Christmas time

Christmas… This is the most magical time of the year! A lot of Christmas fairs, holiday events and joyful smiles. But how much do you know about this day?

On the night of December 24 to 25 Western Christians (Catholics) celebrate Christmas. The essence of this holiday is the birth by Mary Immaculate Son of God Jesus Christ. This event opened up the possibility of salvation of the soul and eternal life to every believer. Christmas - the most solemn holiday in Catholicism with three church services, committed to midnight, at dawn and afternoon.

This day is a combination of beautiful customs and traditions prevailing among people of different nationalities. And one thing unites them - these are days of universal love and kindness. For example, a very popular custom of caroling - children and young people are knocking on people's doors, singing carols and collecting gifts. The ritual is accompanied with jokes and dancing, fun costumes and masks.

On Christmas Eve, every house is purely cleaned, Christmas trees are decorated, and at night the whole family sits down at the table - Christmas is strictly a family holiday. Each country has its own specialties and traditions, but one thing unites all - the atmosphere of magic and miracle expectation. People are friendlier and kinder, in shops revival is reigning- people running around looking for gifts, holiday music and live singing is heard everywhere, the city is transformed in the light of thousands of Christmas lights and decorations. Yes, Christmas –it’s real fairy tale!

What to see in Moscow at Christmas:

Christmas fair “Seasons”

At the traditional fair of “Seasons” magazine you can find Christmas toys, porcelain dolls, handmade candles, children's books, candy, Christmas movies and other trappings that would make perfect presents for Christmas. In addition, the "Hermitage" garden offers a little travelling puppet theatre (with performances of "The Nutcracker" and "Christmas Nativity Scene" running every hour) and an ice rink.

24-25th December, 12.00-20.00

Garden "Hermitage"

Entrance - 350 rubles

Christmas fair at the Central House of Artists

At the Christmas market at the CHA, as a rule, you won’t find any gingerbread men and houses, but there are a lot of different paintings, wooden horses, ceramic bells and glass balls sold by their makers. There you can buy a rag doll, a hat with a veil, silver jewelry and various home furnishings like mirrors, glass windows and lamps.

9-25th December, 11.00-19.00

CHA, Krimsky Val, 10

Entrance - 200 rubles

“Tishinka” market

Plenty of treasure can be found at this flea market: old sets, dresses from the 50’s, handmade hats with wide brims, samovars, copies of old French newspapers and other vintage bits and pieces. Though it doesn’t always come cheap, the ice cream for sale is only 40 kopecks and there’s always the chance to drink champagne with the lace umbrella collectors.

22th and 23th December 12.00-21.00,

24th and 25th December, 11.00-20.00

"Tishinka" Tishinskaja Sq. 1

Paid entrance

Christmas fair in “Experimentanium”

One of the best children’s museums in Moscow also has a fair selling nothing special but promising creative workshops, academic competitions and cartoons. In "Experimentanium" children can build robots from foam plastic, solve logical problems, carry out chemical experiments, glue, sculpt, paint and jump around in sacks. Along the way they will tell you how snow and ice is formed and reveal the tricks behind the science.

26, 28, 30 December and 3, 5, 7 January 15.00-19.00

Museum of Science entertaining "Experimentanium" Butyrskaya, 46 / 2

You pay only for the entrance to the museum