Sending gift baskets to Russia: what you should know
If you are casual or business acquaintances, it can be harder to know what to send. You may not have their personal preferences to rely on, but don’t worry! Below you’ll find some tips on when to send gifts as well as what to send. Keep in mind that the most important thing should always be that your gift is sent with deep sincerity and well wishes.
Holidays Observed In Russia
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Public Holidays in Russia
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Jewish Holidays in Russia
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Muslim Holidays in Russia
- Eid Milad ul-Nabi
- Eid al-Fitr (also known as Uraza Bayram)
- Eid al-Adha (also known as Qurban Bayram)
- Muharram/Islamic New Year
- Ramadan
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Christian Holidays in Russia
What are some Unique Holiday Traditions in Russia that I should know about?
You should know that holidays in Russia are a very big deal. Businesses shut down, family and friends work to be close to one another and enjoy a day off with good food, great company, and often deep reflection. They honor their religions, their country, and their traditions fiercely and with great pride. Remembering some of the holidays or traditions specific to your recipients is a great way to show how much you care. When in doubt, just ask them! They’ll take great joy in telling you about the holidays that mean the most to them. Below are some of the ones our team gets the most questions about.
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Christmas — Don’t send your gifts on December 25th here. In Russia, the date for Christmas follows Orthodox tradition, starting on January 6th or 7th and ending on January 19th. That’s about 2 weeks of holiday, and sending a gift anytime during this period will be well received. But make sure you order early, as many services close entirely or only serve half days for the first week of Christmas.
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Knowledge Day — celebrated on September 1st, this marks the beginning of the school year for students. You’ll find that many send their children off with flowers or small treats to encourage them. It’s a good time to send a surprise to friends and family you know are continuing their studies, children and adults will welcome a few sweets and a lovely bouquet!
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International Women’s Day — celebrated around the world on March 8th. This holiday started as a way to bring attention to the struggles women face. Now it serves as not only that but a day to honor the women in your life. In Russia, you will find most women enjoy flowers and other small tokens of thanks from those closest to them.
How are birthdays celebrated in Russia?
Celebrating a friend’s birthday in Russia is a great time to spoil them a bit extra. However, there are some things that you should know before you send that birthday gift. For starters it’s actually considered bad luck to celebrate a birthday early; some believe it means that you may not make it to the actual date. It’s not at all uncommon for people to celebrate their birthday the weekend after the actual date when most are off of work anyway. So if you’re sending a gift, make sure it is scheduled for the Day of the birthday, but no later than the weekend following it. An early gift may cause unintended offense.
Sending money, or gift cards, on birthdays is actually very common, especially if it is a big milestone in their life. If you’re sending a bouquet you always want the bouquet to have an odd number of flowers, and avoid yellow. Yellow in Russia symbolizes separation and could cause your friend to think you no longer want anything to do with them.
Keep in mind that reaching out to those close to your recipient for advice on what to send is actually quite common, and is another way to show how much you care and how seriously you take the date. So don’t hesitate to ask for advice, or stick with gift cards when in doubt!
Are there special rules for sending business gifts to Russia?
Sending business gifts to Russia is a great way to strengthen partnerships and show your appreciation for past work together. But you’ll want to make sure the gift is more about the recipient than showing off your company. Keep branded items to a minimum; your company name should really only appear on the card, so they know who to thank.
You’ll also want to stay away from cheap items, or items that Russia is known for, such as vodka. Sending a cheap item or an item they have ready quality access to can be seen as an insult. Instead, opt for imported sweets of notable quality and well-known wines. Artisan sweets, and gourmet items, even local ones, are also well received. And while this may not be the first thought to come to mind, high-quality office supplies are also common and appreciated. Top-tier pens, a quality leather organizer, even a sleek business card holder can be a good call, especially if you know it’s something they’ve been looking at for themselves.
What are the best romantic gifts in Russia?
Sending a romantic gift to Russia is all about impressing the recipient. It is not uncommon for long courtships to go on, even well past the first few dates, so make sure you’re sending gifts for no other reason than to show your affection, as well as big dates such as anniversaries.
An odd number of flowers in bouquets is a must, but pairing these flowers with something like perfume or jewelry will show that you are serious about wanting the relationship to last. And don’t think that gifts are just for women! Men should be courted just as much.
What are the most popular things to send to Russia?
The most popular gifts to send to Russia are our bouquets or gift cards, including gift cards for services! It seems the ability to choose their gift, or when they are to be pampered is something recipients enjoy the most!
Gifts for Him
It might surprise you to hear, but sending gifts to a Russian guy in your life is actually not as hard as it can be here in the Western part of the world. Men in Russia are known for liking bath products just as much as women. A new bottle of cologne, shower gel, or a new razor are perfectly acceptable gifts. On the flip side, it may come as no surprise that a quality bottle of alcohol is a great gift for your male recipient. Cognac, Whiskey, and even tequila (in more recent years) make for great gifts. Gifts like wine, chocolates, and flowers do tend to be a bit more gender-specific, so we recommend you avoid sending those.
Gifts for Her
As you might have suspected from the previous section, sending items such as high-quality wine, decadent chocolates, or flowers are all great options for sending gifts to a Russian lady in your life. Stay away from store-bought cheap chocolates, and make sure to invest in something a little fancier. Russian women are highly fond of quality chocolates as gifts, but let’s be honest who isn’t?
How to Write the Address for Delivery to Russia
Addresses in Russia can be a good deal longer than most nations are typically used to. However, they are just as straightforward if you know all of the parts. The biggest thing to note is that addresses for rural areas are longer than those for larger towns or cities. Below is the list of information you’ll need, with notes about which are for rural areas:
- Recipient name
- Street name, number of the house, apartment or floor number, if applicable
- City, town, or locality
- District (for rural areas)
- Province (for rural areas)
- Postal code
- Country
Below is an example of how an address to Russia might look:
Ivan Smith
Snowdrift Street, 123, ap. 25
Moscow
101000
RUSSIA
Other gifting etiquettes you should consider
We know we mentioned it a little earlier in the article, but we feel it’s worth repeating. Never send an even number of flowers or flowers that are yellow to someone in Russia. Both of these symbolize endings and are most often used for grief or during funerals.
It’s almost ALWAYS a good idea to include a personalized note to the person you are sending your gift to.
If you are sending something to a family with children in the home, consider adding a small gift for the child as well. Children are highly treasured in Russian culture.
Never send a baby gift to a pregnant woman in Russia prior to the baby being born.
If you’re sending a gift to a friend, blue is always a good color.
Carnations are associated with funerals, so stay away from sending this particular bloom.