It is important to remember that cultural differences play an important role in adjusting to the holiday celebrations, and being aware of these differences can help you avoid embarrassment/misunderstanding and enjoy them to the fullest.

Celebrating in Russia

Holidays are quite different in Russia than in Europe or the US. All Russian holidays possess rich culture and history behind them and you can still find great traditions of spending family time during the holiday seasons. Taking the time to learn and ask about your Russian lady's holidays and traditions is a sign of showing your thoughtfulness as well as avoiding being clueless about the ongoing events. Do some research on the typical Russian holidays in addition to asking your sweetheart about them. Internet can give you a lot of useful information on the history and peculiarities of certain traditions.

Of course, aside from widely celebrated holidays, your sweetheart will probably have certain traditions and preferences of her own: younger generation in Ukraine, for example, has widely adopted the practice of celebrating such holidays as Halloween and St. Valentine's day. If your Russian bride is interested in such holidays, it is nice for you to know in advance in order to prepare properly.

Gifts are an important part of any holiday season and if you plan to be with your lady during the festivities, you should think about presents in advance. It does not have to be anything extraordinary and expensive, but even small things as a gesture of your attention will be appreciated. If you are celebrating such holidays as New Year and Christmas, you will most likely spend some of this time with your Russian girl's family. Remember to plan on getting something for them as well. Since you might not know all family members' preferences and taste, it is perfectly fine to get gifts suitable for the family (i.e. wine, candy, etc).

Celebrating at your home

If your Russian bride can visit you in your home country during particular celebrations, it will be up to you to play the host. Make sure that you take time to introduce her to your culture and traditions. Explain to her the reasons for celebrations and how it is normally done, show her some photos from the previous years to give her a better idea of what things can be like. Being a part of something new and learning about different traditions will help your sweetheart enjoy the celebration and not be as homesick (especially, if it is the first time away from her family).

Once your lady has moved to your home country, remember that Russian ladies are very family oriented and are most likely used to having a lot of family time during the holidays. This means that she will probably miss her family and it will be a great idea for you to come up with something to help her handle such situations. It can be a surprise phone call home, arranging to have a video sent from her family for the holidays or videotaping your holidays to share with her family abroad, as well as making some of her home celebration traditions a part of your festivities together. Small things like that will help her feel less homesick, but also will show how caring and thoughtful you are to your lady.

Celebrating elsewhere

Of course, if you are adventurous and do not make any particular plans for the holidays with the family, you can consider taking a trip as a gift for both of you. It can also be a nice change if traditions are getting a bit stale and are not as enjoyable as before. Planning a journey to a warm location during the winter will not only be a nice surprise, but a nice change also. It can be a perfect romantic celebration for just the two of you. Celebration of less family-oriented holidays can be a great chance to plan trips to locations neither of you have visited, and help both of you make celebration memories truly unique and special.

Whatever ideas you come up with for celebrating the holidays, make sure that they are something both of you enjoy; getting creative and coming up with unusual gifts and ideas can help you create traditions unique to your relationship. Bottom line, the key to making each celebration extraordinary lies in appreciating each other and enjoying each other's company no matter the occasion and surroundings.