How do people in Russia celebrate New Year and Christmas?

I am sure, you can tell us a lot about it. For many children New Year is a favourite holiday.

But how can we tell about it to our friends from other countries? Let’s try to do it.

Russian people start celebrating New Year in the end of December. All the streets, squares, shops, schools and other places are decorated with paper snowflakes, garlands, pictures of Father Frost and Snow Girl. Father Frost is like a Santa Claus in Europe. He is a kind old man with long white beard. He wears red clothes and always has a bag of presents on his back. Snow Girl is his granddaughter. She is very beautiful. She always helps him.

In the end of December children have New Year parties in kindergartens and schools. They sing and dance around the New Year Tree, play games and have tea with sweets and cakes. Father Frost gives them small colorful bags or boxes with sweets, biscuits and nuts. Parents also have New Year parties at work.

On the 31st of December all the family gather around the table to see the New Year in.

They usually have roast chicken with potatoes or traditional Russian pelmeni, different salads, sweets, fruits and a cake. Russian people like to watch TV at New Year night. President of Russia congratulates people and wishes them to be happy, healthy and successful.

At 12 o’clock the clock on the Kremlin Tower strikes 12 times. People congratulate each other, sing and dance. А lot of people gather on the main square around the biggest New Year tree. They sing, dance and shoot off fireworks.

Christmas in Russia is in January. The day of the 6th in January is called Sochelnik. In old times Russian girls asked the Fortune about their future on that day. Christmas is on the 7th of January. It is a religious holiday in Russia. Some people go to church and visit their relatives. Children don’t go to school because they have winter holidays.

And now, let’s remember some facts about New Year and Christmas in Russia.

А теперь, давайте запомним некоторые факты о праздновании Нового Года и Рождества в России.

1.Russian people start celebrating New Year in the end of December. – РоссияненачинаютпраздноватьНовыйГодвконцедекабря.

2.All the streets, squares, shops, schools and other places are decorated with paper snowflakes, garlands, pictures of Father Frost and Snow Girl. – Всеулицы, площади, магазины, школыидругиеместаукрашеныбумажнымиснежинками, гирляндами, изображениямиДедаМорозаиСнегурочки.

3.In the end of December children have New Year parties in kindergartens and schools. – Вконцедекабряудетейновогодниепраздникивдетскихсадахишколах.

4.They sing and dance around the New Year Tree, play games and have tea with sweets and cakes. – Онипоютитанцуютвокругелки, играютвигрыипьютчайсконфетамиипирожными.

5.Father Frost gives them small colourful bags or boxes with sweets, biscuits and nuts. – ДедМороздаритимнебольшиепакетыиликоробочкисконфетами, печеньемиорехами.

6.On the 31st of December all the family gather around the table to see the New Year in. – 31 декабрявсясемьясобираетсязастоломвстретитьНовыйГод.

7.Russian people like to watch TV at New Year night. – Россиянелюбятсмотретьтелевизорвновогоднююночь.

8.President of Russia congratulates people and wishes them to be happy, healthy and successful. – ПрезидентРоссиипоздравляетнародижелаетлюдямбытьсчастливыми, здоровымииуспешными.

9.At 12 o’clock the clock on the Kremlin Tower striles 12 times. – ВдвенадцатьчасовчасынаКремлевскойбашнебьютдвенадцатьраз.

10.Christmas in Russia is in January. – РождествовРоссиивянваре.

11.The day of the 6th in January is called Sochelnik. – День 6 январяназываетсяСочельник.

12.In old times Russian girls asked the Fortune about their future on that day. – Встарыевременарусскиедевушкивэтотденьгадалинабудущее.

13.Christmas is on the 7th of January. It is a religious holiday in Russia. – Рождествоседьмогоянваря. ВРоссииэторелигиозныйпраздник.

14.Some people go to church and visit their relatives. – Некоторыелюдиидутвцерковьинавещаютродственников.