Russian/Ukrainian/Etc. Holidays - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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Russian/Ukrainian/Etc. Holidays
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Posted by: ShermanAtlanta

My Lena is Ukrainian and there was another holiday this week on Monday. We laugh every time there is another holiday because I mentioned that it seems that they have at least 1 every 2 weeks. Is it me or do they take a lot of days off? Does anyone have a list of official and non-official holidays in the FSU?
Shermik

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi Sherman...

Lena just posted a list of some of the Russian holidays in another post about gift-giving... I will copy what she wrote and paste that information here...

This is from Lena's other post:

What are the most popular holidays in Russia?

1. New Year (1 January) This is the most popular and lovely holiday for Russian people.

2. Orthodox Christmas (January 7) Russians like to celebrate Catholic Christmas, even if he/she is not Catholic, because it's a day off in Russia too.

3. Old New Year (January 13) A very popular holiday in memory of the old calendar

4. International Women's Day ( March 8) It's simply Women's Day. It is not celebrated in the USA, but it is celebrated in Russia and some other countries around the world. All women are honored on this day. Usually, people have the day off from work on this day. Prior to the day that Women's Day is celebrated, males give cards, flowers, gifts to their fellow female students, colleagues and co-workers. As I remember, we had a very big party in my university on this holiday.

5. Orthodox Easter (To be honest, I do not know the exact date of Orthodox Easter, because each year it is on a different day. Religious people know and can count on a religious calendar and know when this holiday is). As I remember, it is two weeks after Catholic Easter, but maybe I'm mistaken.

6. International Labour Day ( May 1)

7. Victory Day ( May 9)

8. Independence Day (I think that Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine might celebrate this on different days)

9. Teacher's Day (October 5) if your fiance is a teacher, do not forget to congratulate her on this day.

10. October Revolution Day ( November 7-8) Russians receive a day off, so you should send flowers and congratulate her on this holiday.

11. Birthday This is a very important day in every person's life, so during your communication do not forget to ask when is her and her mom's birthday because you'll be the most lovely son-in-law if you do not forget your mother-in-law's birthday

In general, Russians have always loved and love to celebrate.

********

Perhaps others can post a list of additional holidays here if they have a more detailed list available to them.

Khashyar

Posted by: ShermanAtlanta

There is also a day or week when everyone goes to the cemetary and they take food and eat outside at the cemetary. Can Lena tell me more about this? Since her Father and Mother had family at different cemetaries, they took several days to visit and maintain all of the sites.
Sherman

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi Sherman...

Can you do me a favor and email Lena that question directly? She may not be able to find your post here, so it is safest if you can write her directly about your question

You can either email her at: asklena @ russianmeetingplace.com, or at: Lena @ russianmeetingplace.com.

She probably could give you some kind of answer about this.

Other Russians on this board may also be able to answer your question.

Khashyar

Posted by: OlenkaKyiv

This days can be different in every village and district of Ukraine. As a rule people go to the cemetery in a week after Easter. They bring food and drinks there and "pominaut" (recall people who are not with them now, i mean who died). This spring I was in West Ukraine. They go to cemetery before Easter and people don't eat and drink there, but only decorate cemetery so it looks like it is great holiday. it is really nice.

Olenka

Posted by: Lena

HI!
Oh Yes, I know what you mean, Sherman.
Yes, there is such a tradition where everyone goes to the cemetery and takes food and eats outside at the cemetery in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
I will try to give you more information about this and will write you more about it.
This tradition came to us from our grandmothers and grandfathers.
I will describe this more later.
Thank you, everyone, for all of your posts and your interest. I am really surprised that everyone is so active in our discussions and so educated.
THANK YOU, guys!!!
Lena

Posted by: Lena

Hello Everyone!

I would like to write more about this holiday that Sherman had mentioned.

Yes, Olenka is right, this holiday is one week after Easter.
Yes it's as big of a holiday in Russian, Ukraine, Belarus as is Easter, and people have the day off.

As I remember, all of our family met at the cemetery and remembered my grandfather. In the Russian language, the name of this holiday is called "Radanitsa." This is the day when all people remember others who died. My grandfather died before I had been born, so I didn't know him. I knew about him just from pictures and stories from my grandmother. My grandfather was in World War II, so his health was not so good after the war, so he died when he before he turned 40 years old. This was about 30 years ago.

We had a tradition to go every Thuesday (a week after Easter) to the cemetery and remember him.
Yes, usually people take food and eat there, but not everyone does this, especially young people and the generation of my mom.

Early in the morning, old people go to the churches. The traditional food of Easter and of this holiday is an Easter cake similar to sweet bread with nuts and raisins, and colored Easter eggs.

My family gathered together at home and had dinner, but we had never eaten at the cemetary. We brought flowers and just sat there for some minutes.

Old people think that a cemetery is the house of dead people and that it's necessary to leave some food there (usually sweets, cookies, and vodka) and spend time communicating with his soul. They come to visit as a guest. But I repeat again that these are the beliefs of old people. Nowadays, young people do this seldom and do not follow these traditions.

I just remeber that I liked Easter and Radanitsa because we received a few days of official holidays, and usually on these days the weather often was great, sunny and warm. You know that in Russia winters are very cold, so people know that after Easter and Radanitsa the weather completely changes and Spring is really warm.

I shared with you all of this information that I remember and that I know from my experience.

Lena

Posted by: OlenkaKyiv

In Ukraine this holiday is called "grobki".

I will post the photo taken on May 2003 in Western Ukraine. They decorate cemetery very nice, so when you are going near it, cemetery seems like having fun. I think it is because died people are still in our memory and those who is alive are thankful for life. "sooner or later we all will be there, so why we should be sad." - people say

But it is prohibited to laugh and talk in loud on cemetery, because we must have a respect to people who are not with us.

Olenka

P.S. Forgot to tell that on photo is a family of my best female friend Marina (she has lond dark hair) who invited me to their home to spend Easter.

Posted by: ShermanAtlanta

Thank you guys very much for the information. This is a great forum and is quickly becoming my favorite place on the internet. Thanks.
Shermik

Posted by: Keith

Olenka:

How are graves decorated? What is the extent of celebration? With flowers only? That is a tradition in the USA and especially in the "Deep South." Families generally decorate graves with flowers on holidays especially Christmas, Easter, Father's/Mother's Days, Memorial (military veterans) Day.

Keith