#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. They were harvested centrally, in places specially designated for logging in the vicinity of Norilsk. Residents were prohibited from cutting down trees in the tundra on their own, as they had done before. Christmas tree decorations were also made in Norilsk – in the furniture workshop of the construction parts plant and in the chemical laboratory. Gifts were coupons for food or clothing items – they were in short supply in the Norilsk trade of those years.
From the memoirs of Agnia Kolesnikova:
“In 1944–1945, I celebrated the New Year at DITR (House of Engineering and Technical Workers). For the best dance, my friend and I were awarded prizes: perfume and cologne, respectively. Back in those years, orders for goods were issued. I remember the blue dress I received with that “document,” which I wore on New Year’s Day, and black lace-up shoes with small heels. They were sewn for me in Norilsk in 1944”.
From the memoirs of Anatoly Mikhalchenko:
“In the 1950s, our House of Physical Education on Octyabrskaya street, or as it was called at that time, a large gym, was the center of public life. There were celebrations, performances by athletes, and on New Year’s Eve – festive evenings with dancing. It was not easy to get to the New Year party in the House of Physical Education, as well as in the DITR, and in the theater. Invitations were distributed among enterprises; it was impossible to get in from the street. They were seated on all floors, and downstairs in the hall there was a decorated Christmas tree and cotton-wool Father Frost and Snow Maiden. I remember that the dancing had already begun, and suddenly smoke came out of the hall: apparently something was starting to smoke from sparklers or garlands. The firefighters arrived, also tipsy, as it was New Year. And although there was no open fire, only smoke, they began to water the hall along with the people from their fire hoses. There was a crowd, people were running to the doors, someone got caught in the stream, the tree was almost floating… And I climbed onto the wall bars and watched from above – it was both laughter and sin.”
From the memoirs of Lyubov Muzychenko:
“The most vivid childhood memory is New Year. My father took me to matinees at the locomotive depot, to the Luch cinema and to the miners’ club at the Zero Point. I have always been a Snowflake – my mother sewed a costume from gauze. The finished dress was impregnated with a special solution, which was used to treat papier-mâché Father Frosts and Snow Maidens to prevent them from burning. Norilsk residents took that solution in the fire department. They also dipped the suit into water with starch and, upon taking it out, immediately applied the “White Snow” gloss, which was sold in the store. To make the glitter stick better, the damp fabric was ironed. The dress looked stiff and shiny, and the skirt looked like a tutu. The crown was cut out of cardboard, covered with gauze and crumbs from broken Christmas tree decorations were applied to it. On the morning of December 31, we woke up to the smell of pine needles, because dad at night put a live Christmas tree bought from the Pioneers’ House or the Talnah department store in a bucket of sand. At work, my father was given three gorgeous New Year’s gifts. The paper bag contained: tangerine, apple, walnuts, hazelnuts, chocolates and cookies. We didn’t eat them, but wrapped them in threads and hung them on the tree”.
In the History Spot photo project’s previous publication, we talked about the New Year holidays.
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Text: Svetlana Ferapontova, Photo: Nornickel Polar Branch archive
