During Advent, purple and sometimes blue is used in most churches for the color of the altar cloth (in the Russian Orthodox Church red is used for advent).
Long-standing Russian Christmas customs include caroling, fortune-telling, and following a strict Nativity Fast for forty days leading up to Christmas Eve.
Some Orthodox Christian traditions in Russia mimic Christmas traditions in other parts of Eastern Europe. As is the custom in Poland, in Russia, people will cover their floors and tables in hay to represent baby Jesus's manger. A white tablecloth is then laid out to symbolize the clothes Jesus was swaddled in.
For as long as we can remember, red and green have been the colors associated with Christmas. But few people realize why these complementary hues represent the popular holiday or where its origins begin. This traditional color scheme has a history rooted in symbolism, religion, and even Coca-Cola.
Russians decorate their homes with a Christmas tree and often put pine leaves on their front doors, and in the house. The Russian Christmas tree is usually taken down at the end of January after the feast day of the Baptism of Christ.
In Russia, the festive fir known to the world as the Christmas tree goes by another name: the New Year yolka. The history behind this tradition encompasses pagan rituals, tsars and tsarinas and Soviet anti-religious propaganda. 30 December 2021.
Christmas in Russia is normally celebrated on January 7th (only a few Catholics might celebrate it on the 25th December). The date is different because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the old 'Julian' calendar for religious celebration days. The Orthodox Church also celebrates Advent.
It's hard to imagine a time when red and green weren't synonymous with Christmas, but they haven't always been the holiday's go-to colors.
Purple. “Purple is the color of royalty, and many (Christians) associate it with the King of Kings, Jesus Christ,” Richter says. That explains why we often see purple used throughout Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas. “A purple candle is lit each week to signify the coming of Christ,” Richter continues.
Unlike the bloated, red-coated father Christmas of the West, Russia's Santa Claus, known as Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), is slender with a wizard-like flowing beard and he wears a long robe that comes in different colors, such as blue and white.
Although Russia follows the Gregorian calendar, like India and most of the world, the country's Orthodox Church still follows the Julian calendar and celebrates Christmas on January 7, which corresponds to December 25 on the Gregorian calendar.
During the celebration, we can still observe such ancient elements of Russian holiday as fortune-telling on Christmas Eve, koliada, and singing carols (kalyadki), while worshipers follow a strict fast, which ends when the first star appears in the sky on the night of Christmas Eve.
A Russian Christmas Party by Leo Tolstoy is about a generous family on the brink of ruin whose mother pins their hopes for restoring their fortune on their son, Nicolas' marriage to a wealthy bride.
Pink symbolizes love, affection, and kindness, so the color naturally leans into the Christmas spirit of giving.
According to History.com, the monk who over time would evolve into Santa Claus was born in what is now modern-day Turkey in 280 A.D., making him a whopping 1,741 years old!
Blue was adopted by the Catholic Church as the color of Mary. Today blue is commonly included as one of the five main colors on Christmas lights.
An Ancient Roman Winter Festival
Homes were decorated with candles and evergreens including holly. The red berries and green leaves became associated with Saturnalia celebrations, and many of these traditions were absorbed into Christmas celebrations in Europe with the advent of Christianity.
So there you have it! The top 3 Christmas colors are red, green, and white. But there are many other colors that you can add to bring sparkle to your Christmas decorations. Each color has a special meaning and plays an important role in representing what this holiday is all about.
Try a zesty Christmas color scheme using bright, contrasting colors—such as turquoise and orange—to give your holiday decor a bold look.
What Do People Do? People in Russia celebrate Christmas Day with activities such as having a family dinner, attending a Christmas liturgy and visiting relatives and friends. There is a 40-day Lent preceding Christmas Day, when practicing Christians do not eat any meat.
Christmas in Russia which is celebrated in Russian Orthodox church is observed on 7th January annually. A Christmas occasion significance the blessing on the individual homes. During the Christmas Eve feast, eve is celebrated with family and friends making everyone happy.
Traditional Christmas/New Year plants in Russia and Ukraine are poinsettia and christmas cactus (also known as schlumbergera).