Russia – Holidays You Should Know

Holiday celebrations, whether officially recognized by the government or simply perpetuated by the people, are one of the most fascinating things to research about any country. No matter where you travel, it’s certain that there will be special days in the year set aside for people who are normally serious or hard working to cut loose and celebrate with their friends and family. What is your favorite national holiday to celebrate? Depending on where you’re from and how you were raised, you might like to participate in certain religious holidays, or those days that are set aside to help remember and commemorate the victory over a national enemy, or the survival of the original settlers of your country.

The point is that no matter which country you’re traveling in, there’s a good chance that there are holidays set aside to give the people a break from their work and a chance to celebrate. The country of Russia is no different, and you might actually find that there are some holidays that you recognize along with them. One of the most important and familiar holidays that is celebrated in Russia is New Year’s Day. No matter who you talk to when you’re traveling through the Russian countryside, they’ll probably tell you that this is the holiday celebration that they look forward to the most. Before the rise of Communism, Christmas was undoubtedly the most popular holiday, however, religious holidays were systematically banned during the time of the Soviet Union. Instead of fighting about their loss of Christmas, the Russian people simply moved the emphasis to New Year’s Day, which they regarded as a new beginning and a chance for their dreams of freedom to come true.

A more unique holiday that is popular on the Russian calendar is Fatherland Defender’s Day that takes place every year on February 23rd. This holiday originated during the Soviet era, and has since gone through several name changes. Originally, it was called the Red Army Day, because February 23rd was the day that the Soviet army was first commissioned. Eventually, it was simply known as Soviet Army Day. Then, because all Soviet men of a certain age were likely to be drafted for service, it simply because known as a day to celebrate all men in Russia that are or might be called on to defend the country. For women in Russia, the most important day on the yearly calendar is March 8th, which is the official Women’s Day. Even small girls look forward to this day with great anticipation, as it is a day when they are showered with gifts and treats from the men and boys in their lives. On this day, the men take over the hard housework and chores that are usually delegated to the women, and mothers, sisters and daughters are given a day of pampering and rest.