Liankacreations

  January 13–14, 2026 The Old New Year, also known as the Orthodox New Year, is an informal traditional holiday celebrated according to the Julian calendar. In the 20th and 21st centuries, it falls on January 14 in the Gregorian calendar. Unfortunately, this year in Russia the working days started again on January 12. Fortunately, people had enjoyed a very long Christmas vacation up until then. During those holidays, my youngest son and his wife — my lovely daughter-in-law — went to visit her relatives in the city of Kemerovo. The trip usually takes about three hours in normal weather, but on their way back a blizzard began. Thankfully, they made it home safely. They sent me some photos and videos, which I put together in a short video here . As for me, I’m no longer very attached to Russian holidays. Life here is different, with different customs. I’ve become so busy that, while I still remember many holidays, I no longer celebrate them with large feasts. For example, it is very c...

  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 ...

  Russian January is …kind of… rich on holidays. January 7th- Christmas. January 14 - Old New Year. January 19th - Epiphany In the Orthodox Church, Epiphany, or The Baptism of the Lord, is one of the most important holidays and is celebrated in Russia on January 19 (January 6, Old style). The holiday is dedicated to the baptism of the Savior in the waters of the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The holiday is non-rolling, it is always celebrated on January 19th. It begins on the evening of January 18, when Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany Eve.  Christmas Holidays also end at this time. The period between these two holidays (we don’t talk about the Old New Year)  is called Yuletide (Christmastide, Holy Days). A special celebration of the 12 days after Christmas exists not only among the Slavic peoples, but also in other countries. The main tradition of the holiday is the consecration of water. It is believed that water consecrated on the eve of Epiphany has a blesse...

  The half of the month of January passed by..  It’s The Epiphany (the Baptism of Christ) in Russia. Some people plunge into the ice hole. Church officials say that this is not necessary, it’s not a church custom. Nevertheless, about two thousand Tomichies participated in Epiphany bathing in the font on the Tom River in the regional center, a representative of the Department of Culture of the Tomsk City Hall told RIA Tomsk on Friday. I was happy my sons didn’t do this. At least they didn’t tell me. “The main thing about  Epiphany is to pray, confess and receive communion, and get some “holy” water.  People come to the Epiphany festive service with its indispensable prayer service for the consecration of water. The water is ordinary in origin and composition, which, after performing a special prayer service, acquired sanctifying, beneficial and healing properties. The prayer service is called water consecration, or water consecration. Holy water is not a magical panac...