From Russia with (Family) Love

Evan, Arlington Heights, IL — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:27:43 GMT

Its to bad we don't have a day like victory day. I really love the marches.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Alex, CA — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:55 GMT

Soviet Revolution Day (and in all its latter names) is actually on November 7.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Mary Doe, San Antonio, TX — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:20:01 GMT

Do the Russians celebrate Christmas?

From Russia with (Family) Love

Andrew J — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:01:11 GMT

We don't get to hear much about russia as it is now. it feels like people still get scared when they hear anything about russia. but as part of a younger generation i would like to hear more about how it is now. that was interesting to hear about their population declining.

From Russia with (Family) Love

TJ Rogers, Austin Texas — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:29:09 GMT

I think this is such a sweet wonderful idea.
I hope it catches on all over the world.
TJ in Austin

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Val Mel — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:33:31 GMT

We need to adopt the same family day in US plus the older family the lower tax!

From Russia with (Family) Love

Val Mel — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:35:21 GMT

We need to adopt the same family day in US plus the older family the lower tax!

From Russia with (Family) Love

Uriel B., N.Y, N.Y. — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:21:32 GMT

Great story. Yonatan shows he's really inside Russian's minds.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Dave Brown, Marengo, Ohio — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:49:00 GMT

I really agree with the emphasis on family values. More needs to be done here in the US promoting family bonds and values. I've met several Rusians in recent years that are very proud of their heritage and I also plan on spending some time in Russia learning more about the people and such a great country.

From Russia with (Family) Love

D Ross, T.O. CA. — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:13:26 GMT

Is Russia losing 500,000 a year from low birth rate or from people leaving the country because it is a lousy place to live?

From Russia with (Family) Love

Johnny Bluebeard, Marquette, MI — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:06:22 GMT

Tell the truth: Russia is a messed up place. I communicate with Russians on a daily basis. Most live hand to mouth, have iron bars on their windows, and long for the old days when the state provided everything. This story is stupid and one sided.

From Russia with (Family) Love

John Johnson, Hagerstown, Maryland — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:24:59 GMT

During Soviet times, Russians celebrated New Year's Eve that included Father Winter and the Snow Maiden that brought gifts to children as a scaled down version of Christimas. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russians now openly celebrate Christmas but it is January 7 based on the old style calendar; just as the "October Revolution" was celebrated on November 7 during Soviet times.

From Russia with (Family) Love

;lakjsdf — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:28:17 GMT

Normal russian people are great, like all normal people from their respective countries. It's the
"leaders" of our countries who drag everyone else down. Like our leader. The president should not be Commander in Cheif. The head of the army should not be able to declare war or issue orders without approval flowing from the people. Bush called him self a War President, even though he isn't a warrior. He and Cheney and the War Hawks as they like to call themselves , even they are also not warriors should serve no less then ten years for treason. They betrayed us and all we can do is stick our heads in the sand. The patriots of this nation are rolling in their graves.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Michael Morgan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:44:17 GMT

Yes Mary, Russians do celebrate Christmas, but they celebrate it on January 7, one week after the new year, instead of one week before, as we do. This is according to the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. Most Russians get the entire week off work, from New Years eve to the day after Christmas.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Conrad Shull — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:00:37 GMT

We have a teenage Russian exchange student who loves our Mother's Day and wishes they had one in Russia.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Jason, Birmingham, AL — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:01:50 GMT

Mary Doe, my name is Jason, and I lived in Moscow for two years. You asked about Russians celebrating Christmas. During Soviet times, Christmas, along with any other religious acitivities and holidays was banned, and the government instead encouraged people to celebrate New Year's. It worked, and New Year's is THE biggest holiday in Russia, and it looks very, very much like the secular side of American Christmas. There's a New Year's tree, presents are exchanged, Papa Frost shows up from time-to-time, etc. Basically, for the first half of the night on New Year's Eve, Russians celebrate what would look like Christmas to us, then sometime around 11pm or so, the holiday morphs into what we would see as New Year's Eve, with parties, fireworks, etc.

The Russian Orthodox calendar puts Christmas at January 7, and those in Russia who are Orthodox (or really any branch of Christian) celebrate Christmas on this day, but there is no real precedent for "how" to celebrate, other than going to chuch.

Hope this helps!

From Russia with (Family) Love

Charles M., Fairfax, VA — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:10:02 GMT

Russian holidays are very confusing after the breakup.

Let's see if I have this correct -- The Russians DO celebrate Christmas, although the Russian Orthodox Christmas is roughly 13 days after Western Christmas due to the fact that the Orthodox date is based on the old Julian calendar. Typically, the Soviets did not celebrate Christmas, but would instead celebrate New Years. This tradition included a decorated tree (yolka) along with Grandfather Frost (Dedushka Moroz or Ded Moroz - who strongly resembles Santa) and the Snow Maiden (Sneguruchka). Most Russian government offices will be closed from late December (for Western Christmas) through the first or second week in January for Orthodox Christmas and New Year. Hope that clears up the Christmas question.

On the population front, Russians are losing 500,000 a year from low birth rate and an average life expectancy of roughly 59 for males. I'm not certain how many more are lost due to migration, but it's not because Russia is a lousy place to live. Sure, the Soviets left a legacy of poor quality goods and people having to do without, but the place has really improved since the early 1990s. This is not your father's Soviet Union (except for perhaps some certain elements of the current government). Transition is difficult, no matter where you live.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Phil, Houston, TX — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:25:17 GMT

D Ross - The population decline is a combination of low birth rate and high death rate.
Mary Doe - Russians celebrate Christmas but they're Orthodox Christians, which means they use a different calendar. Their Xmas is I believe sometime around our New Year, and their New Year is sometime in our early January.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Nina, Houston TX — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:40:40 GMT

D. Ross> Both - leaving the country and not having babies.
On average couples have 1 child (need to have 2 to keep population the same). Economically it's difficult to have more than one kid- everything is very exensive (food, diapers, transportaion, cars & appartments). I think people would have more kids if they had decent incomes and bigger places to live in! It's difficult to buy an appartment (prices for a studio start @ $200,000) and on top of that credit system is not very developed...banks charge ~25%!!!! While the "good salary" is about $24K a year- many young families have to live with their parents :(

Anyways, I'm out of there because of all that mess :)

From Russia with (Family) Love

Kristine, Michigan — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:11:42 GMT

Russians do celebrate Christmas - but it's not quite like American Christmas. It's celebrated on the Orthodox calendar, so it's usually 10-14 days after December 25th.

I believe the Russian population decline is due to high death rate. Factors such as substance abuse, disease, stress, and poverty.

Russia is an amazing place to visit. I've been there 4 times, and my last visit lasted 9 months while I studied Russian at Moscow State University.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Chris F. — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:16:13 GMT

I've been to Russia 4 times. It's an interesting place, and the people are wonderful. Their family values are second to none! (something the USA should learn from).
Mary Doe, yes Russia celebrates Orthodox Christmas on January 7th. "Ded Moroz" (Father Frost) is the equivilent of Santa Claus. They are a religious people. Unfortunately, after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, their culture is beginning to mirror that of western society, as divorce has become increasingly more prevalent, and many people are either embracing or struggling with more capitalist economy.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Steve T, Fort Worth, TX — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:18:44 GMT

To Mary Doe: Yes, the Russians celebrate Christmas, as they have for over a thousand years. They celebrate on Jan 7 (old calander)

How appropriate the new holiday. I met my wife in Saint Petersburg on Jul 8.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Marion C., New York, NY — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:23:59 GMT

Russian Orthodox Church celeberates Christmas on January 7th (it's similar to Greek Orthodox Church).
Russia is losing about 500,000 people a year from low birth rate and high death rate, nobody is leaving Russia anymore because it's the place where people are making money.

From Russia with (Family) Love

John Doe - A city in central Russia — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:34:53 GMT

Hey Chris F.

I live in Russia and their family values are not any better than ours, probably worse. In general Russians love their children, but there are millions of alcoholics and more drug addicts. Young families are being destroyed and the abortion rate is incredibly high.

There are an estimated 2 million homeless kids on the streets of Russia. Orphanages are full.

Many decent Russian families would have more kids but really cant afford them and many Russians live in 1 or 2 room apartments.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Stacy, Orlando, Fla. — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:36:10 GMT

I love Russia's celebration of International Women's Day because it celebrates all women (and Russian women deserve a lot of celebration as they are a hard-working bunch) rather than just mothers (on Mother's Day) or wives/girlfriends (on Valentine's Day).

From Russia with (Family) Love

tf — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:47:45 GMT

Russia celebrates Christmas but not as a we in America.
It is NOT a commercial Holiday it is a religious holiday in Russia. We could learn from that.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Joe Mahmi — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:58:51 GMT

Wow, there are lot of misconceptions in these comments. I do not even know where to start clarifying all of them. They always talk about how Russian do not understand Americans. I think it goes both ways. Americans know very little if anything about Russia. Why don't some of you use Wikipedia to answer some of your questions. It is pretty accurate (in my experience). Good luck.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Walter Burke, New York, NY — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:00:14 GMT

As an American man who had married a Russian woman, I believe a holiday like this is necessary in Russia.
From what I was witness to, Russian women do not support their husband and infidelity seems to be a Russian woman's right. Perhaps this is why the divorce rate in Russia far exceeds that of this countrys' and this holiday is the Russian governments way of correcting a situation that is out of control there(divorce).

From Russia with (Family) Love

Argus, USA — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:17:17 GMT

Several observations.
(1) Some Russians observed Christian holidays and/or feast days even during Soviet times. A few couples had both a civil and religious marriage. Some also had their babies baptised. Mostly those attending church were older people, typically women Occasionally one could see a foreigner or two at services in the more famous churches. After the fall of the USSR, many more young people began to attend church. Now one can see government officals attending services (especially Christmas, Easter, and the like). Orthodoxy is in essence the state religion; although other sects are tolerated, missionary activity by evangelical sects is discouraged; some practitioners have been per-/pro-secuted.
(2) The Epiphany (Twelfth Night), when the Wise Men are believed to have come, is also celebrated by more observant Russians, but not with the festivities that accompany Christmas.
(3) Divorce may have increased since the dissolution of the USSR, but it was common enough under Communism. I can't speak to issues of child custody or alimony -- either under Communism or now. Abortion was also readily available and quite common. I can't speak to the current situation.
(4) If the disparity in incomes beteen the middle and upper classes has grown and become more evident in the US, it's even worse in Russia. While a middle class is developing in Russia, it's still quite small. There is a smaller, but incredibly wealth group of "new" Russians who enjoy and flaunt a life style that reminds one of America in the Golden Age (late 1800s) or the 1920s. Those on pensions, in small towns or villages, in blue collar jobs have a hard time making ends meet.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Maya St.Petersburg, Russia/Syracuse, NY — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:38:35 GMT

"We don't get to hear much about russia as it is now. it feels like people still get scared when they hear anything about russia. but as part of a younger generation i would like to hear more about how it is now. that was interesting to hear about their population declining."

Andrew brought up a great point, and I also share this view. I'm a Russian citizen but I grew up in the states and this summer I came to St. Petersburg to find out more about how people are living these days. I wanted to show fellow immigrants and americans a more personal side of Russia.

I started a blog for the purpose so please take a look if you're interested. I'd love your feedback!

www.newspblife.blogspot.com

From Russia with (Family) Love

Yuriy U., NY, NY — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:01:45 GMT

This story by pomrenze is negativ towards the russian people. He is biased and tries hard to portray anything positiv in a negativ way.
This story ( it is a story and NOT a report), leaves the reader wondering why it is a bad thing to have a family holiday.

From Russia with (Family) Love

James Parry, Warren, Ohio — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:07:52 GMT

The Russian population is also declining because of the astounding number of abortions in the country. Under the Soviets abortion was a form of birth control. The last figure I heard, from late in the Soviet era, was 16 million a year. We need to pray that with the new openness in the country this will change.

From Russia with (Family) Love

Yuliya Zholu, San Antonio, TX — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:15:59 GMT

Mr. Bluebeard, thank you for sharing your opinion of Russia. You call it a "messed up place" - very strong and very offensive words! You communicate with Russian people a lot but have you actually been to Russia yourself?

From Russia with (Family) Love

Ukraine Girls — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:34:19 GMT

Yea, Russians celebrate Christmas two times (Catholic and Orthodox). They also celebrate New Year twice: they celebrate new year with the whole world and a so called "Old New Year"