Historically, Tatiana’s Day was met with much fanfare and enthusiasm—in other words, with a lot of alcohol.
Russian writer Anton Chekhov famously recalled the Tatiana’s Day festivities of 1884, claiming that Moscow’s students “drank everything except the Moscow river, and only because it was frozen.” 🤣🤣🤣
Tatiana’s Day was not marked during the atheist Soviet Period, but in 1992 the celebrations were revived at Moscow State University, where each year the university president marks the occasion by handing out free medovukha—Russian honey mead—to the student body.
Students have rituals of their own on Tatiana’s Day. On the eve of Jan. 25, students busy cramming for exams will often look out the window, wave their books, and shout “Khalyava, priiti!” (Give me a freebie!) to which passerby can respond, “Uzhe v puti!” (Your freebie is on its way!) Though on Tatiana’s Day itself students should be done with their winter exams, if you happen to hear a stray “Khalyava, priiti!” give a hearty “Uzhe v puti!” to join in the holiday fun.
Since 2005, when Jan. 25 was decreed a national holiday, students (and Tatianas) can attend events, visit winter attractions, and enjoy restaurant discounts across the country.
