Russian Traditions at a Glance

Russia is a country with a rich culture and traditions. Some traditions can fascinate foreigners, while others can evoke mixed emotions. Many of them are related to festivals, hospitality and special customs. Let's get acquainted with some of them to better understand how Russian people live and relax.

Merry Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa (Pancake Week) is one of the funniest and brightest festivals in Russia. It lasts a whole week and signifies saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring. During this time, people make pancakes, a traditional Russian dish. They are round as a sun and symbolize warmth and light. People make pancakes for a whole week and treat their friends and relatives with them. Pancakes can have various fillings such as jam, sour cream, honey, or caviar.

Maslenitsa traditions include fairs, open celebrations, and sledding. On Forgiveness Sunday, people ask their relatives and friends for forgiveness for offending them. And, at the end of the festival, they burn a straw-stuffed doll representing the leaving winter.

Russian Hospitality

If your Russian friends invite you to celebrate a festival, be ready for a warm and generous welcome. Back in the day, guests were greeted with bread and salt. It meant that the hosts wished their guests peace and well. The guest must break off a piece of bread, salt it and eat it. Today this tradition is rather uncommon but it still persists in some cases. For example, at Russian wedding parties, parents greet newlyweds with a loaf of bread and a salt cellar after the wedding ceremony. Moreover, guests of special importance, such as representatives of foreign states, are still greeted with bread and salt.

Holiday feasts are an important part of Russian hospitality. There are always many dishes on the table, such as salads, hot dishes, pies, pickles, and desserts. Enjoy your meal and feel free to ask questions because Russians like talking about their traditions. And after the feast, they often send treats to their guests. These can be treats such as pies, pickles, or sweets.

Small Gifts with Big Love

In Russia, bringing presents is a long-standing and kind tradition. These are small gifts or treats that guests present to hosts when visiting them. There are all kinds of treats such as fruit, sweets, for example, chocolate or cake, or something symbolic, for example, a travel souvenir. When you visit Russian people with treats, you show respect for them and appreciate their hospitality.

Russian Bath

When it comes to Russian culture, many people imagine matrioshkas (Russian dolls) or snowy landscapes. But there is another tradition that has a special place in the hearts of Russians. This is Russian bath. The bath is a traditional Russian steam room where you can relax and clean your body and soul. In the steam room, people warm up first, and then it comes to a bath broom that is used to pat the body. Bath brooms are made of birch or oak. After the steam room, it is important to cool down by jumping into a plunge tub or taking a cold shower. In winter, you can dry yourself with snow or plunge into an ice hole for this purpose.

Sit for a Moment before the Trip

So, you are on a visit to your Russian friends. Before you leave, they can ask you to sit for a moment before your trip. Do not be surprised, it is not a joke or an attempt to keep you longer. Before starting on a trip, Russians often sit for a moment. They believe that if they sit quietly for a while before leaving home, their trip will go smoothly. Today this tradition helps them recollect their thoughts, think if they have taken everything they need, and set themselves up for the upcoming trip.

Traditions reflect respect for ancestors, love of nature, and the pursuit of warmth and coziness. If you have the occasion to visit Russia, be sure to taste pancakes for Maslenitsa, enjoy the atmosphere of Russian bath and sit for a moment before your trip.