	Advent Calendar - Day 21
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Russia

When do they celebrate
Christmas in Russia?

Answer

In Russia they have to wait until 6th January for Christmas Eve to come. Christmas Day is on 7th January.

Most Christian Russians belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church. The church uses the old Julian calendar, therefore their Christmas celebration is 13 days behind ours on January 6th

"In Russia Merry christmas is S Rozhdestvom and we usually put a toy "Ded Moroz" (Father Frost) under the christmas tree.

Every Christmas, we write our wishes on a little bit of paper and put it in a tin, then we pick out each others paper. Last time when i picked out a piece of paper it said "I want a barbie"! "
Pavel Magin

In Russia, the count down to Christmas begins in November, when Lent (fasting) before Christmas begins. Russian people stop eating any foods that come from animals including cheese and milk. They will, however, eat fish during their fast.

The fast lasts until after the first star appears on January 6, Christmas Eve.

After the first star appears on their Christmas Eve, Russians sit down to a twelve-course meal in honour of the twelve apostles. The meal includes fish, beet soup (borsch), cabbage stuffed with millet, cooked dried fruit and much more.

For dessert they eat a special porridge called kutya. It is made of wheat berries or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality, and honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness, success, and untroubled rest.

Children don't sleep until they have opened their presents at midnight on Christmas Eve.

Christmas is celebrated for 6 days. They put away their Christmas tree at the end on January after the feast day of the Baptism of Christ.

Father Christmas has many names in Russia. One is Great Frosty and another is Grandfather Frost.

The temperature is usually below freezing in Russia at Christmas.

Babushka, is a Russian folktale all about the Christmas story. It tells the story of an old women who met the Wise men on their way to see Jesus. Babushka means Grand Mother in Russian.

Read the Russian folktale here

If you would like tell us about your Christmas in Russia, please send an email to woodlandsweb@hotmail.com or leave a message in our guest book.

Today is the shortest day of the year in the UK
and in other countries in the top half of the world.

It is the longest day in the southern part of the world

Today is also known as Yule or the
Winter Solstice (first day of Winter in the top half of the world)

It is the first day of Summer in Australia and in
countries in the southern part of the world.

You can read about the Winter Solstice on our page about the month of December

2008	21 December
2009	21 December

4 days till Christmas!

Christmas Activities and Teaching Resources

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Russia

When do they celebrate Christmas in Russia?

In Russia they have to wait until 6th January for Christmas Eve to come. Christmas Day is on 7th January.

When do they celebrate
Christmas in Russia?