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Novy God

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A New Year tree in Moscow in 2007–2008
Ded Moroz and Snegurochka in Belarus

Novy God or Noviy God (Russian: Новый Год, lit. 'New Year') is a New Year celebration observed in post-Soviet states, and globally by the Soviet diaspora.

The holiday was promoted by the Soviet Union as a secular holiday that would supplant Christmas, which (along with other religious holidays) had been abolished due to the Communist Party's unofficial policy of state atheism. It incorporates traditions derived from Christmas, including gift-giving, decorated trees, and a Santa Claus-like figure—Ded Moroz (Russian: Дед Мороз, lit. 'Father Frost')—who is said to deliver gifts to children on New Year's Eve.

Novy God's customs have remained a popular observance among Russians and diaspora since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, as well as in parts of Central Asia.

In 2016, Russian American journalist Leon Neyfakh called it "the most important family holiday of the season for Russians all over the world."[1]

History

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From AD 1492, the new year was originally celebrated on 1 September as per the Byzantine calendar.[2] In 1699, Peter the Great issued a proclamation adopting the Christian era beginning in 1700 and also changing the celebration of the new year to 1 January.[3] He called for streets to be decorated with the branches of fir, juniper, and pine trees for the holiday. The tradition later evolved into the practice of decorated New Year trees, although their use in homes was hindered by the Slavic superstition of fir trees being associated with funeral rites.[4][5]

After the October Revolution, Russia adopted the Soviet calendar, which was derived from the Gregorian calendar, in 1918.[4][5] In 1929, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union abolished all religious holidays, including Christmas, as part of a wider campaign against religion. Soviet officials argued that Christmas was a pagan ritual of sun worship and that the Christmas tree was a bourgeois symbol originating from Germany — one of Russia's World War I enemies.[4]

In December 1935, via a letter published by the party's official newspaper Pravda, politician Pavel Postyshev proposed that the New Year be celebrated as a secular holiday benefiting Soviet youth. The celebration would adopt Christmas traditions in a secular form, including New Year trees (stated to symbolise happiness and prosperity among youth) replacing Christmas trees, and the figure of Ded Moroz (who was said to deliver gifts).[6][4]

A tradition of writing and sending greeting postcards to each other for the holidays began (about three million postcards were produced per year). The New Years tree was decorated with a "rain" made of metal foil and "snow" made of cotton wool. New Year's matinees were held in kindergartens. On New Year's Eve, visits to relatives and friends were popular, as well as festivities on streets and ice slides.[7] On television, the Soviet variety show Little Blue Light (Goluboy ogonyok) traditionally ran a special episode on New Year's Eve, New Year's Little Blue Light (Novogodny Goluboy ogonyok), from 1962 to 1985.[8][9]

The history of the USSR could be traced by the history of New Year tree toys. During The Great Patriotic War, airplanes, soldiers, and ambulance dogs appeared. After 1947, the production of fairy-tale characters, glass fruits and vegetables were established. During Khrushchev period, golden glass corn gained popularity. After the success of the film "Carnival Night", toys "Clocks" appeared — with hands set five minutes before midnight. After the first human flight into space, glass rockets with the inscription "СССР" (USSR) and figurines of cosmonauts began to be released. In the 70s and 80s, glass cones and houses settled on New Year trees, as well as cardboard lanterns (which were good because they did not break).[7]

Even after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the reinstatement of religious holidays, Novy God has remained a popular celebration in modern Russia,[10][11][12] and among Soviet expats living in other countries.[13] Following the success of Channel One's Old Songs about the Main Thing [ru] project, the Little Blue Light New Year's Eve special was revived in 1997.[8][9][14] In Ukraine, by contrast, Novy God was largely displaced by Christmas after dissolution. By the 2010s, its last vestiges have been increasingly demonized amid conflicts between the nation and Russia.[15][16][17][18]

Traditions

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Since the era of the Soviet Union, Novy God has usually been considered a gift-giving holiday with similarities to Christmas (albeit in a secular form), with New Year trees (Russian: yolka meaning "spruce") decorated and displayed in homes and public spaces,[19][4][20] and Ded Moroz (Russian: Дед Мороз, lit. 'Old Man Frost') depicted as delivering presents to children on New Year's Eve (similar to the Western figure of Santa Claus),[21][4][20] with assistance from his granddaughter Snegurochka (Russian: Снегурочка, lit. 'the Snow Maiden').[22] A residence in the town of Veliky Ustyug has been promoted as Ded Moroz's "home", and children are encouraged to write letters to him. GLONASS has promoted a Ded Moroz "tracker" on New Year's Eve similar to the NORAD Tracks Santa campaign.[23][4]

Russia-1 televises the annual special Little Blue Light (Russian: Голубой огонёк), which features music and variety acts,[8][9][24] while Soviet films Carnival Night and The Irony of Fate is also traditionally aired on New Year's Eve.[25][9][26] The President's New Year's address is traditionally televised shortly before midnight in each time zone, reflecting on the previous year and the state of the country.[27][28] At Moscow's Red Square, revellers gather under the Kremlin Clock—whose chimes at midnight are traditionally followed by the playing of the Russian national anthem, and a fireworks display.[29]

Russians often take the week between New Year and Orthodox Christmas (celebrated on 7 January, the Christmas Day according to the Julian Calendar) off (Новогодние каникулы "New Year's holidays").[citation needed] Unlike Christmas, the Russian New Year uses the Gregorian calendar.

In addition, an informal celebration of the "Old New Year" is observed on the January 13/14 night (in the 20th and 21st centuries), which is the New Year date by the Julian Calendar.

The Los Angeles Times reported that "the most essential element of Novy God is family, followed by food as a close second. The extended feast, measured by how much of the table cloth is covered in dishes, begins with appetizers like “shuba” salad... “olivier” salad and “pelmeni” meat dumplings".[30]

Music

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Among the most popular works are:

In other regions

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Israel

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In Israel, Novy God (נובי גוד) is celebrated by many first– and second–generation Russian Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union, with celebrations being particularly prominent in cities with a large ex-Soviet population (such as Ashdod, Ashqelon, Beersheba, Netanya, and Haifa).[34][35] Some customs have been adapted for Israeli environs, like the use of palm trees for the New Year tree and starting celebrations using the Moscow time zone.[36]

New Year's Eve celebrations that are associated with the Gregorian calendar or Christianity are referred to as Silvester to distinguish them from the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah (which takes place 2–3 months earlier). As Pope Sylvester I is considered to have been an anti-semite, New Year's Eve celebrations have not been as popular among the Israeli Jew population.[37][38][39] Those who celebrate Novy God are sometimes seen as out of line with the national Jewish identity despite the event's lack of religious affiliation, with some having confused it for Christmas or Silvester; amongst ultra-orthodox groups, anti-Novy God flyers and chain letters[40] are common, and in 2004 a bill that would ban the presentation of Christmas iconography in schools was presented to the Knesset.[41] In the late-2010s, campaigns were undertaken to promote public awareness of the holiday among Israelis and the 1.5 generation, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also began to acknowledge the holiday in his greetings.[42][43][44]

It is common to allow soldiers of Russian-speaking heritage serving in noncombat facilities to go on leave on the night of the 31st to allow them to celebrate the holiday; however, this is not enforced by official order.[45]

Central Asia

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Novy God customs have also continued to be practiced in post-Soviet states in Central Asia—such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—that have large Muslim populations. The continued prominence of the holiday in these regions has faced criticism from devout Muslims and other officials, who have considered it inconsistent with their culture and heritage (especially where Russians are an ethnic minority).[46][47]

In 2012, Uzbekistan briefly banned Novy God characters such as Ded Moroz, although this was lifted in 2014 after the issuance of a fatwa considering New Year celebrations to be "permissible from the point of view of common sense and Sharia law", and was bolstered further by a 2019 sermon by Abdulaziz Mansur.[46][47] Scholar Bakhtiyar Babadjanov explained that "it is simply that some zealous Islamic leaders need to exploit all this to convert their coreligionists and sow division among the public. That way it is easier to influence them and lead them. The end justifies any means."[48]

United States

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As of 2018, over 80,000 Russian-speaking immigrants in Los Angeles, particularly the San Fernando Valley, celebrate Novy God.[30] These include Ukrainians, Kazakhs, and Russian Jews.[30]

In 2016, Leon Neyfakh, a Jewish American journalist born in the Soviet Union, described the American celebration as "a secular version of Christmas held six days after the fact".

The Novy God-themed 1976 rom-com film The Irony of Fate is a traditional movie for Americans to watch on Novy God; it is "played nonstop on New Year's Eve on Russian satellite channels all over America".[49]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Neyfakh, Leon (28 December 2016). "Say "Nyet!" to Partying on New Year's Eve. Try a Classic Russian Dinner Instead". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  2. ^ Черепнин, Л. В. "Русская хронология" (in Russian). p. 26. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Russia in the Age of Peter the Great". archive.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Weber, Hannah (25 December 2020). "Yolka: the story of Russia's 'New Year tree', from pagan origins to Soviet celebrations". The Calvert Journal. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b Tamkin, Emily (30 December 2016). "How Soviets Came to Celebrate New Year's Like Christmas (and Why Russians Still Do)". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  6. ^ Karen Petrone, Life Has Become More Joyous, Comrades: Celebrations in the Time of Stalin, Indiana University Press, 200, ISBN 0-253-33768-2, Google Print, p.85 Archived 4 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b Как отмечали Новый год в СССР: пять правил праздника по-советски. In Russian
  8. ^ a b c "Inventorying the Past: Russia Refreshes Its Historical Memory". Wilson Center. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d "Holiday TV Traditions Around The World". The Hollywood Reporter. 22 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  10. ^ Dice, Elizabeth A. (2009). Christmas and Hanukkah. Infobase Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 9781438119717. The Christmas tree, or Yolka, is another tradition that was banned during the Soviet era. To keep the custom alive, people decorated New Year's trees instead.
  11. ^ "Russia's answer to Father Christmas". CNN.com. 26 December 2000. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  12. ^ "Father Frost and the Snow Maiden deliver Russia's winter warmer, by Helen Womack, 31 December 1996". The Independent. London. 31 December 1996. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  13. ^ Neiman, Rachel (30 December 2019). "Celebrating Silvester, AKA the secular New Year, in Israel". ISRAEL21c. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  14. ^ История «Голубого огонька»: когда зажегся, как сиял и почему потух?. In Russian
  15. ^ "Святой Николай или Дед Мороз? Чем они отличаются и кто должен приносить подарки украинцам". gordonua.com. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  16. ^ "How the Soviets Stole Ukrainian Christmas". Euromaidan Press. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  17. ^ "No Ukrainian should have a Soviet-style New Year's tree". Euromaidan Press. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  18. ^ Україна (29 December 2015). ""Іронію долі..." в новорічну ніч не покажуть, хоч і заборони немає". Ukr.Media (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Father Frost and the Snow Maiden deliver Russia's winter warmer, by Helen Womack, 31 December 1996". The Independent. London. 31 December 1996. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  20. ^ a b Echo of Islam. MIG. 1993. In the former Soviet Union, fir trees were usually put up to mark New Year's day, following a tradition established by the officially atheist state.
  21. ^ "Father Frost and the Snow Maiden deliver Russia's winter warmer, by Helen Womack, 31 December 1996". The Independent. London. 31 December 1996. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  22. ^ Душечкина Е. В. (2003). "Дед Мороз и Снегурочка". Отечественные записки. No. 1. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  23. ^ "What on earth is happening with "Russia's GPS"?, Dec 1, 2009 by Julia Ioffe". Fortune. Archived from the original on 13 September 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  24. ^ "Красно-бело-голубой огонек". www.kommersant.ru (in Russian). 26 December 2005. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  25. ^ Horton, Andrew; Brashinsky, Michael (1992). The Zero Hour: Glasnost and Soviet Cinema in Transition. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691019208. p. 171.
  26. ^ a b "Карнавальной ночи" - 65 лет: как снимали музыкальную кинокомедию. In Russian
  27. ^ Zubtsov, Vitaly (29 December 2016). "Survival guide: How to survive New Year, Russian-style". Russia Beyond. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  28. ^ "The 10 Best Places to Spend New Year's Eve in Moscow". The Moscow Times. 29 December 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  29. ^ "Russia Unveils New National Anthem Joining the Old Soviet Tune to the Older, Unsoviet God". The New York Times. Associated Press. 31 December 2000. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  30. ^ a b c "Whether you've heard of Novy God or not, Russian Angelenos are keeping New Year's festivities alive in the Valley". Daily News. 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h 20 лучших новогодних песен: от «В лесу родилась елочка» до «Расскажи, Снегурочка». In Russian
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Лучшие новогодние песни: 25 композиций на все времена. In Russian
  33. ^ Песня «Новогодняя» (1999) группы «Дискотека Авария»: почему забраковали новый клип на легендарный хит. In Russian
  34. ^ "A Happy Novy God (Without God)". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  35. ^ "דרישה בנתניה: העירייה צריכה לממן את חגיגות הסילבסטר". NRG (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  36. ^ "Igor Ebadusin – celebrations of Novy God within ex-USSR immigrants". Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  37. ^ "Celebrating an anti-Semitic pope on Sylvester". The Jerusalem Post – Christian World. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  38. ^ Kershner, Isabel (30 December 2018). "New Year's Fete From Russia Irks Some in Israel: 'It's Not a Jewish Holiday'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  39. ^ קריסטל, מירב (2 January 2010). ""הרוסים לא חוגגים את הסילבסטר"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  40. ^ "Anti-Novy God chain letter (Hebrew)". Archived from the original on 5 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  41. ^ צור, רענן בן (12 January 2004). "הכנסת קבעה: בלי עצי אשוח ובלי סנטה קלאוס". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  42. ^ Barak, Naama (27 December 2021). "Making a home for Novy God in the Israeli calendar". ISRAEL21c. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  43. ^ "What is Novy God? What you need to know about the Russian new year". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  44. ^ Kershner, Isabel (30 December 2018). "New Year's Fete From Russia Irks Some in Israel: 'It's Not a Jewish Holiday'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  45. ^ "Archived copy". www.idf.il. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  46. ^ a b Najibullah, Farangis (27 December 2012). "Central Asians Stand By 'Un-Islamic' New Year's Traditions". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  47. ^ a b Casper, Jayson (20 December 2022). "Muslims Love Russian Christmas. So Do Eurasia's Evangelicals". News & Reporting. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  48. ^ "Uzbekistan: To New Year or not to New Year?". Eurasianet. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  49. ^ Shuster, Yelena (3 January 2014). "Russian New Year's Traditions - Noviy God, Stalin". www.refinery29.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
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