{"id":2523,"date":"2012-01-06T08:15:28","date_gmt":"2012-01-06T08:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2523"},"modified":"2012-01-06T05:16:17","modified_gmt":"2012-01-06T05:16:17","slug":"what-to-do-on-christmas-eve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/what-to-do-on-christmas-eve\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do on Christmas Eve"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u0412\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0445\u0443\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0435 \u0431\u043b\u0438\u0437 \u0414\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043d\u044c\u043a\u0438 (Die Nacht vor Weihnachten) Evenings on a farm near Dikanka (Trailer)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tvLUn2kVnQE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u2018Twas the night before Christmas\u2026 when the devil stole the moon, two drunken Cossacks lost their way in a snowstorm, a village blacksmith spoke with a Russian tsarina and a young peasant girl got her wish.<\/p>\n<p>Since this is the night before Christmas in Russia (remember, Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7) as well as the beginning of a weekend, you might have <strong>\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u0432\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/strong> (enough free time) to read this beautiful story, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u041d\u043e\u0447\u044c <\/strong><strong>\u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u0434 <\/strong><strong>\u0420\u043e\u0436\u0434\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> (Christmas Eve) by Nikolay Gogol. It is available through an <a href=\"http:\/\/public-library.narod.ru\/Gogol.Nikolai\/vechera2.html\">online open library<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As enjoyable as this story is to read, it can be quite difficult even for advanced learners of Russian. Written in 1832, it uses quite a lot of words that are no longer used, such as <strong>\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (a district police-inspector) and <strong>\u0448\u0438\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (a hole-in-the-wall pub). Another difficulty is that Gogol set this story in a Ukrainian village and many of the words he used he had to clarify to his readers in the foreword.<\/p>\n<p>It is a challenge, but a very rewarding one. If you do not feel like reading the entire story in Russian, you can watch <strong>\u043f\u043e\u043b\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0435\u0442\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0444<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043c<\/strong> (feature-length <a href=\"http:\/\/youtu.be\/TX184MeKBKI\">cartoon<\/a>) or a <a href=\"http:\/\/youtu.be\/WK-3x7NniwU\" target=\"_blank\">movie<\/a> based on the story after reading the plot summary in <a href=\"http:\/\/ru.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%9D%D0%BE%D1%87%D1%8C_%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%BC\">Russian<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christmas_Eve_(Gogol)\">English<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Much like Christmas in the US, Christmas in Russia is the time for merriment and gift-giving. It is also time for visiting family and friends. And, as with other holidays, it is time for delicious food. Christmas is preceded by a lengthy <strong>\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442<\/strong> (Christmas fast) that begins back in November. Some spend the entire \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0443\u043d \u0420\u043e\u0436\u0434\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 (Christmas Eve) abstaining from food and waiting <strong>\u0434\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u043e\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0437\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (until the first star).<\/p>\n<p>This year I will <strong>\u043e\u0442\u043c\u0435\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a<\/strong> (lit: mark the holiday; greet the holiday) <strong>\u0443 <\/strong><strong>\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>(at a friends\u2019 place). They maintain the tradition of preparing 12 dishes for <strong>\u043f\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b <\/strong>(holiday table), 12, of course, being the number of the <strong>\u0430\u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u044b<\/strong> (disciples). The dishes are also kept traditional, including <strong>\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0432\u043e<\/strong> also known in the south of Russia and in Ukraine as <strong>\u043a\u0443\u0442\u044c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span><\/strong>. This is a dish of cooked <strong>\u043f\u0448\u0435\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0437\u0435\u0440\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span><\/strong> (wheat grain) mixed with raisins, nuts, honey and poppy seeds.<\/p>\n<p>Other traditional \u0431\u043b\u044e\u0434\u0430 (dishes) will include <strong>\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (pancakes), <strong>\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u0430<\/strong> (fish), <strong>\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0446\u0430 <\/strong>(chicken), <strong>\u043c\u0435\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (honey cakes), <strong>\u0443\u0437\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (a drink made with dried apples and pears) and <strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438<\/strong> also known as <strong>\u043a\u0430\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438<\/strong> &#8211; small pastries with sweet or savory filling.<\/p>\n<p>Originally these <strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438<\/strong> pastries were given out to <strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0435<\/strong>, youth who would go from house to house singing <strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438<\/strong> &#8211; short jingles with good wishes. <strong>\u041a\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0435<\/strong> would put the treats into small bags known as <strong>\u043a\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (originally these bags were used as purses). Many of the singers would <strong>\u043d\u0430\u0440\u044f\u0436<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (dress up) in costumes and were called <strong>\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong>. Do you remember, from \u201cWar and Peace\u201d:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u041d\u0430\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430 \u0435\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0451<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u043f\u0435\u0442\u044c, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0432 \u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0443 \u0432\u0431\u0435\u0436<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b \u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u043d\u0430\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u041f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044f \u0441 \u0438\u0437\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0435\u043c, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span> \u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b\u0435&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>(Natasha had not\u00a0quite\u00a0finished\u00a0her\u00a0singing, when fourteen- year-old Petya, all excitement, came running into the room with the news that some maskers had arrived.)<\/p>\n<p>The twelve days after Christmas are known as <strong>\u0441\u0432\u044f\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0434\u043d\u0438<\/strong> (holy days) or <strong>\u0441\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438<\/strong>. This is the time when many girls try out <strong>\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (divination) and various <strong>\u0441\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (fortune-telling). If you\u2019d like to try it yourself, here\u2019s a very simple one, called <strong>\u0433\u0430\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0435<\/strong> (fortune-telling on a book). Pick up a book by your favorite author (say, \u201cWar and Peace\u201d), hold it shut in front of you, ask a question, and pick a line number (decide beforehand whether you will count from the top or from the bottom of the page). Then open the book randomly and count down to the line. Read it and it will reveal the answer. Sounds a bit like getting a fortune cookie, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n<p>If you feel a bit more adventurous and quite brave, then why not try <strong>\u0433\u0430\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 c <\/strong><strong>\u0437<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430\u043b\u043e\u043c<\/strong> (fortune-telling with a mirror). You have to be in a place considered <strong>\u043d\u0435\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0435<\/strong> (unclean) and a bathroom will do. Besides, it already has a large mirror.<\/p>\n<p>Lock yourself there before midnight along with two <strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b<\/strong> (table settings), a watch and a candle. Set up the table ware, light the candle in front of the mirror, say <strong>\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b\u0439, <\/strong><strong>\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b\u0439, <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0445\u043e\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span> <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u043c\u043d\u0435 <\/strong><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u0436\u0438\u043d\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (betrothed, masked, come dine with me). Now sit down and wait.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after midnight (brr, I\u2019m getting <strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438 <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0435<\/strong> (goosbumps) just typing this), you will see a man in the mirror looking over your shoulder. Take a good look at him \u2018cause this is your future spouse. Then, and it is crucial for your safety, say <strong>\u0427\u0443\u0440 <\/strong><strong>\u0441\u0435\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span> <\/strong><strong>\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430!<\/strong> (Keep away from this place!)<\/p>\n<p>Whether you are going to be spending Christmas and the following <strong>\u0441\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>fortune-telling, merrymaking with friends, exchanging gifts with family, reading Gogol\u2019s \u201cChristmas Eve\u201d or working, have a good time!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018Twas the night before Christmas\u2026 when the devil stole the moon, two drunken Cossacks lost their way in a snowstorm, a village blacksmith spoke with a Russian tsarina and a young peasant girl got her wish. Since this is the night before Christmas in Russia (remember, Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7) as&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/what-to-do-on-christmas-eve\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,913],"tags":[2701,1131,117491,1219,117489,1240,1248,117490],"class_list":["post-2523","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-traditions","tag-christmas-eve","tag-learning-russian","tag-nikolay-gogol","tag-russian-christmas","tag-russian-christmas-traditions","tag-russian-holidays","tag-russian-language","tag-traditional-russian-food"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2523"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11272,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2523\/revisions\/11272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}