Russian Christmas

Here on the lower Yukon and many other parts of Alaska, Christmas is celebrated twice.

We have the traditional Christmas on Dec 25th with Santa Claus and presents- just like the rest of the lower United States. But some villages celebrate Slavic as wel. It's the Russian version of Christmas. It comes from the early eighteenth century Russian influence on Alaska.

Many villagers still bear the names of there Russian ancestory.

It begins on the seventh of January. The Russian orthodox priest will start the proceedings with a mass in the church, then followed by a procession of singing villagers following behind the priest. A boy will also follow holding a three foot star on a spindel. The star is hand spun the whole while, by the boy, as the procession follows to the first house that will host the feed.

The star is brought into the house while the procession follows singing the whole way.

After gathering into the house the priest says a small prayer and then another over the table and spread of food.

Then the feasting begins. Most of the villagers will converge on the house that is feeding and everyone eats in shifts so everyone gets fed. On the menu will be things like moose soup or beaver, baked salmon, dryfish and agutak for desert (Eskimo ice cream made of fish, berries suger and whipped shortning) along with fry bread and tea or coffee.

Small gifts are also given away by the host that is feeding. Some will get a pair of gloves or soap or wash cloths, decks of cards or other small items.

The star will spend several hours at the house and then the whole singing procession will start up once again and head off to the next house led by the priest. And the spinning star to repeat the feast again in the next house. This goes on nonstop for several days or up to a week or longer depending on how many houses in the village want to host the star and have a feed.