Rambling Rambles: Soviet New Year's Eve, or What is Novy God?

Soviet New Year's Eve, or What is Novy God?

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New Year's Eve celebration in Russia, or in the household of people whom their family once lived under the soviet rein is very similar to the way most of the world celebrates Christmas, only with a few differences.

So what are the main differences?

1. This holiday is not religious

While in Christmas people usually celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Novy God holiday celebrates the New Year. Hence the name "Novy God"- it literally means “New Year”. Even though a lot of people in Russia do celebrate Christmas (If they are christians). The Novy God is a holiday that remains non-religiously affiliated. It became an official holiday under the Soviet Union, and during that time, religion or the belief in God was strictly forbidden. Therefore, atheists and people from different religions and beliefs keep celebrating Novy God up to this day.

2. Ded Moroz; or the Soviet version of Santa Klaus

The main figure of this Holiday is Ded Moroz; or the Soviet version of Santa Klaus. In Russian “Ded Moroz" means “Grandfather Frost”. Because, he brings the frost with him. Similarly to Santa, he brings presents at night while the kids are sleeping, and puts them under a decorated pine tree. He wears white and blue (sometimes with a red coat), to match the reputation of his name. He doesn’t travel with Rudolf but with his young granddaughter “Snigurachka", the definition of her name is “Snow-Maiden”. She is usually wearing a long dress with the same blue and white colours matching her grandfather’s attire, and she has a long, thick, white braid. Ded Moroz usually travels with the help of three horses.

3. Milk and cookies?

I don't know how everyone celebrates this part, but in my childhood no one ever left Ded Moroz milk and cookies. Instead we left him a shot of vodka and a pickle. Because it’s cold and the vodka should help him to get warmer, therefore, he doesn’t need a cookie (he gets a pickle anyways, or a piece of Russian black bread). Kids try to wait and meet and see Ded Moroz, but he always comes after they fall asleep. When families without young kids celebrate they usually exchange gifts after midnight.

New Year's Tree in Moscow

4. Family Tradition

The celebration of this holiday is spent with family, eating a lot of food, and most importantly watching the same hilarious movie (The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy the Steam!, Watch it, it's a graet movie) next to all the special TV shows that the Russian entrainment industry has to offer this year. The celebration usually starts after 5 p.m when everyone sits down to “provodit” or as translated to English to “walk" the previous year and say goodbye. It is a way to leave all the negative behind and to take the positive to the upcoming year. When the clock strikes midnight a bottle of Champagne is opened to celebrate and welcome the New Year with fireworks and sparklers.