My First Russian Birthday Party
Today (Oct. 7) was Nastya's Fifth Birthday (aka the princess in the picture. She's the oldest of the three little girls I live with). ..It was also Putin's Birthday, funny enough. Anyway! the entire host family (minus one, who was working) gathered in the cramped kitchen to celebrate. It was nice that they invited me, too. We sat around the сладкий стол ("sweet table") which was covered with marshmallows, bananas and oranges, some apple sauce thing made of sliced apples, cinnamon and honey, and last but not least: a homemade apple пирог (pirogi), which is a traditional russian pastry made of dough and filling. They can be sweet or savory.
But in this case, it was more like a pastry cake. On the "cake" written in pieced of rolled dough, was written с Днём Рождения! (Happy Birthday). Don't be discouraged if you can't read it on the picture above - it's upside down :)
When everyone was there, 5 candles were placed in the pirogi, lit, and the lights were turned off, just like they would have been in the US. But unlike the US, we didn't sing any birthday songs, or any songs at all, for that matter. Nastya blew out the candles, the lights were turned back on, and we all cheered. After the pirogi was served (with ice cream), and tea was passed around, Nastya's mom, Julia (in photo), gave a toast about how great a child Nastya is, and we all ate, talked, and drank tea.
Then came the presents. For her Birthday, Nastya got some glitter gel pens from her two 3-year-old twin sisters (haha), some children's books from her mother, and her first camera from her father. Of course, the camera was a huge hit and Nastya began take close-up's of everyone at the table. "And that's the end of our peaceful lives," joked Paulina, Julia's sister.
Overall a successful Birthday, I'd say.
What did I give her, you ask? Well, lucky for me, I had been saving some gifts I brought from the US. I gave her a pillow pet :) She loves it - and so do her sisters.
I wish I took more pictures - like a group shot - but maybe I can get some photos from Paulina. If I do, I'll post them later.