The joy of going back to bed after the first student of the day has cancelled knows no bounds. Having had a couple of hours extra in bed I am now fully refreshed (believe that if you will) and ready to face the day - even though it is Friday 13th. Unlucky for some.
Perhaps now I'll manage to stay up until midnight to celebrate Old New Year. This is the last of the 4 celebrations (Christian Christmas, New New Year, Russian Orthodox Christmas and Old New Year) and is a commemoration of the coming of New Year according to the old Julian calendar. Russians do like to celebrate life.
Here is a link to "Russian Blog" with a more detailed explanation of the old New Year and how it is celebrated together with lots of interesting Russian phrases. I would recommend this blog to anybody interested in Russia and things Russian.
http://www.transparent.com/russian/out-with-the-new-in-with-the-old/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=languageblog&utm_content=russian
Moscow has slowly been filling up during the week as people drift back to work. Whereas this time last week I could be guaranteed a seat on the metro, now it is more usual to stand, depending on the time of day and the particular line.
Here is a recent photo of a mural on the wall on Savyolovskaya metro station.
Perhaps now I'll manage to stay up until midnight to celebrate Old New Year. This is the last of the 4 celebrations (Christian Christmas, New New Year, Russian Orthodox Christmas and Old New Year) and is a commemoration of the coming of New Year according to the old Julian calendar. Russians do like to celebrate life.
Here is a link to "Russian Blog" with a more detailed explanation of the old New Year and how it is celebrated together with lots of interesting Russian phrases. I would recommend this blog to anybody interested in Russia and things Russian.
http://www.transparent.com/russian/out-with-the-new-in-with-the-old/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=languageblog&utm_content=russian
Moscow has slowly been filling up during the week as people drift back to work. Whereas this time last week I could be guaranteed a seat on the metro, now it is more usual to stand, depending on the time of day and the particular line.
Here is a recent photo of a mural on the wall on Savyolovskaya metro station.
4 celebrations? Russians normally don't celebrate Catholic Christmas, they only send wishes to their foreign friends :) By the way, did you receive my e-mail? The thing is that I replied to you and there was no reply from your side. I wonder if it was delivered.
ReplyDeleteCelebrating Old New year is optional, it's not a state holiday. I don't celebrate it at all because for me New year comes on January 1 and Christmas takes place on January 7. Nothing more.
Still, for some it's just another reasonf for gathering together and have a party. In Russia it's become a trend: celebrating holidays just to celebrate something. We've never had Halloweem but now it's very popular. We also "loaned" St Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and some others.
Meanwhile, there're traditional Russian holidays coming from ancient times when we weren't Christians. For instance, Maslenitsa which is actually a heathen holiday and should fly into the face of Christianity. No way if you're Russian. Heathenism and Christianity are friends here :) Of course nobody cares, we just like to have fun!
Forgot to say one thing. I thought it could be interesting for you. Calendar was changed by Lenin and we started celebrating New Year on Jan 1. BUT! It's time when many believers keep the Christmas fast so they actually can't celebrate New Year properly. I suppose it was made exactly to put obstacles to cultural life of people. As you know, bolsheviks proclaimed atheism. So, Old New year is an opportunity for strong Christians to celebrate New Year properly AFTER Christmas when the fast is over.
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