Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Russian Halloween

            Seeing as the current date is October the twenty-eighth, I found an article on Russia’s Halloween customs to be pertinent. Halloween is not widely celebrated in Russia. It has only recently been gaining ground with the youth. The holiday itself is still controversial, with players on both sides of the issue standing firm.
            For the younger generations that have embraced Halloween, it is a time of excitement, and a time for celebration. Traditions are largely restrained to parties or clubbing, with dressing up being the high point. Largely, members buy costumes last minute, and go directly from the store wearing their costumes to the party or club of their choice. There is a sect among them that clings to homemade costumes, but this group still buys some pieces from stores, that revel in the sales they incur.
            The Orthodox Church, however, stands against the celebration of Halloween. It bears no respect for the “Horrible day” that precedes All Saint’s Day. This disagreement causes many to refuse to celebrate Halloween. Some clergy have even gone as far as to try to ban the celebration of Halloween at regional levels. These efforts have proven largely unsuccessful, though the stigma still exists.
            So while trick-or-treating certainly does not exist in Russia, there is some celebration that occurs through dress up. While they may not quite be on the level of American youth, the understanding is there. Ergo, we find yet another tie that connects us across the distance.

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