Merry Christmas in Russian
С Рождеством!
S Rozhdestvom
Say it like this: s rahzh-dist-VOHM
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Russian, Merry Christmas is С Рождеством! (S Rozhdestvom), said like s rahzh-dist-VOHM.
- Happy New Year is С Новым годом! (S Novym godom).
- People say it in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.
What S Rozhdestvom means
'С' means 'with' and 'Рождеством' comes from 'Рождество', the Nativity, meaning Christmas. So it is literally 'With Christmas!' or 'Happy Christmas!'.
Russian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, which has 33 letters.
Other ways to say it in Russian
С Рождеством Христовым!
S Rozhdestvom Khristovym
Say it like this: s rahzh-dist-VOHM khris-TOH-vim
Means "with the Nativity of Christ". A fuller, more formal version.
Счастливого Рождества!
Schastlivogo Rozhdestva
Say it like this: shis-LEE-vuh-vuh rahzh-dist-VAH
Means "happy Christmas". Another warm way to say it.
Happy New Year
С Новым годом!
S Novym godom
Say it like this: s NOH-vim GOH-dum
Happy New Year (literally "with the new year")
To write in a Christmas card
С Новым годом и Рождеством!
S Novym godom i Rozhdestvom
Say it like this: s NOH-vim GOH-dum ee rahzh-dist-VOHM
Where people speak Russian
RussiaBelarusKazakhstanKyrgyzstan
Russian (Русский) belongs to the Slavic (Indo-European) language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches Moscow at about 12:50 AM local time, then visits Tashkent, and kids learn to say С Рождеством! as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Moscow →Christmas traditions where people speak Russian
- Christmas on January 7: The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7 and fasts for 40 days beforehand. Christmas Eve is January 6, with church services and a meat-free meal that includes sochivo, a sweet grain dish also called kutia.[3][4]
- Ded Moroz and Snegurochka: Gifts are traditionally brought by Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, who travels with his granddaughter Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden. They visit at New Year, not Christmas, and at parties children call out for them, and the lights on the tree come on.[3][4]
- The New Year tree: Christmas trees were banned in the Soviet period until 1935, when they became New Year trees. Today the decorated fir tree, called a yolka, is still the center of the New Year celebration for most families.[4]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Russian
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- CzechVeselé Vánoce
- PolishWesołych Świąt
- UkrainianЗ Різдвом!
- FaroeseGleðilig jól
- BulgarianВесела Коледа
- SlovakVeselé Vianoce
- SwedishGod jul
- AlbanianGëzuar Krishtlindjen
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Russian?
The most common way is "С Рождеством!" (S Rozhdestvom, s rahzh-dist-VOHM). You can also say "С Рождеством Христовым!" for a fuller version, or "Счастливого Рождества!" for Happy Christmas. Most Russian Orthodox Christians say it on January 7.[1][3]
How do you pronounce С Рождеством?
Say "s rahzh-dist-VOHM". The first word is just the letter s. In Рождеством the stress is on the last part, vom. The first o sounds like a short ah, and the zhd cluster is quick: rahzh-dist. Listen to a native speaker to catch the rhythm.[1][4]
What does С Рождеством mean?
С means with, and Рождеством comes from Рождество, the word for Christmas, which is related to birth. So the phrase means With Christmas, a short way to say Happy Christmas. Russians use the same pattern for other holidays, such as С Новым годом for New Year.[1]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Russian?
Write it in Cyrillic as С Рождеством. The first word is a single capital С, which looks like an English C but sounds like s. Rozhdestvo starts with a capital Р, which looks like a P but sounds like r. On cards, an exclamation mark is common.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Russian?
Say "С Новым годом!" (S Novym godom, s NOH-vim GOH-dum). New Year, not Christmas, is the biggest winter celebration in Russia. Families gather around the New Year tree on December 31, and many cards combine both: С Новым годом и Рождеством![2][4]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Russian?
С Рождеством works with everyone. A more formal or religious version is "С Рождеством Христовым", meaning With the Nativity of Christ. You can add polite wishes such as "Желаю вам счастья и здоровья", I wish you happiness and health, when writing to teachers or elders.[1]
When do people say С Рождеством in Russia?
People say it on Christmas Eve, January 6, and on Christmas Day, January 7, and in the days after. Because Orthodox Christmas is January 7, the greeting is mostly heard in early January, not on December 25. The church holds a 40-day fast before Christmas, and the feasting begins after the Christmas Eve service.[3][4]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Russia?
Both matter. Christmas Eve, January 6, brings church services and a meat-free meal. January 7 is Christmas Day. For many families, the biggest celebration of the winter is New Year's Eve on December 31, with Ded Moroz and gifts, not Christmas.[4][3]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in Russia?
Many Orthodox families keep the 40-day Nativity Fast, then share sochivo or kutia on Christmas Eve. At New Year, children wait for Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and his granddaughter Snegurochka, who bring gifts. The New Year tree, or yolka, is decorated by the whole family.[4][3]
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Christmas in Russia, Wikipedia
- Christmas in Russia, WhyChristmas.com
