On November 18, Russia officially celebrates Ded Moroz’s Birthday. It is believed that, on this date, winter truly begins in his domain — Veliky Ustyug (Vologda region) — with the arrival of frost. The exact age of this legendary winter figure is unknown, but it is certain that he is over 2,000 years old. Over the centuries, he has been known in various forms: initially as the East Slavic spirit of frost, Treskun, and later as the fairy tale characters Morozko or Moroz Ivanovich. It is believed that the “literary” Russian Ded Moroz first appeared in books in 1840, when Vladimir Odoyevsky published „Grandpa Iriney’s Children’s Tales,” in which the winter wizard was named Moroz Ivanovich. In the post-revolutionary 1920s, during Soviet Russia’s state-led fight against “religious prejudices,” the New Year’s tree and Ded Moroz were sidelined. Only in 1935, with the rehabilitation of the tree as a New Year’s symbol, did Ded Moroz return to the festivities. For the first time, this winter wizard and his helper, Snegurochka, appeared before Soviet children at the New Year’s tree celebration in Moscow’s House of Unions in 1937. Veliky Ustyug was officially designated as the homeland of Ded Moroz relatively recently — in 1999. In Veliky Ustyug, preparations for this special day are particularly meticulous. On his birthday, a special mailbox is opened where children and tourists can leave letters and greetings for Ded Moroz. The modern Russian Ded Moroz (Father Frost) wears a long coat embroidered with silver, a hat trimmed with swan down, and patterned mittens. Today, the costume for the main winter wizard requires approximately 4 meters of red fabric, 5-6 meters of braid, 1.5 meters of fur, and hundreds of rhinestones. Moreover, a true Ded Moroz must have a long, silvery beard symbolizing power, happiness, and wealth. On his birthday, the magical birthday boy is visited by numerous relatives and colleagues, including Santa Claus from Finland, Chyskhaan—the Yakut Ded Moroz, Pakkajne from Karelia, the winter storyteller Mikuláš from the Czech Republic, the Sun and Hero Lāčplēsis from Latvia, Ayaz Ata from Kyrgyzstan, Berendey from Pereslavl-Zalessky, Lel from Tikhvin, the Snowman from Arkhangelsk, Snegurochka from Kostroma, Vyatka Kikimora from Kirov, Baba Yaga from the Yaroslavl region, as well as official delegations from Vologda, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, and many other cities. On the main square of Veliky Ustyug, various festive events take place on this day, and, as tradition dictates, the lights on the first New Year’s tree are lit. After this celebration, Ded Moroz embarks on a journey across Russian cities, lighting the New Year’s trees together with children in each location. The New Year is coming soon!