UNIT 6: Drinking Traditions

Here are many drinking traditions in Russia:

• When you have alcohol, it must be drunk until it is gone.
• One should not put a glass with alcohol back on the table.
• Traditionally alcohol is poured out to all the people present, though they are not required to drink.
• One should not make a long interruption between first and second shots.
• The latecomer must drink a full glass (so-called "penal")
• Outgoing guest must drink last glass, so-called "На посошок". Literally it is translated "On a small staff", really means "For lucky way".
• As a rule, every portion of spirit is accompanied by a touch of glasses and a toast. Funeral and commemoration are exceptions; there the touch of glasses is forbidden.
• It is not allowed to pour out by hand holding a bottle from below.
• It is not allowed to fill a glass being held in the air.
• It is considered bad luck to make a toast with an empty glass.