After the Holidays, Almost

The holidays are finally over — well, almost. Orthodox Christmas and the Old New Year are still ahead. But there will be no more large feasts or gift exchanges. For many people here, these days will pass unnoticed: Americans are not familiar with Russian-style holidays.

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on the night of January 6th to 7th. This means that all morning on January 6th I will be receiving and answering congratulations.

And then Svyatki begins — the Christmas season, a time when young people, especially girls, traditionally tell fortunes, most often about their future spouse.

Luckily, I don’t do that.

It feels good to have grown out of that age — or perhaps simply out of that country. Instead of fortune-telling, I think about a vision board. I first learned about it in Tomsk. And ever since I once heard about The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, I have believed in the Universe — alongside God, faith, superstition, good and bad karma, dreams… and myself.

I do what I can. I try to be the best version of myself. But sometimes government decisions turn everything upside down, no matter how carefully you plan.

Still, I try my best.

Today I put away the Christmas tree and made a warming soup. And somehow, that felt like enough.

Here are links to my past posts about Svyatki:

https://liankacreations.blogspot.com/2024/01/holy-water-vs-water-in-your-pipes.html

https://liankacreations.blogspot.com/2025/01/epiphany-2025.html

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