Snow Maiden with a difficult fate
Santa Claus Nikolai Omelchenkov has spent thirteen years as an animator in Novgorod. A few seasons ago, he occasionally shared shifts with the Snow Maiden. The new year’s Eve helper who joined their company two weeks earlier was a young woman named Olga.
“We worked together for a week. She loved kids, spoke their language, and was genuinely friendly. Yet when we arrived to congratulate the boy during January celebrations, something changed. He avoided our gaze, grew embarrassed, and even nudged me aside. Perhaps he had friends who kept his part-time job secret, I thought. Still, we carried on, reciting poems, giving gifts, and offering drinks as is tradition”, Omelchenkov recalled.
Olga initially declined the offer but was persuaded to accept a cup. Later, as the grandfather and his grandson slipped behind by small margins, the head of the family asked Nikolai to step outside for a smoke before they left.
“During the chat, the host told me that my partner worked as a sex worker and had once been his client. He even showed a photo from a private site. I was stunned and speechless. Once the shock faded, I promised to report this to my superiors. I finished my cigarette, went back inside, and Olga took her turn. When the door shut behind us, I told her everything the host had said and warned that I would need to tell management because that claim was false.”
What happened next surprised him. Olga began knocking on the door as the host opened it and she cried out that she had ruined everything. Neighbors claimed she just landed a normal job, while this man’s wife shouted that her husband had a wandering eye. Olga argued with the wife, the husband offered excuses, and the scene grew louder. The car ride home helped calm Olga, who wept and spoke of a difficult start to a new life. She asked not to involve authorities and hoped to keep the matter quiet. They separated a few hours later, and Nikolai never saw Olga again. It is said she later moved to Moscow”, Omelchenkov added.
Hangover Santa and the garlands of flavor
Animator Daria Alekseyonok spent years part-time with Moscow matinees as the Snow Maiden. Even she recalls a tricky moment from her work.
“I handled shows for a company that organized Christmas trees and performances. We were busy on every holiday, including January 1st. On that day, I never knew who I would partner with. It’s always different with Santa. Then I faced a nightmare: a Santa who arrived barely recovered from a night of drinking.
The hall smelled of smoke. We had to improvise quickly because the children would arrive any minute. The simplest fix turned out to be effective: we bought car fresheners shaped like Christmas trees from the nearest shop and hung them around the hall. It smelled festive, and the audience did not notice anything off. They enjoyed the Christmas ambiance”, she recalled.
She continued, saying the Santa dozed off on his throne while the Snow Maiden recited verses and led the dances with aides.
“The Snow Maiden wore a red nose and woke only when it was time to pose for photos. It was flattering that the children smiled, even if I felt a touch of personal grievance. Santas are paid more than Snow Maidens, but in the end, the Snow Maiden keeps the rhythm and the presents”, Alekseyonok noted.
First on the way and then on the spot
Animators sometimes marvel at client antics. A few years ago, Timofey Drozdov from Smolensk arrived as Father Frost to a family gathering where four children awaited congratulations.
“The child Tolya decided to sing a verse first. When his somewhat drunken father brought a stool, the boy still could not steady himself. Then the father fetched another seat from the balcony to provide a higher perch, insisting it was a tradition to have the child stand rather than sit. He went out onto the balcony, and moments later we heard the crash of glass and a loud thud. I rushed to the room and found him bleeding from the back, a large shard protruding from a wound along the lower back near the hips. I lifted him gently, checked for injuries, and called for emergency help. The guests kept arriving as the drama escalated, turning the moment into a bizarre scene.”
Father Frost and the Snow Maiden escorted the children away, while the guests, competing to take pictures and witness the accident, arranged for an ambulance. The family asked us to stay calm and distribute gifts, and the adults promised to help; the event became a strange blend of chaos and festive duty”, Drozdov remembered.
“I walked into the room as the father lay recovering, and the man whispered about his need for treatment. He asked for the staff’s care and insisted he would return after stitching up the wound. The show carried on, gifts went out, and later the man kept his word, returning to his duties after recovery. The children still received their presents, and the event concluded with the usual cheerful chaos”, Drozdov concluded.
The forgotten boy and the foam squirrel
Alina Troitskaya spent five years as an assistant to Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden at Moscow’s Christmas trees. Even she faced moments when plans went awry.
“There was a busy shift with electronic ticketing. Several groups of children were admitted at once, and chaos followed. A boy, about six, momentarily disappeared. He cried, unable to describe what happened, but it was clear he had become separated from his group. We searched each corner and finally learned the incident involved a group from Tulа that had forgotten him and already headed home. Thankfully, they returned for the boy.”
She added that careless handling of groups risks missing children during events. Since then, organizers have pressed leaders to count every child before leaving. Troitskaya also shared another January 1st memory.
Those who come to work after New Year’s Eve are sometimes in poor shape, acting as life-size puppets. One colleague, Alexander, wore a bulky foam costume that limited vision and movement. He moved toward a slightly intoxicated grandfather, and when he asked, “Are you warm, grandpa?” the old man startled, then laughed and asked, “Are you a squirrel?” The moment sparked laughter, yet the foam suit caused a fall next to a large Christmas tree. Help arrived late, and a fellow worker helped him to stand. Alexander decided not to drink on the job again and hoped the troop would be better prepared next season”, Troitskaya recounted.