Nsnkthe folk calendar: Russian holidays and traditions explained simply

An independent reference on folk holidays and traditions. It is not a news outlet or a government agency and has no connection with the former website on this domain.

Collections

Reading collections

A collection is a short route through the reference for a specific purpose. There is no need to read everything: pick the one closest to your situation and go through the pages in the suggested order. The basics come first, followed by what will help once you have taken the first steps.

A child who has once sung a spring calling song in the yard will remember it for a long time. That is how tradition is passed on: not through a textbook, but through joy.

— Editors' view

Collections include only pages of the reference that are already published. Each route leads from the simple to the more detailed. When new material comes out, we add it to the relevant collections and note this in the feed of new articles.

The winter cycle

For those who want to understand how people got through the darkest time of the year, from Svyatki to seeing off the winter.

  • Terms: Svyatki and MaslenitsaStart here

    Short definitions that make a good starting point for talking about the winter holidays.

  • Answers about holiday datesStart here

    Why Svyatki falls in January and why Maslenitsa comes at a different time every year.

  • Safety at festivities (in Russian)Go deeper

    What to bear in mind if you are going to a winter festivity with children, and why it is important to be careful on ice.

Celebrating with children

For parents, grandparents and teachers who want to show children a folk holiday in action, not just in a picture.

  • Reference sectionsStart here

    An overview of the holidays of the year, so you can choose one that suits the season.

  • Answers about family traditionsStart here

    How to celebrate without copying the past literally, and what to do with different versions of a custom.

  • A family archive of customsGo deeper

    Children can interview their elders themselves, and the practical guide shows how to organise it.

Crafts for beginners

For those who admire painted tableware and embroidered towels and would like to make something with their own hands one day.

  • Craft termsStart here

    How painting differs from carving, and what weaving and pottery involve.

  • Questions about costume and craftsStart here

    Which craft is easiest to start with and how to look after old embroidery.

  • Kokoshnik (in Russian)Go deeper

    An example of how several crafts come together in one object: sewing, embroidery and beadwork.

  • Guides

    How to record your elders' stories and build a family archive of customs: steps, mistakes, a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.

  • Questions

    Short answers about holiday dates, costume, crafts and how to keep customs alive in your own family.

  • Reference

    Glossary: Svyatki, Maslenitsa, spring calling songs, Kupala night, harvest, kokoshnik, sarafan, poneva, painting, weaving.

  • Sections

    The four themes of the reference: holidays of the year, folk costume, crafts and family traditions.

Sources

  • Nsnk reference material
  • Ethnographic publications on the Russian folk calendar

Customs are described in general terms as of the date this material was prepared. The same holiday was kept differently from village to village and from family to family, so what your older relatives remember may well differ from what is written here, and that is perfectly normal.