Old New Year Tradition

January 14 completes the winter holiday cycle in Russia. This oxymoronic holiday is not as festive as the New Year celebration, but has some traditions, too.

Maria Nikitina

History of the Holiday

Before the 1917 Revolution, Russia had used the Julian calendar. In 1918, it adopted the Gregorian calendar, which was then used by most West European countries. The difference between them is 13 days, so right after January 31, 1918, in Russia, it was February 14.

But the Orthodox Church continued to rely on the Julian calendar, and that’s why Christmas in Russia is celebrated on January 7, rather than December 25. The same happened to the New Year: while officially it is celebrated on January 1, the ‘Old’ New Year (Stary Novy God), on the night of January 13 to 14, remains an unofficial nostalgic holiday.

St. Basil’s Day

Meanwhile, January 14 had been a special day long before 1918. On this day, the Christians venerate Saint Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia. In Russia, this day’s feast featured pies, meat, pancakes, beer and wine. A roasted pig was the main dish. On Basil’s night, the tradition was to make peace with friends and neighbours, and no one could refuse when approached with such an initiative. Carol-singing (kolyadki) – going from house to house singing and getting gifts for that – was also a tradition.

A lot of omens were related to this day. For example, the more joyfully one celebrates the Basil’s Day, the happier year they would have. Getting money on this day was an omen of future profits.

Weather wisdom predicted the climate throughout the coming year: south wind on Basil’s day predicted hot summer, while west wind predicted a good yield of milk and fish.

Celebration Today

On the Old New Year’s eve, many families traditionally gather for a family feast. Some of the grown-up kids who celebrate the New Year with their friends try to spend the Old New Year’s eve at their parents’. Those who have a real (not a plastic) Christmas tree at home, usually dispose of it after the Old New Year comes.

Fortune-telling used to be popular on Basil’s Day, and still is on the Old New Year. An interesting fortune-telling tradition evolved in the 20^th-century Russia – cooking pelmeni (dumplings) with ‘surprises’. Most of dumplings have a minced meat stuffing, with ‘surprises’ in some of them. If you get a ‘surprise’ dumpling, here is your prediction for the year ahead: a bean means a newborn, pepper is for adventures, sugar is for a happy life, dill means health, and bay leaf means career growth. Some of the ‘surprises’ may be harmful to your teeth, so be careful: buttons mean new outfits; coins mean wealth; and a ring predicts a wedding.

Happy (Old) New Year!