During Logan's adoption we were able to experience Nauryz first hand - we LOVED it and framed the picture of Larry and I in full Kazakh attire - that was shared with us during our "stroll" from yurt to yurt.



I also know for my children's scrapbooks - I was hungry for information about the traditions and holidays - I found this in my "archives" - the link no longer works - it was from a expat's site. I think you'll find it well worth the time to read.....

Kazakhstan's official public holidays always mean a day off from work. For all holidays, a universal greeting is "S prazdnikom!" (happy holiday!).

Locals are also inclined to assimilate some western holidays like Christmas on December 25th (the Orthodox Christian Church celebrates it on January 7th), St.Valentine's Day, and Halloween.

It's customary to arrive at least 15 minutes late for parties. If you're invited to visit somebody's home, you should take a small gift like a box of chocolates or a bottle of good wine. For more information, read Local Etiquette and Superstitions.

Official Public Holidays

New Year's Day
(January 1 and either December 31 or January 2)

International Women's Day
(March 8)

Nauryz
(March 22)

Day of People's of the Republic of Kazakhstan
(May 1)

Victory Day
(a commemoration of the end of WWII for Russia on May 9, 1945)

Kazakhstan Constitution Day
(30 August)

Republic Day
(October 25)

Independence Day
(December 16)

Happy New Year!

December 31st - January 1st. December 31st is a working day, and people sometimes rest on January 1st and January 2nd. New Year's Eve is by far the biggest holiday for all ex-Soviet people, as well as their favorite. They love it so much, in fact, they celebrate it twice a year. One of the most difficult things for expats to understand is what "Old New Year" means. Before Peter the Great (d.1725 AD), the Russian calendar was the Julian calendar, 13 days behind the European one. Peter, a great reformer, made a ruling to change the calendar, but people's habits were harder to change, and they continued to follow the old-style calendar for religious holidays and every day occasions. So, there is a real New Year's Eve, the night of December 31st and January 1st, and the Old New Year on January 12th . The Orthodox Church, which was in opposition to most of Peter's reforms, also refused to assume the Gregorian calendar and, for example, still celebrates Christmas on January 7th while the rest of the Christian world has festivities on December 25th.

As a greeting, say "S Novyom Godom!" (Happy New Year!) in Russian.

International Women's Day

Celebrated on the 8th of March, International Women's Day is very similar to the American Mother's Day. The only difference is that not only mothers, but also all girls and women are congratulated. Local men give flowers and gifts to their female relatives and colleagues. At home, they do housework and try to be real gentlemen. Women can also give each other flowers and presents. The common greeting in Russian is "S Vosmym Marta!"

Nauryz

March 22nd. Nauryz is an ancient Turkic New Year, the celebration of coming Spring on the day of the Vernal Equinox. There are a lot of holiday activities around the city, most of which represent Kazakh national traditions. Asians really enjoy this day, while for others it may be no more than an official holiday. Walk around downtown to listen to akyns (national poets/singers), see national contests, folk games, dancing, etc. Kazakh national food is everywhere, but cooking nauryz kozhe is a must. Nauryz kozhe (a special holiday dish) consists of seven components - wheat, oats, rice, barley, raisins, wild apricots, and millet. It symbolizes the hope for well-being in the coming year. You may say Nauryz kutty bolsyn! to wish a happy holiday in Kazakh.

Day of People's of the Republic of Kazakhstan

May 1st. During Soviet times, it was the Day of Working People's Solidarity and was renamed the Day of National Unity as Kazakhstan gained independence. Older generations, nostalgic for Soviet times, warmly congratulate each other. For most people, it's just a day off without any ideological implication.

Victory Day

May 9th. The day of the victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is a very important day for all the ex-Soviet states. Over 20 million Soviet people perished during the war and, in fact, there was at least one dead in every family. Even though there are very few veterans left, the government - much to the disgust of the people - eliminated all kinds of benefits that they enjoyed.

Almaty was one of the fortunate cities not directly affected by the war because German troops never reached Central Asia. Almaty housed many refugees and a lot of institutions were evacuated to Almaty from invaded regions. For example, Mosfilm (Moscow Film Studio) and the Children's Theater boosted the local cinema and theater progress.