What was famous Belarusians’ most unusual New Year’s Day like?
ERB asked the question to politicians, pop stars and creative people.
Everyone interprets “unusual” in their own way. Somebody liked the New Year’s Day at home, someone else thinks that celebrating on a plane is routine.
“It is common, there is nothing unusual about it”, - a famous politician Zyanon Paznyak briefly comments on celebrating New Year’s Day in the air:
“I was flying from Leningrad in the 1970s, the weather was bad and there were no tickets”.
Ina Afanasyeva’s New Year’s Days are always unusual. And the night the singer spent at home with her family has stuck in her memory:
“I do not have routine New Year’s Days – there are all unusual. It turns out that we may celebrate it at work, so the most unusual New Year’s Day for me was the one I spent at home.
It may seem trivial but it was the most unusual New Year’s Day that has remained in my memory. I think the tradition of celebrating it at home is wonderful. Unfortunately, our work is connected with endless celebration, fuss and commotion. It is wonderful when a person can afford staying at home for New Year’s Day”.
A writer and performer Zmitser Vishneu had the most brutal New Year’s Day – he was alone in an empty flat with a coffin:
“I specially made a performance for the New Year’s Day and celebrated it alone. There was a coffin in my flat at that moment and I had put books of all famous Belarusian poetasters in it. The performance was called “Death to all printed loathsome creatures”.
A singer Alesya will never forget the New Year’s Day she had eight years ago. She had given birth to her son three days before the holiday and was supposed to celebrate it in maternity hospital:
“There is an augury – you will spend the year the way you meet it. I did not want to do it in hospital, so we asked doctors to allow me to return home with the baby.
We arrived home at about 10 p.m. and in that hustle the clock started striking. We put our boy to bed but he woke up and celebrated the New Year’s Day with us. I will never forget that New Year”.
The wife of an artist Ales Pushkin also gave birth to their daughter a few days before the New Year’s Day:
“Last year was the most unusual. My wife is a catholic and she was pregnant. She was supposed to give birth from December 13 till December 17… I phoned her – Yanachka, How are you? “Are you ok?”, - and she says – I haven’t given birth yet…
I phoned the doctor and asked him to make her give birth on the night of December 25. And he said that it was the decree of Providence. The best moment was on December 23, when the girl was born.
Last year was most unusual for Ales Pushkin, it was his “Christmas miracle”.
“I can’t remain calm when I’m recalling it”, - laughs a politician Syarhei Haidukevich speaking about his most unusual New Year’s Day. He and his family almost set their neighbours’ flat on fire – Chinese petards were to blame for it:
“The first petard flew to the neighbours, the second to us and the third to other neighbours. We rushed to fetch buckets, anything. It is unforgettable”.
Do not buy Chinese petards, - advises Syarhey Haidukevich. And I, Nasta Ihnatovich, wish you a Happy New Year. Meet you next year.
Everyone interprets “unusual” in their own way. Somebody liked the New Year’s Day at home, someone else thinks that celebrating on a plane is routine.
“It is common, there is nothing unusual about it”, - a famous politician Zyanon Paznyak briefly comments on celebrating New Year’s Day in the air:
“I was flying from Leningrad in the 1970s, the weather was bad and there were no tickets”.
Ina Afanasyeva’s New Year’s Days are always unusual. And the night the singer spent at home with her family has stuck in her memory:
“I do not have routine New Year’s Days – there are all unusual. It turns out that we may celebrate it at work, so the most unusual New Year’s Day for me was the one I spent at home.
It may seem trivial but it was the most unusual New Year’s Day that has remained in my memory. I think the tradition of celebrating it at home is wonderful. Unfortunately, our work is connected with endless celebration, fuss and commotion. It is wonderful when a person can afford staying at home for New Year’s Day”.
A writer and performer Zmitser Vishneu had the most brutal New Year’s Day – he was alone in an empty flat with a coffin:
“I specially made a performance for the New Year’s Day and celebrated it alone. There was a coffin in my flat at that moment and I had put books of all famous Belarusian poetasters in it. The performance was called “Death to all printed loathsome creatures”.
A singer Alesya will never forget the New Year’s Day she had eight years ago. She had given birth to her son three days before the holiday and was supposed to celebrate it in maternity hospital:
“There is an augury – you will spend the year the way you meet it. I did not want to do it in hospital, so we asked doctors to allow me to return home with the baby.
We arrived home at about 10 p.m. and in that hustle the clock started striking. We put our boy to bed but he woke up and celebrated the New Year’s Day with us. I will never forget that New Year”.
The wife of an artist Ales Pushkin also gave birth to their daughter a few days before the New Year’s Day:
“Last year was the most unusual. My wife is a catholic and she was pregnant. She was supposed to give birth from December 13 till December 17… I phoned her – Yanachka, How are you? “Are you ok?”, - and she says – I haven’t given birth yet…
I phoned the doctor and asked him to make her give birth on the night of December 25. And he said that it was the decree of Providence. The best moment was on December 23, when the girl was born.
Last year was most unusual for Ales Pushkin, it was his “Christmas miracle”.
“I can’t remain calm when I’m recalling it”, - laughs a politician Syarhei Haidukevich speaking about his most unusual New Year’s Day. He and his family almost set their neighbours’ flat on fire – Chinese petards were to blame for it:
“The first petard flew to the neighbours, the second to us and the third to other neighbours. We rushed to fetch buckets, anything. It is unforgettable”.
Do not buy Chinese petards, - advises Syarhey Haidukevich. And I, Nasta Ihnatovich, wish you a Happy New Year. Meet you next year.
