Good morning everyone, today’s post is on Russian holidays you will enjoy. Now this can be a daunting task in itself as there are so many places to visit. Where does one begin, Russia being one of the largest countries in the world. Well here’s one way to travel via the famous Trans-Siberian railway. The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East. With a length of 9,289 kilometres, from Moscow to Vladivostok, it is the longest railway line in the world. There are connecting branch lines into Mongolia, China and North Korea. This is one way for you to take in the scenery along the way and enjoy the culture.
Now if you are considering to travel on the famous Trans-Siberian railway, let me inform you on some Russian holidays and the dates when they celebrate them. Here are a list of some of the major holidays that are celebrated in Russia.
New Year
While we all celebrate the arrival of a new year, for Russian people, it signals the start of a 9-day holiday (Jan 1st to Jan 10th). Who wouldn’t be happy about that! Most Russians will spend this time at home with their families, as the weather is hardly suitable for travel. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Russian New Year party, expect to see the vodka flowing. Don’t make the mistake of trying to match the locals glass for glass, otherwise you will not see the chiming of midnight!
Epiphany
The 19th of January sees many Russian people climbing into ice cold water, after digging a hole in the ice. This symbolises cleansing of the soul and you are not advised to join in, unless you love the idea of plunging into sub-zero water!
Defender of the Fatherland Day
February 23rd is the day to celebrate the Defender of the Fatherland Day This was changed after the fall of the Soviet Union, it used to be called “The Day of the Soviet Red Army and Navy.” While this holiday is to celebrate the armed forces and the good work they do, most children will give their father a nice card on this day.
International Women’s Day
March the 8th is a day when men give their wives or girlfriends flowers and a gift. This beautiful spring holiday is most often celebrated in the family circle with a festive meal and champagne. Another popular way to celebrate this day is by visiting friends. Some men also like to undertake all household duties on this day. Starting with washing dishes and ending with cooking dinner and looking after children, so that the women can enjoy a full day of rest.
Maslenitsa
This festival lasts for one week, and falls on different dates, so check the Russian calendar. The festival celebrates the long-awaited arrival of spring by burning effigies of winter and eating pancakes. As the festival lasts for one week, it is a major event for the people. If you are travelling on the Trans-Siberian railway from Vladivostok to Moscowduring this time, you will have an amazing experience. The locals still celebrate this even when they are travelling. When you consider how cold it is in the winter, it is no wonder they are very happy to see the end of freezing temperatures.
Cosmonaut’s Day
The Russians celebrate their space endeavours on April 12th, as it was on this day in 1961 that Yuri Gagarin became the first man to get into orbit. As you can imagine, this day fills the Russian people with pride, as they were the first country to put a human being into orbit, and they celebrate this day with parties and lashings of vodka!
There are far too many holidays to fit into this article. However if you are interesting in knowing about them all, please refer to the informative guides online. You might like to spend some time thinking about when to take this iconic railway journey, as they have four separate seasons in Russia. The winter is obviously very cold, but if you are OK with that, the winter is a great time to visit Russia, whilst most tourists opt for the summer, which is not only very hot, it is also crowded. Spring or autumn might make for a better choice, but at the end of the day, regardless of the time of year, this train journey ranks among the best in the world.
