New Year's Eve(새해 전날) ~에서 🇷🇺 러시아

New Year's Eve is the pinnacle of the Russian holiday calendar, surpassing Christmas (celebrated on January 7th) in cultural importance. Preparations begin weeks in advance with decorating the yolka (New Year's tree, not a Christmas tree in the Russian tradition) and shopping for the elaborate New Year's table.

The evening centres on the presidential address at midnight, broadcast from the Kremlin. As the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower chimes twelve times, families pop champagne corks and make wishes. A popular tradition involves writing a wish on a piece of paper, burning it, dropping the ashes into a champagne glass, and drinking it before the last chime fades.

Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) deliver presents to children, a tradition that dates to the 1930s when Soviet authorities transferred Christmas customs to the secular New Year. The film The Irony of Fate is broadcast every year without fail, and Russians quote its dialogue as readily as Americans quote holiday movies.

The feast table is non-negotiable: Olivier salad, selyodka pod shuboy (herring under a fur coat), red caviar, tangerines, and Soviet-style champagne are the core menu. Russians celebrate with fireworks, sparklers (bengalskie ogni), and walks through snow-covered streets. Red Square in Moscow hosts a spectacular but tightly controlled celebration.

The last day of the Gregorian calendar year, celebrated worldwide with countdown parties, fireworks, and midnight toasts welcoming the new year.