Gifting traditions around February 23 in Russia are widely observed, with a strong cultural emphasis on recognizing men in the workforce. Recent data from a major survey conducted by the Zarplata.ru research center and reported by RT shows that this custom remains highly prevalent in workplaces. The study highlights that a majority of organizations participate in giving gifts to male colleagues on this date, reinforcing the holiday’s social and professional significance. In more than half of the surveyed companies, women themselves handed over gifts to men, while in a notable portion of organizations the corporate budget covered the gifts, and in other cases the expenses were shared between employees and the company. Overall, this pattern underscores a collective spirit in many teams where appreciation is expressed through small tokens of gratitude and camaraderie.
Survey results also shed light on the typical gift value that teams contribute. The most common range reported is 400 to 500 rubles per person, which accounted for about a third of the responses. Close behind, 200 to 300 rubles per person was selected by around one in three organizations, while 100 to 200 rubles received the nod from roughly a fifth of respondents. A smaller but meaningful segment, about 15 percent, reported spending over 500 rubles per person. The dataset for these insights encompassed responses from 1,890 Russian women aged 25 to 55, providing a window into how this practice plays out across different roles and workplaces. This breadth of participation points to a stable expectation in many offices that February 23 is not only a day of recognition but also a moment for colleagues to come together with a small, thoughtful gesture. The findings align with broader patterns observed in similar occasions across the region, where budget decisions reflect both personal sentiment and organizational culture.
Industry analysis from fashion and payments sectors in Russia corroborates these gifting trends. Prior research from Lamoda analysts and YuMoney experts indicates that clothing and jewelry dominate consumer purchases in the days leading up to February 23 and March 8. This pattern suggests that gifts in these categories play a central role in the seasonal shopping window, shaping retailer strategies and consumer decisions in the run-up to these holidays. The convergence of cultural practice and retail dynamics creates a predictable peak in demand for fashion items and accessories, while also highlighting how gifts express appreciation and celebrate professional relationships. In the Canadian and American context, observers may notice parallel traditions around similar occasions, with cross-border comparisons often focusing on how workplaces recognize colleagues and how budgetary norms influence gift choices. The survey data thus offers a lens into a broader human behavior: gift-giving as a social glue within the workplace, framed by budget considerations, gender roles, and shared celebrations. In sum, February 23 remains a time when teams balance personal generosity with organizational practices, reinforcing rapport and morale across diverse workplaces while reflecting local customs through a distinctly Russian lens.