Holidays in Russia

you know?
c) What religious holidays do you know?
d) What are

the most important national holidays in Russia?
e) Is New Year in Britain as popular as in Russia?
f) What is the most favorite holiday in your family ?

People see the new year in at midnight on the

31st of December. They greet the new year with champagne and listen to the Kremlin chimes beating 12 o'clock.

New Year's Day

every home there is a New Year tree glittering with

coloured lights and decorations. Children always wait for Father Frost to come and give them a present. Many people consider New Year's Day to be a family holiday. But the young prefer to have New Year parties of their own.

celebrated on the 7th of January. It's a religious holiday

and a lot of people go to church services on that day.

is a public holiday
called "The Homeland Defenders Day". All men

in Russia are liable
for call-up (including reservists), so
they all are celebrities. On this day women
usually give men small gifts.

Day when
men are supposed to
do everything about the
house

and cook all the
meals. This is pretty
nice — at least once
a year women can take
a break and forget
about all those dishes,
cooking, kids, take
a magazine and relax
on a coach.

of Labour. During Soviet time there were huge demonstrations on

this day, as everybody was obliged to show his loyalty to the state; now only communists organize meetings on this date.

Day. On the 9th of May, 1945, the Soviet Army

and its allies completely defeated the German fascists and the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War ended. A magnificent memorial on Poklonnaya Gora has been built to commemorate the Victory. Many veterans take part in the military parade and lay wreaths on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Radio and television broadcast popular war songs. A lot of guests from different countries of the . world come to Moscow to participate in the celebrations.

On the 12th
of June, 1992,
the first
President
of

Russia
was elected.

of knowledge — it's the beginning of a school year.

Children go to schools with flowers for teachers, there are meetings before the classes start.

This day the first Constitution of the Russian Federation was

adopted in 1993 (previous Constitutions were all Soviet Unions).

country. It lasts from Monday till Sunday. It comes either

at the end of February or at the beginning of March, this is so-called movable festival.
This holiday means the end of winter and the spring coming. It has pagan origin. During this holiday people visit each other, children play snowballs, light bonfires, enjoy horse-sledging. Don `t forget to leave a plate of pancakes for Maslenitsa!