Novy God

Russia used 1 September as the start of each new year from 1492 until a December 1699 decree of Tsar Peter I mandated the adoption of the Christian Era in 1700. According to this decree, the Russians had to decorate their houses with a fir tree, as it was done by the Germans. But Slavs correlated the fir tree with funeral rites. That is why it took much time for people to accept new customs.[4]

The day first gained some official Soviet sanction after Pravda published a letter from the Kiev functionary Pavel Postyshev on 28 December 1935.[5][3][6] Later (in 1947) it became accepted as a holiday; from 1930 till 1947 it remained just a regular working day,[7] but later it became a non-working day; in the early 1990s it was considered as the only acceptable public non-communist celebration.

According to tradition, Grandfather Frost brings presents for children to put under the tree or to distribute them directly to the children on New Year's morning performances (which are usually held in palaces of culture, theaters, etc.) with the help of his granddaughter Snegurochka (Russian: Снегурочка, generally translated as "the Snow Maiden").

In Israel, the holiday is referred to by the Russian name "Novy God" (נובי גוד) and differs from New Year's Eve, which is considered a Christian celebration (as Israel officially only recognizes the Jewish New Year). Since the celebration is nonreligious, it is celebrated by many Israeli Jews who are first- or second-generation Russian immigrants. Novy God celebrations and merchandise are common[8][9][10] wherever there are large populations of USSR emigrants (e.g. Ashdod, Ashqelon, Beersheba, Netanya,[11] and Haifa[12]).

New Year's Eve celebrations that are associated with Christianity are referred to as Sylvester, after Pope Sylvester I, who died on December 31.[13] Since January 1st is considered the Christian New Year, those who celebrate Novy God are sometimes seen as out of line with the national Jewish identity despite the event's lack of religious affiliation: amongst ultra-orthodox groups, anti-Novy God flyers and chain letters[14] are common, and in 2004 a bill that would ban the presentation of Christmas iconography (reminiscent of the trappings of Novy God) in schools has been presented to the Knesset,[15] where it was rejected.

Some customs have been adapted for Israeli environs, like the use of palm trees for the New Year tree and starting celebrations using the Moscow time zone.[3]

It is common to allow soldiers of Russian-speaking heritage serving in noncombat facilities to go on leave on the night of the 31st to allow them to celebrate the holiday; however, this is not enforced by official order,[16] as it is sometimes seen as an example of discrimination (as with the custom of allowing Ethiopian soldiers vacation time to celebrate Sigd).