Year Eve’s romance (Volgograd, Russia)
- My New Year adventures (Ternopil, Ukraine)
- My most anticipated holidays of the year — New Year in Omsk, Russia
These stories will tell you how some Russian and Ukrainian people celebrate New Year and Christmas.
Remember that Russian Christmas is 7 January!
Russian (Orthodox) Christmas is celebrated on 7 January, 13 days after the western festival. If you are talking to a Russian or Ukrainian woman, remember to congratulate her with her Christmas.
In Ukraine, there is a special Christmas custom called “kolyadki”: youngsters dressed in traditional Ukrainian outfits walk around the neighbourhood singing songs and collecting candies in exchange.
So, even after your festive season is coming to an end, you can still enjoy the joyful Christmas spirit chatting to your new Russian and Ukrainian friends, who you can start communicating with in minutes! Remember, on Elenas Models there is no censorship of your communication and no extra cost for chats and mails. You can chat as much as you want and exchange hundreds of messages a day!
Women are on holidays now, so that’s the best time to start a relationship. And you still have time to send your New Year and Christmas greetings!
(Check my previous article: 10 original Christmas greetings for women for ideas.)
Good luck!
Read also:
- What love means to Russian and Ukrainian women
- 5 approaches to finding The One
- 7 core beliefs of Russian and Ukrainian women in love and dating
- 10 little known facts about Elenas Models
>> All articles (in English)
Share this article
It is always amazing to learn about different cultures and how they celebrate certain holidays. The ability to find people that are willing and able to incorporate such differences is truly unique. For long distance dating finding out if this is possible is something that has to be done up front as to not create issues in the future. If it can be done though it can be a rewarding experience and add a lot of fun to relationships.
My greetings to Elena and to all the beautiful women of Elena’s Models. Thank you for this blog!
Interesting how similar our cultures are of certain holidays. I was so fortunate to experience 9 May 2013 in Moscow Russia like our Memorial day here in USA close of the end of our month. My mind is drawing a blank of the name of this day. Well, maybe by the end of my short letter it will come to me. I have been to Kiev, Ukraine, and also Minks, Belarus, in 2013 and learned about life there. I believe Christmas eve this year I was so gifted to receive the lengthy story of the festive holidays this time of… Read more »
It was an interesting article I just read. It just shows how we are different but at the core so similar. We all celebrate LIFE… Life is all about family and friends. Thank you
This is a very good article. I was talking with one of the women I had contacted and they told me the same thing. It is a good way to check to see if the person is “real”.
Thank you very much for all the good information.
Checking for “reality” is not a very good approach to dating! 🙂 I see some guys constantly trying to establish if the person is sincere. Assume they are! Makes life much easier. Talk to multiple people and compare, then there is no need for “reality checks”, it’s plainly obvious. People who send personal messages relating to your own (emails, texts, sms) are interested in you. People who don’t spend much time on talking to you, don’t want to see you on cam or exchange mobile numbers, are not interested in you. What else?! All women on our site are real,… Read more »
I find it very interesting to learn that New Years is the more important holiday over Christmas in Russia. I will be sure to wish a Happy New Year on the 1st of January and A Merry Christmas on the 7th of December.
Very good article. I learned a little more about the Russian culture. I never thought that they no celebrate Christmas.
Mario, they celebrate Christmas in Russia but on a different date. Russian Christmas is 7 January.
I agree with everyone who wrote a comment on here, its a great article, the lady i write to has told me everything about how they will celebrate the new year and christmas with family and friends. Happy new year
I often tell the story of Snegourka, the Snow Maiden who came to life to answer the prayers of a poor childless peasant couple in Russia. I connect it with activities about Russian history, art, folk music, and so on for preschool and elementary classrooms.
I enjoyed the article and wish everyone at Elena’s Models website a Happy New Year today and a Merry Christmas on Jan. 7.
Hi
I was interested to read about how women in Russia/Ukraine celebrate Christmas/new year, it is a useful thing to know for western people as we assume it would be the same for them over there, I have been corresponding with a lady for over a year in Samara and she never mentioned this, she said new year was a big event and Christmas was celebrated on a different day but this article has helped me understand it a lot more, thanks.
Elena, thank you for all your helpful comments to understand the Russian and Ukrainian women… very helpful!
Interesting and good to know, I’ve never been to the Ukraine or the Russian Federation so it’s helpful to get a clearer picture of the culture.
I like this article because it provided me some information I didn’t even know. It is also great to see how people adapt to changes.
It is amazing how these wonderful people continued to fight for happiness even when heavily oppressed. To find a way to continue the love and celebration of Christmas even then. How are wonderful and sweet to share such gatherings with family. This is a great article and the smiling faces warm my soul on a cold day. These things foster hope that no matter the circumstances love conquers.
Greg, I had grown up in Soviet times, and it didn’t feel as if we were oppressed. Free housing and medical, free education (including college and university) for all, free sport facilities with coaches, any hobby or interest could be pursued through government sponsored cultural centres free of charge, dancing, singing, theatre, arts and crafts. Jobs for all and free holiday trips to resorts in all 15 republics of the USSR, sponsored by trade unions, including group travel for kids. Everyone could get a job, there was excess of jobs as requirements what was expected from employees were quite low.… Read more »
I think our celebration of New Year is the best way to do it. It is a very cheerful party when you can meet not only with your family but also with your friends. Special celebration of New Year happens in Russian villages. This picture can not be described by words. You must see it!!!