Winter holidays are perhaps the most popular and undoubtedly the most special time in Russia. They are steeped in fascinating traditions, with New Year’s Day leading the celebrations, followed by Christmas on 7th January. Such unique festivities bring equally unique challenges for translators trying to convey their meanings.
Take ёлка. What we call a Christmas tree in the UK is, in Russia, a New Year’s tree for the reasons mentioned above. To avoid confusion, I prefer the safer translation - festive tree, neutral enough to keep people’s eyebrows from rising. But ёлка can mean something else entirely: a New Year’s performance for children, often held in entertainment centres, or by children in nurseries and kindergartens they attend. Here, children are treated to a гостинец from Grandfather Frost (the Russian Santa), who, by the way, has a granddaughter - Snegurochka, or the Snow Maiden. A гостинец is a delightfully wrapped package of sweets. In Soviet times it traditionally included mandarins, a fruit that seemed to make its annual appearance in shops exclusively for the winter holidays.
No Russian festive dinner table would be complete without селёдка под шубой, a dish of dressed herring or, more literally, herring under a fur coat. Another winter feature is the ватрушка, which, in this context, is not the well-loved pastry filled with curd or jam, but an inflatable sledge shaped like the pastry, perfect for sliding down snowy slopes. If you’re enjoying this winter fun, you’re likely wearing an ушанка, a warm hat with earflaps, very practical, considering temperatures can plummet to minus 30 C.
And what would New Year’s Eve be without watching Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром!? This iconic Soviet film is loved by many and traditionally aired only at New Year. Its official English title, The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath, doesn’t quite capture the spirit. С лёгким паром! is a phrase Russians say to someone after they’ve had a bath, meaning “You’re looking rejuvenated and steamed-out!” It works wonderfully as a comment, but feels out of place in the film title. Perhaps something like The Irony of Fate, or The Steamed-Out Afterparty would better capture the essence of this comedy classic.
Winter fun in Russia culminates with the Old New Year on 14th January. “How can the New Year be old?” I hear you asking. Well, when Russia converted from the Julian calendar to the current Gregorian calendar, the start of the year shifted. According to the old Julian calendar, New Year’s Day falls on 14th January, and since the Russian Orthodox Church still follows the old calendar, Christmas is celebrated on 7th January. Now you know the perfect time to wish your Russian friends a Merry Christmas!
[Tip: If you need anything translating from or into Russian, it's time to contact us as we will be closed for Christmas holidays from 20th December!]
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