News: 2006-12-07

New Year is coming!! 

With more than 70 giant New Year’s trees spread across the city, and more glittering lights than ever, St Petersburg is getting itself ready for Russia’s most popular holiday: the celebration of New Year. The embellished yolki’s, Russian for New Year’s tree and the cheerful festoon, are not only found in the historical centre but also in the outskirts. All the twinkling trees are artificial, except the one in front of The Hermitage on Palace Square, which will be in place from the first days of December.
Russia, unlike the western countries, uses the trees to celebrate New Year, not Christmas which in Russia is celebrated on the 7th of January.

In Russian tradition, when the table was laid for Yuletide, extra spoons were provided for dead ancestors. Mythical characters such as the wolf, frost and wind would then be invited to dinner, which would no doubt be interrupted by “mummers” calling at the door: unfortunate villagers who had to dress up as evil spirits. The consistency of the “kasha” (porridge) would then be examined as a forecast for the year ahead; flung gaily into the year, a thick rich-colored kasha which sticks to the ceiling guaranteed a fantastic year ahead.

Celebrating New Year is the most important night of the St Petersburg calendar. After watching the Presidential address on television at 11:55 pm (it will be on the all main channels), people take to the streets in force. Palace Square will be adorned with gigantic stage, as will in front of Kazansky cathedral, and other hotspots on Nevsky Prospect. The catch- cry you will hear endlessly all night is S NOVYM GODOM- Russian for happy New Year. You cannot fail to learn it immediately, as you move around the city, you will hear it from every street corner. You will also be able to buy fireworks from street stands. While lighting your own fireworks is thrilling, sometimes they can be a little dangerous, this is probably why we love them.