Russian Christmas Tree Tradition

Many christmas traditions such as decorating a fir tree and giving presents turned into new year s traditions.

Russian christmas tree tradition.

In the orthodox tradition nothing is eaten or drunk on christmas eve until the first star appears in the sky. Eclipsed by new year s celebrations russian christmas is somewhat less important than it is in other eastern european nations. Celebrating the new year is a more important holiday in russia than christmas. It began regaining popularity only recently partially because russian leaders starting with vladimir putin annually attend a christmas liturgy.

During the early mid soviet period religious celebrations were discouraged by the official state policy of atheism until 1936 but despite this. Often russian christmas and russian new years are combined into a long winter celebration. Christmas became an official holiday and a non labor day in russia in 1991. January 7 through january 19 mark the dates for russian christmastide also called svyatki.

Russian christmas religious traditions. Christmas in russia occurs on january 7th according to the russian orthodox calendar. On new year s eve he places presents for children under the new year tree as opposed to a christmas tree. 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.

In russia the christmas holiday became the official celebration with the baptism of rus ordered by prince vladimir in the late 10th century. Christmas is a time for visiting family attending church services and enjoying a christmas feast.