Атрибуты новогоднего праздника | Attributes of New Year Celebration

Шампа́нское и икра́ | Champagne and Caviar

While these items were in shorter supply during the Soviet period, it was then that they became part of the New Year’s tradition. The champagne (similar to sparkling wine) is usually the “Sovietskoye” brand, available everywhere in Russia and in most Russian stores overseas.

The caviar is usually red and served on buttered bread.

Поздравле́ние Президе́нта | President’s New Year Wishes

Regardless of their political affiliations, Russians around the world tune in to hear the Russian president offer his wishes for the upcoming year. Once he finishes, the tower clock on Red Square (Кремлёвские кура́нты) chimes, fireworks (фейерве́рки) burst into the air and the New Year officially begins.

Под бой Кремлёвских кура́нтов | Once the Kremlin Tower Clock Strikes

Russians don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, when the chimes on the Kremlin Spasskaya Tower (Спа́сская ба́шня Кремля́) strike twelve times at midnight, they make a New Year wish, which is believed to always come true.

Ночно́е пра́зднование Но́вого го́да | New Year Midnight Celebrations

For Russians, New Year’s is a family holiday and celebrations take place with close relatives on the evening of December 31st with traditional toasts to say goodbye to the passing year. Phone calls are made to relatives that live far away. It is only after midnight that people begin the real partying. Many clubs only begin their main events after midnight. There are a lot of celebrations organized by city authorities in the parks and on main squares. You’re likely to see a lot of fireworks, improvised хорово́ды, and people dressed up as Grandfather Frost riding public transportation.