We're not so different

Monday, 18 December 2023

Today, foreign students met at the preparatory faculty. This time the guys shared with each other the traditions of celebrating the New Year and Christmas.
Tangerines and sweets were already waiting on the students' table.
The guys immediately started the main thing - decorating the Christmas tree. Students of the preparatory faculty learned that in our country it is customary to decorate the Christmas tree with the whole family, and that, according to an unwritten tradition, some part of the tree will definitely remain less decorated. Having decorated the tree with a garland, those gathered shouted: “Christmas tree, burn!” The foreigners recited poems in Russian that they had learned during their studies at the Preparatory Faculty, for which they received small gifts from the fairy-tale hero.
Then students from Cameroon, Egypt, India and Senegal spoke about New Year's traditions in their countries. Almost all of these states were greatly influenced by Western Europe. Thus, in African countries, Catholic Christmas and Santa Claus are better known. However, for example, in Egypt, the majority of the population professes Islam. That's why they don't celebrate Christmas there. But in big cities, where there are always a lot of tourists from Europe, New Year celebrations are organized as a compromise between secular and religious holidays.
Almost all countries where foreign students of the preparatory faculty come from are very warm. And if snow falls there, it is in small quantities. Therefore, most of the usual winter attributes of the New Year are absent there. Including the main decoration of any apartment on a holiday - spruce or pine. Some cultures have their own chronology system. For example, in India, according to the unified national calendar, the year is now 1944. However, they rarely use it, preferring global date designations.
Today, foreigners learned about another Russian tradition of celebrating the New Year - watching the address of the President of the Russian Federation and drinking champagne while the chimes struck. To complete the experience, the organizers included one of these recordings, but instead of sparkling wine they offered tea.
The meeting ended with a master class on making New Year cards. The students wished each other a good rest during the winter holidays and agreed to meet again - already in 2024.