Show her your love by sending flowers or a present on a special
Russian holiday
 Giving flowers in Russia has still a
special meaning and therefore still used for special occasions, like
Russian women day! (March 8th). Learn about Russian Holidays and
celebrate it with her!
When your flowers are delivered you can
order to let the courier take a photo and at the same time do an
address confirmation. This is handy to confirm if she is indeed living on
the address she told you and you will have a confirmation that she is the
woman
Russian people really like to celebrate! They adopted the
western holidays such as St. Valentine, Catholic Christmas, Halloween as
well as they also celebrate traditional Russian holidays and holidays of
Soviet period. Below we describe only the main Russian holidays.
Russian Holidays Calendar
January
 January 1-2, New Year
The New Year is the greatest holiday of the year in Russia.
It is celebrated on the night from December 31 to January 1. Russians usually
celebrate New Year together with their families and friends. They cook big
dinner, invite relatives, present gifts to each other, sing songs and dance.
They usually have decorated trees at their homes and in the centers of the
major cities. At 12 o'clock people drink champagne and make wishes for the
coming year. New Year's is celebrated in family apartments, but after midnight
people usually go out for walks late in the night. Also New Year is a special
time for kids. They are waiting for Father Frost ("Ded Moroz", closely related
to Santa Claus) and Snow Maiden ("Snegurochka", his granddaughter) to bring
them presents. Often kids dance around the tree, tell rhymes to Father Frost
then receive their presents.
NB Flowers and presents are deeply associated this holiday.
 January 7, Orthodox Christmas
Most Christian Russians belong to the Orthodox Church, and it is traditionally
to fast until the first church service on January 6, Christmas Eve. The church
in Russia still uses the old Julian calendar; therefore their Christmas
celebration is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar that we use. The period
from 7 till 19th January is called "Sviatki" (Saint Days). It is a holy week
leading up to the celebration of Christ's christening. During these days girls
and young women in Russia tell fortunes every day in a whole variety of ways.
January 25, Tatiana's Day.
On the 25th of January students and women named Tatiana
celebrate one of the most favorite holidays - St. Tatiana's Day. This holiday
was first celebrated in the middle of the 18th century, when in 1755 the
Moscow University was founded. Students chose this day to glorify students'
life.
February
 February 14, St. Valentine's Day
This holiday is quite new to Russia and the countries of the former Soviet
Union. But it is becoming more and more popular in Russia. St.Valentine's Day
is now celebrated in Russia like everywhere in the world with giving flowers,
Valentine cards and other gifts between couples in love. All the traditions as
well as the very idea of the holiday were brought from the West.
February 23, Defenders' Day
Next is February 23, Defenders' Day, known until recently as
Soviet Army Day, popularly viewed as holiday for all men and closely followed
by its female counter-part, Women's Day, March 8, when women receive flowers,
presents and are toasted by men.
March
1st week of March - Maslenitsa (Pancake week)
By
the end of winter comes Maslenitsa (Pancake week). Traditionally, it's
farewell to the winter and welcome to the spring.
The Orthodox Church considers Maslenitsa to be a Christian holiday "Cheese
week" 7 weeks before Easter. Maslenitsa is a merry and wide celebrated holiday
similar to the carnival in Western countries. It is a time of games and
contests especially horse racing and fistfights. A big doll of straw is burned
as the final act of saying goodbye to the already passed winter. Through the
whole week people cook pancakes (bliny) and serve them with honey, caviar,
sour cream and butter.
 March 8, International Women's Day
International Women's Day is one of Russia's most important holidays. It's
celebration is a combination between Valentine's Day and Mother's Day in the
West. All men try to do something pleasant for their daughters, wives, mothers
and beloved ones on this day. They present them flowers (usually mimosas,
tulips and roses), candy and shower with compliments. They are also supposed
to do all the housework.
NB All women receive flowers on this day. Forgetting to send a lady a card, or
a gift on this day would be equal to forgetting her birthday.
March / April, Easter (Paskha)
 Orthodox Easter is usually celebrated in about two weeks after
Catholic Easter (this year - March 29). The Easter time celebration is by far
the most important in the Russian Orthodox Church. The traditional Easter
dishes in Russia are a nut and fruit filled yeast cake called "kulich" and a
sweet cheese spread called "paskha". Also it's very popular to paint eggs in
different colours. There are two types of Easter eggs mostly used in Russia: "pysanky"
- richly ornamented eggs of two, three or four colors, and "krashenki" -
Easter eggs of one color, without any ornament. The painted egg is a
traditional Easter present given to friends and relative.
April
March / April, Easter (Paskha)
Orthodox Easter is usually celebrated in about two weeks after
Catholic Easter (this year - March 29). The Easter time celebration is by far
the most important in the Russian Orthodox Church. The traditional Easter
dishes in Russia are a nut and fruit filled yeast cake called "kulich" and a
sweet cheese spread called "paskha". Also it's very popular to paint eggs in
different colours. There are two types of Easter eggs mostly used in Russia: "pysanky"
- richly ornamented eggs of two, three or four colors, and "krashenki" -
Easter eggs of one color, without any ornament. The painted egg is a
traditional Easter present given to friends and relative.
April 1, April Fool's Day
The day of laughter. Everyone may try to play a trick on
others. It is a merry day, playing tricks and jests are in the order of
things. All information coming from TV screens and newspapers cause distrust
and smiles because it is a day of fun.
April 12, Cosmonautics Day
Cosmonautics Day (Russian: День Космонавтики) is
a holiday celebrated (mainly in Russia) every April 12 to commemorate the first
manned earth orbit. It was established in the USSR on April 9, 1962.
May
May 1-2, International Labor Day
During Soviet time there were huge demonstrations on this day.
But nowadays it's just a traditional holiday of spring. Even though no longer
celebrated on a same grand scale as it was during Soviet times, this event
retains the festive nature, with colorful parade through Moscow's Red Square
and St.Petersburg's Palace Square. Most of the people prefer to spend these
days just relaxing, going for picnics, meeting with friends and visiting their
summerhouses ("dacha") in countryside.
May 9, Victory Day
In Russia almost all the families have at least one person who
took part in the war. The number of survivors is getting less every year.
Victory Day honors the people who took part in World War II. On this day,
flowers and are laid on wartime graves, and veterans come out into the streets
wearing their military orders.
June
June 12, Russian Independence Day
Russian Independence Day is celebrated on June 12. On this day,
in 1990, Russian parliament formally declared its sovereignty. While the
holiday has been officially on the books since 1991, 2003 was the first year
that it was celebrated in a major way. There was a big parade in Moscow, and
President Vladimir Putin gave a speech.
24 June, Ivan Kupala's Day.
(European analogue - Holiday of St. John the Baptist)
It is an old Eastern Slav holiday of the summer solstice. This holiday is
connected with the mass bathing and all that related to water. According to
the popular belief one must not sleep as evil spirits play tricks at this
night. Witches, wizards, mermaids injure with all their power. Formerly young
people swam in rivers till late at night, danced, sank flower wreathes with
lighted candles to river. Those who were going to marry jumped over the fire
together and if their hands don't unclasp, it considered that they would be
together. Some of these traditions are still preserved so don't be surprised
if you get wet on this day.
October
October 31, Halloween
It's a new holiday in Russia. It's becoming popular especially
in big cities. Like in many other countries in Russia it's time of ghosts,
spooks, spirits, pumpkins and silly-fun tricks.
November
November 4
Day of the National Unity is the newest Russian
holiday.
November 7, National Reconciliation Day
Formerly Revolution Day - November 7 is the anniversary of the
socialist revolution of October 1917 (on the old calendar, the revolution took
place on October 25) which established communist power. Nowadays it is
"National Reconciliation Day" and many Russians continue to celebrate it.
December
December 12, Constitution Day
On this date in 1993 the new Constitution of the Russian
Federation was approved. The holiday is not considered a popular one in Russia
and for most people Constitution Day is simply an additional day off.
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