By: V4 Agency
A move to replace the symbols emanating from the US with the traditional ones is underway in the country. The president has even taken on the legal representation of Father Frost.
In the days before Christmas, Russian State Duma MP Maria Butina made a motion in the legislature for the promotion of the traditional symbols of the “Russian New Year” (part of the Russian Christmas celebrations) in order to supplant Western symbols. She wants the government bodies to set a positive example in this endeavour.
“I think it’s high time to push our own values to the forefront. In my opinion, the Christmas decorations originating from the US are not suited for celebrating the traditional Russian New Year festivities,” Ms Butina told RIA Novosti. The MP recalled the traditional symbols of Russian New Year, including the Santa Claus-like figure (Ded Moroz), and his assistant Snowflake (Snegurochka), as well as everyone’s favourite Russian holiday carols.
“It’s not a question of forcing this, it’s simply a matter of calling for and developing an ‘alternative’ fashion and then promoting it,” she added.
President to be legal advocate of “Santa Claus”
Perhaps, as part of boosting the image of Russian Christmas, Ded Moroz was even mentioned in the Russian president’s traditional, marathon-length end-of-year press conference.
In the presence of some 5,000 journalists on Thursday, Vladimir Putin offered to be the legal counsel for Ded Moroz, who is being sued by a St Petersburg lawyer for not granting a single one of his wishes in 23 years. The president pointed out the well-known fact that Father Frost only brings gifts to those who behaved well, and reminded the “plaintiff” of this fact. This will be the defence’s strongest trump card, Mr Putin said.