Size: approx. 4 Metric: 10 cm Consists of: 3 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days Origin: Russian Federation PRODUCT DETAILS: As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist. This doll will undoubtedly make a great Easter gift to anyone. MORE INFO / RELATED STORY: EASTER In Russia the Easter Holiday is the most important holy festival of the year, with the tradition of exchange of eggs and three kisses as symbols of Resurrection. Easter commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Eggs that are given at this time symbolize new life. Easter Observance Maslenitsa In old Russia, two months of every year was dedicated to the preparation and celebration of Easter. Like the Catholics, the Russians started the season with a festive celebration. Maslenitsa, or Butter Week, was eight fun days of stuffing, feasting, and carnival. Huge quantities of blini(small pancakes smothered in butter) were eaten at every meal. Shortly before Maslenitsa small cakes in the shape of larks were sold, representing the warmth, sky, and merrymaking that was soon to follow. Maslenitsa began eight weeks before Easter. Ice slides, booths, merry-go-rounds, jugglers, buffoons and mimes, ventriloquists, and swings made this week a carnival. There were sleigh processions, also. Businesses, schools, and public offices closed in the last days of Maslenitsa. The wealthy, decked in their finest jewels, went to dancing lunches and evening balls. Others started drinking in the morning, and were in high spirits all day. It was a festive week, similar to Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. The Great Fast After the carnival was the Great Fast, of Lent. It was observed by everyone. No animal or fowl meat, milk, eggs, butter, or sugar was allowed. Some alternatives were mushrooms, cabbage, oil, fish and potatoes, and coffee with milk of almonds. In the eighteenth century caviar was used extensively as a replacement for butter. At the start of Lent some people bought birds and set them free as a sign of hope that God would liberate them from their sins. Public amusement, dancing, and theatrical performances were forbidded, replaced by singing, concerts, and conservation. Palm Sunday, or Verbnoe Voskresene, was a happy break in the Great Fast. Great quantities of pussy willows were cut and brought in bundles to the cities. The Thursday before Palm Sunday saw cheerful and animated exhibitions of toys and flowers. In the Palm Market in St. Petersburg, every variety of branches, bare or decorated with paper flowers or leaves, were seen. Many booths were dedicated to wax angels. Eastern sherbets, Constantinople confections, icons, and even crosses made of gingerbread were also sold. This was a festival for the children. Toy and confections of sugar were given. Wealthy uncles and godfathers gave richly decorated palm branches, with gold angels, silver leaves, and small present-filled fruits on them, to nieces and godchildren. There were hugh markets of flowers and minature toy dealers. A great procession was held on the eve of Palm Sunday to commemorate Christs entry into Jerusalem. People carried branches and sang hymns. The priests blessed the branches. The next morning it was the universal custom for children to beat those who had not risen from their beds with the branches. Eggs played an important role in the great festival, both at the Palm Market and at Easter. A number of eggs were dyed red, which were then given to the priest and carried around for days after Easter. The egg symbolized life, hope, and the Resurrection. It was customary to give an egg to every acquaintance met. Games were played with eggs, and then hugh quantities were eaten and used in the traditional Easter bread and dessert. Many eggs were decorated, some with short remembrances of the Resurrection and others exquisitely decorated, such as the Ukrainian pisanky. Easter The Orthodox Easter usually falls later than the Catholic Easter, depending on when Passover is. The Russian Easter falls one week after Passover. In old Russia, this was the holiday, the occasion of importance. Houses were scrubbed and furniture was repaired. Elaborate preparations were made in anticipation of the Easter feast. On Good Friday, the churches were dark, but their doors were kept continually open for those devout followers to enter and kiss the wounds of the Savior. Everyone fasted this last week, and the devout took no food at all on Wednesday and from Friday until Easter eve. Toward Saturday midnight the churches filled more and more; the court gathered in full dress while governors wore their gold embroidered uniforms. The vigil Mass was read slowly until midnight, when all the candles were lit and a joyous procession burst out of the church, singing and praising Khristos Voskrese. The church was brightly illuminated, bells rang, and choirs sang. After church, everyone went out to feast. There were lambs carved of butter, sugar flags and crosses, wide arrays of cold salads, hams, veal, roasted birds, and assorted cakes on tables in every household. The Easter bread, kulich was a traditional round and cylindrical bread decorated with frosting and the letters XB, representing Christ is risen. Another traditional dish, paskha, always accompanied the kulich and was a thick sweet creamy white spread made in a special triangular mold that also had the XB letters on it. The traditional Easter breakfast consisted of spreading paskha on the kulich, eating it with a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt, and washed that down with a tumbler of cold vodka. This breakfast was usually blessed by the priests during the Easter service, where the priests would walk between a double row of plates.

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Height: 12 2/4 inches (31.25 cm). As all of our bottle holders, this wooden holder is handcrafted in the heart of Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional artist specialized in painting on wood. This bottle holder opens in the middle to fit a standard 0.5 ml vodka bottle or a bottle of similar size. May also be used as a treasure box. The bottle holder is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer to preserve the richness of paint color. Would make a great gift and/or a nice addition to dining accessories in your kitchen.

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Size: 22 x 28. Original canvas by Utenyshev, a modern Russian artist. Comes without frame. Ships within 6-10 business days. Imported from Moscow, Russia.

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Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.6 inches 14 x 4 cm. 100% original handmade Russian guardian figurine. Hand cut from linden wood, hand painted by a professional Russian artist, hand coated with several layers of lacquer to preserve the richness of paint color. This is a wonderful collectible item, believed to guard its possessor from the forces of Evil. Great gift imported from Moscow, Russia.

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Size: 89×89 cm 36.6×35.6 inches. Thumbelina Russian shawl made of 100% natural wool. Origin: Russian Federation. Ships within 5-7 business days. The shawl is made at the Pavlovo-Posadskaya Platochnaya Manufactura or Pavlovo-Posad Shawl Factory located in the City of Pavlovsky Posad, 58 km or some 35 miles outside of Moscow, established way back in 1812. Up till today the Factory produces an extremely wide range of gorgeous woolen shawls and scarves, favored by women both in Russia and around the world. Why? Because all of their incredible softness, coziness, warmth and highest standards of knitting quality. The nature of wool is such that it keeps you warm at winter time, and breathes at warmer seasons, making these shawls both perfect cold weather scarves and a wonderful spring/autumn wear. Traditionally, women use them as headwear wrapping them in various ways, or wear them around their shoulders. Modern-day designers use these shawls for the creation of an assortment of novel outerwear. Using your imagination, you may also use this shawl for the decoration of your house or as an elegant tablecloth. Use your imagination! Treat yourself or your loved one to one of our Pavlovo-Posad shawls and you will discover the secret of what keeps a Russian woman warm at bitter cold winter. Note: The item you receive may differ slightly due to the availability of the fabric and dye lots at the time of order. Every attempt will be made to make each item exactly as pictured or as close as possible.

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Get any name hand-inscribed on an authentic Russian balalaika of your choice ONLY AT $15! Click add to cart and type in your name in the Comments field (just below your shipping options). Type it in English and well translate it into Russian and include both on the back of your balalaika. Below you may see a sample of how it will look. Balalaika size: c. 12.8 x 8 (or 32 cm x 20 cm). Ships: within 10 business days.

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Original handmade Russian cutting board. Hand cut from wood, hand painted in fine Borok style and hand lacquered (coated with 3-4 layers of crystal clear lacquer to preserve the richness of color for ages). Height: 12 inches. Imported from Moscow, Russia.

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Height: 8 cm. Russian hand made item hand painted in the unique Khokhloma style. Khokhloma paiting on wood is a traditional type of Russian decorative work that was started in the second half of XVII century on the territory of what is today called Koverninsky region of Nizhnii Novgorod oblast. The name of this type of painting was given to it after the trade village of Khokhloma – also located in the Nizhnii Novgorod oblast. Khokhloma painting (or Khokhloma) is characterized by the original technology of painting wood gold without the usage of the metal itself. Various combinations of such colors as red, black and golden are characteristic of Khokhloma painting. This item is 100% genuine. Fully hand made. Imported from Moscow, Russia.

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