“It’s not a party, but a rite!”: the Englishwoman got to the Russian corporate party and could not forget the night – was in shock that it was

She later recalled the night with a smile and admitted she didn't understand what was going on at first. Before the New Year's Eve, colleagues invited Mary to the party and warned that her presence was mandatory. In the UK, she was used to quiet office parties, so she chose a modest dress, prepared small gifts and expected to spend the evening in a relaxed atmosphere.

However, it became clear to the wardrobe that the event would be completely different. Elegant costumes, brilliant dresses and complex hairstyles indicated that colleagues thoroughly prepared for the holiday.

When the host announced the start of the feast, Mary realized that the evening was only gaining momentum. Salads, hollow and other dishes appeared on the tables, music sounded, and toasts followed one after another.

At first, the Englishwoman listened attentively to her colleagues, but she soon ceased to distinguish where one greeting ends and another begins. When the turn came to her, Mary had to make a toast. She thanked everyone for their friendship and the opportunity to get acquainted with Russian culture, and her colleagues welcomed her words with applause.

Then the contests started. Women competed for the title of the best Snow Maiden, employees participated in a dance battle, and one of the colleagues appeared on stage in a pig costume and read the poems of Sergei Yesenin.

Mary watched with surprise what was happening. According to her, the participants treated the holiday with such excitement, as if something very important depended on it.

She was going to leave early, but quietly stayed until the morning. When the guests finally went outside, it was light. Snow, festive garlands and tired after a long night colleagues were the last impression of the unusual evening.

One of the employees smiled at Mary and said she was now a real Russian. The girl laughed, but admitted that there was some truth in these words. Now she's doing her own corporate party

The next day, Mary remembered the holiday with a smile, although her head aches after a sleepless night. She admitted that she had never participated in such events before and did not expect that an ordinary working evening could be so intense.

Over time, the teacher got used to Russian traditions. She continued to live in the country, teach children English and even began to organize corporate events with competitions, toasts and dances.

Now Mary understands why the Russian corporate party is so different from her usual British parties. For her, this is not just a feast after work, but an opportunity to feel part of the team and share common memories with colleagues.

And judging by its history, the first acquaintance with this tradition was so vivid that it will not be easy to forget it.