UPW BUTTERBYE'S RUSSIAN HOLIDAY MAGIC TIME PORTAL ADVENTURE

Did you know that Russians weren’t allowed to celebrate
Christmas for 80+ years, because atheism was the
state-mandated religion. So the communists used the
New Year as a subsitiute for the celebrations.

Butterbye........
how did they celebrate Christmas?

The Christmas Tree became the The
New Year's Tree, fondly called the
"yolka"

Ded Moroz, as Grandfather Frost is called in Russia, is
accompanied by Snegoruchka, the beautiful Snowmaiden

Who is the Snowmaiden?

Others said she was really a spirit-princess come to
earth.

I'll let you in on a little secret.........
New Year's in Russia is kind of like your Christmas!

When frost draws its winter fantasies on your windows
and snowflakes waltz around in a white dance, the magic
of the New Year Holiday begins to fill the air.......

So, where am I this New Year's Holiday?

Why in Russia, you ask?

Yup..thought I'd come along for the ride! snicker...snicker...
me and my gang, that is!

Gang? What gang?

Why, the three holiday sisters ......

Peace,Happiness and

Good Good Cheer!

Oh, well......
if you can't beat 'em join 'em!

What was that? Nothing ......nothing...

As I was saying............

And who are you?
I'm Rudolph the Red Nosed Cat!

Right.....Help! I'm in the twightlight zone!

Ok...listen up!

Meow......it's Happiness.

Princess, huh? Kool!
Now are you going to answer my question?

And you are? Cheer! You don't look very cheerful. I'm
having a bad hair day. Just like Commander Baby Girl,
isn't she, Time Adventurers? What did you say? Oh,
nothing, just that you reminded me of Princess Baby Girl.

Yes....yes...and yes!

At one time he lived in an
ice palace and slept
on a bed of snowflakes.

Only Grandfather Frost and the Snowmaiden know for
sure and their lips are sealed.

Was she the daughter of Grandfather Frost and Mother
Snow, sent to comfort the couple for a time?

Grandfather Frost felt sorry for them.
People who were kind and always good
touched his heart. And so, he raised his great
staff and suddenly the Snow Maiden came to life.

One winter day, to ease their loneliness, they began to
roll large snowballs together, and in a short while they
made a “snequrochka“, a Snow Maiden. She looked so
beautiful that they called her their ‘daughter’.

One Russian tale tells of a woodcutter and his
wife who were childless. They were a good and
kind couple but they were lonely.

But, with Global warming
it was hard to keep the
Ice Palace frozen .

But her spirit had leapt into the waiting arms of
Grandfather Frost and Mother Snow and they carried
her away over the stars to the far north, where she
plays all through the summer on the frozen seas.

But each year in winter, on the first day of the New
Year, Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden return to
Russia. And they continue to work their magic for those
who are kind and good. And they visit, in particular, the
children, bringing them gifts and helping them to make
their dreams come true, as they did long ago for the
woodcutter and his wife.

Both Grandfather Frost and the Snowmaiden have a
special power and can grant people the power to survive
the Winter

I love stories with a happy ending!

And you are.....Peace, silly!

You know, the New Year is very important in Russian
culture. It’s a time when anything is possible, when all
the wishes you make can come true, and when you can
truly, truly start over. It's a time when many Russian
fairy tales take place, magic abounds in the
snow-covered pine woods, and the Nutcracker comes
out of his casing.

So true, Peace.

Hi, Happiness!

Butterbye, the important thing
for your Time Travellers to
remember this holiday season..is
something they should remember
all year....

What is that, Peace?

You changed shape again!

I have a habit of doing that.
Kind of like you!

So, what should they remember?

To respect and honour the traditions of other people on
Planet Earth. To try to live in harmony with the Earth and
to work to make Planet Earth the best place in the galaxies
to live. Not only for today, but for future generations.

Ok..Time Travellers...
I think Peace has given you some good advice.

"You are the caretakers and better “get it together” soon.
Nowhere else can you get a gift like this.
What you do today affects tomorrow.”

We're leaving now!

Wow, Time Travellers, if I don't hurry
they'll leave me behind and I don't
want to miss this New Year's
Celebration!

And of course me, UPW Butterbye!

We wish you a.........

Hey, Time Travellers, the clock's
ticking! When you see the rest of
the crew tell them where I am...OK?

Until our next adventure!

UPW BUTTERBYE....SIGNING OFF!

buon anno!

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Many thanks to my very special Russian friend, Anastasia Kasparyan,
a brillant, exciting and innovative Interior Designer, for providing this
traditional Russian Christmas song.

S novim godom!

godt nyttår!

Scastny Novy Rok!

Kiortame pivdluaritlo!

Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar!

shnorhavor nor tari!

Hey, Butterbye, are you going to party with us or not?

They replaced Santa with Grandfather
Frost. He looks very much like Santa
Claus but arrives on New Year's Eve
with his bag of toys and his sidekick
the Snow Maiden!

Well, he freezes the water in
rivers and lakes, sends winter
snowstorms and wraps
tree-branches in hoarfrost.
At one time he was not so
kind and used to freeze lonely
travelers to death.

But what has that got to do with Russia?

Oh...good grief!
Not you?
Christmas Cat Tree
in person?

Butterbye, have you been time travelling too much?

Gradually he transformed into a
kind grandfather and king of
winter forests, sparkling with "diamonds, silver and
pearls".

There are many legends about her, Rudolph.

So in the late 20th century
Grandfather Frost "moved"
into a log palace in
Veliky Ustyug, in the north
of Russia. Each year he
receives thousands of letters from children asking him
to fulfill their cherished dreams.

Always wearing his traditional round hat
embroidered in silver, and his long coat
trimmed with white fur, white-haired
and white-bearded, he came to
symbolize wisdom, justice, wealth and
happiness. His miracle-working,
crystal-silver stick is a symbol of power.