monoLOL
Why give a monologue when you can have a monoLOL?

@no_vem_ber Geeky but well-dressed media science graduate growing up to be a PArrrrrr Pirate. Ask me anything   

Happy Advent Season, Merry Christmas!

Being born and raised in the Soviet Union I have an ambivalent relationship with Christmas. Religion was barely tolerated by the communist party, so Christmas was not celebrated because of its origin as a religious festivity. But you cannot deprive the people of a party and some presents at the end of the year. So instead of Christmas there was New Year.

(by Smithsonian Institution, cc-by)

New Year in Soviet Russia was pretty much like Christmas, except we didn’t go to church. There was an alternative for Santa Claus, namely Ded Moroz (Father Frost).

(by Rogue Soul, cc-by)

Together with his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) he brought presents and was a welcome guest at every New Year’s party. There even was a Christmas (or should I say New Year’s?) tree.

(by Yatharth, cc-by)

The Russian Orthodox church is still using the old Julian calendar to mark fests, so, transformed into the internationally-used Gregorian calendar, Christmas in the Orthodox churches falls on the 6th of January.

The result of all this is that my parents are celebrating Christmas three times in a year: On December 25th, on December 31st and on January 6th. I won’t complain: It’s like two weeks of excessive feasting and celebrating. Sadly, I still get Christmas presents only once a year.