#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR.
“December 31, 1956. The large gym of the Physical Education House looks unusual. White snowflakes descend from the high ceiling, a slender, beautiful Christmas tree shimmers in its rich attire, masks, balloons, confetti, and streamers are briskly sold in hut-kiosks, and cheerful couples dance tirelessly. There are a lot of dancers: here are the Snow Maiden, and the Gypsy, and Father Frost, and Little Red Riding Hood, and the Spanish Grand, and many masks. The masquerade ball is in full swing. The old year is inexorably losing its last minutes. And although it is a little sad to part with it, because it gave everyone a lot of joy, the future is stronger, it has hopes and prospects. When the clock hands imperceptibly moved towards the number 12, silence fell in the huge hall. It’s finally 12. The year 1957 has arrived! The Christmas tree flashed with lights, lit up, and sparkled. Everyone congratulates each other, wishes them happiness and success. The combine director Alexey Loginov congratulates the youth. The traditional, first waltz of the new year begins… Young builders, miners, and metallurgists celebrated the New Year cheerfully. For three days they had fun at the evenings in the Physical Education House, in the Houses of Culture of metallurgists and miners. Masquerade balls took place in the builders’ club, in clubs in the villages of Ugolny, Zaozerny, and Zub-Gora”.
1967:
“New Year is the best holiday for everyone, and especially for children. The store teams tried to colorfully decorate the windows and sales areas. It’s nice to go to the Severok shop: in department No. 2 you will be greeted by Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, and the astronaut in the rocket is just like a real one: it turns on automatically and even “gives signals from space”. Every child imagines himself sitting in the rocket, and no persuasion helps get him out of the store. Even if you don’t make a purchase, the mood still remains festive”.
1974:
“The unusual order was promptly fulfilled by employees of the combine’s auxiliary enterprises department. Fifteen meters high, the beautiful Christmas tree is built from six hundred artificial Christmas trees attached to a central rod. Norilsk children took the most active part in its decoration – many schools in the city organized real Christmas tree decoration factories. Artists and sculptors came to Metallurgists square, where the Christmas tree was already installed. This time they turned to the most accessible material in the North – snow and ice. During the winter holidays, the Christmas tree and the snowy mountain for sledding will become a favorite vacation spot for Norilsk children”.
In the History Spot’s previous publication, we talked about the New Year holidays in Norilsk.
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Text: Svetlana Ferapontova, Photo: Nornickel Polar Branch archive
