How New Year traditions in Russia were formed: an art historian’s lecture by Vera Donets at the National Centre RUSSIA

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A new educational project dedicated to landmark Russian traditions and their modern interpretation was launched at the National Centre RUSSIA on 25 December. Ahead of the New Year holidays, art historian and lecturer at the State Tretyakov Gallery, Vera Donets, delivered a lecture on New Year traditions in the Russian Empire and Soviet Russia.

"On New Year’s Eve, everyone has that childhood sensation of the smell of snow, something incomparable. Tangerines, the New Year tree just brought in from the street, parental care, the anticipation of gifts — all of this blends with a truly precious feeling of connection to tradition and history, because this is how it was and, it seems, how it should always be. When a person grows up, they themselves create the same sense of wonder and expectation for their children and grandchildren," Vera Donets said.

The art historian began her lecture by gradually immersing the audience in the history of New Year celebrations from the fifteenth century to the present day. Before that, she highlighted the role played by Tsar Peter I in embedding this holiday in Russian culture.

"If we turn to history, much is said today about Peter I’s decision to enhance the authority of the Russian state in the eyes of Europeans. This was an important strategic and geopolitical objective, and it became intricately woven into the holiday tradition. However, the first chronicle mention of celebrating the transition to the new year in Rus’ dates back to the fifteenth century and was associated with spring. This period marked the transition from winter to spring, when the land "awakens". The first of March was once the beginning of the New Year — more precisely, the start of the agricultural season and the beginning of a new life," the art historian explained.

She noted that at the end of the fifteenth century another transition took place, when the New Year began to be celebrated on 1 September. According to her, this was linked to the harvest, as September was the month of preparation for the new season. Soon afterwards, starting in 1700, Peter I decreed that the New Year should be celebrated, like in the rest of Europe, on 1 January. During this period, people dressed in festive attire and public celebrations were held.

"By the eighteenth century, ice-based amusements had also taken shape: snow fortresses, sledging down hills, winter swings, and boats gliding through the frosty air, sparks, and festive urban spaces. It was extraordinary joy — joy in the midst of cold, in the midst of the darkness of a short winter day. It implied a warm, human feeling: life triumphs. Winter was always a difficult time for the peasant — a time of doubt about whether provisions would last and whether the cold could be endured. It is here that the wish is born: everything will be all right. This is precisely the wish we still pass on today when we congratulate one another on the New Year," the lecturer explained.

Vera Donets also recalled the history of Ded Moroz. She noted that the winter wizard emerged as part of Soviet tradition — a winter spirit, an image that finally took shape in the mid-1930s. Earlier, however, he looked different: "He was Frost in the most literal, natural sense. In many ways, this image is associated with the works of Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov. It concentrated the fierce power of a harsh frosty winter, the mysterious eeriness of a snowy forest. And at the same time — a great force with which he seems to return a living, speaking presence to the deserted, silent winter. Here, Frost stands guard over winter’s peace, yet at the same time greets and welcomes spring."

Another tradition is the New Year tree. She noted that spruce or pine branches were used specifically to decorate gates and windows, as the branches retained their green colour during winter. According to her, a fully decorated New Year tree as a tradition did not emerge immediately.

"This is a courtly and touching story. It is connected with Emperor Nicholas I. His chosen bride was a German princess. In the early nineteenth century, she moved to Russia and gradually became immersed in Russian culture, while at the same time longing for a familiar domestic tradition — a Christmas tree in the home. She asked Nicholas I for permission to place a tree in her private chambers. Members of the court would come in, admire it — it was unusual and very beautiful. The following year, someone else put up a tree in their own rooms. Then the idea emerged to place one in a common hall, and gradually the tradition spread throughout the palace and the courtly circle. By the second half of the nineteenth century, it had become widespread. The tree appeared in the palace and on city squares, turning into a symbol and a tradition for everyone. By the very end of the nineteenth century, the tradition was firmly established: the tree was perceived as a symbol of family values, as an evergreen tree that conveys the joy of life despite darkness, cold, and snowstorms. And how beloved Christmas markets became at that time," Vera Donets explained.

The lecturer also spoke about how, at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the tradition of sentimental festive postcards took shape. These cards captured the poignant moment of anticipation: a child has not yet seen the decorated tree and does not know what gifts are hidden beneath its branches. According to Vera Donets, this very feeling of joyful suspense became the central image of the holiday. She noted that such images also allow us to judge the nature of gifts of that era: boys were more often given drums, toy horses, or toy weapons, while girls received dolls. There were not many gifts, but each one was eagerly awaited, treasured, and carefully kept as a reward for good behaviour. Even sweets became part of the tree decorations — wrapped in bright paper that carried not only a decorative but also an educational meaning.

In addition, the image of "The Nutcracker" gradually became woven into the Russian festive atmosphere, the art historian continued. By the end of the nineteenth century, Hoffmann’s fairy tale, translated and reinterpreted in Russia, began to acquire national features, becoming softer and more "warmed" in illustrations, theatre, and ballet. Over time, the strict and almost frightening German character turned into a familiar and relatable children’s hero, while the story itself became part of the New Year tradition, in which the triumph of good, the anticipation of a miracle, and an educational message are combined with a family celebration. The same logic, she noted, also shaped the further development of New Year imagery in the twentieth century — from its reinterpretation after the revolution to the formation of a secular, yet still fairy-tale-like and emotionally significant holiday that preserves for children a sense of hope and faith in a better future.

Vera Donets’s lecture was the first in a series of educational events at the National Centre RUSSIA. Information about upcoming events within the "Lecture Hall" programme is available on the russia.ru website in the "Events" section.