(no subject)

[al-r.livejournal.com]

Hi all!
I'm sorry, that won't be a language question, but I think you can give me a good advise.
We are going to make a "Russian Style New Year Party" in a US college, for about 20-30 students learning Russian.
How would you see this party?
We want to make a masquerade, cook sth typical, listen to the president's speech and Kuranty-chime...
Alcohol is prohibited :)
What would you advise to cook?
Any games? Role games?
Anything else?...
I would appreciate any advice.
Sorry again for off-top!
   

Comments

[return-true.livejournal.com]

Russian NY party without alcohol - isn't Russian NY party. I'm soryy :(
You shuld cook Olive salad! (Woul it be a Siviet-licke party, or old-russain party?)

[return-true.livejournal.com]

Pardone, "Soviet"

[avoider.livejournal.com]

Today's popular version of "Salade Olivier" -- containing boiled potatoes, pickles, peas, eggs, carrots, onions, and bologna or boiled meat, dressed with mayonnaise -- is a bastardized version of Ivanov's Stolychnyj salad, and only faintly resembles Olivier's original creation. This version was a staple of any Soviet Russian holiday dinner, especially of a New Year dinner (on par with Soviet Champagne and Moroccan Tangerines), due to availability of components in winter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_salad)

[vakhitov.livejournal.com]

Alcohol is prohibited

It doesn't get much less Russian than that :-)

[return-true.livejournal.com]

+1 ;)

[est-lladon.livejournal.com]

You should watch Irony of Fate.

[turu.livejournal.com]

+1

Are there any traditional snacks which are preferred to take while Russian are watching movie, btw?

[cranberry-babe.livejournal.com]

If there's no alcohol then there is no russian style new year :)

In the middle of the party someone is supposed to fall asleep with his face in a salad bowl :)

[zveriozha.livejournal.com]

Pour some Vodka into the bottles with mineral water, and wine into the bottles with some cherry cola or something. Then bring them to thr party. ;--)

Otherwise it won't be Russian!

[baby-rhino.livejournal.com]

+1

Yep, and you better pour those liquids from one bottle into the other in the college bathroom - that's very Russian )

[helen-ricky.livejournal.com]

Holodec http://cookbook.rin.ru/cookbook_e/recipes/13296493.html

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

>Alcohol is prohibited :)

Are hip flasks, false books, hollow canes, and anything else people used back in the glorious Prohibition times completely out of use these days? :)

[al-r.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the Firework-idea! It didn't occur to me, it's great!

[inoctiluci.livejournal.com]

There should be lots of tangerines - Russians associate this smell with New Year's. What I've seen has always included a giant feast with Russian salads making up the majority of the dishes.

[gordin.livejournal.com]

+1

[ckamikadze.livejournal.com]

Another popular NY Dish in Russia is Vinaigrette (http://www.vinaigretterecipe.com/), as you can see you can put alcohol straight in to the salad!

%-)

[ipdipd.livejournal.com]

you should dress someone as Дед Мороз (Grandfather Frost)

[acuzena.livejournal.com]

+1
And he should wear blue costume, not a red one like Santa has.

[nekoth.livejournal.com]

Sorry, but there is NO russian style new year party without alcohol :)
Talking 'bout dishes... That's "Olivier salad", "holodec", champaign wine... :)

[ricky600.livejournal.com]

Russian-style new year...ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED?????? You're crazy.What is this,the U.S. in the 1920's????

[baron-waste.livejournal.com]

If alcohol is prohibited - hang it up, you've lost it already.

And yes, ricky600, this basically IS Prohibition all over again - from the religious Left this time, instead of the religious Right. Ultimately, they're the same mentality…

[superbad.livejournal.com]

At my school we did the following:
- Ate a ton of salads
- Played a lot of games where the winners received little wrapped gifts that our teachers picked up in Russia (like calendars, books, lots of candy, etc.)
- Had a елка decorating contest, then decorated the елка, and sang the елка song.
- Every student brought a little wrapped gift and after midnight you got to pick one from under the tree
- Watched a tape of Putin's address from a past year (i think we watched the same one every year). Once we even watched Кто хочет стать миллионером.

As for alcohol, my teachers always brought champagne and non-alcoholic champagne and little Dixie cups. I think it was implied that if you were of legal age then you were allowed to have the real stuff, but they didn't actually enforce it. Maybe you could do that.

Oh, and P.S. (from the other post) I am in moscow indefinitely, but I'm going home for christmas/new year's.

[al-r.livejournal.com]

Thanx a lot!!
Could you describe the games? And what did you REALLY liked? That's important for me.
As for alcohol - I am risking to loose my job :)) As senior and strict faculty are invited.
I'll try to have real Champaign though...

[skogens-kjole.livejournal.com]

Also there's such kind of salad called Herring in a fur coat or smth like that. You could also make pan-cakes - it's a not NY-dish but it's one of the main stereotypes about Russia. And they are tasty :)
If you manage to find it you could watch this movie - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073179/ In Russia it's shown on TV every NY.

[ederbeisu-chwan.livejournal.com]

You should dress someone as Дед Мороз and Снегурочка (Snowgirl? His granddaughter). At first comes Дед Мороз, then he asks all of you to call Снегурочку, and you shout together: 'СНЕ-ГУ-РОЧ-КА!' until she comes out and then you play games etc.
Also, to make ёлочка shine, you should shout: 'Ёлочка, зажгись!' utill someone switches the lights on.)

[colonelrabin.livejournal.com]

Better you give it up. Russia New Year party without alcohol for adults is a perversion. The quantity does not matter, but the principle is that it MUST be some Champagne (or simply sparkling) for everyone for the time when the Kremlin tower clock rings and some vodka to drink it with all the dishes suggested before; the Russian cuisine, especially the selection for the New Year Menu, is ideally adopted to hard drinks in the cold year time. So you better forget the idea - such a party is not possible if alcohol is prohibited.

[mary-bel.livejournal.com]

Sorry for my bad English!!! But the question is so interesting, that I should like to say a few words about my vision of this Party:)))

It must be with the New Year's tree, Ded Moroz(Russian Santa) and Snegurochka(granddaughter of Ded Moroz, Snow Maiden).

When Ded Moroz comes, he begins to cheer the people by poems, songs and riddles and settles the competition of fancy dresses. It will be interesting if all participants prepare fancy dresses, that connected with Russia - Natasha Rostova, Peter I, Baba Yaga(russian folklore), matreshka, Potyomkin...Every one must to defend his fancy dress by song, poem ore dance. Ded Moroz must to make the presents to the best participants.

All participants must make circle around the New Year's tree and to join hands. And then they with Ded Moroz must sing the song about the New Year's tree. (Most Popular - "В лесу родилась елочка...", "Маленькой елочке холодно зимой")

Then Ded Moroz asks: " Where our Snegurochka? Let call Snegurochka!"
All call: "Sne-gu-roch-ka!Sne-gu-roch-ka!"

Snegurochka comes in. She sings and dances.

Then Ded Moroz and Snegurochka ask:
" Why does not our New Year's tree shine?" (Почему наша елочка не горит?)

All say: " Раз, два, три, наша Елочка - гори!"

Ded Moroz claps out and lights on the New Year's tree are on!

[al-r.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot!!It's hard to find Father Frost's costume here.. We'll make it ourselves somehow...
And poor Snegurochka is waiting in the cold outside while everybody is having fun :))))

[acuzena.livejournal.com]

Why don't you arrange a NY concert of russian songs from traditional NY movies like "Карнавальная ночь"(song "5 minutes" is the most well-known), "Ирония Судьбы или С легким паром!" (there are many popular songs taken from this movie)

[al-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you!
Sth like Oi Moroz Moroz :)))
I showed Ironia Sudby yesterday :))

[al-r.livejournal.com]

That's a great game, thanks :)))
We'll try that in Russia...

[russian-bob.livejournal.com]

As closest substitute to Советское Шампанское use "Asti" champagne - it's available in all american stores and it's not really an alcohol. :)

Watch "Иронию Судьбы или c лёгким паром!" - this is a must!

[al-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you!
I showed Ironiya yesterday, that was nice!
I'll have sth sparkling, sure...

[greenkira.livejournal.com]

If my Russian friends were forced to have a New Year's celebration without alcohol - not that any of them could conceive of that - they'd be doing everything in their power to get around that.

They've talked about boozing up watermelons. Very authentically Russian. Fill a syringe with vodka and inject the uncut melon with as much as you can get in, let it sit for a bit so it spreads, then cut up the melon and enjoy.

[al-r.livejournal.com]

:)))))))

:-)

[prorok-samuil.livejournal.com]

Re: :-)

[acuzena.livejournal.com]

Splendid!!!
I'll memo that:)