HOLIDAYS IN RUSSIA
  There are many national holidays in Russia,  when  people  all  over  the
country do not ,Twork and have special celebrations.
  The major holidays are: New Year's Day, Women's  Day,  May  Day,  Victory
 Day, and Independence Day.
   The first holiday of the year is New Year's Day.   People  see  the  new
 year in at midnight on the 31st of December.  They greet the new year with
 champagne and listen to the Kremlin chimes beating 12 o'clock.
   There are lots of New Year traditions in Russia.  In every home there is
 a New Year tree glittering with coloured lights and decorations.  Children
 always wait for Father Frost to come and give them a present.  Many people
 consider New Year's Day to be a family holiday.  But the young  prefer  to
 have New Year parties of their own.
   A renewed holiday in our country is Christmas.  It is celebrated on  the
 7th of January.  It's a religious holiday and a lot of people go to church
 services on that day.
   On the 8th of March we celebrate Women's Day when men are supposed to do
 everything about the house and cook all the meals.
   The greatest national holiday in our country is Victory Day.  On the 9th
 of May, 1945, the Soviet Army  and  its  allies  completely  defeated  the
 German fascists and the Second World  War  and  the  Great  Patriotic  War
 ended.  This year we celebrated the 54th  anniversary(годовщина)  of  this
 great event.  A magnificent memorial on Poklonnaya Gora has been built  to
 commemorate the Victory.  Many veterans took part in the  military  parade
 and laid wreaths on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  All stood in silence
 for a minute.  Radio and television broadcast popular war  songs  all  day
 long.  A lot of guests from different  countries  of  the  world  came  to
 Moscow to participate in the celebrations.
   Independence Day is a new holiday in our country.  On the 12th of  June,
 1992, the first President of Russia was elected.
  We also celebrate Day of  the  Defender  of  Motherland  on  the  23d  of
 February, Easter, Day of Knowledge and lots of professional holidays which
 are not public holidays and banks, offices and schools do not close.