Russian Christmas & Slavic Holiday Traditions
For many Slavic nations, Christmas is about deeply rooted family traditions and religious practices.
When Is Russian Christmas?
Russian Christmas is traditionally celebrated on January 7 by the Russian Orthodox Church. Christmas Eve falls on January 6 and is known as Sochelnik. For many Orthodox Christians, Christmas follows a period of fasting and is marked by church services, traditional foods, and gatherings with family and friends.
Christmas dates vary across Slavic countries and Christian traditions. The Serbian Orthodox Church, for example, also celebrates Christmas on January 7. Many other Slavic Christians, including those in Poland, Croatia and Bulgaria, celebrate on December 25.
Russian Christmas Eve Traditions
In Russia, Christmas is quiet, spiritual, and reflective. Orthodox families fast before the holiday, abstaining from meat and dairy. On Christmas Eve, or "Sochelnik," a special porridge called kutia, made of wheat or rice with honey, poppy seeds, and dried fruit, is served to symbolize abundance.
Caroling is popular, and families attend church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate the Nativity. Homes are decorated with candles, evergreens, and sometimes small nativity scenes. While Christmas in Russia is a time of faith and reflection, family togetherness is also at the heart of the holiday.
Christmas Traditions Across Slavic Countries
One of the most cherished traditions is the Christmas Eve dinner, called “Wigilia” in Poland, “Sviat Vechir” in Ukraine, or “Badni Vecher” in Bulgaria and Serbia. Meals are usually meatless and feature symbolic dishes, for example, twelve in Poland for the apostles, a variety of beans, fish, and vegetables in Bulgaria, and beans, nuts, and honey in Serbia. Polish families share opłatek or kolivo/kolyvo in Bulgaria, a sweet wheat dish symbolizing life and hope.
Caroling is a cherished tradition across Slavic lands: in Russia, Ukraine and Serbia, groups go house to house singing songs, often with playful costumes, masks, or folk instruments, receiving treats in return. In Bulgaria, children and adults perform koledari, a ritual procession of young men singing blessing songs for health and prosperity, accompanied by traditional sticks or decorated staffs.
Russian New Year Traditions
While Christmas can be solemn, New Year celebrations are lively, festive, and full of folklore and fun.
In Russia, Novy God (New Year’s Eve) is the highlight of the season. Given the two calendars, Russians celebrate New Years twice, once on January 1 and again on “Old New Year” on January 14. Homes sparkle with New Year trees, gifts are exchanged, and Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) delivers presents with his granddaughter Snegurochka. Festive dinners include salads, pickled vegetables, smoked fish, and sparkling drinks, and fireworks light up the sky at midnight.
Slavic New Year Traditions
In Belarus, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Serbia, New Year is celebrated with folk music, dancing, and house-to-house performances. In Bulgaria, people enjoy Survakane, where children tap adults on the back with decorated sticks called survachki for luck. In Serbia, people celebrate with badnjak rituals (burning an oak log for prosperity) on Christmas Eve, and the New Year brings fireworks, gatherings, and fortune-telling traditions similar to Russia and Poland.
Traditional Slavic Christmas Decorations
Across Slavic lands, homes are adorned with evergreens, candles, and hand-made ornaments, often reflecting local folk art styles. Markets and town squares are decorated with lights, and people enjoy street performances, ice sculptures, and folk dances.
In Russia, the New Year tree is decorated with colorful ornaments, tinsel, and sometimes small figurines of animals or fairy-tale characters. In Ukraine and Bulgaria, the didukh or wheat sheaves remain a central symbol, while Poland boasts handmade nativity scenes (szopki). Serbian homes are decorated with evergreen branches and candles, and large bonfires are common in villages. Everywhere, the season is marked by warmth, community, and creativity.
Unique Slavic Winter Traditions
Ice Swimming: In Russia and Ukraine, some brave souls plunge into icy rivers or lakes on Epiphany (January 19 in Russia) as a purification ritual.
Fortune-Telling: Slavic New Year is full of mystical fun! From melting wax or lead into water to interpreting shapes, to reading the future from sunflower seeds or the patterns of spilled grains, everyone gets a glimpse of what the new year might hold.
Caroling Antics: In Ukraine, Serbia, Russia and Bulgaria, groups performing Malanka, koledari, or kolyadki often wear funny or scary costumes, singing, dancing, and playfully teasing neighbors.
Blini & Sun Symbolism: In Russia, blini (pancakes) symbolize the sun and hope for warmth and prosperity in the coming year.
Wishing on Fire: Some Poles, Russians, and Bulgarians write wishes on paper, burn them, and toss the ashes into a glass of champagne or water, drinking it as the clock strikes twelve.
Experience Slavic Culture in San Francisco
What ties all these traditions together is the focus on family, community, and hope. From sharing a humble porridge to ringing in the New Year with laughter, song, and fireworks, Slavic winter celebrations are full of festivity and warmth.
Experience Russian and Slavic traditions throughout the year at the Russian Center of San Francisco. Explore upcoming cultural events, visit the Museum of Russian Culture, or join us for our annual Slavic Festival featuring traditional food, music, dance, crafts and more.
Frequently Asked Questions about Russian Christmas
When is Russian Christmas?
January 7 is the traditional Christmas date observed by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Why is Russian Christmas on January 7?
In 1918, Russia shifted to the Gregorian calendar for secular use, but the Russian Orthodox Church continued to use the Julian calendar for fixed church holidays. Today, the Julian calendar runs 13 days behind the modern calendar. Therefore, January 7th on the Julian calendar corresponds to December 25th on Gregorian.
Do Russians celebrate Christmas?
Yes. Christmas is an important religious holiday for Russian Orthodox Christians and celebrates the Nativity, or birth, of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christmas is preceded by a traditional period of fasting and includes special church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
What is Russian Christmas Eve called?
Russian Christmas Eve, celebrated on January 6, is commonly known as Sochelnik (Сочельник). Traditionally, it is the final day of the Christmas fast, and religious observances include special services leading into the celebration of the Nativity.
What are traditional Russian Christmas foods?
Christmas Eve traditions vary by family and region, but the meal is traditionally meatless because it falls at the end of the Nativity Fast. Foods associated with Russian and Eastern Slavic Christmas celebrations can include kutia (a sweet grain dish), fish, borscht, vegetables, mushrooms, dried fruit and other meatless dishes. The Christmas feast that follows may be considerably more elaborate.
Who are Ded Moroz and Snegurochka?
Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and his granddaughter Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden) are beloved figures of the Russian winter holiday season. Ded Moroz is a a benevolent, grandfatherly figure who traditionally brings gifts to children. He is always accompanied by Snegurochka, who helps him organize games, distribute gifts, and communicate with children.
What is Old New Year in Russia?
The Old New Year, celebrated on the night of January 13, comes from the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. January 14 on today's Gregorian calendar corresponds to January 1 on the older Julian calendar. It provides an additional, generally more informal, celebration after New Year's Day and Orthodox Christmas.
How do you say “Merry Christmas” in Russian?
A common Russian Christmas greeting is “С Рождеством Христовым!” (S Rozhdestvom Khristovym!), meaning “Merry Christmas!” or, more literally, “With the Nativity of Christ!”
Is Russian Christmas the same as Orthodox Christmas?
Russian Christmas is an Orthodox Christmas tradition, but not all Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. Some Orthodox churches use the Revised Julian or Gregorian calendar and celebrate on December 25. The Russian Orthodox Church is among those that retain the Julian calendar for fixed feast days.
