New Year is for Russia what Christmas is for Europe; probably even bigger. People look forward to it for months, and even the smallest industrial towns will decorate as if they are living in a fantasy movie. Because of the historical difference in calendars, Russians celebrate Christmas in January instead of December, although most forget about it completely. However, instead of Europe’s tradition of having a Christmas tree, Russians gather around a “New Year Tree”. They’ll give each other presents and sing songs, just like we do at Christmas. They even have their own version of Santa Claus: “Ded Moroz”.

Twice, I had the pleasure of witnessing this wonderful event in Russia. Both times, I celebrated it exuberantly with a family. I watched the movie «Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром!» while helping to prepare the caviar and the ‘оливье салат’, which apparently just translates to English as “Russian Salad”. This movie could be called a New Year tradition on its own. Almost every Russian watches it on New Year, every year. The movie is a brilliant work featuring (and making fun of) typical Soviet (and Russian) society. It is a great introduction for anyone interested in Russia or the Soviet Union.