Happy New Year 2014 and Happy 100,000 Visits to Lada Ray Blog!
Lots to celebrate! New Year 2014′s knocking on the door + Lada Ray Blog is celebrating its 2nd anniversary, and to top it off, my blog has recently hosted its one-hundred-thousand’s visitor! That’s over 100,000 people who enjoyed my thoughts, writing, photos and info! This makes me very happy indeed! GRIN! 
Happy Anniversary, Lada Ray Blog!
Happy New Year 2014!
May this new year be filled with much joy, peace, love and beauty for all!
I thought that to mark the holiday and my first 100,000 visitors, I’d post some cool images of the New Year’s celebration in Russia and around the world.
First, as usual, some background info. How Russia celebrates New Year: In Russia, as in many other countries, New Year is the main holiday of the year. It is a secular holiday. Meanwhile Russian religious Christmas is celebrated 2 weeks after Western Christmas, and one week after New Year’s, according to Russia’s Orthodox calendar.
The New Year Tree is normally put up just after Western Christmas (which reminds me, I should really start decorating mine). The New Year is celebrated with Ded Moroz (Father Frost – the equivalent of Santa Claus) and his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Maiden). There are usually festive and entertaining concerts during the New Year’s Eve, New Year’s night and on January 1, on TV, on Red Square, and in towns and cities around the country. There are many children’s “New Year Tree” parties, in Russian: “Yolochka”. And of course, a lavish New Year table and presents are a must! Russians love to party. It helps that the entire country gets 10 days off to celebrate. What is especially funny from the US perspective is that some Russians complain that this is too much time off, lol!
Some travel during this time, some go to parties, concerts, walks, or simply relax. And as a non-drinker, I have to say that one Russian habit isn’t the coolest from my perspective: there are those who also drink way too much. Perhaps that’s why some feel that too much time on their hands prompts those who can’t control themselves to use it for drinking, instead of doing something productive. Of course, one might argue that alcohol warms an cheers you up during cold Russian winter.
Two weeks after New Year’s and one week after Russian Orthodox Christmas (Rozhdestvo), there is another interesting holiday – The Old New Year, celebrated on January 14-15th. This is a left-over piece of the old Russian Grigorian calendar, where all holidays were 14 days later than Western calendar due to the leap year difference. The Old New Year is a nostalgic and meditative time, when many reflect on the past and plan for the future.
Also, one of the sacred New Year traditions is watching classic Russian New Year’s comedies, which we observe religiously in our household as well. And how can you not watch these magical masterpieces, together with their wonderful songs, if they never get old, and never fail to put you in a joyful, wonderful, holiday spirit! The Most beloved New Year comedies are The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Banya (Ironiya Sudbi, ili S Legkim Parom, 1975) and Carnival Night (Karnavalnaya Noch, 1956), both by the same director, Eldar Ryazanov.
To celebrate my 2nd anniversary and my first 100,000 visitors, I have set up the new Russia Resources section on my blog, where you’ll find links to all my articles about Russia, as well as videos of Russian hit songs from different eras, including some from beloved films, as well as from charming children’s movies and cartoons. The links are at the bottom of this post. I’ll have more, including famous Russian comedies, soon!
S NOVIM GODOM! Happy New Year! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
Celebrating New Year on Red Square
Russians celebrate New Year with personal mini-fireworks, while enjoying the big party
For the winter, a part of Red Square turns into the largest skating rink in Europe
Russian children love Ded Moroz (Father Frost)
Ded Moroz in a traditional Russian sleigh in St. Petersburg, Russia
Ded Moroz riding traditional Russian Troika
Usually Ded Moroz greets the children with his granddaughter, Snegurochka
New Year Tree party and concert for children in the Kremlin
Some of the coolest New Year Trees of Russia
New Year Tree in front of Bolshoi Theater, Moscow
New Year Tree in GUM Department Store, Moscow
Winter wedding: hanging wedding padlocks on artificial trees at -14C on Newlyweds Bridge, Moscow, Russia
A super-healthy way to celebrate New Year’s, but please, don’t try this at home! Only in Russia! Winter swimmers’ club (“Morzhi”) floating New Year Tree in chilly river! What fun – brrrr 
Meanwhile in Siberia: breathtaking view of Sacred Lake Baikal frozen in winter
Lake Baikal: Shaman Tree, aka, Mother Tree, in winter, adorned with prayer scarves – with frozen Lake Baikal in the background
Russian art – handpainted Russian domes New Year Tree decorations
Winter wonderland at Winter Palace (Hermitage), St. Petersburg
Catherine Palace winter wonderland, St. Petersburg
Winter wonderland at Novodevichiy Monastery, Moscow
Lavish Russian New Year table
Russian holiday spread
New Year Around the World
One of my favorite cities: Kuala Lampur, Malaysia – with Petronas Towers
One of the coolest fireworks in Sydney, Australia
Taipei, Taiwan
London, UK
Check out my new Russia resource page. Also, check out Legendary Soviet Music Hits and Contemporary Russian music pages. I’ll post links to some Fave Russian New Year Comedies and Songs soon!
S NOVIM GODOM!
My two books, which take place in Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Lake Baikal in Siberia. Click on image for more!
