Every year we celebrate Масленица “Maslyenitsa” (Shrovetide). From year to year the date of celebration is different. But what is constant, that this holiday lasts one week, starts on Monday and finishes on Sunday. And this week is a conventional boundary between winter and spring.

Celebration of Масленица

Also, that is the last week of Myasoyed (Meeteating), the period when people can eat any food without fasting. So, Maslyenitsa is a week before Lent that normally lasts 48 days. That’s why this last week is widely celebrated by people.

Масленица is a pagan holiday originally. Each day has its own name. Sometimes it could be tricky to translate the names into Russian, but I will nevertheless try:

Monday is a meeting “Встреча”. People meet Maslyenitsa, start baking crepes. Traditionally, the first pancakes were given to beggars and homeless people.

Tuesday is a start of amusement “Заигрыш”. This is the beginning of town fun activities: sledding, go-round on carousels. And that day young people could look for a partner for themselves. If someone was successful, then the wedding could be on the first Sunday after Easter.

Wednesday is a gourmet “Лакомка”. A mother-in-law organises a big feast for her son-in-law. Meanwhile, she watches him carefully. If he prefers crepes with salty filling, it means he is a person with a difficult character. But, if a son-in-law eats more crepes with sweet filling, he is an easy-going person.

Thursday is a wide going out “Разгуляй”. People of all ages need to finish any housework and go out to have some fun: sledding, fistfights, battles for snow towns, go caroling.

Friday is a mother-in-law’s evening “Тёщины вечёрки”. This time a son-in-law invites his mother-in-law and treats her the best way.

Saturday is a day of a sister-in-law (husband’s sister) “День золовки”. A wife invites her sister-in-law. If she is not married, you also need to invite her female friends. If she is married, then all family members come with her. In the end of the feast, the sister-in-law gets a gift.

Sunday is a Forgiveness Sunday “Прощёное Воскресенье”. People say goodbye to winter and meet spring, burning the straw-man of Maslyenitsa. The ash can be spread on fields to make them fertile.

This video shows you how to cook proper crepes for Масленица and what is the most traditional filling for them.

Learn about Cooking verbs in Russian.

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