New Year celebrations reached Russia in 1699 by decree of Peter I, and by 1700 the mood shifted as the Northern War began (1700–1721). Yet, according to Alexander Orishev, a historian and head of the history department at Timiryazev RGAU-MSHA, the public grew deeply fond of the new holiday. Eid persisted through the toughest times, and people embraced it with enduring enthusiasm.
“During Peter the Great’s reign, Russia spent much of the era at war, yet the New Year continued to be observed on a grand scale—even in wartime. The celebrations stretched across three days, demanding hearty feasts and social rejoicing,” notes the doctor of historical sciences. Among beverages, sivukha, a potent drink at 40–45 percent, held pride of place, with women also participating in the revelry. There are records of women being watched by guards to ensure order and adherence to secular norms, as described by the scholar.
Additionally, royal orders called for homes to be adorned with evergreen branches such as pine, spruce, or juniper. The tradition, the historian explains, traces back to an early Dutch influence seen as a guiding example for the Russians as they modernized under the new regime.
“The New Year became a military-led tradition under Peter I. Fireworks and gunpowder rockets were part of the spectacle, and even soldiers took part in the celebrations,” Orishev adds. In discussing the era, Sydyp Baldruev comments that the holiday arrived amid a cultural exchange with Christmas traditions, and the country welcomed it with bright festivity.
The novelist Alexei Tolstoy, in his portrayal of Peter the Great, captures the era through scenes of fireworks, cannon salutes, and encounters with masquerading boyars across Moscow. An informal circle of Peter I’s close advisers, sometimes dubbed the “Cathedral of the Most Joking, Drunk and Extravagant,” reportedly organized drinking gatherings for the nobles, encouraging a shift toward modernization in everyday life. Baldruev notes that these celebrations laid the groundwork for stronger New Year traditions among nobles and the rising bourgeoisie, who organized balls, receptions, and other entertainments. Ordinary people shared in the holiday spirit, treating New Year as a reprieve from hardship, including wars, for a moment of collective relief.
Civil war and masquerades in masks of “white” generals
The calendar took a turn during the First World War (1914–1918), when the New Year in Russia faced postponement and a reevaluation of customs tied to foreign origins. There was a push to abandon the round dances around the New Year tree, arguing that such customs came from Germany. Historical observations note that captured German troops celebrated with a Christmas tree in hospital settings, which later led to official declarations limiting the practice in Russia.
From 1915 onward, New Year observances diminished, but in the midst of the Civil War the Bolsheviks reorganized celebrations as masquerade balls on New Year’s Eve. Masks representing “white” generals Denikin, Kolchak, and Yudenich became popular, along with imagery that linked the era to anti-capitalist symbols and the Entente. The New Year tree shifted away from traditional toys toward red stars and flags, reflecting ideological shifts and debates about festive culture. Lenin is noted for his fondness of the holiday, emphasizing its value for children’s joy and morale.
In the Great War and subsequent periods, the New Year carried different meanings for different groups, yet the core idea remained a time of collective gathering and shared rituals, even as the political landscape shifted dramatically.
New Year in the Great Patriotic War front and back
Historian Orishev explains that during the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945), New Year celebrations persisted despite severe hardships, with a focus on making the holiday meaningful for children. Even besieged Leningrad organized New Year morning events, where simple gifts like a glass jar containing bread and a small sausage could symbolize care and resilience. The hopeful refrain, that the war would end soon, echoed through the morale-boosting messages of Santa Claus.
New toys appeared on Christmas trees—cardboard tanks and airplanes, empty shells, and Santa Claus bearing a weapon. Decorations sometimes used burnt-out bulbs, reflecting wartime scarcity. The production of New Year toys continued, albeit in limited quantities and often from recycled materials such as wire and metal scraps. Homes with Christmas trees were rare; many people celebrated with a branch or a tree drawn on the wall, while some celebrated at work to meet or exceed production targets during the holidays.
Festivities even reached the front lines. The novelty of front-line celebrations lay in moving the venue to new locations each year, with soldiers receiving real delicacies like captured Italian canned foods. Concerts were staged to lift morale, illustrating a resilient cultural spirit that persisted through hardship and underscoring a Russian tendency to cling to meaningful traditions even in crisis.