Russian American Holidays
Russian-American holidays are celebrated by individual Russian families in America, Russian-based churches such as the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian communities all over the United States. Russian-Americans celebrate holidays such as Russian Christmas, New Year's and celebrations of Russian warriors, soldiers and heroes. The holidays are celebrated on significant days throughout the year, with holidays falling in six of the 12 months.
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January
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New Year's and Orthodox Christmas are celebrated in January. New Year's is celebrated for a week with the decoration of fir trees and presents hidden under the tree. Father Frost and his granddaughter, Snegurochka, are an integral part of the holiday. Orthodox Christmas is celebrated from the seventh to 19th of January. This time period is filled with fortune telling. People try to do good deeds and neighbors often ask favors of each other during Orthodox Christmas.
February
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Defender's Day occurs on February 23rd. This day is a celebration of all Russian troops, past and present, who have defended Russia in combat. On this day, every male, from young to old, is bestowed with gifts and favors. The celebration includes songs and celebrations of affection from Russian-American women toward the men.
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March
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Russian-Americans celebrate Women's Day in March. This international holiday was born in New York in 1857, when a group of women protested the unfair working conditions in textile mills. The day was commemorated in 1910 and recognized by Russia in 1913. The day is celebrated as the first holiday of spring and cherishes the love for and beauty of all women.
May
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May 1st is the Spring and Labor celebration, while May 9th is Victory Day for Russian-Americans. The Spring and Labor celebration dates to Chicago in 1886 when workers demanded the work day be reduced from 15 hours to eight hours. Victory Day is a revered holiday for Russian-Americans as they pay tribute to the Russian soldiers felled in World War II. Russian veterans wear their uniforms and medals and soldier graves are decorated with wreaths of flowers.
June
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June 12th is Russia Day. This day is celebrated by Russian-Americans due to the 1991 adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation. This declaration transformed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics into its current state, separating Russia from other countries. This day is considered to be Russia's official national holiday.
November
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November finds Russian-Americans celebrating Civil Unity Day on the fourth day of the month. This day identifies the liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders in 1612. The day celebrates the unification of all class types, as the city formed a people's army consisting of all classes against the invaders, rather than leaving the job solely to the soldiers.
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