I’m just a slavic girl :)

I want to share a little and tell you how New Year and Christmas are celebrated in Slavic countries. Because yes, we do things a bit differently.

First of all, Christmas for us is not on December 25th, but on January 7th. The reason is simple and complicated at the same time part of the Slavic world follows the Julian calendar. It’s older, slower, and stubbornly refuses to rush into the modern timeline.
Very Slavic, honestly.😁

Second, we celebrate New Year much louder than Christmas. And there’s a reason for that too. During Soviet times, religious holidays faded into the background, while New Year became the official excuse to gather, set a big table, exchange gifts, and believe in miracles. Over time, it became something bigger than just a date change.

We put up a tree not for religion, but for the mood. Gifts are given because….
Hmm.. IDK 🤷
The table is always filled with Olivier salad, “dressed herring” (shuba) you know about this? 🥲 mandarins, and so much food that it lasts for days.

And yes, let’s be honest Slavic people enjoy drinкing. So any holiday is a good holiday. And if you can stretch it from December 31st to January 7th, that’s not chaos, that’s strategy. We call it tradition.😁

For us, New Year is a “reset life” button. Even if nothing really changes, the act of hoping is reason enough to raise a glass. Christmas, on the other hand, is quiet, family-focused, and a little philosophical. It’s not loud it’s felt.

So if a Slavic person tells you, “The holidays are just beginning,” just know they mean it. 🙃🫡