The large effigy was set ablaze during Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival that precedes Orthodox Lent

A large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at a park in western Russia on Saturday as part of Maslenitsa, a traditional spring festival celebrated across the country.

Maslenitsa is a Slavic folk holiday held in the week before Orthodox Lent, marked by public festivities and the eating of pancakes. The celebration preserves elements of its pre-Christian roots, including the ritual burning of an effigy to symbolize the end of winter.

At Argamach Park in Lipetsk Region, this year’s festivities culminated in the burning of a large monster-like effigy with sharp teeth resembling Labubu, a line of small dolls that has gained global popularity in recent years. In previous years, the park burned effigies of fictional characters including Voldemort from the Harry Potter series, the Night King from Game of Thrones, and horror film villain Freddy Krueger.

According to Aleksandr Galatvin, the festival organizer, the Labubu was chosen to “logically continue” the lineup of villains burned in the past.

“Our idea is that we are combating… the unconventional influence of various Western, Eastern, and other cultures that are eroding traditional Russian culture,” he said, adding that he is both “popularizing” the characters and burning them.

The decision to use a giant, bloody-mouthed Labubu as this year’s effigy sparked debate on social media. Some users welcomed the choice; others argued that using a character associated with children’s toys is inappropriate. Russians spent around $17.6 million on Labubu dolls in 2025, according to e-commerce sales data cited by local media.

The Nikola-Lenivets park in Kaluga Region celebrated Maslenitsa by burning a 25-meter-tall heart installation. It was a nod to Soviet writer Maxim Gorky’s short story Old Izergil, in which the main character, Danko, tears his own burning heart out of his chest to light the way for a lost community of people.

Maslenitsa celebrations took place across Russia on Saturday, welcoming spring after an unusually cold and snowy winter.

","freeContentEncoded","textContent","state","published","strategy","curl-ready","locked","deletedAt","isSyncedFromOwnBlog","original","duplicatesCount","duplicateVersion","originalArticleId","errorsCount","appearance","article","color","backgroundColor","shortSummary","A giant Labubu doll was set on fire at a park in western Russia as part of Maslenitsa, a traditional festival marking the end of winter. The effigy, chosen to represent a line of villains, sparked debate online. Another park burned a large heart installation.","summary","A large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at Argamach Park in Russia's Lipetsk Region during Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival preceding Orthodox Lent. The effigy's creator stated it was chosen to combat \"unconventional influence\" and erode \"traditional Russian culture.\" The burning of the Labubu doll sparked debate on social media regarding its appropriateness, while another park in Kaluga Region celebrated by burning a 25-meter-tall heart installation.","bullets",[202,203,204,205,206,207,208],"A large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at Argamach Park in western Russia during Maslenitsa celebrations.","Maslenitsa is a traditional Slavic folk holiday celebrated before Orthodox Lent, involving public festivities and the ritual burning of an effigy to symbolize the end of winter.","The festival organizer chose the Labubu effigy to \"logically continue\" the tradition of burning villains and to combat \"unconventional influence\" on Russian culture.","The decision to burn the Labubu effigy sparked debate on social media, with some finding it inappropriate for a character associated with children's toys.","Russians reportedly spent millions on Labubu dolls in 2025.","Nikola-Lenivets park in Kaluga Region burned a 25-meter-tall heart installation as part of their Maslenitsa celebration.","Maslenitsa celebrations took place across Russia, welcoming spring after a cold winter.","persons",[211,212],"Aleksandr Galatvin","Maxim Gorky","places",[27,215,216],"Lipetsk Region","Kaluga Region","words",304,"sentiment",-0.5,"subject","culture","meta",{"_225":226,"_227":228,"_255":236},"type","bee:get-index-of-articles","schedule",{"_14":229,"_38":-5,"_230":231,"_62":-5,"_232":233,"_137":234,"_235":236,"_237":68,"_65":66,"_221":25,"_238":-5,"_239":66,"_182":183,"_240":241,"_40":241,"_242":243,"_244":68,"_245":246,"_42":241,"_247":66,"_64":94,"_248":249,"_250":-5,"_251":252,"_253":-5,"_254":-5},"81f463b0-a1de-4067-8000-0ee722de19ba","npub","npub1gdywcs0k3w6wuqtxm9ymuh7j6s3p6cfsvt28z0wlj4m2v4pg3lxsp0c877","jobId","6db0e9b6-8f80-4a7e-b99b-74222d9f0a40",1,"rssUrl","https://www.rt.com/","system","userRef","autosign","syncedAt","2025-12-30T22:35:40.152Z","frequency","daily","isOwnBlog","nextRunAt","2026-02-22T00:01:52.464Z","autopublish","sourceVariant","rss","systemVariant","scheduleVariant","scraping-bee-classic-proxy","retryArticlesIds","ownershipConfirmedAt","dataSourceUrl","eventId","7f2f53a8b0c189f65dae2f3e6e275561b6f839549dbaa2dbfc41bfe0cdecec32","nostrRootEvent","event",{"_14":257,"_261":262,"_263":234,"_62":264,"_277":276,"_174":278,"_279":280},"sig","e06bf27d08275b62349687a92f0fbe169626b31c3764e6ed27cec2971fb4cf2f33a19a179820b850f53c440644486e30a23a7f62fe6a0c21e8a1ad641e9c009a","kind",[265,266,267,271,274],[221,161],[30,167],[268,269,25,270],"a","30023:4348ec41f68bb4ee0166d949be5fd2d4221d613062d4713ddf9576a654288fcd:c4ea6dd0-5ba2-41e4-be5d-ec3aaa7cd401","mention",[272,273],"client","Layer3.press",[275,276,25],"p","4348ec41f68bb4ee0166d949be5fd2d4221d613062d4713ddf9576a654288fcd","pubkey","Labubu-inspired effigy burned at spring festival in Russia (VIDEOS)\nA Labubu-inspired effigy was burned during Maslenitsa celebrations in Russia’s Lipetsk Region\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqs6ga3qldza5acqkdk2fhe0a94pzr4snqck5wy7al9tk5e2z3r7dqqjxxdr9vymxgeps956kycfj956rzef5943x2dty94jkxvmpv9snwcmyxscrznww9js ","created_at",1771718553,"authorNPub","markdown","The large effigy was set ablaze during Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival that precedes Orthodox Lent\n\nA large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at a park in western Russia on Saturday as part of Maslenitsa, a traditional spring festival celebrated across the country.\n\nMaslenitsa is a Slavic folk holiday held in the week before Orthodox Lent, marked by public festivities and the eating of pancakes. The celebration preserves elements of its pre-Christian roots, including the ritual burning of an effigy to symbolize the end of winter.\n\nAt Argamach Park in Lipetsk Region, this year’s festivities culminated in the burning of a large monster-like effigy with sharp teeth resembling Labubu, a line of small dolls that has gained global popularity in recent years. In previous years, the park burned effigies of fictional characters including Voldemort from the Harry Potter series, the Night King from Game of Thrones, and horror film villain Freddy Krueger.\n\nAccording to Aleksandr Galatvin, the festival organizer, the Labubu was chosen to _“logically continue”_ the lineup of villains burned in the past.\n\n_“Our idea is that we are combating… the unconventional influence of various Western, Eastern, and other cultures that are eroding traditional Russian culture,”_ he said, adding that he is both _“popularizing”_ the characters and burning them.\n\nThe decision to use a giant, bloody-mouthed Labubu as this year’s effigy sparked debate on social media. Some users welcomed the choice; others argued that using a character associated with children’s toys is inappropriate. Russians spent around $17.6 million on Labubu dolls in 2025, according to e-commerce sales data cited by local media.\n\nThe Nikola-Lenivets park in Kaluga Region celebrated Maslenitsa by burning a 25-meter-tall heart installation. It was a nod to Soviet writer Maxim Gorky’s short story Old Izergil, in which the main character, Danko, tears his own burning heart out of his chest to light the way for a lost community of people.\n\nMaslenitsa celebrations took place across Russia on Saturday, welcoming spring after an unusually cold and snowy winter.","freeMarkdown","kind1EventId","kind30023EventId","b042c3fd824eefd84b913e8cb7092ab1a16e3b47dc278718939e1e5bba9f3bbb","kind30023",{"_14":287,"_261":290,"_263":291,"_62":292,"_277":276,"_174":306,"_279":280},"bad6daec8f7922d409eecf170e9b69ffa8551c1c6c59df7f77063e87ba48eb37122dc3d4be8ebe8bccf195923f1f32e6a0858c08a0e32d2fc4f618c426ea20f0",30023,[293,296,297,300,301,303,304,305],[294,295],"r","https://notifie.ru/articles/c4ea6dd0-5ba2-41e4-be5d-ec3aaa7cd401",[26,161],[298,299],"published_at","1771708371",[30,167],[302,156],"d",[198,162],[272,273],[275,276,25],"Labubu-inspired effigy burned at spring festival in Russia (VIDEOS)\nA large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at Argamach Park in Russia's Lipetsk Region during Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival preceding Orthodox Lent. The effigy's creator stated it was chosen to combat \"unconventional influence\" and erode \"traditional Russian culture.\" The burning of the Labubu doll sparked debate on social media regarding its appropriateness, while another park in Kaluga Region celebrated by burning a 25-meter-tall heart installation.\n - A large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at Argamach Park in western Russia during Maslenitsa celebrations.\n - Maslenitsa is a traditional Slavic folk holiday celebrated before Orthodox Lent, involving public festivities and the ritual burning of an effigy to symbolize the end of winter.\n - The festival organizer chose the Labubu effigy to \"logically continue\" the tradition of burning villains and to combat \"unconventional influence\" on Russian culture.\n - The decision to burn the Labubu effigy sparked debate on social media, with some finding it inappropriate for a character associated with children's toys.\n - Russians reportedly spent millions on Labubu dolls in 2025.\n - Nikola-Lenivets park in Kaluga Region burned a 25-meter-tall heart installation as part of their Maslenitsa celebration.\n - Maslenitsa celebrations took place across Russia, welcoming spring after a cold winter.\n","publishedToNostr","htmlContentKind30023","

The large effigy was set ablaze during Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival that precedes Orthodox Lent

A large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at a park in western Russia on Saturday as part of Maslenitsa, a traditional spring festival celebrated across the country.

According to Aleksandr Galatvin, the festival organizer, the Labubu was chosen to “logically continue” the lineup of villains burned in the past.

Maslenitsa celebrations took place across Russia on Saturday, welcoming spring after an unusually cold and snowy winter.

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One legend recounts that a fir-tree, an olive tree, and a palm grew near the cave where Jesus Christ was born. When the Guiding Star appeared in the skies to announce that the Savior was born for all, the olive tree produced its golden fruit, the palm provided shelter from the heat, and the evergreen conifer stood aside. A miracle occurred as stars shot from the sky and transformed the tree.\nSeveral alternative stories exist about the origins of the Christmas tree decoration tradition, many linked to Christianity. However, ancient Germans celebrated Yule, a medieval mid-winter festival aligned with the winter solstice. They decorated forest trees, lit candles, and performed rituals to appease forest spirits. They also placed evergreen branches inside homes, believing these symbols of endurance, health, and longevity. As Christianity spread, most pagan rituals took on new meanings, and Yule was completely replaced with Christmas by the 15th-16th centuries. Still, these traditions endured, and fir trees remained a feature of Christmas celebrations. Initially, trees were placed outdoors, but eventually, a tradition emerged of decorating them inside homes. It is known that, in 1419, apprentices at a bakery in Freiburg decorated a fir tree outside a Catholic hospital for the poor with apples, nuts, and gingerbread. By the 16th century, the custom of placing Christmas trees spread throughout Germany, with decorated conifers remaining until New Year. Over time, the tradition spread across Europe and eventually to America.\nRussia has celebrated New Year and Christmas with decorated fir trees since Peter the Great’s reign. In 1699, the Russian tsar ordered the move of New Year celebrations from September 1 to January 1 “to follow other Christian nations’ practice.” In the late 19th century, Russia adopted the European tradition of artificial fir trees, originally made of tissue. From 1929 to 1935, when the Soviet Union banned religion, Christmas celebrations were prohibited, and New Year festivities were also cancelled as “bourgeois remnants.” However, starting in 1936, New Year parties resumed in schools, children’s centers, and orphanages, with events featuring fir trees held at the Column Hall of the House of Unions. In 1954, the first party was held at the Hall of the Order of St. George in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Since 1962, the country’s primary New Year event for children has been held at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (now the State Kremlin Palace).\nDecorations\nApples, nuts, eggs, and candies were the original Christmas tree decorations, with paper, cardboard, cotton, and painted fir-tree cones added since the 18th century. All decorations had deep Christian symbolism: six-pointed stars placed atop trees symbolized the Holy Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Magi to Christ’s birthplace. Apples symbolized the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, while candles represented purity.\nAs craftsmen began producing Christmas tree decorations, brass figures of angels were placed on fir trees. The 1848 apple crop failure in Germany led to the creation of glass decorations. That year, glassmakers in Lauscha, Thuringia, made “apples” from thick glass, marking the start of regular Christmas tree decoration production. In 1867, gas torches were used to blow not only glass bubbles but also objects in other shapes. Over time, glass decorations were primarily made in Germany, though other countries began producing them by the late 19th century.\nThe first electric lights were placed on the White House tree in Washington in 1895. In Europe, electric lights first appeared on Christmas trees in Finland in 1906.\nIn Russia, Christmas trees have been decorated since the 1830s. Decorations were handmade or baked. Later, glass decorations began to be imported from Germany. The glassmaking plant in Klin, near Moscow, was the first to begin mass-producing Christmas tree decorations. During the Soviet era, the Star of Bethlehem was replaced with a five-pointed red star, the state symbol, atop the tree. Figures of people, animals, fruit, and vegetables, made from glass, cotton, cardboard, and papier-mache, were popular. The Soviet Union began producing electric lights in 1938.\nWhile today’s assortment of Christmas tree decorations is almost identical worldwide, with baubles being the most common, colored lanterns and tin tinsel remain particularly popular in Ireland. In Norway and Sweden, sun- and snowflake-shaped toys, along with animal figures made from straw or wood, are top sellers.\nGifts\nThe tradition of New Year gift-giving is believed to have originated with the ancient Romans. It is said that Gaius Julius Caesar started the custom of giving a laurel wreath and a coin on New Year’s Day.\nIn Japan, it’s customary to exchange oseibo gifts (simple sets of essentials) or otoshidama (money in decorative envelopes). In the U.S., people often give gift items with receipts attached for easy returns. In Austria, practical gifts that can be used daily are common, with tickets for the Vienna State Opera also being popular presents. In Sweden and other Nordic countries, where evenings come early, candles are ideal gifts, helping to create a warm and festive atmosphere. In China, where family harmony is highly valued, it is customary to give pairs of items as gifts.\nIn Russia, children typically receive sweets and toys as New Year gifts, while adults often get perfumes, chocolates, accessories, or beauty products.\nFairy tale characters\nIn Europe and America, the primary gift-giver for Christmas and New Year is a figure based on Archbishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in Asia Minor during the 3rd-4th centuries. He was canonized as a saint and became St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Legend has it that he once dropped gold coins down the chimney of a house where three poor women lived. The coins landed in their stockings--or, in another version, in boots placed by the chimney. This led to the tradition of placing gifts in shoes or stockings. Over time, the image of St. Nicholas evolved into various Christmas figures with distinct national traits.\nHe is called Grandfather Christmas in some countries, Pere Noel in France and other Francophone regions, Papa Noel in Spain, Babbo Natale in Italy, Sankt Nikolaus in Germany, Mikulas in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Swiety Mikolaj in Poland, and Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Belgium, and former Dutch colonies.\nRussia’s Grandfather Frost dates back to pagan times. In Old Slavic folklore, he was depicted as a short, old man with a long beard and as severe as Russian winters. People left food outside their homes to appease him. Today, Grandfather Frost, or Father Frost, hails from Veliky Ustyug, in the Russian North. He is depicted as a white-bearded old man in a long robe, wearing felt or long boots, carrying a staff and a bag of gifts. Grandfather Frost has no direct counterpart in Western Christmas traditions. He is accompanied by Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden, a figure rooted in Russian folklore and 19th-century literature.","

The custom of decorating Christmas trees dates back to biblical myths. One legend recounts that a fir-tree, an olive tree, and a palm grew near the cave where Jesus Christ was born. When the Guiding Star appeared in the skies to announce that the Savior was born for all, the olive tree produced its golden fruit, the palm provided shelter from the heat, and the evergreen conifer stood aside. A miracle occurred as stars shot from the sky and transformed the tree.

Several alternative stories exist about the origins of the Christmas tree decoration tradition, many linked to Christianity. However, ancient Germans celebrated Yule, a medieval mid-winter festival aligned with the winter solstice. They decorated forest trees, lit candles, and performed rituals to appease forest spirits. They also placed evergreen branches inside homes, believing these symbols of endurance, health, and longevity. As Christianity spread, most pagan rituals took on new meanings, and Yule was completely replaced with Christmas by the 15th-16th centuries. Still, these traditions endured, and fir trees remained a feature of Christmas celebrations. Initially, trees were placed outdoors, but eventually, a tradition emerged of decorating them inside homes. It is known that, in 1419, apprentices at a bakery in Freiburg decorated a fir tree outside a Catholic hospital for the poor with apples, nuts, and gingerbread. By the 16th century, the custom of placing Christmas trees spread throughout Germany, with decorated conifers remaining until New Year. Over time, the tradition spread across Europe and eventually to America.

Russia has celebrated New Year and Christmas with decorated fir trees since Peter the Great’s reign. In 1699, the Russian tsar ordered the move of New Year celebrations from September 1 to January 1 “to follow other Christian nations’ practice.” In the late 19th century, Russia adopted the European tradition of artificial fir trees, originally made of tissue. From 1929 to 1935, when the Soviet Union banned religion, Christmas celebrations were prohibited, and New Year festivities were also cancelled as “bourgeois remnants.” However, starting in 1936, New Year parties resumed in schools, children’s centers, and orphanages, with events featuring fir trees held at the Column Hall of the House of Unions. In 1954, the first party was held at the Hall of the Order of St. George in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Since 1962, the country’s primary New Year event for children has been held at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (now the State Kremlin Palace).

Decorations

Apples, nuts, eggs, and candies were the original Christmas tree decorations, with paper, cardboard, cotton, and painted fir-tree cones added since the 18th century. All decorations had deep Christian symbolism: six-pointed stars placed atop trees symbolized the Holy Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Magi to Christ’s birthplace. Apples symbolized the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, while candles represented purity.

As craftsmen began producing Christmas tree decorations, brass figures of angels were placed on fir trees. The 1848 apple crop failure in Germany led to the creation of glass decorations. That year, glassmakers in Lauscha, Thuringia, made “apples” from thick glass, marking the start of regular Christmas tree decoration production. In 1867, gas torches were used to blow not only glass bubbles but also objects in other shapes. Over time, glass decorations were primarily made in Germany, though other countries began producing them by the late 19th century.

The first electric lights were placed on the White House tree in Washington in 1895. In Europe, electric lights first appeared on Christmas trees in Finland in 1906.

In Russia, Christmas trees have been decorated since the 1830s. Decorations were handmade or baked. Later, glass decorations began to be imported from Germany. The glassmaking plant in Klin, near Moscow, was the first to begin mass-producing Christmas tree decorations. During the Soviet era, the Star of Bethlehem was replaced with a five-pointed red star, the state symbol, atop the tree. Figures of people, animals, fruit, and vegetables, made from glass, cotton, cardboard, and papier-mache, were popular. The Soviet Union began producing electric lights in 1938.

While today’s assortment of Christmas tree decorations is almost identical worldwide, with baubles being the most common, colored lanterns and tin tinsel remain particularly popular in Ireland. In Norway and Sweden, sun- and snowflake-shaped toys, along with animal figures made from straw or wood, are top sellers.

Gifts

The tradition of New Year gift-giving is believed to have originated with the ancient Romans. It is said that Gaius Julius Caesar started the custom of giving a laurel wreath and a coin on New Year’s Day.

In Japan, it’s customary to exchange oseibo gifts (simple sets of essentials) or otoshidama (money in decorative envelopes). In the U.S., people often give gift items with receipts attached for easy returns. In Austria, practical gifts that can be used daily are common, with tickets for the Vienna State Opera also being popular presents. In Sweden and other Nordic countries, where evenings come early, candles are ideal gifts, helping to create a warm and festive atmosphere. In China, where family harmony is highly valued, it is customary to give pairs of items as gifts.

In Russia, children typically receive sweets and toys as New Year gifts, while adults often get perfumes, chocolates, accessories, or beauty products.

Fairy tale characters

In Europe and America, the primary gift-giver for Christmas and New Year is a figure based on Archbishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in Asia Minor during the 3rd-4th centuries. He was canonized as a saint and became St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Legend has it that he once dropped gold coins down the chimney of a house where three poor women lived. The coins landed in their stockings--or, in another version, in boots placed by the chimney. This led to the tradition of placing gifts in shoes or stockings. Over time, the image of St. Nicholas evolved into various Christmas figures with distinct national traits.

He is called Grandfather Christmas in some countries, Pere Noel in France and other Francophone regions, Papa Noel in Spain, Babbo Natale in Italy, Sankt Nikolaus in Germany, Mikulas in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Swiety Mikolaj in Poland, and Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Belgium, and former Dutch colonies.

Russia’s Grandfather Frost dates back to pagan times. In Old Slavic folklore, he was depicted as a short, old man with a long beard and as severe as Russian winters. People left food outside their homes to appease him. Today, Grandfather Frost, or Father Frost, hails from Veliky Ustyug, in the Russian North. He is depicted as a white-bearded old man in a long robe, wearing felt or long boots, carrying a staff and a bag of gifts. Grandfather Frost has no direct counterpart in Western Christmas traditions. He is accompanied by Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden, a figure rooted in Russian folklore and 19th-century literature.

","Discover the fascinating origins and global evolution of Christmas tree decorating traditions, from ancient pagan rituals to modern-day customs, including gift-giving and legendary figures.","The custom of decorating Christmas trees has roots in biblical myths and ancient German Yule celebrations, evolving over centuries as Christianity spread. Early decorations included natural elements, later transitioning to glass, paper, and electric lights, with variations emerging across different countries and cultures. Gift-giving traditions also have ancient origins, evolving into diverse practices worldwide, often associated with legendary figures like St. Nicholas and Grandfather Frost.",[333,334,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,342,343,344],"The tradition of decorating Christmas trees is linked to biblical myths and ancient German Yule festivals.","Early decorations consisted of natural items like apples and nuts, evolving to include gingerbread, paper, and glass ornaments.","The tradition spread from Germany throughout Europe and eventually to America.","In Russia, decorated fir trees became popular during Peter the Great's reign, with the tradition adapting through Soviet bans and revivals.","Original decorations held Christian symbolism, with apples representing the Tree of Knowledge and candles symbolizing purity.","Glass decorations emerged in Germany after an apple crop failure in 1848, revolutionizing Christmas tree adornments.","Electric lights first appeared on Christmas trees in the U.S. in 1895 and in Finland in 1906.","During the Soviet era in Russia, the Star of Bethlehem was replaced by a five-pointed red star.","Gift-giving traditions are believed to have originated with the ancient Romans.","Fairy tale characters like St. Nicholas and Grandfather Frost are the primary gift-givers associated with Christmas and New Year.","St. Nicholas evolved into various figures like Pere Noel, Papa Noel, Babbo Natale, and Sankt Nikolaus.","Russia's Grandfather Frost is accompanied by Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden.",[346,347,348,349,350],"Jesus Christ","Peter the Great","Gaius Julius Caesar","Archbishop Nicholas of Myra","St. Nicholas the Wonderworker",[352,353,27,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,372,373,374,375],"Freiburg","Germany","America","Moscow","Klin","Ireland","Norway","Sweden","Japan","U.S.","Austria","Vienna","China","Asia Minor","France","Spain","Italy","Czech Republic","Slovakia","Poland","Netherlands","Belgium","Veliky Ustyug","Russian North",1030,0.1,{"_225":226,"_227":379,"_255":383},{"_14":380,"_38":-5,"_230":381,"_62":-5,"_232":382,"_137":234,"_235":383,"_237":68,"_65":66,"_221":25,"_238":-5,"_239":66,"_182":183,"_240":384,"_40":384,"_242":243,"_244":68,"_245":385,"_42":384,"_247":66,"_64":94,"_248":249,"_250":-5,"_251":252,"_253":-5,"_254":-5},"e5a975c0-b1e8-48a0-bc71-1bdb0bb15fc7","npub1czfyz3zkzhv2fjau4yrxaft3zphzaygazjadjy5ldfdkv0q2c8tsyplhuw","88ed2ece-67d6-463b-9c1c-581b37aef8a4","https://tass.com/","2025-12-30T22:29:56.264Z","2026-01-01T23:58:06.715Z","c879808abb760171796ed7835bed531495f6b3e4bfa559b3d67ab1cbd15763ed",{"_14":386,"_261":388,"_263":234,"_62":389,"_277":396,"_174":397,"_279":398},"fd95a306543749c40e5bbf856670bc01508e0d89a3bea227bc2ee529db034a8d5437753cff618c6bc0988da6424f2cd84b6feac9374ab7294953b4d6b079fe30",[390,391,392,394,395],[221,325],[30,327],[268,393,25,270],"30023:c09241445615d8a4cbbca9066ea571106e2e911d14bad9129f6a5b663c0ac1d7:54dfe90f-c7e4-45b4-8afd-03bd48a49cec",[272,273],[275,396,25],"c09241445615d8a4cbbca9066ea571106e2e911d14bad9129f6a5b663c0ac1d7","FACTBOX: New Year’s key traditions reviewed\nThe custom of decorating Christmas trees dates back to biblical myths\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpsyjg9z9v9wc5n9me2gxd6jhzyrw96g36996myff76jmvc7q4swhqqjr2dryvejnjvrx943nwef5956r2c3595uxzeny95crxcnyxsuxzdpevdjkx7pvc3x ",1767311926,"The custom of decorating Christmas trees dates back to biblical myths. One legend recounts that a fir-tree, an olive tree, and a palm grew near the cave where Jesus Christ was born. When the Guiding Star appeared in the skies to announce that the Savior was born for all, the olive tree produced its golden fruit, the palm provided shelter from the heat, and the evergreen conifer stood aside. A miracle occurred as stars shot from the sky and transformed the tree.\n\nSeveral alternative stories exist about the origins of the Christmas tree decoration tradition, many linked to Christianity. However, ancient Germans celebrated Yule, a medieval mid-winter festival aligned with the winter solstice. They decorated forest trees, lit candles, and performed rituals to appease forest spirits. They also placed evergreen branches inside homes, believing these symbols of endurance, health, and longevity. As Christianity spread, most pagan rituals took on new meanings, and Yule was completely replaced with Christmas by the 15th-16th centuries. Still, these traditions endured, and fir trees remained a feature of Christmas celebrations. Initially, trees were placed outdoors, but eventually, a tradition emerged of decorating them inside homes. It is known that, in 1419, apprentices at a bakery in Freiburg decorated a fir tree outside a Catholic hospital for the poor with apples, nuts, and gingerbread. By the 16th century, the custom of placing Christmas trees spread throughout Germany, with decorated conifers remaining until New Year. Over time, the tradition spread across Europe and eventually to America.\n\nRussia has celebrated New Year and Christmas with decorated fir trees since Peter the Great’s reign. In 1699, the Russian tsar ordered the move of New Year celebrations from September 1 to January 1 “to follow other Christian nations’ practice.” In the late 19th century, Russia adopted the European tradition of artificial fir trees, originally made of tissue. From 1929 to 1935, when the Soviet Union banned religion, Christmas celebrations were prohibited, and New Year festivities were also cancelled as “bourgeois remnants.” However, starting in 1936, New Year parties resumed in schools, children’s centers, and orphanages, with events featuring fir trees held at the Column Hall of the House of Unions. In 1954, the first party was held at the Hall of the Order of St. George in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Since 1962, the country’s primary New Year event for children has been held at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (now the State Kremlin Palace).\n\nDecorations\n-----------\n\nApples, nuts, eggs, and candies were the original Christmas tree decorations, with paper, cardboard, cotton, and painted fir-tree cones added since the 18th century. All decorations had deep Christian symbolism: six-pointed stars placed atop trees symbolized the Holy Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Magi to Christ’s birthplace. Apples symbolized the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, while candles represented purity.\n\nAs craftsmen began producing Christmas tree decorations, brass figures of angels were placed on fir trees. The 1848 apple crop failure in Germany led to the creation of glass decorations. That year, glassmakers in Lauscha, Thuringia, made “apples” from thick glass, marking the start of regular Christmas tree decoration production. In 1867, gas torches were used to blow not only glass bubbles but also objects in other shapes. Over time, glass decorations were primarily made in Germany, though other countries began producing them by the late 19th century.\n\nThe first electric lights were placed on the White House tree in Washington in 1895. In Europe, electric lights first appeared on Christmas trees in Finland in 1906.\n\nIn Russia, Christmas trees have been decorated since the 1830s. Decorations were handmade or baked. Later, glass decorations began to be imported from Germany. The glassmaking plant in Klin, near Moscow, was the first to begin mass-producing Christmas tree decorations. During the Soviet era, the Star of Bethlehem was replaced with a five-pointed red star, the state symbol, atop the tree. Figures of people, animals, fruit, and vegetables, made from glass, cotton, cardboard, and papier-mache, were popular. The Soviet Union began producing electric lights in 1938.\n\nWhile today’s assortment of Christmas tree decorations is almost identical worldwide, with baubles being the most common, colored lanterns and tin tinsel remain particularly popular in Ireland. In Norway and Sweden, sun- and snowflake-shaped toys, along with animal figures made from straw or wood, are top sellers.\n\nGifts\n-----\n\nThe tradition of New Year gift-giving is believed to have originated with the ancient Romans. It is said that Gaius Julius Caesar started the custom of giving a laurel wreath and a coin on New Year’s Day.\n\nIn Japan, it’s customary to exchange oseibo gifts (simple sets of essentials) or otoshidama (money in decorative envelopes). In the U.S., people often give gift items with receipts attached for easy returns. In Austria, practical gifts that can be used daily are common, with tickets for the Vienna State Opera also being popular presents. In Sweden and other Nordic countries, where evenings come early, candles are ideal gifts, helping to create a warm and festive atmosphere. In China, where family harmony is highly valued, it is customary to give pairs of items as gifts.\n\nIn Russia, children typically receive sweets and toys as New Year gifts, while adults often get perfumes, chocolates, accessories, or beauty products.\n\nFairy tale characters\n---------------------\n\nIn Europe and America, the primary gift-giver for Christmas and New Year is a figure based on Archbishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in Asia Minor during the 3rd-4th centuries. He was canonized as a saint and became St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Legend has it that he once dropped gold coins down the chimney of a house where three poor women lived. The coins landed in their stockings--or, in another version, in boots placed by the chimney. This led to the tradition of placing gifts in shoes or stockings. Over time, the image of St. Nicholas evolved into various Christmas figures with distinct national traits.\n\nHe is called Grandfather Christmas in some countries, Pere Noel in France and other Francophone regions, Papa Noel in Spain, Babbo Natale in Italy, Sankt Nikolaus in Germany, Mikulas in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Swiety Mikolaj in Poland, and Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Belgium, and former Dutch colonies.\n\nRussia’s Grandfather Frost dates back to pagan times. In Old Slavic folklore, he was depicted as a short, old man with a long beard and as severe as Russian winters. People left food outside their homes to appease him. Today, Grandfather Frost, or Father Frost, hails from Veliky Ustyug, in the Russian North. He is depicted as a white-bearded old man in a long robe, wearing felt or long boots, carrying a staff and a bag of gifts. Grandfather Frost has no direct counterpart in Western Christmas traditions. He is accompanied by Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden, a figure rooted in Russian folklore and 19th-century literature.","b68f10c86f0ae81b0490a84ded7dcdf3a9795cb6a0b6207127cfab92e84b69bc",{"_14":400,"_261":402,"_263":291,"_62":403,"_277":396,"_174":414,"_279":398},"90115cf36ac343b7a67e0e3f37169f126045ef46e778bc2b4dde574180cf2b43f161603af12082d978706d6de3db7cc30ad7dce0d680df8e4ce2913830df9493",[404,406,407,409,410,411,412,413],[294,405],"https://russia.layer3.press/articles/54dfe90f-c7e4-45b4-8afd-03bd48a49cec",[26,325],[298,408],"1767225900",[30,327],[302,323],[198,326],[272,273],[275,396,25],"FACTBOX: New Year’s key traditions reviewed\nThe custom of decorating Christmas trees has roots in biblical myths and ancient German Yule celebrations, evolving over centuries as Christianity spread. Early decorations included natural elements, later transitioning to glass, paper, and electric lights, with variations emerging across different countries and cultures. Gift-giving traditions also have ancient origins, evolving into diverse practices worldwide, often associated with legendary figures like St. Nicholas and Grandfather Frost.\n - The tradition of decorating Christmas trees is linked to biblical myths and ancient German Yule festivals.\n - Early decorations consisted of natural items like apples and nuts, evolving to include gingerbread, paper, and glass ornaments.\n - The tradition spread from Germany throughout Europe and eventually to America.\n - In Russia, decorated fir trees became popular during Peter the Great's reign, with the tradition adapting through Soviet bans and revivals.\n - Original decorations held Christian symbolism, with apples representing the Tree of Knowledge and candles symbolizing purity.\n - Glass decorations emerged in Germany after an apple crop failure in 1848, revolutionizing Christmas tree adornments.\n - Electric lights first appeared on Christmas trees in the U.S. in 1895 and in Finland in 1906.\n - During the Soviet era in Russia, the Star of Bethlehem was replaced by a five-pointed red star.\n - Gift-giving traditions are believed to have originated with the ancient Romans.\n - Fairy tale characters like St. Nicholas and Grandfather Frost are the primary gift-givers associated with Christmas and New Year.\n - St. Nicholas evolved into various figures like Pere Noel, Papa Noel, Babbo Natale, and Sankt Nikolaus.\n - Russia's Grandfather Frost is accompanied by Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden.\n","

Decorations

The first electric lights were placed on the White House tree in Washington in 1895. In Europe, electric lights first appeared on Christmas trees in Finland in 1906.

Gifts

In Russia, children typically receive sweets and toys as New Year gifts, while adults often get perfumes, chocolates, accessories, or beauty products.

Fairy tale characters

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