Russian Traditions. Russian Christianity gave such great holidays like Easter, Christmas and the rite of Baptism, and paganism - Pancake Day and Midsummer. Easter it’s a day of hearty treats. After Lent on the table in this day and exhibited a variety of delicious dishes. And among them, the first place belongs to the ritual meals. And, above all, it's Easter Sunday, Easter cakes and colored eggs. Egg, which was painted in the traditional red color and its shades, became a mandatory attribute and a symbol of Easter in the XII century. A cake is always baked with dough, high and round. On top of cake decorated with a cross. It is believed that if the Passover bread was a success, the family all goes well. By eating the cake does not cut lengthwise and crosswise. And, of course, the Old Russian custom of these Easter days and echoed sent gifts to the poor and needy, relatives and friends are not the people in the almshouses, orphanages, hospitals and prisons. Do not abandon the poor and strangers - it is popularly said that "from Easter to Ascension travels on earth, Christ and the apostles, experiencing the mercy and kindness of everyone." Christmas - a holiday the birth of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, with the advent of which people have hope in the mercy, kindness, truth, and eternal life. The Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas according to the Julian calendar on January 7, unlike Western churches celebrate it on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. Perhaps the most fun holiday in Russia can be called Shrove Tuesday. This festival is considered to be an echo of the pre-Christian times, when the Slavs were still pagan. In the old days was considered a carnival feast of All Souls. So burning carnival - it's her funeral, and pancakes - its Remembrance treat. But as time passed, and the Russian people, hungry for fun and relaxation, has turned into a sad holiday daring Shrove Tuesday. But there was a tradition of pancakes - round, yellow and hot as the sun, and added to her riding horse-drawn sleigh rides and ice slopes, fist fight, Teschin gatherings. Pancake rituals are very unusual and interesting, because they combine the completion of the period of the winter holiday rituals and the opening of a new, spring season holidays and ceremonies that were to facilitate obtaining a rich harvest. Pancake Day is celebrated a week before Lent. And every day Shrovetide week was devoted to special rituals.