Does Your Traditional "New Year Spirit" Still Exist?

We often lament that Chinese New Year seems to be losing its "traditional spirit". Those customs, once imbued with a sense of ritual, appear to be slowly replaced by mobile red packets and mass-sent greetings.

Perhaps what we miss isn't just tradition itself, but a feeling of deep connection to our culture.

Today, I want to talk to you about Christmas in Russia. Their story is like rediscovering a long-lost "family secret recipe book", and it might offer us some interesting insights.

Long Ago, the Recipe Book Filled with "Magic"

Imagine your family owning a recipe book passed down through generations, one that doesn't record ordinary dishes, but rather festive secrets imbued with a magical sense of ritual.

In ancient Russia, Christmas was exactly such a book.

On Christmas Eve, the first thing every household would do wasn't to decorate a Christmas tree. Instead, they would clean the ceilings, walls, and floors thoroughly with juniper branches, then the whole family would go to a steam bath to wash away the dust of the year.

As night fell, the real "magic" began. Children would craft a large star from paper and wood, carrying it from house to house, singing praises to the residents. Generous hosts would then offer sweets, cakes, and small change in return, like a warm treasure hunt.

Before the first star appeared in the sky, everyone had to fast. Elders would tell children stories of the wise men following the star to present gifts to the newborn Jesus. People believed that water on Christmas Eve possessed healing powers; they would wash with "holy water" and even knead it into dough to bake pies symbolising blessings.

Every page in this "recipe book" was filled with awe, imagination, and the most unadorned connections between people.

The 70 Years the Recipe Book Disappeared

Now, imagine this magical recipe book suddenly being forcibly shut, locked away in a cupboard for over 70 years.

During the Soviet era, Christmas was banned. Those complex, poetic traditions, like forgotten spells, gradually lost their voice. A generation grew up having never personally turned the pages of that "recipe book", able only to piece together its vague outline from the fragmented words of their elders.

A deep cultural rupture emerged in the transmission of heritage.

Creating New Flavours from Memory

Today, the cupboard has been reopened, but time cannot be turned back.

Today's Russians celebrate their Christmas on 7th January. It's more like a continuation of the New Year holiday, a grand family party. People gather, enjoy delicious food, raise toasts, and make wishes under beautifully decorated Christmas trees. It's warm and joyous, but the essence is no longer quite the same as it once was.

It's like that lost recipe book, which subsequent generations can only try to replicate based on vague memories and their own understanding. They've kept "family reunion" as the main course, but added many modern "seasonings." It tastes good, but there's always a feeling that something is missing.

Recovering the Recipe, Without Losing the Present

Here comes the most interesting part.

Now, Russians are actively working to "recover" that ancient recipe book. They are gradually reviving forgotten traditions. This isn't about completely negating the present, but rather, like a skilled chef, carefully retrieving the most unique "spices" from the old recipes to add richer layers to today's new dishes.

They haven't abandoned the joy of family parties, but they've also begun retelling ancient stories; they enjoy modern conveniences, but are also starting to try and recreate those customs imbued with a sense of ritual.

This process has given their Christmas celebrations more depth than ever before. They now possess both the profound weight of history and the warmth of the present.

True Tradition Is Alive

The Russian story tells us a simple truth: culture isn't an antique displayed in a museum; it possesses a vibrant life force. It can be hurt, it can break, but it will also heal and grow new shoots.

We don't need to be overly anxious about the fading of our "New Year spirit." Perhaps what we need isn't to rigidly copy the past, but rather, like Russians today, bravely open that "old recipe book", draw wisdom and inspiration from it, and then, in our own way, create a unique "new essence" for this era.

True heritage isn't unchanging repetition; it's about nurturing it with understanding and love, allowing it to continue growing in our hands.

If you're curious about these stories that span across time, and would like to hear first-hand from a friend in Moscow how their family blends old and new traditions to celebrate the holidays, language should certainly not be a barrier.

Tools like Lingogram, with their built-in AI translation, enable seamless communication with people anywhere in the world. A simple conversation might allow you to touch the pulse of another culture and feel the preciousness of something lost and then found again.