This is an amazing country. No matter to which nationality one belongs, we celebrate at least 2 Christmases, 4 New Years and 3 Passovers here! And this is not because we need a cause for drinking but just because we are a supermultinational country! Do not even try to do any serious business or make appointments with locals on the day before a holiday. Also, do not be surprised to see your local colleagues and partners taking out bottles of vodka and laying tables at work on such days.
Official holidays are only 8 in number and all are days off.
December 31 - January 1,2 - New Year
March 8 - International Women's Day
March 22 - Nauryz
May 1 - Solidarity Day of People of Kazakhstan
May 9 - Victory Day
August 30 - Kazakhstan Constitution Day
October 25 - Republic Day
December 16 - Independence Day
New Year's Day is the most favourite holiday in Kazakhstan. By the love of people and its scale it can be compared to Christmas in the West. People place gifts under New Year's Trees and under kids' pillows. Local Santa Claus is called Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost). He has a granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Girl).
There is also Old New Year's Day celebrated on the night of January 13-14. When Russia adopted the European calendar in the XVIII-th century, Russian Orthodox Church kept following the old calendar for its holidays, which was 13 days behind the new one.
Another New Year that people like to celebrate here just for fun is the Chinese (Buddhist) New Year. It falls on the first moon day of the new calendar year.
The fourth (:)))) New Year is Nauryz. Historically, all Turkic nations have celebrated New Year on the day of Vernal Equinox. Nauryz is also the name of the month (March). People in ancient Kazakhstan used to have feasts for the whole month of March welcoming springtime.
Appearance of Women's Day dates back to the first years of the Soviet Union when bolsheviks admitted that "a woman is a human beeing too" (:))) On this day men give gifts and flowers to all women and girls. As a result, in the evening of March 8 one can hardly find any flowers and prices are ripping off.
Men also have their (unofficial) holiday. In the Soviet Union, February 23 used to be the Red Army Day. Traditionally, people have considered this holiday to be not only for army men but for all men in general.
On May 9 people commemorate the victory of the Soviet Union over Germany in WW II.
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