Christmas season is particularly meaningful in Russia for the following reasons:

-this celebration was not allowed during the times of the Soviet Union

-gifts are given on January 31st at midnight

-ideal time to go away on vacations and spend quality time with family since most companies cease functions from January 1st to January 10th.

Red Square or Krasne Ploshad is a peculiar and beautiful place full of history and traditions, both new and old. Located on the center of the city of Moscow, Moscow, Russia. It is a place which has witnessed great political, social, economic changes along the years. It is the place where the body of Lenin rests on the Mausoleum which was built and dedicated to him. It is surrounded by the walls of the Kremlin, shopping center GUM, Orthodox Cathedral of Kazan, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the statue of Minin and Pozharskythe, Lobnoe Mesto and the State Museum of History. The center of the square is flat but uneven made out of blocks of stone which is constantly changing in preparation for special events such as concerts, independence day parade, expos, ice-skating and as this section will cover, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations and gatherings despite the crude winters of Russia, at the time of these images, the temperatures were between -15 to -25 degrees Celsius, a chilling but exhilarating experience.

During the Soviet Union years (officially 1922 to 1991) it was forbidden to celebrate Christmas or any other religious event. However, the eve of December 31 was always the day of celebration to welcome the New Years since the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1917 although some people still welcome the Old New Year’s day on the eve of January 13th. Most Christians in Russia are Orthodox and celebrate Christmas not on December 25th but on January 7th, as a matter of fact December 25th is a regular working day. Russians celebrate these holidays for 10 consecutive days, from January 1st to January 10th.

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