Why Russia Does Not Celebrate Christmas On December 25

For most of the world, Christmas belongs to December 25. In Russia, it arrives almost two weeks later, on January 7. The lights are softer, the streets are quieter, and the holiday feels more like a pause than a party. 

The reason is not just a date on the calendar. It is a story about faith, history, and how a nation chose to hold on to its traditions while the rest of the world moved on.

A Calendar That Refused To Hurry

Russia's Christmas date goes back centuries, to a time when the entire Christian world followed the Julian calendar. In 1582, much of Europe adopted the newer Gregorian calendar, which corrected small inaccuracies that had slowly pushed dates out of alignment with the seasons. 

However, the Russian Orthodox Church chose to keep the old system for religious observances.

That choice still shapes Russian life today. While the country officially uses the Gregorian calendar for daily affairs, the Church celebrates its holy days according to the Julian one. Over time, the difference between the two calendars has grown to 13 days. So when the Church marks December 25, the rest of the world is already on January 7.

But this gap has done more than simply move Christmas. It has transformed its personality. In Russia, the loud countdown, fireworks, and gift-giving belong to New Year's Eve. That is the night when families gather around sparkling trees, children wait for Ded Moroz, and cities glow with celebrations. 

A Holiday Shaped By Faith

Because Christmas comes after the New Year rush, it has kept a spiritual tone that many countries have lost. There is no pressure to buy the perfect present or plan an extravagant party. Instead, the day leans into rituals that feel almost untouched by modern life.

The evening before Christmas is still marked by a strict fast in many homes. Families prepare a symbolic 12-dish supper, all meatless, to honour the apostles.

No one eats until the first star appears in the sky, a moment that turns an ordinary winter night into something quietly magical.

Later, people head to candlelit church services that stretch past midnight. Golden icons glow, choirs sing ancient hymns, and the outside world feels far away. By the time worshippers step back into the frozen streets, the city seems hushed, as if even the snow is listening.

When Winter Folklore Takes Over

The days following Christmas, known as Sviatki, are a time when Russian homes fill with laughter, tea, and old-fashioned fortune-telling. 

Children roam the streets with handmade stars, singing traditional carols called kolyadki. Neighbours open their doors to offer sweets and pastries, and the sound of voices travels through snowy courtyards long after dark. 

Ded Moroz and his granddaughter Snegurochka appear in town squares and parks, not slipping down chimneys but arriving proudly in embroidered coats, leading songs and handing out gifts. Their presence belongs more to the New Year than Christmas.

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