NOUVEL AN

It was following a decree of Peter the Great, dated 1699, that Russia began counting the days from January ¹. The very European emperor of Russia had decided that his country should no longer stand out from other European countries by celebrating the transition to the New Year in early autumn. This pagan and peasant tradition, which wanted the year to begin at the same time as agricultural activities, has not been completely forgotten. New Year's Day, even today, is the occasion of great family celebrations that keep the traces of old customs that go back to the dawn of time and are marked, until the Epiphany, by the quest for the spring sun: in the countryside, large bonfires are lit in homage to the sun. More generally, we gather around a tree and, after kissing on the mouth and saying the traditional S'novym godom ("in the New Year"), we eat and drink more than reason.

On January 2, also a holiday, the children are in the spotlight; they discover under the tree the gifts of Grandfather Gel and the Snow Queen.