Top Five: Ways to Celebrate Russian Old New Year, By Chervona

Return your neighbor’s garden shears, eat herring, pay tribute to Ded Moroz—and attend Chervona's annual Russian New Year party.

1. Wish everyone you see a happy new year, and return your neighbor's garden shears.

There is a belief that if your pocket is empty on New Year's Eve, for the whole year you will be broke. Another belief is that the more people you wish happy New Year's, the better and more successful year you will have. Also, it is important to forgive each other and give back what you have borrowed from each other before New Year's.

2. Don't forget the herring and mandarins.

There are a few traditional New Year's Eve dishes on every table: olive salad, herring under a fur coat, holodets, red caviar, etc. Champagne and vodka are the most popular drinks. During Soviet times, mandarins became a big symbol of New Year's Eve.

3. Pay tribute to Ded Moroz.

In Russia, there is no Santa and elves. Russians instead have Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, Ded Moroz's granddaughter. In Russia, Ded Moroz comes and brings presents on New Year's Eve, not Christmas. Only good children receive presents—bad ones do not even get lumps of coal.

4. Watch Putin's speech.

The president's speech followed by the countdown to the new year at midnight is a big deal in Russia.

5. Party hard.

Russians celebrate New Year's Eve much harder. I will never forget the empty streets of downtown Portland on New Year's Eve after midnight. It's hard to imagine the same picture in any big city in Russia. People would be on the streets, in the clubs and restaurants celebrating 'til morning, and many events don't even start until after midnight.

SEE IT: Chervona'€™s Russian Old New Year Ball 2015 is at Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., on Saturday, Jan. 16. 8 pm. $20. 21+.

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