RUSSIA
THE Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas 13 days after us. Christmas Eve dinner on January 6 involves a porridge called kutya, eaten from a common dish.
A spoonful of kutya is sometimes thrown up to the ceiling. If it sticks, there will be a plentiful honey harvest.
Russia is also seeing the return of the mythical Baboushka, banned under the Communists. She, not Santa, brings kids gifts.
Babushka
In Russia, Babushka distributes the gifts to the children.
Her name means 'grandmother' and the legend is that she declined to go with the Three Wise Men to see Jesus because it was too cold.
Regretting her decision she filled a basket with gifts and set off to see Him but never found Him.
She now leaves gifts for the children just in case it is Him
И вообще квинтэссенция, восторги и рыдания:
Christmas in Russia
Update
Father Frost and Babushka: On the night of the 31st
Children in Russia have to be very patient because they receive their gifts on New Year’s Eve. On that night, Father Frost comes down the chimney to bring gifts to good children. He shares this task with the mythical Babushka.Babusha Russian Dolls Her story goes as follows:
On a cold winter night, an old grandmother was sleeping in front of the fireplace when suddenly there was a knock at the door. Three strangers, arms filled with precious gifts, explained that they were following the star of Bethlehem where the child-king was born. Babushka declined their invitation to follow them, explaining that she was much too old and went back to her fire. The next day, troubled by her conscience, she filled a basket full of gifts and left after them. Unfortunately, the snow had covered their tracks and though she questioned every person she met - it was to no avail. Ever since, each year, she drops gifts to every house in Russia in honour of the child of Bethlehem.
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