There are many Russian holidays and celebrations that take place throughout the year. Many stem from traditional religious celebrations, or rituals marking the change in seasons. There are also a few modern celebrations such as Valentine's Day, which has a similar meaning in Russia, as it does in the West.

 Russians celebrate the New Year on January 1. Because Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, the days leading up to Christmas are also a part of the New Year-Christmas celebration. The New Year is celebrated with parties, food, toasts, and fireworks. Some Russians will also celebrate the New Year according to the Julian calendar, on January 14th. This day, however, is a holiday celebrated privately with family members.

Christmas is celebrated on January 7 in countries that have traditionally observed holidays according to the Eastern Orthodox religion. January 7 corresponds to December 25th on the Julian calendar, which was used in Russia during tsarist times. Russia has used the Gregorian calendar since 1918, but tradition dictates that Christmas is still celebrated on January 7.

 Protector of the Motherland Day (also known as Protector of the Fatherland Day), formerly known as Soviet Army Day, celebrates Russia's men, especially military veterans, active servicemen, and fallen soldiers. It combines the meanings behind the United States' Memorial Day and Veteran's Day.

Easter in Russia is celebrated on a different date each year, just like in the West. Russians consider Easter and even bigger holiday than Christmas. Easter is celebrated with painted eggs, special foods, and possibly church services.

 Maslenitsa is the equivalent of Mardi Gras, and derives from a pagan holiday that celebrates the spring. Certain rituals may be observed during Maslenitsa, like the preparation and eating of pancakes (which symbolize the sun), the burning of an effigy of winter, and bathing outside in ice cold water.

International Women's Day loosely corresponds to the celebration of Mother's Day in the West, though in Russia's case, all women can share in the celebration. Women are usually given gifts of flowers or chocolates on this day.

 Cosmonaut's Day celebrates Russia's achievement of sending human beings into space. While another version of this day is celebrated internationally, in Russia, the grave site of Yuri Gargarin (the first man in space) is visited, as well as monuments and landmarks

Victory Day is an important secular holiday in Russia, celebrated with parades. Its significance arises from Russia's victory over Germany in WWII. Many Russians still consider this defeat heroic and worthy of memories and praise, despite the extensive cost to life that occurred in Russia as a result.

 Russia Day is the day on which Russia declared sovereignty, and corresponds to the United States' Fourth of July or Independence Day. It is celebrated with parades.

There are a number of holidays, which are celebrated in Great Britain every year.

One of them is, of course, the New Year’s Day on the first of January. It is not so popular in England as in our country, but it is rather popular in Scotland. On that day people usually visit their friends and there is a lot of dancing and eating. In Scotland people bring a piece of coal for good luck in the New Year. Both adults and children like celebrating this day. In most countries it traditionally falls on the night of December 31^st. Thus, January 1^st marks the beginning of the new calendar year.

The next holiday of the year is St. Valentine’s Day. It is on the 14th of February. People buy or make Valentine cards and send them to the people they love. It is widely celebrated among people of all ages by exchange of “valentines”. A “valentine” may mean a special greeting-card or a little present. The day is the time to send little gifts to those you love. Flowers and candies are favourite presents which sweethearts send to each other. Valentine candies are packed in red heart-shaped boxes and sold for this one day.

In March there is Mother’s Day. All the children and adults, come to their mothers on that day to express their love and gratitude. In Great Britain and Ireland celebrate Mothering Sunday on the fourth Sunday of March. They eat cake and buy gifts of chocolate or flowers for their mothers as way to thank them for all they do. A popular saying is that God cannot be present everywhere and so he created mothers. If it is not possible to see a mother, one can send presents and cards to her. Flowers and cakes are the traditional gifts for all mothers in England. All women try to be nice and happy on this day.

In April there is Easter. At Easter children eat chocolate Easter eggs. Sometimes parents hide them in the house or in the garden and children have to look for them. The greatest Christian festival of the year is Easter. It is either in March or in April, and millions of people joyously observe Christ’s resurrection. This holy day never comes before March 22 or after April 25.

 In June there is Father’s Day. On Father’s Day children give or send their fathers and grandfathers cards and presents. Father’s Day comes on the third Sunday in June. It is not a national holiday on that day. Americans honour their fathers. Many people send their fathers a card or a gift. Americans are great letter-writers. Whatever happens in a family, they congratulate all the members. They congratulate people on Easter, Christmas and Whitsun. They do not have to possess great literary talent themselves, because one can find printed texts for all possible occasions. One may select and check any of these suggested texts: “Here’s to Father: always loved, respected, and admired”.

On the 31st of October there is a Halloween. They say ghosts and witches come out on Halloween. People make lanterns out of pumpkins. Some people have Halloween parties and dress as witches and ghosts.
Traditionally on Halloween Night people wear scary or funny costumes of witches, vampires, pirates, fairies and ghosts. The most popular children's amusement on Halloween is "trick-or-treating".
They visit houses in their neighbourhood knocking on every door yelling the phrase: "Trick or treat!" Usually people give them sweets, fruit and candies, but if they don't, the children can play a low-down trick on them.

The 25th of December is Christmas Day. It is one of the people’s favourite holidays. People put Christmas trees in their houses and decorate them. There are beautiful Christmas decorations in the streets. On Christmas Eve everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Father Christmas puts presents into the stockings which children usually hang above their beds. The traditional
Christmas meal is roasted turkey and Christmas pudding.