Maslanitsa--The Coming of Spring

Seeing as it's been almost a month and a half since I've last been on my blog, I figure it is probably time to update once more.

Spring is bursting upon us with full force. The Russians actually celebrate the first day of spring on March 1st even though the spring equinox isn't until the 21st. They call this holiday Maslanitsa. The day was cold, windy, and a light snow was falling. Nonetheless, the Russians celebrate their spring in full force with mulled wine, lots of food, dancing, drinking, and the burning of an all important scarecrow. Let me go back and explain it in a little more detail.

The children left school at noon. The teachers from the city campus were bussed out to the country campus at Zaitsevo so we could have our spring celebration in the fresh country air. They arrived and everyone went outside to play games. Can you see it? A bunch of adults playing jump rope, musical hoola hoops, and techno dancing? Well I guess the adult part was that the winners of the games got champaigne. And guess who won two games...my roommates. Let's just say we had some nice dinner refreshment!





Then came the best part. There was this huge wooden scarecrow they had set up. They call her Mother Winter. Then everyone got a small piece of paper. On it we had to write things that we desired to give up, habits we wanted to change, etc. Then you placed the papers under the scarecrow and they lit it on fire. Winter went up in smoke pretty quick:)



Then we went inside to enjoy the food they always eat on Maslanitsa--Blini. These are big pancakes that are very thin--like large crepes. Then you eat them with salmon, jam, or sweetened condensed milk. I like it with salmon best. There were songs and performances prepared by a lot of different teachers. And we had some dancing. No one was dancing for a while, but they had music going on in the White Hall, so a few friends and I went to take advantage of the Disco. All in all, Maslanitsa is a great holiday. Russians celebrate in style.