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Author Topic: A Snowy Eastern Christmas  (Read 200640 times)

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Offline mendeleyev

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A Snowy Eastern Christmas
« on: November 21, 2007, 11:24:49 PM »
Christmas in Russia, what's it like?

Well, its very special now that folks all across the former Soviet Union are now enjoy the opportunity to celebrate it freely.  As you can imagine, the weather alone can make the holiday to be beautiful...romantic....nostalgic.

A great way to see how your lady lives is over the coming holidays.  You'll see her family, the best of Russian foods, theatre and museum exhibitions, Church services, concerts, and you'll experience the fullness of Russian traditions.

We won't ignore Ukraine either.  While many traditions are similiar there are some interesting and fun differences.

So, let's get started with just a few items which will be helpful to understand Christmas in Russia a little better.

Here we go!




Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2007, 11:35:46 PM »
We should perhaps make sure we have the dates down pat first.  And the order of the holidays.

You know how we kind of run Christmas and New Year's together in countries like the USA?  Well, magnify that several times in Russia.  That time of the year turns into one big long holiday, normally decreed by the President and employees (except in essential services) get a very long holiday, paid, with their families.

First off let's look at dates:

- The Russian New Year comes first.  It's the biggest holiday of the year, by far.
- Christmas follows closely behind on January 7.

For those wondering why Christmas is January 7 it's really rather simple.  Historically Christmas was always celebrated in January.  However several hundred years ago a Roman Pope adjusted the calendar to catch up for "leap years" over the several previous centuries.  All calendars in the Western world were adjusted.  The Patriarchs in the East (over which the Pope has no authority) felt it better to leave the calendar alone. 

So, surprise we have two different calendars.  That change moved western Christmas up earlier into December.  By the way it also changed the date of Easter, but we're talking about Christmas here.  It doesn't mean that the west is right and the east is wrong or vice versa.  We're just using two different calendars, thats all.

Questions?  Good, let's move on.



Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2007, 12:10:12 AM »
Hey, who is that dude anyway?

Well, he isn't Santa Claus.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Grandfather Frost (Дед Мороз)!

He's kind of an old fart having been around for awhile.  His name is Grandfather Frost, not Father Frost.  Just a warning because he can get ticked off once in a while when strangers come around calling him by the wrong name.  In Russian culture the older you are, the more honour you are entitled, so he get's kind of particular about those sort of things.

He doesn't live at the North Pole either.

Of course that could change now that President Putin has claimed the North Pole as Russian territory (we're not joking) so perhaps the moving vans will come soon to cart him off.  But for now he lives in a forest just outside the Russian town of Veliky Ustyug (Вели́кий У́стюг). 

It is rumoured that he also maintains a dacha in the Belarussian forest of Belavezhskaya Pushcha (Белавеская пушча) near the Polish border.  But that is probably just a rumour.  Unless your lady lives in Belarussia.  Then of course it must be true!

So is Grandfather Frost just another version of Santa Claus?

Not really, but they sure must be cousins!  Their job descriptions do differ somewhat.  For instance, Grandfather Frost only delivers presents to children.  Normally it's just one gift per child...cuts down on his delivery costs.  And since he does not have elves, multiple presents would be a serious strain on his budget not to mention his time.

As for presents, adults are on their own.  And Grandfather Frost, while a nice and kindly ole dude, is not required to be jolly 24/7.  He apparently has a "grumpy" clause in his contract. 

But he likes vodka!  (What a country!)

He doesn't ride a sleigh either and there are no reindeer on his farm.  He travels about in a Lada most of the year but if you see him in winter he'll be riding his trusty troika.

What the heck is a тройка?  Well, a troika is technically "three of a kind."  But in this case it refers to an old-fashioned sled pulled by three horses.

Grandfather Frost doesn't have to hide his presents under a tree either.  In fact, unless the children are very young presents are not usually put under a tree.  Grandfather Frost delivers them himself.  Now it's that a nice change of pace?!  The dude just walks up to a group of kids and hands each their presents.

And he doesn't ask children to supply him with milk and cookies, or carrots for Rudolph either.  Now, to be honest it's highly, ah very highly, rumoured that Grandfather Frost will gladly enjoy a snort of vodka before moving on to the next delivery.  But you can put those milk and cookies back in the fridge.  If it's not 80 proof or higher, he'll be moving right along.

Now of course the Russian government is kind of stingy on those retirement pensions so Grandfather Frost has been known to supplement his income with some store openings, ribbon cuttings, appearances at private parties, etc. 

He does not stand outside and ring a bell for the Salvation Army, however.  Vodka aside, the man does have some standards.

ila_rendered







Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2007, 12:30:58 AM »
Hey, who's the hot babe?!

What?  You've got to be kidding, Mrs Frost is a old lady...you have a sick mind!  Why she rarely shows up in this story.

Oh sorry, you were talking about that younger babe?  Whoa, careful there pal.  That's his granddaughter.  She has a special story all her own and the old dude gets kind of protective.  Don't be grabbing her on the behind either, even if you name is Bill Clinton. 

That good looking babe is Снегурочка.  Having a hard time pronouncing that, then try the English version:  Snegurochka.  That made it whole lot easier didn't it?!

Okay, let's make it easy.  She is the Snow Maiden.

You're right, she is a very lovely maiden.  And she has her own special story:  As a young maiden the beautiful Снегурочка fell in love with a nomadic shepherd boy named Lel.  She gave him her heart but, alas, he broke her heart and was dying in the forest.  In fact, she was melting.  But she was rescued by her loving Grandfather and Grandmother Frost who carried her home and restored her to life.

Now she lives as a maiden, a virgin, and her sole purpose in life is to serve Grandfather frost in bringing gifts to children.

Well, okay she does do some of the mall visits and store openings, but you get the idea. 

Remember she is like an angel, she is the Snow Maiden.

ila_rendered




Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2007, 12:49:22 AM »
BTW, Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden deliver their gifts on New Year's Day.  Instead of being called a Christmas gift, your gift to your lady and/or her child will be called a New Years gift.

Yep, you guessed it, there is no Christmas tree either.  Its a New Years tree.  Hey, you're catching on to this rather quickly!

ila_rendered

Soon we'll explore the world of Russian holiday traditions, music and food, but first we complete our cast of Russian New Year and Christmas characters with the traditional story of Babushka (which means "God mother"):

Once in a small Russian town, there lived a women called Babushka. Babushka always had work to do sweeping, polishing, dusting and cleaning. Her house was the best kept, most tidy house in the whole village. Her garden was beautiful and her cooking was wonderful. One evening she was busy dusting and cleaning, so busy that she didn't hear all the villagers outside in the village square talking about and looking at the new star in sky.

She had heard about the new star but thought, 'All this fuss about a star! I don't even have the time to look because I'm so behind with my work. I must work all night!' So, she missed the star as it shone brightly, high overhead. She also missed the little line of twinkling lights coming down towards the village at dawn. She didn't hear the sounds of the pipes and drums. She missed the voices and whispers of the villagers wondering whether the lights were an army or a procession of some sort. She missed the sudden quiet of the villagers and even the footsteps coming up the path to her door. But the one thing that she couldn't miss was the loud knocking on her front door!

'Now what is that?' she wondered, opening the door. Babushka gaped in amazement. There were three kings at her door with one of their servants! 'My masters need a place to rest,' the servant said, 'and yours is the best house in the village.' 'You want to stay here?' asked Babushka. 'Yes, it would only be until night falls and the star appears again,' the servant replied. Babushka gulped. 'Come in, then,' she said.

The kings were very pleased when they saw all of the of the home-baked bread, pies and cakes. She dashed about, serving them, asking lots of questions. 'Have you come a long way?' 'A very long way,' sighed Caspar. 'Where are you going?' 'We're following the new star,' said Melchior. 'But where?' The kings didn't know, but they believed that it would lead the to a new-born king, a King of Earth and Heaven. 'Why don't you come with us?' asked Balthasar. 'You could bring him a gift like we do. I bring gold, and my colleagues bring spices and perfumes.' 'Oh, I'm not sure that he would welcome me,' said Babushka, 'and what could I bring for a gift? Toys! I know I could bring a toy. I've got a cupboard full of toys,' she said sadly. 'My baby son, died when he was small.' Balthasar stopped her as she went to tidy the kitchen up. 'This new king could be your king too. Come with us when the star appears tonight,' he said. 'I'll think about it,' sighed Babushka.

As the kings slept, Babushka tidied up as quietly as she could. 'What a lot of extra work there was!' she thought, 'and this new king, what a funny idea, to go off with the kings to find him.'

Babushka shook herself. There was no time for dreaming, all this washing-up and putting away had to be done. 'Anyway,' she thought, 'how long would she be away? What would she wear? What about the gift?' She sighed. 'There is so much to do. The house will have to be cleaned when they've gone. I couldn't just leave it.' Suddenly it was night-time again and the star was in the sky. 'Are you ready, Babushka?' asked Balthasar. 'I'll come tomorrow,' Babushka called, 'I must just tidy here first and find a gift.'

The kings went away sadly. Babushka ran back into her house, keen to get on with her work.

Finally, she went to the small cupboard, opened the door and gazed at all the toys. But they were very dusty. They weren't fit for a baby king. They would all need to be cleaned. She cleaned all of the toys until each one shined. Babushka looked through the window. It was morning! The star had came and gone. The kings would have found somewhere else to rest by now. She could easily catch them up, but she felt so tired. She had to sleep. The next thing she knew, she was awake and it was dark outside. She had slept all day! She quickly pulled on her cloak, packed the toys in a basket and ran down the path the kings had taken.

Everywhere she asked 'Have you seen the kings?' 'Oh yes,' everyone told her, 'we saw them. They went that way.' For day Babushka followed the trail of the kings and the villages got bigger and became towns. But Babushka never stopped. Then she came to a city. 'The palace,' she thought. 'That's where the royal baby would be born.' 'No, there is no royal baby here,' said the palace guard when she asked him. 'What about three kings?' asked Babushka. 'Oh yes, they came here, but they didn't stay long. They were soon on their journey.' 'But where to?' asked Babushka. 'Bethlehem, that was the place. I don't imagine why. It's a very poor place. That's where they went.' replied the guard. She set off towards Bethlehem. It was evening when Babushka arrived at Bethlehem and she had been travelling for a long time. She went into the local inn and asked about the kings. 'Oh yes,' said the landlord, 'the kings were here two days ago. They were very excited, but they didn't even stay the night.' 'And what about a baby?' Babushka cried. 'Yes there was.' Said the landlord. The kings asked about a baby, too.' When he saw the disappointment in Babushka's eyes, he stopped. 'If you'd like to see where the baby was,' he said quickly, 'it was across the yard there. I couldn't offer the couple anything better at the time. My inn was really full, so they had to go in the stable.'

Babushka followed him across the yard. 'Here's the stable,' he said. He left her in the stable. 'Babushka?' Someone was calling her from the doorway. He looked kindly at her. She wondered if he knew where the family had gone. She knew now that the baby king was the most important thing in the world to her. 'They have gone to Egypt, and safety,' he told Babushka. 'And the kings have returned to their countries. But one of them told me about you. I am sorry but you are too late. It was Jesus that they found, the world's Saviour.'

Babushka was very sad that she had missed Jesus and it is said that Babushka is still looking for him.

(Story credit:  www.whychristmas.com)

ila_rendered

Coming soon:  Holiday traditions, music and food.

ila_rendered

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2007, 01:48:35 AM »
Do you love Christmas music?  Russians and Ukrainians have a deep history of composing some of the finest music in the world, including music for the Christmas season.


Although this isn't a Christmas specific song, Tanya Bulanova's (Таня Буланова) "Only You" video is shot in winter at a woman's monastery. Nice winter scenes!

To the other end of the musical spectrum we go to Tchaikovsky's "Hymn of the Cherubim" which is part of the Russian Orthodox liturgy.




This past year marked the death of Muslim Magomaev, a giant entertainer during the Soviet years. Beloved by young and old alike, he made a lasting impact on FSU music. Here he and follow superstar Tamara Sinyavskaya sing Silent Night:



What is Christmas without a little humour on Russian television?!


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2007, 01:54:47 AM »
It's trivia time: 

It would be fun to play, "Who is that writer/composer?"

Hints:
- He was Ukrainian.
- But lived his adult life in the USA.
- He was Jewish.
- But wrote one of the most famous Christmas songs in modern history.

Who was he.......and what is that very famous song?

Offline Olga

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2007, 10:39:40 AM »

For those wondering why Christmas is January 7 it's really rather simple.  Historically Christmas was always celebrated in January.  However several hundred years ago a Roman Pope adjusted the calendar to catch up for "leap years" over the several previous centuries.  All calendars in the Western world were adjusted.  The Patriarchs in the East (over which the Pope has no authority) felt it better to leave the calendar alone. 


The Russian Orthodox Church still uses the old Julian calendar; therefore, its Christmas celebration falls on January 7th.

The Julian and Gregorian Calendars
http://www.hermetic.ch/cal_stud/cal_art.html

Russian Orthodox Christmas is more religious holiday and New Year is more secular.
According to the regulations of Orthodox church you must keep the fast during 40 days (from 28th of November to  6th of January inclusive) and eat only the lenten fare.

At the Christmas Eve the Orthodox believers must eat nothing. They come to a church to 10 pm and start celebrate Christmas in the church. When the first star appears in the sky the believers are allowed to eat sochivo (it is  lenten meal - boiled rice with honey and fruits). The name of the day before Christmas is sochelnik (from sochivo). When you come home after divine service you can eat what you want  :) usually it is after 2 am.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2007, 10:45:22 AM »
Just got off the phone with a man in my city who has a new(er) Russian bride.  Apparently his wife is having second thoughts about breaking the Russian nativity fast with a big Thanksgiving meal.  He is naturally excited about taking her to the home of his extended family later today where there will be turkey and all the extra Thanksgiving trimmings.  She doesn't mind going, but doesn't wish to eat, not realizing the signal such will send to his family.

He truly loves his wife and wishes to respect her desire to practice her faith, yet he has grown up with the wonderful Thanksgiving tradition.  So, here is how I counseled him:

1)  First I asked if she/they have a local priest?  Not being a priest, it would be wrong for me to give them spiritual advice which contradicted their spiritual confessor.  "Not yet," was his reply, as he explained that she has just decided it important to return to church.  That is fine with him.  He's in his mid-40's and has "church-hopped" a bit so is not tied to one particular church.  I gave him the nearest Russian Orthodox church location in the East Valley of Phoenix.  The priest there was a convert to Orthodoxy from Evangelical Christianity several years ago and he will be a nice fit for both of their backgrounds.

Having established that my advice would not be in conflict with anyone else, he and I recapped the story of Thanksgiving.  It is uniquely an American holiday, via Presidential decree.  It from the beginning created to be a religious holiday.  The proclamation says it is for the purpose to "give thanks to God Almighty..." for the blessings this nation has enjoyed and to pray for continued Sovereign guidance.

As a religious feast, Thanksgiving can (and some individual priests will disagree), be given an exemption from the Russian Nativity fast.  The proclamation of Thankgiving was also designed to be pan-religious meaning a feast for every person to celebrate no matter their individual faith.

2)  We discussed the calender.  Because his wife came to America early this year she is undoubtedly still operating (in her "internal clock") under the Russian calendar for such events.  As you recall the East never changed calendars as did the West so in reality for her the Christmas (nativity) fast in Russia does not begin until 28 December (and continues thru 6 January) so this couple could choose to use the Russian calendar instead, thereby giving them freedom to enjoy today's dinner to the fullest.

There is a week of preparation before the fast in which meat/oil/wine/dairy products are limited so that the body doesn't approach the fast "cold turkey"  :happy0023:, but she can easily enjoy the celebration today with his family.

3)  He could also counsel her to view Thanksgiving much like most Russians do on New Year's Eve/Day.  Technically they are still in a fasting period, but in reality only the most pious keep a strict fast at New Year's.  She has not been practicing her faith all year so it could be doubtful that she has had a sudden conversion to being ultra-pious.

Finally as a friend, I asked if there were any problems regarding her interaction with his family members?  In other words, could her hesitation be about more personal relationships than about a meal during the fast?  Not at all, was his reply.  His grandmother and his sister are two of her favourite people here.





So using their experience, here is a recap of calendar dates:

Eastern (Russian) fasting period
28 November thru sundown on 6 January with Christmas day on 7 January.


Western calendar fasting period
15 November thru sundown 24 December. Christmas day on 25 December.


Acceptable exemptions to the fast:
- When given an exemption by a priest.
- When traveling.
- When a guest in someone's home.
- When guests are in your home.
- For legitimate health reasons.
- Young children are exempt.
- Elderly are exempt (although often they are the most pious).
- When fasting would call undue attention--the fast is for personal discipline, not to make others uncomfortable.
- When a woman is pregnant.



What items do you give up during a fast:
- Meat of any kind (except fish on certain days).
- Oil in cooking.
- Wine, beer, vodka....any kind of alcohol.
- Dairy products.
- Egg products.
- All parties and celebrations are delayed until after 7 January.
- Some couples give up sex completely, others curtail the frequency during the fast.
- It is a good time to try to give up unhealty habits like smoking, swearing, etc.


"Wow, this is strict!" some will say.  So,

What is the purpose of the Orthodox fast:
- Christ fasted for 40 days in the wilderness, eating only fruits and berries.  He spent the time in prayer.
- The fasts are designed to assist one to be more like Christ, spending more time in prayer.
- Every time you feel hungry, instead of eating, say a prayer asking God for discipline in your spiritual life.
- Discipline...in the Orthodox faith one should try to discipline the flesh (body).  The flesh leads to sin but the spirit leads to everlasting life.
- Such a prolonged discipline leads to a very joyful celebration to the feast of Christ's nativity on Christmas day!


Offline Olga

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2007, 10:48:45 AM »
History of Ded Moroz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ded_Moroz

His roots are in pagan beliefs (he was a wicked and cruel sorcerer who even kills people), but since the 19th century his attributes and legend have been shaped by literary influences. He, together with Snegurochka, were "fleshed out" from a kind of a winter sprite into what he is now. The fairy tale play Snegurochka by the famous Russian playwright Alexander Ostrovsky was influential in this respect, followed by Rimsky-Korsakov's Snegurochka with libretto based on the play.

Only by the end of the 19th century did Ded Moroz win a "competition" between the various mythical figures who were in charge of New Year presents: including Grandfather Nicholas, Santa Claus, Ded Treskun, Morozko and simply Moroz. Ded Moroz perfectly fits the Russian traditions, so there is a widespread erroneous opinion that he has been known to Russians for centuries.

In 1916, in Imperial Russia the Holy Synod called to boycott Christmas trees as a tradition, originating from Germany (Russia's enemy during World War I). In the Russian SFSR and the Soviet Union Christmas trees were banned until 1935 because they were considered to be a "bourgeois and religious prejudice"[1]. In 1928 Ded Moroz was declared "an ally of the priest and kulak".[2]. The New Year's tree was revived in the USSR after the famous letter by Pavel Postyshev, published in Pravda on December 28, 1935, where he asked for New Year trees to be installed in schools, children's homes, Young Pioneer Palaces, children's clubs, children's theaters and cinema theaters[1]. Postyshev believed that the origins of the holiday, which were pre-Christian in any case, were less important than the benefits it could bring to Soviet children.[2] In 1937, Ded Moroz for the first time arrived at the Moscow Palace of Unions. In subsequent years, an invitation to the New Year Tree at the Palace of Unions became a matter of honor for Soviet children. The color of the coat that Ded Moroz wore was changed several times. So as not to be confused with Santa Claus, it was often blue. Joseph Stalin ordered Palace of Unions' Ded Morozes to wear only blue coats. During the times of the Soviet Union's dominance over Eastern Europe, Ded Moroz was officially introduced in many national traditions, despite being alien to them. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, there have been efforts to revive local characters.

Probably a pagan Ded Moroz looked like this  :)


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2007, 10:52:12 AM »
Olga, would you share with us the recipe for making "sochivo?"  Maybe we could start this tradition this Christmas using your recipe!

Offline Olga

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2007, 11:06:33 AM »
It is very easy.  :)

Boil rice. Add some honey and fresh fruits or canned fruits. Mix it. Also you can use dry fruits but before adding it to rice you should boil it too or just put dry fruits for 5-10 min in very hot boiled water and they will be soft.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2007, 11:12:10 AM »
Do you have 2 minutes for one of the funniest Christmas cartoons ever seen?  Here is the story of the 3 pigs and the big bad wolf.....Russian Christmas style.  Very funny, especially the ending:


Russian TV add....get your own Satellite TV in time for the holidays:


Watch Christmas being celebated in Russia:


Russian young people can't seem to get enough of American swing/jazz.  Here is the Red Club in Russia for their 2005 Christmas party.  Amazing at the young beautiful Russians dancing to music of the American 1940s-60s:


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2007, 12:00:34 PM »
Russian children celebrate New Years holiday at school:


Christmas services in Russia--YouTube has a series of 6 video which many of you may enjoy.  This is #6 of the series: 

Offline LEGAL

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2007, 12:25:41 PM »
Jim Very good thread. You have brought back some very good memories for me with your photos and videos. The one photo is the communication tower I believe that I have passed many times. I do miss and love the Russian winter,  holidays and family time together. Happy thanksgiving to you and your lovely family as well as everybody else who reads this.
 WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER WHAT WE ARE THANK FULL FOR AND BE KIND TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER.

Offline Olga

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #15 on: November 22, 2007, 10:17:28 PM »
Greeting cards

Merry Christmas!










Offline Olga

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #16 on: November 22, 2007, 10:18:30 PM »
Merry Christmas!










Offline Olga

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #17 on: November 22, 2007, 10:19:24 PM »
Greeting cards

Happy New Year!













Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #18 on: November 23, 2007, 07:36:33 PM »
Compliments of our co-producer Olga and this thread's fine moderator Chrismc, we provide this page to assist any of our guys who would like to send your lady a real and authentic Christmas card, in her Russian language.

Here are step by step directions on how to send her a Russian holiday card:

-Go to http://eng.davno.ru/cards/ch.html
-See the menu on the left?  Click on either New Years cards or on Christmas cards
-Choose a card and click on it
-Fill in "to whom/and from" information.  Use our guide below to help you.
-Put a heading (Заголовок) on the line (Such as happy new year, etc)
-Fill in some text (Текст) in the text message box (either in English or copy from samples below)
-Next scroll down and choose your immaginary Выберите марку (post mark).  
(The rest of the directions are listed below)


Translation guide:
Кому: (To)
Введите имя:  (Enter her name here)
Введите E-Mail: (Enter her email address here)


От: (From)
Введите имя:  (Your name goes here)
Введите E-Mail: (Your email address goes here)


Заголовок: (Heading or Greeting)
Текст: (Text of your message goes in this box)

You can write a short text in English or use the sample one below.


Sample heading:  С новым годом! (Happy New Year!)

Sample text to cut and paste:  Я желаю Вам с Рождеством Христовым! (I wish you a merry Christmas!)

Sample ending:  Я целую Вас. С уважением, (_____).  (I kiss you.  Sincerely, (your name)

Alternate sample ending:  С поцелуем, (_____).   With a kiss, (your name)


Now the line: Хотите послать эту открытку нескольким получателям? asks if you wish to send this card to more than one person.  If so, select the very next box and select the number of recepients in multiples of five.  Most of us will just send one card per person.

Okay, the clickable box at the bottom simply allows us to preview the letter before sending.  Click it.

Now it looks just like a postcard!

If it's okay, click the bottom left button.  If you need to make corrections, click the bottom right button.


Leave it checked where it says: Прислать уведомление о прочтении открытки if you wish to be notified by email when your lady reads your card.


The next screen should say something like this:
Ваша открытка была успешно отправлена (Successful sending of your card was made).


Your card is set to be delivered to your lady on the day of the holiday.


You will notice that this screen has more cards shown so that you can choose another and send it to someone else!  When finished save this link to your favourites and congradulate yourself on a job well done.



Offline LEGAL

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #19 on: November 23, 2007, 07:47:33 PM »
SPASIBO BOLSHOYE.   :smileysherlock:   

Offline ECR844

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #20 on: November 23, 2007, 07:50:00 PM »
Excellent work to everyone who is involved with this project, thank you!

Offline LEGAL

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #21 on: November 23, 2007, 08:07:15 PM »
Legal, thanks my friend!  Yes, that is the Communications tower in St P, a unique sight on winter nights.

I also share your nostaligia and for me the most beautiful time of year in Russia/Ukraine is winter.  This is the time of year when Russia becomes "Russia" and I think you understand what is meant by that.


Olga, nice cards!


OK Two Christmases ago in Saint Petersburg with Olga. All of those cultural sites, smells,  sounds and listening to Trans Siberian Orchestra's   The Lost Christmas Eve  CD, in our flat with friends Phil, Nina & Tatiana. Great food Lots to drink and of course great conversations. A very magical time. WOW

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #22 on: November 23, 2007, 09:06:32 PM »
For each of us, you're welcome.  It is with pleasure.
Пожалуйста. Это - с удовольствием.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #23 on: November 23, 2007, 09:43:53 PM »
If you have not yet had the opportunity to watch one of Olga's videos, then you are in for a real treat!  Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves to believe the good fortune to have Olga in our midst.  She has an "eye" for what works, a natural affinity for the beauty in life and in art, and she weaves her talents into every video so that each new production is an instant "classic."

Enjoy a bit of winter, Russian style, from our fellow forum member Olga:



Footnotes:  Torzhok (Торжо́к) is not far from Tver, Russia.  It is home to the very famous Saviour-Transfiguration Cathedral, built in 1374.  Catherine the Great also had a travel palace in Torzhok.  Torzhok is also home to the monastery of Sts. Boris and Gleb which is several hundred years old.  Nearby in the village Maksimovskoe is the all-wood Chapel of the Archangel Michael.  You'll see these sites in Olga's video.

On the old highway between Moscow and St Petersburg, Torzhok and the surrounding area constitutes a winter Christmas delight!

Offline DonA

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Re: A Russian New Year & Christmas
« Reply #24 on: November 23, 2007, 09:55:18 PM »
Ah talking about old place last. Last year Yulia and went on a cruise from St Pete to the island of Vallaam (sp?) where the oldest monastery in Russia stand. It dates back 1,000 years. It's an amazing and very Holy place.
Olga do you have any videos of Vallaam?

DonAz


 

 

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