The installation of the New Year tree in Donetsk has not yet been decided: they are afraid of shelling

“Olivier Index” in the capital of the DPR – at the level of average Russian prices

There is only a month left before the New Year, and the feeling of a holiday in Donetsk, alas, does not appear. November turned out to be quite warm and gave the Donetsk residents snow only once. Above zero temperature and green grass underfoot do not contribute to the realization that winter is coming.

Usually, by the end of November, New Year’s Eve passions were already in full swing in Donetsk: the first Christmas tree markets appeared, which immediately caused a storm of indignation with the prices of evergreen symbols of the new year, garlands along the roads decorated the streets of the city. This year, unfortunately, this does not happen.

But still, on the eve of the main winter holiday, Donetsk residents think about where they will celebrate the New Year, and how much the holiday will cost. Let’s start with the main attribute of the New Year – spruce. Artificial spruce trees with huge silver balls appeared only near Moloko stores and in Galaktika hypermarkets. Christmas decorations are already laid out on the shelves there. But the prices for artificial coniferous trees bite: a small table fir tree will cost at least 600 rubles. Prices for large trees start at 20 thousand.

But the tree still needs to be decorated. Here already a variety of goods can please any wallet: “rains” of all colors and sizes from 20 rubles, decorations in the form of symbols of 2023 – if you try, you can find very cute rabbits for 100 rubles, glass balls, snowflakes, garlands and even music boxes in the form of a New Year’s landscape, which can be put under the Christmas tree and which will cost at least 5-6 thousand rubles. And despite the lack of snow on the streets, sledges and ice-boats have already appeared on sale.

The beautiful Christmas tree is followed by another symbol of the New Year – tangerines. This year, a kilogram of sweet and sour “green” tangerines costs about 100 rubles. But sellers are already announcing the supply of Abkhazian tangerines familiar to the buyer at a much lower price.

Tangerines are followed by the classic of the New Year’s feast – everyone’s favorite Olivier salad. Grocery prices in Donetsk suggest that the Olivier index still rose compared to the previous year.

If you follow the classic modern recipe for meat salad, then for 4 people you need:

– Boiled potatoes – 4 pcs.

– Boiled carrots – 2 pcs.

– Boiled eggs – 4 pcs.

– Boiled sausage or chicken fillet – 300 gr.

– Pickled or fresh cucumbers – 4 pcs.

– Canned peas – 1 can.

– Mayonnaise – 250 gr.

– Greens.

Based on the monitoring of prices, one can easily calculate how much it will cost the residents of Donetsk to prepare a salad.

Potatoes and carrots at a market price will cost 50-70 rubles. Homemade eggs – 32 rubles, store-bought – 24 rubles. Sausage or chicken – from 100 to 150 rubles. If you opt for fresh cucumbers, then this item will cost about 80-100 rubles, if you choose pickled or salted – 70 rubles. Green peas – from 40 to 115 rubles. Mayonnaise – from 56 rubles per pack of 350 ml. And a bunch of greens on the market will cost from 10 to 45 rubles. Whether to add onions, grated sour apple, pickled capers or boiled turkey to a salad is the choice of every housewife. Thus, Donetsk residents will spend from 350 to 600 rubles on their favorite salad.

By the way, red caviar has already appeared on the shelves of supermarkets – a symbol of the New Year’s feast and the prosperity of the owners of the house. A jar of caviar from fish of the salmon family will cost from 400 to 700 rubles.

If parents decide to please their children with New Year’s chocolate sets, then you can safely add from 150 to 1200 rubles to the list of expenses, depending on the content of the colorful box with sweets.

To one more question – where to celebrate the New Year? The majority of Donetsk residents answer – “at home”. Many cafes are closed, the city center is under shelling, so this year the installation of the main Christmas tree of the Republic is in doubt. Official information about the installation of spruce on Lenin Square in Donetsk has not yet been received from the authorities.

But if you walk around the quiet city in the evening, you can see that flashing garlands have already appeared on some windows, which means that the feeling of a holiday is close at hand.