“It’s imperative to get together, no matter what” – Kommersant FM

Owner of the Helvetia Hotel Yunis Teymurkhanly: “For us, the New Year is an important tradition. We always get together as a big family: my parents, father-in-law, mother-in-law, children. And most importantly, every year our son and daughter prepare a surprise for us – this is a New Year’s performance. She and my grandmother, my mother, rehearse for a long time, they have a script, and the performance is costumed. At first only the son took part in it, then the daughter grew up. After the performance we sit down to the sweet table. The performance takes place in the middle of the evening, and in the morning we go out to set off fireworks on the embankment, because we live in the center of St. Petersburg.”

Founder of the Orange Fitness and City Fitness networks Anastasia Yusina: “Since I was a child, my older brother took me to an ice cream parlor every year. When we got older, there was no longer an ice cream parlor, but just a cafe with a glass of champagne. If he and I are in the same city, we always meet on December 31st and be sure to congratulate each other at lunch.”

President of the Pobeda confectionery factory Vitaly Muravyov: “The most family tradition, like most, is getting together. Since the family is large, there are five children who study at universities in different countries. Therefore, before the holidays, the New Year’s “gathering” begins, the coordination of everything, then the united celebration of the New Year. This is our tradition – we must get together, no matter what.”

Managing Partner of the Sesegar Investment Group Irina Zharova-Wright: “On December 30th or 31st I definitely go to the bathhouse. It sounds strange, but for me it’s like in that Soviet film. The bathhouse is one of the traditions that I try not to break. Another one is trips to visit elderly relatives. Once upon a time they came to us with gifts, our Grandfather Frosts and Snow Maidens, and now I act in this role, bringing them some small gifts, mostly something tasty. It’s clear that they can buy all this, but I want to spoil them with something.”