Each country has its own holidays, but Russia has always been different. Our country is unique, where traditions from the East and West successfully coexist. Russian history is rooted in the distant past, in the days of the pagan faith. From a small tribe in central Europe, Russia has grown into the largest country in the world with so many regions that have their own customs and festivals.
In Russia there are official and unofficial, professional and private, old and new holidays. They came from the past, others were revived or renamed. However, not everyone is important to the Russian people. Professionals don't matter to people at all, while others have a lot of emotional stress. Knowing the customs and traditions of any country is the key to understanding its people, and here Russia is no exception.
International Children's Day
This international holiday, which was originally founded in France, focuses on the rights of children. It is widespread in Russia mainly with events held in parks that focus on education and play.
Russia Day
This holiday is dedicated to the adoption of the 1991 Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation, which proclaimed the "independence" of Russia from the USSR. However, many Russians still do not know when this was done. Instead, they view the country as a successor state to the USSR and a product of other states that left Russia. According to this view, the holiday is usually celebrated simply as a manifestation of patriotism, like Victory Day, with parades, demonstrations and fireworks set off at 10 pm.
June 5, 2019 - Eid al-Adha, in several regions of Russia this day is an official day off
In Russia, as in any other country, there are purely official holidays. These holidays are not fun and usually have no meaning to people, but they do have one big advantage: they are weekends. These are the Day of Independence of Russia, June 12, Day of National Agreement and Reconciliation (November 7, it was the Day of the October Revolution) and Constitution Day (December 12). Although in most cases Russians do not care about these dates, they go to summer cottages, meet friends, or just relax at home with great pleasure.
Keep in mind that the Russian government usually switches weekends around a public holiday so that people get 3 days in a row. This is a very common practice. Thus, if May 1 falls on a Tuesday, they will declare Saturday directly before May 1 of the business day, and the next Monday is a day off. In this case, people will get Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The government announces the change a few weeks before.
May holidays are one of the most anticipated of the year, because they give the opportunity to take a break from the routine of working days, go out with family or friends to nature and just have fun enjoying a long weekend.
Let's figure out what the format of the May holidays will be in 2019, how many days we rest on May 9, and whether it is possible to plan long trips for this period.
Production calendar for May
According to the draft production calendar for 2019, in May we expect:
- 18 working days;
- 13 days off, including 2 holidays (May 1 and 9);
- 1 shortened working day (May 8).
Thus, the first and second weeks of the month, on which two public holidays fall at once, will be incomplete:
Important! The days off mentioned will be for people working on a 5-day schedule with two fixed days off (Saturday and Sunday).
Postponement of working days
This year, the May holidays were not very well located, as the weekend turned out to be torn apart. But, do not worry - the Government made sure that we had a good rest in 2019 and planned two weekends at once:
- weekends from January 5 and 6 (Saturday and Sunday) will be postponed to May 2 and 3;
- On May 10 we will walk off February 23, which falls on Saturday this year.
Thus, the Russians will receive an excellent gift for May - 5 days off in a row (from May 1 to May 5), and after another 4 days off (from 9 to 12). This will allow you not only to take a walk and recover after a hectic vacation, but also to plan long trips or family vacations.
Shorter working days
If the issue of transfers is still being discussed, then the reduction of working days on the calendar immediately before the holidays is a decided fact, which means that on 30.04 and 08.05 you will have to work exactly 1 hour less.
Great Victory Day
In 2019 we will celebrate the 74th anniversary of the Great Victory!
In many countries that emerged after the collapse of the USSR, Victory Day is a public holiday. Although a number of countries have invented their own name for it, the essence of May 9 has remained unchanged. On this day, the events of the Great Patriotic War are traditionally remembered, veterans are congratulated and the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives in the name of the Great Victory is honored.
May 9 is celebrated not only in Russia and many post-Soviet countries - in 2019 this day of the week will also be a day off for residents of European countries. As an official public holiday, Victory Day is celebrated in Israel on the same day as the Russian Federation. In Western European countries, Europe Day is celebrated on this day. Residents of the UK and France celebrate Liberation Day on 8 May.
In Germany, the main holiday "Day of Liberation from Nazism" is also celebrated on May 8, but on the 9th there are numerous events in which the Russian-speaking population of the country takes part. But these days are not officially announced as days off.
Events in Russia
The main event of Victory Day remains a large-scale parade on Red Square, which residents of all regions of Russia and other countries will be able to watch live on the main TV channels of the Russian Federation or via YouTube.
Not many will be able to see the equipment and the military crews passing through Red Square "live", because only persons with special invitations can attend the parade. All the rest will be stopped by guards at specially organized checkpoints. Usually the number of invitees does not exceed 2000 people. These include:
- veterans;
- leaders of other countries;
- members of the Government;
- journalists;
- employees of organizations that have received official permission.
But, do not be upset if you cannot visit the main front of the country, because on this day in the capital there will be many other events that anyone can attend:
- procession "Immortal Regiment";
- thematic performances and reconstructions;
- numerous exhibitions dedicated to the Great Victory;
- concerts of your favorite performers;
- festive fireworks.
And in anticipation of the 74th anniversary of the Great Victory, we propose to see what the holiday was in the capital in 2018:
What will the year of the yellow earthen boar bring us? How will we rest in the next 2019?
The 19 th year of the third millennium starts on Tuesday and will bring us as many as 10 days off on New Year's holidays, as well as as many as nine in May. A good year awaits us, isn't it? Here you can download a high-resolution calendar for 2019 with marked weekends.
In 2019, 2 significant holidays at once fell on the weekend. They will be transferred in order to comply with the norms of the Labor Code (Labor Code, Art. 110), according to which between two working weeks there must be at least 42 hours of continuous weaning from work. The Ministry of Labor has already made adjustments in 2019, unwittingly delighting and pampering us. In this connection, a project was developed and a corresponding resolution was issued at the government level - on the transfer of days off to the coming year of the yellow earthen wild boar.
Such a transfer of days off is carried out in advance. This is necessary for the reasonable compilation of the work schedule, as well as for the provision and compliance with the conditions for the necessary leisure and vacation planning for residents of Russia, not only during the New Year period, but also in the spring and summer seasons.
How the holidays were rescheduled in 2019
Calendar of weekends and holidays for 2019New Year's holidays are usually long enough to coincide with some weekend. It is for this reason that they are most often carried over. And we do not mind. 5 and 6 January 2019 are Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Therefore, already being in the status of a holiday weekend, according to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, they switch to May holidays. Namely, on the 2nd and 3rd numbers, which is incredibly convenient and in the aggregate gives as many as five days of rest in a row, because it is Thursday and Friday. In addition, it was extremely successful on Saturday. Thanks to this, May 10, Friday, will become a non-working day, and in total it will turn out to be four days off.
As a result of such castling, in the first two weeks of May, you will have to work out only some three days.
The festive New Year holidays themselves will allow you to forget about work for as long as 10 days - from 12/30/2018 to 01/08/2019.
In addition, 2019, the year of the yellow earthen boar, will bring a couple more three-day weekends. In honor of International Women's Day - from March 8 to 10 and National Unity Day - from November 2 to 4, and between them the Day of Russia - June 12, which will allow you to relax right in the middle of the working week (on Wednesday).
Brief summary of holidays in 2019
In total, 2019 will bring 26 non-working days, combined with solemn state dates. Check out a quick summary of the 2019 weekend:
- from December 30, 2018 to January 8, 2019;
- February 23 and 24;
- from the eighth to the tenth of March;
- from the first to the fifth of May;
- from 9 to 12 May;
- the twelfth of June;
- from the second to the fourth of November.
How long we will be given a rest on New Year's holidays in 2020 has not yet been announced, but we will keep you updated!
In 2019, Russians will rest and work according to the official calendar approved by the Government. See the calendar with weekend shifts in January, February, May, June and November.
How we rest for the new year 2019
December 29 - working Saturday. And already at 30, the New Year holidays will begin, which will last 10 days until January 8, 2019 inclusive.How we rest on February 23, 2019
Falls on Saturday 23rd February 2019. The day off, which coincided with the "men's" day, the authorities decided to postpone to May 10.How we rest on March 8, 2019
March 8 - Friday, there were no transfers, from March 8 to 10 - three non-working days.How to relax on the May holidays of 2019
The weekend from January 5 and 6, which coincided with the holidays, was postponed to May 2 and 3. So in May there will be a mini-vacation for five days in a row - from Wednesday May 1 to Sunday May 5 inclusive.In this case, the first "May" and the second will have to work out only three days. And the second May holiday will last four days - from May 9 to 12.
How to relax on Russia Day in 2019
Russia Day June 12 will be a single weekend in the middle of the week (Wednesday).How to relax on National Unity Day in 2019
November 4th fell on Monday, so November rest will last three days in a row - from November 2nd to 4th.Working Saturdays and shortened days in 2019
There will be no working Saturdays in the new year, and six days will be shortened - in February, March, April, May, June and December. Before the holidays, employees will work one hour less. If the work lasts on these days the usual eight hours, processing will need to be paid in one and a half amount (Article 152 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).There will be two long weekends in Russia in May 2019. On the first May holidays, we rest for 5 days: from May 1 to May 5. On the second May holidays, we rest for 4 days: from May 9 to May 12.
- weekends and holidays
- pre-holiday days
(with a reduced working day by 1 hour)
| Working hours |
How we work and relax in May 2019
In May 2019, Russia has 18 working days and 13 days off and holidays.
Working day:
| Mon | W | Wed | Mon | W | Wed | Th | Fri | Mon | W | Wed | Th | Fri | Mon | W | Wed | Th | Fri | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 8 | ... | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | ... | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | ... | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
May 8 is a pre-holiday working day with a reduced working time by one hour (Article 95 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).
Weekends and holidays:
| Wed | Th | Fri | Sat | Sun | Th | Fri | Sat | Sun | Sat | Sun | Sat | Sun | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ... | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ... | 18 | 19 | ... | 25 | 26 |
Long weekend in May
In May 2019, Russia celebrates two public holidays: May 1 - Spring and Labor Day and May 9 - Victory Day. These are non-working holidays. We also have three additional postponed days off. This creates two long weekends in May.
How we rest on May 1
How we rest on May 9
Public Holidays in May
In May 2019, Russia celebrates 2 public holidays: Spring and Labor Day, Victory Day. These are official days off (Article 112 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).
May 1, Wed - Spring and Labour Day. Dedicated to all working people. People call this day May Day. On this holiday, it is customary to arrange May Day: picnics, trips out of town, fishing, to the dacha.
May 9, Thu. - Victory Day. Dedicated to the victory of the Soviet army over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. In 2019, Russia celebrates the 74th anniversary of the victory over fascism.
May 1, 2019 - day off or work
Where do the extra weekends in May come from?
According to the Decree of the Russian Federation dated 01.10.2018 "On the transfer of weekends in 2019", the Government of Russia approved the transfer of days off from New Year's holidays and Defender of the Fatherland Day to May 2019:
Working hours
According to the production calendar of Russia, in May 2019 there are 18 workers in the country (including 1 reduced one) and 13 days off and holidays.
Working hours:
- with a 40-hour work week - 143 hours (18 x 8 - 1, where 18 is the number of working days, 8 is the duration of the work shift, 1 is the number of shortened working days);
- at 36 hours - 128.6 hours (18 x 7.2 - 1);
- at 24 hours - 85.4 hours (18 x 4.8 - 1).
Where to go for the May holidays
Travel lovers can go on an excursion to another city in Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, go on a bus tour along the Golden Ring of Russia.
In Moscow, you can order a sightseeing bus tour of the city, visit historical museums, a zoo, the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy (VDNKh), a circus, a planetarium, a botanical garden, climb to the observation deck of Moscow City. On May 9 it will be interesting to watch the Victory Parade on Red Square, the Immortal Regiment procession, and the festive fireworks.
In St. Petersburg, you can walk along Nevsky Prospekt, Vasilyevsky Island, admire St. Isaac's Cathedral, visit the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, Peterhof, Tsarskoe Selo, go on a night tour "Drawbridges Night". On May 9 it will be interesting to watch a military parade on Palace Square, a festive concert and fireworks.
In Sochi, you can visit the Arboretum Park, the Dolphinarium and the Oceanarium in the Riviera Park. You can go on a boat trip, ride ATVs and horses along the foothills of Sochi. The sea water is still cool in early May. However, the sun is already hot, and daredevils can swim in the sea.
Those wishing to spend the May holidays abroad can go to Turkey, Georgia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands.
In Turkey, the beach season opens in May. Swimming in the sea and boat trips can be combined with visiting architectural monuments, fortresses and museums, shopping. You can also go on an excursion to the thermal springs of Pamukkale.
In the Czech Republic, you can go on an excursion around Prague: visit Prague Castle - a fortress, the residence of the President of the country, the Old Town, Charles Bridge, admire the Prague Clock on the Old Town Square, take a boat ride on the Vltava, see castles in the vicinity of the city. On the May holidays, the spa season opens in Karlovy Vary. Tourists are given the opportunity to visit a food festival, artisan fairs, and festive concerts.
In the Netherlands, it will be interesting to visit the Tulipomania festival in the Keukenhof flower park in the city of Liss. You can also walk around Amsterdam, The Hague. In Amsterdam, you can take an evening boat tour along the city's canals, visit the Nemo Science Museum, the Rijksmuseum Art Museum, the Royal Palace, and the Red Light District. In The Hague, you can visit the Binnenhof Castle, the Gevangeport torture museum, and the Madurodam amusement park.
How to celebrate, where to go for the May holidays
May holidays are the time for outdoor recreation. At this time of the year, warm weather sets in, flowers and trees bloom. Fans of active recreation can go with their family or friends to the river, to the forest or to the country house. There you can cook food on the fire, play games, sing songs with a guitar.
Those wishing to relax in the city can arrange a cultural and entertainment program: go to the cinema or theater, visit museums or exhibitions, organize shopping. You can walk in the park, sit in a cafe.
Convenient calendar with week numbers and printable
State, professional and folk holidays
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