A pioneer girl decorating Soviet New Year tree. Soviet New Year greeting cards history

Soviet New Year greeting cards history

How celebrated New Year’s Day in the USSR? Well, approximately the same way as in modern Russia.
First of all, it should be noted that neither in Soviet times, nor in modern Russia the tree, the holiday, and the whole celebration can be called “Christmas”. Instead, it’s always been a New Year’s Day, New Year tree and New Year holidays. And Christmas in the USSR, as well as in modern Russia, is celebrated on January 7, very modestly, and after the grandiosely and noisy celebration of New Year’s day holidays. But in Soviet history was the period covering roughly about two decades, when the traditional New Year tree, Father Frost (Ded Moroz) and Snowmaiden (Snegurochka) weren’t encouraged, as if did not exist at all. The same goes for Christmas cards, that is, in early 1920s – 1930s they were not printed. It all started December 27, 1935 when four senior leaders headed by Stalin were traveling in a car inspecting New Year’s Moscow.
More »

90th anniversary of Lenin’s birth. 1960. Soviet medalist Nikolay Sokolov (December 28, 1892 – April 7, 1974)

Soviet medalist Nikolay Sokolov (December 28, 1892 – April 7, 1974) – sculptor, Honored Art worker of the RSFSR, Honored Artist of the RSFSR. Since January 1, 1950 to June 1, 1971 – the main artist of the Leningrad Mint, author of many medals, including portraits of political and public figures of the Soviet Union. Nikolay Aleksandrovich Sokolov was born in 1892. He studied at the Leningrad Institute of improvement of professional skill of art workers. In 1925-1926 he worked at the Leningrad Mint under the direction of F. Vasyutinsky. The talented sculptor-medalist, the author of numerous commemorative medals in a variety of materials, including bronze, silver, gold, Nikolai Sokolov, worked for many years on the image of the great leader Vladimir Lenin. The Government appreciated the contribution of the sculptor-medalist, awarding him the Order of Lenin. During the life of the Soviet medalist, in honor of his 70th anniversary was released Medal “NA Sokolov” (USSR, Leningrad Mint, 1962, medalist A.V.Kozlov).
More »

Every revolution is only worth anything unless it can defend itself. Vladimir Lenin. In a world of wise thoughts USSR matchbox labels. Sloboda match factory “Belka”. 1967

Great Stanislavsky wrote that thoughts were feelings originally. Therefore, when we read the thoughts and sayings of great people, first of all we get acquainted with their feelings, and relate with ours. Thought reaches its maximum effect at a time when it is laconic. It is practically impossible not to understand the meaning, enclosed in two or three sentences. Such thoughts, or words of wisdom came in a series of the USSR match labels produced at Sloboda match factory “Belka”, match factory Balabanovo, Kaluga factory Giant, and the Kirov factory Red Star. Quotes in the world without the Internet and mobile communications served as auto-motivators. Wise thoughts USSR matchbox labels were always at hand – on a matchbox. These wise thoughts taught Soviet people kindness, diligence, honesty, good attitude towards others and life.
More »

Soviet Youth Day, USSR postage stamp of 1958 (green)

Favorite holiday of all young people in the USSR, it is still celebrated in every city and town of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The history of the “Soviet Youth Day” dates back February 7, 1958, after the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union “On Establishing Soviet Youth Day”. That decree ordered to celebrate Youth Day every year on the last Sunday of June. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union put the main task for the festive events on the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League. At that time, as all the administrative units of the Soviet Union of Soviet Socialist Republics celebrated this holiday together, but after perestroika and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation has changed. Since independence, some former Soviet republics transferred this feast to the next day, some have changed its name, and some have abolished it. However, there are those who sought to preserve the best traditions inherent in the rule of the Communist Party. Due to this, at the moment, on the last Sunday of June the Day of Youth is celebrated in Belarus and Ukraine.
More »

Galina Ulanova (8 January 1910 – 21 March 1998) in “Bakhchisarai Fountain”. 1958 Soviet Ballet Matchbox Labels

1958 Soviet Ballet Matchbox Labels
Balabanovo experimental factory in Kaluga region issued in 1958 a series of matchbox labels on the theme of Soviet ballet. Labels with images of outstanding ballerinas of the 20th century – Olga Lepeshinskaya, Galina Ulanova, Marina Semyonova, Marianna Bogolyubskaya, Sulamith Messerer, Anatoly Kuznetsov, Vladimir Preobrazhensky, Asaf Messerer, Michael Gabovich, and other famous Soviet ballet dancers. The inscriptions on the labels are in French, as in 1958, gift sets of matches were shown on various subjects in the Soviet pavilion at the World Exhibition in Brussels.
More »

Revolutionary Era First Soviet toys. Pilot. Aircraft. Board Game ‘Following the path of heroes’. 1930s

Revolutionary Era First Soviet toys

Immediately after the revolution, the need for a toy has become a requirement of life. But in the country, fighting on the front, and then selflessly restoring the destroyed economy, there were not, and could not be companies that produced such products. It is no coincidence one of the first government regulations partially permitted free trade in toys, among other handicrafts. In the 1920s and even the 30s in different parts of the USSR, especially in the provinces, the most common and affordable remained homemade toy. It was made for and by the children themselves, as well as single artisans, selling their simple goods in the markets and fairs. Living in the distant cities and villages, they kept folk art features in their handmade products.
More »

In service of mankind – Chemistry inspired USSR matchbox labels

Chemistry in service of mankind – Chemistry inspired USSR matchbox labels

In the USSR, Chemical industry has been widely developed, particularly in Russia and Ukraine. Produced: mineral fertilizers, crop protection chemicals (164 thousand tons in 1970), Sulfuric acid (12.1 million tonnes), soda (3.67 million tonnes) and caustic (1.94 million tons), soda, synthetic resin and plastics, chemical fibers and threads, tires (34.6 million units), and others. It is natural that with such development of the industry, it has received attention from the state – a professional holiday was established. An outstanding scientist, the founder of the periodic table of chemical elements Dmitri Mendeleev was the personification of the profession. Issued stamps dedicated to the scientist, published a series of matchbox labels, popularizing science and the chemical industry. The chemist Day – a professional holiday of the chemical and petrochemical industry workers, which dates back to Soviet times. Day of the chemist was established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from October 1, 1980 “On holidays and memorial days” and is celebrated annually on the last Sunday of May.
More »