6 x antique christmas ornaments, vegetable stew

Since 1937, the Jolka Festival has been celebrated in Russia on New Year’s Day. Jolka stands in Russian for „fir tree”, which is splendidly decorated as a symbol of winter. Originally, the festival was intended as a substitute for the Christian Christmas, which the Soviets had banned in the October Revolution of 1917. Christmas with all its gifts was considered a capitalist feast for the wealthy bourgeoisie. The prohibition lasting until about 1935 when the New Year’s tree was revived for the children, and celebrated with Soviet ornaments and decorations. Ornaments of a religious nature were not allowed. The themes of the small glass objects were as secular as the occasion of the festival. There were no angels or Christ children, but things that surrounded people, from traffic lights and cars to flower vases, soccer balls and teapots. In addition, children and grandmothers, fairy-tale characters and again and again Ded Moroz, the Russian Santa Claus, and his granddaughter Snegurochka. And what could not be missing from any New Year tree was a clock, with the hands on just before twelve. Very important was also the department of fruits and vegetables, with garlic, pea pods and eggplant. Another theme complex dealt with the propaganda with hammer & sickle ornaments, soldiers and submarines. And with the world’s first space flight of the Soviets, cosmonauts and rockets became en vogue. 

Set of 6 different vegetables, including onion, peas, eggplant, tomato, carrots

Sizes up to 15 cm

Soviet union, around 1950-1980