November Snow: Winter in Russia Posted by josefina on Nov 28, 2007 in Culture
There’s something about Russia which cannot be experienced during those hot, sunny months of continental summer. There’s something about Russia which only comes out with the first snowfall, something that can only be seen when those first, fragile white flakes start to fall. As the ground gets covered, more and more, minute by minute, by a layer of glittering frost, that something about Russia becomes a reality. Russia is at its best during the winter. And lucky for Russia winter here is not a brief period that is over before it has even begun, but at least four months long. In some places it is shorter, in the Caucasus for example, in other places it is longer, such as in northern Siberia and northern Far East. Winter is what makes Russia another world.
During the other three seasons of the year Russia and Russians look like most people in most countries; they wear jeans and t-shirts and sneakers. Not until that one sacred season starts, not until those dark and cold months begin, not until then do they go all out fashion wise and not only show but also prove that they are another people, with an utterly different culture. Fur-spotting could and should be considered an official sport for foreigners here. Anything and everything is either entirely made out of fur or has fur trimming or other kinds of fur details. Men and women who respect themselves greatly wear fur hats twice the size of their heads. This can cause a problem when getting in and out of buildings and public transport since removing headwear outside in Russia is considered to get you a cold within five seconds and therefore not an option. Men and women who respect themselves to a lesser degree wear fur hats of smaller size. The same rule also applies when it comes to fur coats – the more respect one has for oneself [or the more money one has in one’s pocket], the bigger and longer and fluffier is the coat. However, all of the above have one thing in common – they are made out of real fur.
When it comes to protection from the severe Russian winter, nothing else works, which is what the Russian would say to anyone questioning this. Russians will also tell you, right after they’ve explained the right way to isolate your windows and where you can buy a silver chinchilla coat, that without eating meat and doubling your daily intake of fat there’s no way you’re going to survive here until March comes and the snow starts to melt. On a good day I might tell them that I’ve been a vegetarian since the age of 10 and that I’ve survived three Russian winters without wearing anything anyone had to die for me to enjoy. On a not so good day I will probably just smile and nod and ask them where the closest ice-cream kiosk is.
That’s another thing that makes Russian winter all the more special, all the more enchanting, all the stranger and absolutely wonderful – here people can eat ice-cream even in minus 30. And they do. Some sources say that the average Russian eats more ice-cream during December than July. I don’t know if that’s true, but if you look around on a snowy day in downtown Yekaterinburg, which is where I live, it sure looks like it. It is only November now. Winter has only begun. Outside my window this Sunday morning the snow has been coming down for the past two hours and I know that as long as Global Warming doesn’t get a Russian visa, then this winter is going to be lovely. Lovely in that very warm, very cold, very either everything or nothing Russian way.
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Comments:
Michael J Wheatley:
I loved the story, and even though I live in the U.S…winter is also my favorite time of year. I hope to come to Russia in Febuary and enjoy the culture & beauty there. I have fur hooded coats & hats, but here there are too many..anti-fur people to feel very good about it here.
Thanks for the story.
Mike
Kevin Mayo:
wonderful description of oncoming winter.would love to see Russia in all seasons.will there be more like this ?
Colin Cambel:
I wonder if Russian polar bears have to translate when they meet Canadian polar bears? Maybe they’ll get free passage through the Northwest passage after 2010.
Of late I have a desire to know more about Russia. It seems that perhaps Russia has been subject to cosmetic surgery but the old wrinkles may return. Cosmetic surgery is expensive if there isn’t a plan…oh well I’m only a Canadian trying to get through another Canadian winter.
I’ve noticed of late we have a lot of Russians in Calgary..guess it must be the weather.
cc
Peter:
I really enjoyed this article and found it very informative. I am travellng to Russia to marry in Moscow and will be there December through early February. I will also be visiting St. Petersberg and Helsinki, Finland. Being Australian I have not yet experienced snow and I look forward to it.
adrian hughes:
I like this message, and perhaps I would say to Mike, people like me are not anti fur , just that the fur looks better on a live animal. I wonder how many chinchillas it takes to make a coat and just how they are killed, the thought fills me with as much disgust as the misery inflicted on animals farmed for their fur. I live in Liverpool, England we don’t get much snow here, maybe once every few years, so the prospect of a visit to see the show is very appealing. If I did visit I know that to keep warm I don’t have to wear fur, which is mostly worn for fashion. Respect is a word I would not use for people who wear fur. In England we recently banned hunting for foxes, the pastime is known as the ‘unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible’. However it will take time to change peoples attidudes to animal welfare, compasion in farming, and indeed to respect ourselves. Finally Best wishes for Russia in Euro 2008 !!! You derved to qualify.
Norman Wiebe:
We have been to Russia many times at all seasons and can attest to everything said here. One young Russian man told us that the reason they eat ice cream in winter is because it is warmer than the weather!
John:
Ahhhhh! Winter in Russia, nothing like it!
I am a transplanted mountain man living in the middle east coast of the U.S. I have been to Moscow and St. Petersburg in the winter and summer. I have also been to Murmansk in the Winter and Summer. I like summer better above the Arctic Circle, but, to visit in the Winter is absoultely beautiful. The Russian people are wonderful and extremely hospitable. Maya Dacha, Bbi Dacha etc… Russians are accustomed to the winter and changing weather. Once I was walking from the Kremlin up toward Pushkin Square and nearly froze to death as the wind whipped up and blasted us with pounding snow in an instant. After that I brought proper clothing. Even going to Murmansk, I would rather pay extra baggage and have the right clothes. I once walked from the Polyarnie Zori Gahsteneetsah(hotel)to the outdoor “flea market” in January and it was sure invigorating. Aeroflot knows how to drive in the snow as well. Business and pleasure continue in the snow. It makes summer that much more pleasurable. (White nights in St. Pete etc….) So long and stay warm.
Ivan Victorivich
Jason:
Humph, you’ve changed my mind! Your arguments are convincing indeed. Despite I’m not a person who is easy to be convinced.