Mass Media Overview
Grandfather Frost's Embassy
02.12.2009 09:52
Diplomat, Issue 12/2007
Column: Christmas
The Vologda Region is proud of its great countrymen, craftsmen, history, and beautiful scenery. The Russian Grandfather Frost, or Ded Moroz in Russian, has brought the Vologda Region maybe even bigger fame, however. Ten years ago, thanks to the combined efforts of the governments of Moscow and the Vologda Region, he took up residence 11 kilometers from the splendid northern city of Veliky Ustyug, which is situated at the confluence of two large rivers, the Sukhona and the Yug. It was the original project of Y.M. Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, and V.Ye. Pozgalyov, the governor of the Vologda Region.
Grandfather Frost is a character in Russian folklore. Over many generations, Eastern Slavs created legends, stories, ritual songs, legends and fairytales and passed them on to the next generation. In them the winter wizard appears as a brave knight or a smith who binds and fetters water with "iron frosts." The frosts themselves were often identified with tempestuous winter winds. There are several fairytales where the Northern Wind (or the Frost) helps those who have lost their way by showing them the road.
200 years ago, the painter Alexander Borisov, when depicting the harsh beauty of the Russian North, painted Ded Moroz, the ruler of the winter kingdom, for the first time. At the end of the 19th century, his image appeared on New Year’s and Christmas post cards in Russia. Grandfather Frost was dressed in a long red coat trimmed with white fur and girdled with a wide sash worn around the waist. He wore boots or valenki (felt boots). On his head was an old-fashioned cap, and in his hands he held a small spruce and a bag with presents. Grandfather Frost looks exactly like that to this day.
The fairytale wizard does not live in a white stone palace or a dense forest but in a big and roomy terem (mansion). Anyone interested in visiting him can drop by and see him any time of the year. There is something interesting for everyone on his estate. For the kids there is the wonderful "Path of Fairytales" down which they will be guided by familiar fairytale characters. For those older Father Frost has a "Pet Farm" and a "Winter Garden." A cafe, a hotel and a large entertainment park-all this is at the disposal of the guests. One can hardly keep from sliding down the huge 30-meter-high ice slope in winter or riding a fast water scooter in summer.
Grandfather Frost himself only rarely slides down the icy hill or rides a water scooter. He mostly sits in the throne hall and welcomes the guests from all over the world. People share their sorrow and joy with him. He welcomes individuals and families, school classes and workers' brigades. Among the visitors are ordinary and renowned people. Newly-weds, too, come visit Ded Moroz' residence: they leave two paper hearts fastened together, a symbol of their eternal love, on the magic New Year's tree. Grandfather Frost treats every visitor as someone special and unhurriedly talks with him, because his residence is the realm of wonders and good fairytales.
New traditions have been started as well. Since 2005, Grandfather Frost’s birthday has been celebrated annually on November 18. The date was chosen by children themselves. In their view, it is on that day that the real winter, not the winter according to the calendar, sets in. To celebrate the event, Ded Moroz invites his fairytale counterparts from other countries, Russian regions and thousands of young visitors. Joullupukki from Finland, Tomte from Sweden, Weihnachtsmann from Austria, Mikulas from Slovakia, Ded Moroz from Belarus, and St. Nikolai from Ukraine. Russian regions were represented by The Cold Keeper Chyskhan (Republic of Sakha), the young frost Pakkaine (Karelia), Snegurochka, Ded Moroz' granddaughter (Kostroma), Snowman (Archangelsk) and the merchant Afanasy (Nizhny Novgorod) have been his guests.
As for Ded Moroz, he also likes to travel. On New Years' eve, he can be seen on the squares and streets of every Russian town and city. And on August 31, 2007, the winter wizard climbed Mountain Elbrus, Europe's highest peak. He dedicated his climb to the selection of the city of Sochi as the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
In 2006, the New Year’s wizard took part (as a member of a delegation of the Vologda Region) in opening the Year of Russia in China. On January 13, 2007, he welcomed the guests and participants in the Russian Winter Festival on Trafalgar Square in London where he met Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London, and Russia’s ambassador, Yury Fedotov.
At the presentation of the Moscow Year of the Child held at the Paris UNESCO headquarters in September 2007, Grandfather Frost met with L.I. Shevtsova, first deputy mayor of Moscow, and Marcio Barbosa, the deputy director-general of UNESCO. The fairytale magician told them about how traditional handicrafts are being kept alive and passed on to the younger generations on his estate.
Before the end of 2007, Ded Moroz will have been in Sweden and Latvia as well. As to the winter wizard himself, he takes pleasure in receiving guests coming to see him from different countries and replies to the letters that arrive even from remote corners of the world.
By the way, it is quite easy to get to the fairytale town. You only have to take a train, plane or come in a car.
The fairytale city of Veliky Ustyug is waiting for you!