The New Year s celebration is the highlight of the series. People drink harder and eat more, to the extent that they can t move. Then again comes vodka, pelmeni, and pickled mushrooms. The most enthusiastic go outdoors and shoot off Chinese firecrackers. The next day family and friends sleep until noon, eat leftovers and drink pickle juice the best remedy for a hangover.
Children are on vacation.
For some reason mandarins were only imported to the Soviet Union in late December. This tropical fruit became a symbol of the coldest time of the year. Russian Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7 brings more confusion. Finally, everybody loses track of the working rhythm, and the whole month feels like you re riding on an old car on a bumpy Russian road. The Old New Year is another strange date that has to be celebrated.