The Christmas and New Year season in Russia is all about entertaining and gift-giving. Russians love gift-shopping as well as making their own little handmade mementos to give to their friends and family. Some go as far as to prepare and give three rounds of gifts: one on the Western Christmas of December 25, another on New Year's Eve and finally, on Russian Orthodox Christmas of January 7.
So, which Christmas and New Year Russian gifts are cheap, unusual and even unique?
Online Gift Shopping: Vintage and Antique Jewelry as Gifts for Her
Forget babushka headscarves: Russian craftsmen have so much more to offer. Many websites sell unique ethnic jewelry: silver and gold pieces featuring precious and semi-precious stones like amethyst, agate, moon stone, turquoise and especially amber.
The jewelry styles most typical of Russia are finift enamel and filigree enamel, as well as niello silver. They have been extremely popular with Russian women of all times and ages. There are several online shops like Russian Island that offer unusual and inexpensive Russian jewelry.
Unusual Russian Gifts for Him: from Vintage Watches and Corporate Souvenirs to Soviet Militaria
Vintage Russian watches, chronographs and compasses have an old and eventful history. Brands like Polyot and Vostok have been the choice of space and polar explorers. Various militaria like telnyashka – a striped navy undershirt – as well as army liquor flasks, cigarette cases, and even insignia -- can be obtained online.
Corporate Russia-themed souvenirs include personalized tea glass holders to add a touch of Russia to those hours-long meetings, various souvenirs, and artwork. Many websites offer a wide choice of all of the above, and then some.
Treat Your Kids to a Russian Christmas: Russia-Themed Toys and Games Online
One particular choice of gifts for boys includes Russian die-cast cars, vintage and modern, that are only available online. Little scale models of Soviet-time police and ambulance vans, fire engines and military trucks may appeal to fathers even more than to their sons, which could result in some quality time invested in playing with them together.
Girls will love all those adorable handmade dolls and...yes, jewelry, albeit of a cheaper and more girly kind. Russian costume jewelry, too, can be very original and creative: Russian craftsmen and craftswomen love to exercise their imagination and many of them have a serious academic background in painting and other arts.
Russia-themed games like chess and checkers, as well as globes and books, always make a great Christmas gift for both boys and girls, and may even trigger a serious interest in a particular game or subject. All these objects are available online these days, and web shops like Rus-sell.com offer a great choice of gifts for both adults and children.
Traditional Russian Christmas Gifts for the Entire Family: Crafts, Tableware and Artwork
For those with a bigger budget to spend, gorgeous tableware sets like those offered at Maison Russe Gifts, will make a perfect and unforgettable Christmas or New Year gift. To an older family member, a traditional hand-painted bone china tea cup will make a great present, especially with a personalized engraving.
Russian artwork is always in demand, whether it's restored old paintings or original works by modern artists. When considering gifts Russian style, you may choose between one gift, appropriately important and expensive, or several smaller (and cheaper) items to fill a receptacle that makes part of the gift, like a traditional lacquered Palekh box.
Irene Woodhead - Irene Woodhead is a bilingual English/Russian freelance writer and translator. After years of working as a professional opera/jazz singer, ...
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