Russian Christmas is celebrated on January 7, with Christmas Eve on January 6 according to the Russian Orthodox tradition.

Date and calendar basics

  • The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7 because it follows the older Julian calendar for religious holidays.
  • In that system, December 25 (Christmas Day) falls on what is January 7 in the modern Gregorian calendar used in everyday life.

How people in Russia treat the holiday

  • Officially, January 7 is a public Christmas holiday in Russia, but for many people the main winter celebration is still New Year’s Eve on December 31.
  • Practicing Orthodox Christians may attend a long night service from the evening of January 6 into January 7 and keep more religious, family-focused traditions.

Quick forum-style scoop

  • People from Russia often explain in online discussions that New Year in Russia feels like “Christmas plus New Year” combined, while January 7 is more of a church-centered festival.
  • Some Catholics and Protestants in Russia celebrate Christmas on December 25, but this is not a nationwide holiday and is observed by a much smaller part of the population.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.