Why are tangerines a symbol of the New Year in Russia? đ
âOlivierâ salad, Christmas tree, the clinking of glasses and a basket of tangerines. These are things Russians can't imagine New Year's Eve without. But, was it always like that?
Tangerines first appeared in the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century. They were delivered from Europe and only wealthy people could afford the then exotic fruit. In addition, deliveries were usually in late January, when the holidays were already over.
Later, tangerine trees appeared in neighboring Georgia, but still, the “golden apple of the sun” remained a rare and expensive fruit.
Everything changed in the 1960s, however, when the first cargo ship with tangerines arrived in the USSR from Morocco. Just in time for New Year's Eve.
There were no other fresh fruits on the Soviet New Year's table, so tangerines, with their pleasant citrus smell and already affordable price, immediately found their place.
Since then, many generations have been buying tangerines for New Year's Eve, even though, today, you can get any kind of exotic fruit.
