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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