Ingredients

• 1 cup diced cooked meat (ham, beef, turkey, or your favorite)
• 2 cups cooked, peeled and diced beets
• 2 cups cooked, peeled and diced potatoes
• 1 cup cooked beans (your favorite)
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 6 small sweet pickles, chopped
• Oil and Vinegar for dressing

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a large salad bowl.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let each guest prepare his or her own dressing.

Russia has holidays in both the winter and summer that each last more than a week!

Russian White Nights takes place in June at the time of the summer solstice. In St. Petersburg the nights are so short from June 21-29 that the sky appears white (or light gray). Twilight only lasts 30-40 minutes. Why are the nights so short in summer in St. Petersburg? The city has many light colored buildings so it looks particularly nice in this light. The time is celebrated with a festival that focuses on ballet, folk dancing, opera and musical theatre. Performers come from all over Russia and about a quarter of a million people attend the festivities.

After the revolution in 1917 it was not acceptable to practice religion. As a result Father Frost became a symbol of the Russian winter and the festival of arts and time of partying from December 25 to January 5. There are outdoor parties and troika (sleigh) rides, and dancing around fir trees. Father (or Grandfather) Frost brings gifts on New Year’s Eve. He wears a red robe and black boots and has a white bear and a helper called Snow Girl. Does her remind you of another popular holiday figure? Since 1992 many of the old traditions are again being celebrated in Russia. What happened in 1992 that would account for the difference?