Christmas is the most exciting time for all Christians throughout the world. at Christmas, the whole family gather and celebrate together. Christmas trees, Christmas lights, Christmas hats, and greeting cards are things that must be there at Christmas. One more, gift! At Christmas everyone makes their own gifts to exchange with loved ones. The gift is usually wrapped in red paper and tied with ribbon. Exchange gifts are activities that must be done at Christmas. It has become a tradition in the world.
Are you often confused about what to give at Christmas? You don’t need to be confused now. When you have the opportunity to vacation in Russia, a country full of this culture, you will very easily find ideas about what gifts you will give at Christmas. Russia sells a lot of special items as souvenirs and you can make them as your Christmas gift.
In this article, we will help you find special gifts for Christmas from Russia. of course, these gifts will be special gifts for people you love. And they will definitely be very happy to receive it. the following gifts will illustrate how happy you are to welcome Christmas and how valuable that person is to you. Here are 8 best Christmas gifts for you to bring from Russia.
1. Matryoshka
Of course Russian lovers already know this Russian pride souvenir. Matryoshka is a set of nesting wooden dolls that have at least 4 dolls and a maximum of 32 smaller dolls. And these 32 dolls fit inside each other. Each stacking doll is split into two in the middle to reveal smaller size dolls that nest in it.
This doll is very unique and is a traditional doll that is usually round and painted like a fat woman farmer who uses nerve costumes, traditional Russian clothes. The name matryoshka is taken from the popular names of Russian farmers, namely Matryona or Matriosha. And the root is “Mater” which means mother, comes from Latin.
The Matryoshka was first made in 1890 by Vasily Zvyozdochkin and designed by Sergey Malyutin, a folk craft painter in Abramtsevo. At this time, the Matryoshka is not only a picture of a fat, beautiful woman, but also various world leaders. like the presidents, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Joko Widodo, and also world athletes such as Neymar, Messi, Ibrahimovic and Mohammed Salah.
If you are interested, it’s easy to find this nesting wooden doll. All Russian souvenir shops will sell Matryoshka. These dolls are sold at a price of 150 rubles for low quality. And it can reach 4,000 rubles with good quality and has 32 children. If you are more interested in the presidential character Matryoshka or other figures, you have to pay starting from 1,200 to 2,000 rubles. If you choose Matryoshka as a Christmas gift, of course whoever receives it will be impressed. This doll is proud of Russia and also very unique. Very beautiful if displayed in the living room or in the room.
2. Russian Hat (Ushanka)
Russian hats are perfect for Christmas gifts. Of course you know how Russian hats are. Russian hats are known as Ushanka and also Shapka which is used in winter. Some of these caps cover the ears, some don’t. This hat can warm the ears, neck, neck, and can be tied to the chin, very well suited to the cold Christmas atmosphere. Ushanka is very warm because it is made of genuine animal skin and fur, such as rabbits, sheep, north pole foxes, and muskets.
Ushanka is a practical gift that you can give to all ages, for young or old, women or men. Ushanka will also be a fancy gift. You are also very easy to find. Although Ushanka is a traditional hat, but Ushanka is very cool when worn. There are many other countries that sell fur hats, but Ushanka is a typical Russian hat because of its unique shape. Ushanka is a Russian icon.
If you want to make Ushanka a Christmas gift, you have to pay around 11,000 to 22,000 rubles. The price of Ushanka depends on fur and also the model. You might be able to find cheaper or more expensive ones.
3. Amber
Amber will be a very beautiful and unique Christmas gift. Amber is a resin tree fossil. The warm climate in the Baltic makes increasing the production of sap. Resins that seep from trees are stored in various places, usually on the ground. This sap condenses underground, until it is found by humans. People use it for decorative purposes, making jewelry, and everyday items. About 90% of the world’s amber is in Kaliningrad, Russia. so amber is a typical Russian souvenir.
Amber has a variety of colors. And the most popular colors are milk or yellow amber, which has a white hue, almost ivory. This type of amber is very popular in the Baltic. Old Amber is more expensive.
4. Russian Vodka
The next Christmas gift that you can choose is Russian vodka. Vodka is a drink that is loved by Russians. Vodka is an alcoholic beverage that functions to warm them in winter like Christmas. Vodka is also one of the peculiarities of Russia. You can make vodka a Christmas present for your friends. But remember! Don’t give this to children.
If you are interested in buying vodka, you can find it easily in grocery stores and hypermarkets. Make sure you read about how to package a glass bottle in your luggage so that you can bring home the vodka without damage.
5. Lacquer Box
The Lacquer box is the most unique and very impressive. Lacquer boxes are one of the most beautiful Russian crafts of the 20th century. Lacquer box is a painting on a box. Made from unusual materials, this is not wood as seen, but rather papier-mache. Papier-mache can be interpreted as paper pulp.
Lacquer box displays miniature paintings that are very beautiful. The themes range from Russian landscapes to fairytales. If you want to provide a lacquer box for Christmas gifts, you can get it in the village of Fedoskino, not far from Moscow. There is the most extensive and oldest lacquer box production place since 1795. However, it looks like now you can get lacquer boxes in souvenir shops in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
6. Valenki
Valenki is Russian boots made of wool. Apart from using Ushanka, Russian people also use valenki in the winter. And these shoes are very popular for kids in Russia. however, you might find it difficult to find in big cities. these shoes are widely available in the countryside. Valenki is plain and some have motifs, such as floral motifs.
7. Khokhloma
Khokhloma is a traditional Russian handicraft since the 17th century. Khokhloma is a painting on furniture or kitchen equipment. The khokhloma style is very typical, namely the pattern of painting red and gold with a dark background. Exquisite!
You can only get Khokhloma on Nizhny Novgorod. Maybe there is also in Moscow, but it’s rather difficult to find. You can make this object a Christmas present for your mother, aunt or brother. Usually women really like beautiful paintings, and they will be very happy to get khokhloma. Khokhloma can be used as a new display in their home.
8. Gzhel
The last Christmas gift that you can choose from in this article is Gzhel. Gzhel is Russian ceramics from the village of Gzhel not far from Moscow. Ceramics with blue pottery features on a white background. Gzhel can be a number of items, such as glasses and jars, clocks, or lights. This will be a very special Christmas gift. Give it to your mother, she will definitely be happy!
Those are 8 best christmas gifts for you to bring from Russia. These objects really reflect Russia with a very unique shape. You can give it to people you love. The gift will be a special, unique, and very beautiful Christmas gift. When you visit Russia at any time, you have to buy one of these items to prepare for the Christmas present.