Russian Christmas Tree Tradition

He is accompanied by snegurochka a snow maiden said to be his granddaughter.

Russian christmas tree tradition.

Russian christmas religious traditions. However given the early christian community kievan rus celebration may have a longer history. It began regaining popularity only recently partially because russian leaders starting with vladimir putin annually attend a christmas liturgy. Celebrating the new year is a more important holiday in russia than christmas.

Eclipsed by new year s celebrations russian christmas is somewhat less important than it is in other eastern european nations. The russian santa claus is named ded moroz or father frost. During the early mid soviet period religious celebrations were discouraged by the official state policy of atheism until 1936 but despite this. Christmas became an official holiday and a non labor day in russia in 1991.

Often russian christmas and russian new years are combined into a long winter celebration. On new year s eve he places presents for children under the new year tree as opposed to a christmas tree. In russia the christmas holiday became the official celebration with the baptism of rus ordered by prince vladimir in the late 10th century. 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.

Many christmas traditions such as decorating a fir tree and giving presents turned into new year s traditions. Christmas in russia occurs on january 7th according to the russian orthodox calendar.