As the first snowflakes fall, turning the world into a sparkling wonderland, the excitement for winter celebrations begins. Imagine walking through a neighborhood where every house is decorated with bright Christmas lights—white icicles, red and green stars, and shimmering garlands. The cold air carries the sweet scent of pine and cinnamon, and the soft glow of streetlamps reflects off the snowy streets, creating a peaceful and magical atmosphere. Amidst this charm, you can hear the joyful laughter of children playing in the snow, their voices echoing as they hurl snowballs and slide down icy hills, adding an extra layer of enchantment to the winter scene. As the evening progresses, the sky lights up with vibrant fireworks, their colors bursting against the backdrop of a dark, starry night, adding a dazzling finale to the winter festivities. The most beloved and eagerly awaited holidays of the winter season are American Christmas and Russian New Year. American Christmas and Russian New Year, celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy, reflect distinct cultural values and traditions that highlight differences in their origins, social norms, and holiday practices, illustrating how each holiday uniquely embodies its cultural spirit.

New Year is a cherished holiday celebrated around the globe, with each country observing it at different times and embracing unique traditions, customs, and rituals. Frolova (2013) has noted in her article “The New Year holidays remain the most favorite holiday for the city and rural dwellers from all over Russia” (p. 241). The date of the holiday used to change over the years, but now New Year’s is celebrated on January 1st and lasts until January 8th. The tradition of celebrating the New Year on the night from December 31 to January 1 was established in Russia only at the very end of the 17th century – the corresponding decree of Peter I by changing the chronology system – now it was carried out not from the “creation of the world”, but from the Nativity of Christ. The decree of Peter I prescribed new procedures for celebrating the New Year – most of them were borrowed from Europeans. New Year’s traditions included decorating streets with fir branches, place live fir-trees or fir branches in houses, large-scale festivities, and masquerades, burn fires from straw or brushwood, shoot into the air from guns. Most of the traditions have been preserved to this day, except that the shots were replaced by fireworks. Traditionally, people celebrate the New Year with their family with a festive table. All family members gather at a table full of various dishes not long before midnight and listen to the president’s New Year’s Eve speech on TV. After having dinner everyone goes outside, meets their friends, and play together snowballs or slide from an ice slide. When I was a child, one of my favorite parts of the celebration was playing outside with my friends, setting off small fireworks, and staying up late. It was a magical time when children were allowed to stay awake for a long time, making it more special and memorable. The New Year celebration is also accompanied by costume balls held in kindergartens, schools, and higher educational institutions. As Frolova (2013) noted, costumes were constantly changing due to the influence of television and books (p. 242). Over time, traditional Soviet animal costumes were replaced by costumes of princesses and other cartoon characters. And of course, no New Year celebration was complete without the traditional visits from Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, known in Russia as Ded Moroz and Snegurochka. According to Russia society & culture complete report (2010), while Santa Claus sneaks through chimneys to leave gifts under Christmas trees, Ded Moroz arrives at New Year parties or costume balls with a large bag of presents (p. 24). Farewell to the outgoing year, welcoming the new one, playing various games, performing ritual actions, and decorating homes—all these elements make the Russian New Year a unique and vibrant celebration.

Christmas is a beloved Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. People all over the world celebrate with joy and festive activities, coming together with family and friends. In America, Christmas is celebrated with a variety of unique traditions and customs. The Christmas Americans celebrate today, with its carols, cards, presents, trees, and various Santas, feels timeless but is actually just over a hundred years old (Restad, 1995, p. 13). The holiday only fully became a national tradition in the mid-20th century In America. Christmas is traditionally celebrated on December 25th. Forbes (2015) observed in his book that Advent, the season leading up to Christmas, begins four Sundays before the holiday and serves as a time of preparation and anticipation (p. 22). Christmas is a time when families come together, often traveling long distances to be with one another. In the USA, it is customary to decorate houses inside and outside, creating a cozy festive atmosphere on the streets. Americans go all out with holiday decorations, hanging enormous quantities of Christmas lights and placing charming figurines of Santa, elves, animals, and other festive characters in front of their houses. The traditional decoration inside the house is a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments, garlands, and bows, as well as candies and ginger cookies. As Restad (1995) highlighted in his article, “tree decoration became big business” (p. 15). Well before Christmas, stores begin offering a wide range of holiday decorations, including Christmas tree ornaments, garlands, and wrapping paper. During the holiday season in America, shopping for gifts is a major activity. Gifts are commonly exchanged on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, making it a central part of the celebration. Christmas cards have become a popular way to give thoughtful messages and greetings during the holiday season. Another common decoration is hanging stockings near the fireplace, often filled with small gifts, hard candies, or tangerines. It is believed that Santa Claus comes down the chimney to place these gifts inside the stockings. Santa Claus, a central figure in Christmas festivities, has a captivating history and a unique place in American tradition. His modern image, influenced by legends of St. Nicholas and shaped by Americans like Pintard, Irving, Moore, Nast, Church, and Sundblom, is widely considered a distinctly American creation (Forbes, 2015, p. 39). A holiday cannot be imagined without a special dinner. The main Christmas dish is usually roasted turkey or other meats like duck or chicken, accompanied by sides such as Brussels sprouts, fried potatoes, and a variety of boiled or steamed vegetables. All these elements of the celebration come together to make Christmas a joyful, family-friendly, and deeply meaningful holiday.

Russian New Year and American Christmas are both cherished holidays with European origins. They have evolved into unique celebrations with their own traditions and features, some of which are similar and some quite different. Frolova (2013) and Forbes (2015) describe these holidays as family gatherings around the table, featuring a variety of delicious foods. However, American Christmas is associated with the religious celebration of the birth of Christ, while the Russian New Year is celebrated as a civil holiday, separate from religious observance. Frolova (2013) explained that religious holidays were banned during communism, leading Russians to shift the celebration of Orthodox Christmas to New Year’s. Orthodox Christmas still holds a place in the Russian holiday calendar and is celebrated on January 7. According to Forbes (2015) Americans begin preparing for Christmas throughout the entire Advent period, starting immediately after Thanksgiving. They buy gifts in advance and decorate their Christmas trees. Meanwhile, Russians typically decorate the Christmas tree shortly before the New Year holiday. Based on my observations, in America, there is a strong tradition of decorating live Christmas trees, while Russians tend to prefer artificial ones. I was especially impressed by the farms where spruce trees are grown, where visitors can choose their preferred tree, cut it down, and take it home for a fee. In Russia, you can also cut down a spruce with a special permit, but this practice has not become as widespread as it is in America. Forbes (2015) and Restad (1995) discussed in detail another popular American tradition: the custom of sending Christmas cards. This tradition is not widespread in Russia; only a few people, inspired by foreign customs, send postcards with family photos to their friends or relatives. It is also worth mentioning key figures in the celebration of American Christmas and Russian New Year: Santa Claus and Father Frost or Ded Moroz. Forbes (2015) describes Santa Claus as the most recognizable character associated with American Christmas, even beyond the United States. During Advent, people might encounter Santa in stores ringing a bell or in shopping centers, where they can take photos with him. According to Russia society & culture complete report (2010) Ded Moroz comes directly to the New Year celebration with a bag of gifts and is accompanied by his assistant, the Snow Maiden. Both characters have specific characteristics: Santa Claus traditionally wears red clothes, travels on a reindeer sleigh, and is accompanied by elves. In contrast, Father Frost’s attire can be red or blue, and he travels with the Snow Maiden on a sleigh drawn by horses. Nevertheless, they have something in common: a white beard and, of course, widespread love and respect from people. Despite their unique features, American Christmas and Russian New Year remain the most anticipated and beloved holidays of the year.

Holidays have become an integral part of our lives, profoundly impacting both our mental and emotional well-being. They provide an opportunity to momentarily set aside work, problems, and stress, allowing us to focus on joy and connection. These special days bring together loved ones, offering a chance to celebrate, reconnect, and share meaningful moments. The most vivid and memorable experiences often stem from childhood celebrations and the sense of anticipation that comes with them. In conclusion, while American Christmas and Russian New Year each feature unique cultural traditions and practices, both holidays share a common thread: they bring people together in celebration. These shared values transcend cultural boundaries, demonstrating that despite our diverse traditions, the essence of celebration and togetherness unites us all. Thus, holidays hold great importance, providing a chance to create lasting memories and strengthen connections with loved ones.

 References

Forbes, B. D. (2015). America’s favorite holidays: candid histories. University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520960442

Frolova, A. (2013). Modern Holiday Calendar of the Russians. Etnoantropolos̆ki Problemi, 8(1), 239–257. https://doi.org/10.21301/eap.v8i1.11

Restad, P. (1995). Christmas in 19th-century America. History Today, 45(12), 13-19.

Russia society & culture (2nd ed.). (2010). World Trade Press.