The Soviet Santa Claus
The season of Christmas draws nearer and what better topic to discuss than the Christmas traditions of other countries. However, let’s stick with one, Santa Claus. He is known to many people as the jolly fat man, but do you know that there is a thinner, taller version of Santa? Today we shall talk about Father Frost himself, Ded Moroz.
Who is Ded Moroz?
Ded Moroz is a Slavic wizard of winter. He favors kind-hearted people rewarding them with great gifts while he becomes angry at those who are terrible. Ded Moroz looks like Santa Claus but with more Russian characteristics. He is usually thin wearing a red or blue coat which is lined with white fur. Ded Moroz wears a round Russian Cap and brings a staff. Like Santa Claus, he has a large white beard.
Instead of using sleighs, Ded Moroz uses a troika, a sled pulled by three horses, for transportation. He brings gifts to children around Russia with his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden, Snegurochka. Ded Moroz delivers gifts during New Year’s Eve (I will explain later) and places them under a fir tree.
Originally, Ded Moroz was considered a demon or some powerful hero. He was also known as Morozko who would kidnap children and would not return them unless he was given gifts by the children’s parents. However, because of the Russian Orthodox church and other Russian writers, he was transformed into a kind figure who gave gifts instead.
Ded Moroz has gone through a lot of changes through the years from being a demon, to a kind spirit, and then to a Communist Santa, and back to his kind-spirited nature. Who knew that Ded Moroz had such an interesting history?
Why New Year’s Eve and not Christmas Eve?
The celebration of Ded Moroz is during New Year’s Eve and not Christmas Eve because of a shift of tradition during the rule of the USSR. The USSR was atheist and didn’t want the same holiday as a Christian one. However, they continued to use Ded Moroz and his gift giving and shifted it from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve.
It may also be because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Gregorian Calendar. Whatever it may be, the December 25 Christmas Day changed because of the rise of the USSR.
A Short Story with Ded Moroz
I will just place a link here to the website with the short story due to possible Medium issues. I am placing a short story so that you would be able to read and see Ded Moroz in action.
Link to short story: https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/meet-father-frost-and-his-fairy-goddaughter-snow-maiden-magical-characters-winter-020655
Conclusion
I hope that this has sparked interest about other country’s traditions and would make you want to know more about them. You better watch out, you better not starve, or Ded Moroz is coming for you tonight. Goodbye, my sweet readers. End scene!
