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.

Guides

Practical guides

The first guide in this section is about preserving your family's memories of holidays. Older relatives remember songs, folk signs, dishes and turns of phrase that appear in no book. But such stories slip away quietly: it always seems there will be time to ask later. Below is a calm step-by-step approach to help you not leave it too late.

Every family is a small museum, only its exhibits are alive. The sooner you press record, the more voices will be kept for your grandchildren.

— Editors' view

What to prepare in advance

  • A phone or voice recorder with a charged battery and free storage.
  • A notebook and pen for notes: names, places, unfamiliar words.
  • A short list of questions about holidays, food, clothes and childhood games.
  • Old photos, postcards, embroidery or tableware: they are good at stirring memories.
  • Unhurried time when the person you are talking to is rested and in the mood to chat.
  • The storyteller's own consent to the recording and to sharing it with the family.

  1. Arrange a meeting

    Explain why you want to do this: you would like to keep family customs for the children. Suggest a convenient day and a place where the person feels at home, which is most often their own kitchen.

    Hypothetical example: a granddaughter tells her grandfather in advance that she will come over at the weekend with a pie and ask how his village used to see off the winter.

  2. Start with objects

    Lay out photos or old things on the table and ask what they bring to mind. Holding an object helps people recall details that never surface in an abstract conversation.

    Hypothetical example: an embroidered towel from an old chest reminds a grandmother how it was hung in the icon corner before a big holiday.

  3. Ask open questions

    Instead of "Did you celebrate Svyatki (the Yuletide days)?" ask "What were the winter holidays like for you?". That way the person tells the story in their own words rather than giving a short yes or no.

    Hypothetical example: asked what was served at Maslenitsa, an aunt remembers not only the pancakes but also who baked them and what they were eaten with.

  4. Do not interrupt or correct

    If the story differs from what you have read, do not argue. Local customs often differed from the books, and those very differences are the most valuable part.

    Hypothetical example: the family had its own word for the harvest festival that appears in no dictionary, and it is worth writing down exactly as it is.

  5. Ask about the details

    When the conversation naturally winds down, go back to an interesting point: who took part, what was sung, what people wore, how long the merrymaking lasted. Small details later add up to a vivid picture.

    Hypothetical example: a grandson asks how the spring calling song went, and his grandmother sings it through from start to finish.

  6. Label and transcribe the recording

    On the same day, save the file under a clear name: who was speaking and about what. Then write up the main points, marking any words and expressions that sounded unusual.

    Hypothetical example: the file is named "Grandpa - seeing off winter", and the local words are copied into the notebook with explanations.

  7. Store it in several places

    Make a copy on another device or in cloud storage, and print out the most important text. Paper and digital files complement each other: if one is lost, the other remains.

    Hypothetical example: the family keeps the printed stories in a folder together with old photos.

  8. Share with your family

    Read extracts aloud at a family gathering or send them to relatives. Often someone immediately adds a detail of their own, and the archive grows by itself.

    Hypothetical example: after hearing the recording, a cousin brings the recipe for the pie that was baked for the same holiday.

Common mistakes

  • Putting the conversation off until later in the hope that there is still time.
  • Turning the conversation into an interrogation with a long list of questions in a row.
  • Correcting the storyteller when their version does not match the books.
  • Recording without consent and posting the recording publicly.
  • Not labelling files, and a year later having no idea who was speaking or about what.
  • Keeping the only copy on an old phone.
  • Retelling memories in your own words instead of preserving the living speech.

Other options

  • If you cannot meet in person, talk over a video call and record it with the other person's consent.
  • Those who find long conversations tiring can be invited to write short memories by hand or dictate them in parts.
  • Instead of an interview, hold a family evening with photos: one person's memory sparks another's.
  • Older children can take on the role of interviewer: they enjoy it, and the elders appreciate their grandchildren's attention.

Check yourself

  • The storyteller knows why the recording is being made and agrees to it.
  • The equipment is charged and there is room in the notebook for notes.
  • Photos or old objects that help with remembering are close at hand.
  • The questions are open and the conversation is unhurried.
  • Unusual words and names are written down exactly as they were said.
  • The file is labelled: who was speaking and about which holiday.
  • There is at least one copy on another device or on paper.
  • The family knows where the archive is kept.

Article catalogue for English-speaking readers

This is where standalone articles on Russian folk traditions will be collected, written specifically for the English version of the reference. They are aimed at readers who did not grow up with these customs: we compare them with seasonal traditions you may already know, explain the Russian terms, and keep the advice practical enough to use at home or when visiting a folk festival.

What we are working on

  • Svyatki and the twelve days of Christmas: how Russian Yuletide compares with winter customs you may know.
  • Maslenitsa and carnival: what a pancake week before Lent has in common with other pre-Lent festivities.
  • Midsummer and Ivan Kupala: flower wreaths, round dances and how different cultures greet the shortest night.
  • Visiting a Russian folk festival for the first time: what to expect, how to take part and how to dress.
  • Collecting family stories about holidays when your relatives grew up in another country or culture.

Editorial rules

  • Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
  • Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
  • We do not publish news or advertising for workshops, shops and events, rankings, prices or reviews.
  • Questions

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

  • Collections

    Reading paths: the winter holiday cycle, celebrating with children, and crafts for complete beginners.

  • 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

  • Ethnographic publications on the Russian folk calendar
  • Encyclopaedic dictionaries of folk culture and everyday life

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.