New Year, Xmas, Yuletide

988-1700. Peasants. Yuletide together with Christmas
1700 Peter the Great: western style Xmas with the Xmas Tree. He saw this tradition in Germany.
1917 Communists: no religious (Christian and pagan) holidays: Xmas is cancelled, Yuletide is banned.
1935 Stalin: New Year celebration instead of Xmas and New Year Tree instead of Xmas tree.

stalin and molotov
Fig.1 - Stalin and Molotov at the New Year's Tree (1940s).

Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) and Snowmaiden (Snegurochka), his granddaughter Notice, in contrast to St. Claus, neither Ded nor Snegurochka are not linked to any Christian personage.

Grandfather Frost
Fig.2 - Grandfather Frost and Snowmaiden.

New Year's film (a genre of film in the Soviet Union and Russia since 1956)

Irony of Fate is the most popular New Year's film (a fairy tale for grown ups) in Russia and other former Soviet states.

Clip.1 - Irony of Fate. We didn't discuss this clip in class. You can use this clip for the last discussion post. This semester this clip will not be on the final exam.
Clip.2 - Irony of Fate. Part 1 of the film with English subtitles.