Happy Maslenitsa: important Russian signs and prohibitions, the best greetings
Maslenitsa is a cheerful, satisfying and warm spring holiday. Every day of the holiday week has its own meaning and recognition. Today, the sixth day of Shrovetide week is called Sister-in-law gatherings. This time, the main entertainment is women's gatherings, where the daughter-in-law invites her sisters-in-law, that is, her husband's sisters. For more information about the essence of the sixth day of Maslenitsa, what traditions exist, and how to predict the future using the shape of a pancake, see the Izvestia article.
Broad Maslenitsa: the history and name of the holiday
Maslenitsa is one of the brightest and most beloved national holidays in Russia, which symbolizes the farewell to winter and the meeting of spring. It is celebrated on the Sunday before Lent, but the whole week before it is considered a holiday. In 2025, it began on Monday, February 24, and will last until Sunday, March 2.
The history of the celebration goes back to pagan times, when the Slavs celebrated the end of the cold weather and the beginning of agricultural work. The celebration was organized in order to appease the god of the spring sun and fertility Yarilo and the "cattle god" Veles, who is responsible for the household, land, forests and wealth.
It is believed that before the establishment of Maslenitsa in Russia there was another holiday — Komoeditsa. The early Slavic peoples worshiped the Ko, or bear god. According to legend, the first baked pancakes for the holiday were taken to the forest, where they were laid out on stumps as a treat for the bears who had awakened from hibernation. So, it is with this tradition that the proverb "The first pancake is a lump" is associated, but the last word is indicated as "comas" — bears.
In ancient times, the celebration lasted not one, but two weeks at once: seven days before the equinox and seven days after. With the advent of Christianity, Maslenitsa was adapted, and the celebration was reduced to one week. The dates were postponed because the festivities fell on Lent. As a result, the holiday began to be celebrated in the last week before the cleansing period. The Orthodox Church calls Maslenitsa the Cheese Week, or Meat Week. After all, this week, due to preparations for Lent, you can not eat meat, but you can eat cheeses and other dairy products.
A Narrow Carnival lasts from Monday to Wednesday, and a Wide One from Thursday to Sunday. So, for the first three days it is customary to do household chores and household chores, and for the rest of the time to have fun. Izvestia recalls the most famous traditions of Shrovetide Week by day:
- Monday (Maslenitsa Meeting). The holiday begins with the greeting of Maslenitsa. On this day, it is customary to cook pancakes and invite guests. Various games and amusements are arranged.
- Tuesday (Matches). Folk festivals, games and contests are held on this day. Young people begin to actively get to know each other and flirt, sleigh rides are arranged.
- Wednesday (Dainty). On Wednesday, it is customary to treat your relatives and friends with pancakes. Women prepare special treats, as well as arrange feasts and parties.
- Thursday (Go wild). Thursday is a day of active entertainment. Mass festivities, horseback riding, as well as various sports competitions are organized.
- Friday (Mother-in-law's evenings). On this day, the sons-in-law invite the mothers-in-law for pancakes. This is a time for reconciliation and strengthening family ties. Traditionally, feasts and fun gatherings are held on this day.
- Saturday (Sister-in-law gatherings). Saturday is dedicated to the meeting of the daughters-in-law with her husband's relatives. Joint feasts are held, where pancakes are also served.
- Sunday (Forgiven Sunday). The end of Maslenitsa. On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from loved ones. A send-off of winter is arranged, an effigy of Maslenitsa is burned, symbolizing the departure of winter and the arrival of spring.
Sister—in-law Gatherings - 2025: customs and traditions
Saturday in Shrovetide Week was the day when the daughter—in-law invited her husband's sisters-in-law to gatherings. Sometimes other women of the family were also called: mother-in-law, daughters-in-law (wives of brothers), mother-in-law, or even girlfriends. According to custom, if the guest is unmarried, then the rest of the invited girls should be free from marital ties. If the sister-in-law has a spouse, the company should also consist of the keepers of the hearth.
The leisure time of the gathered girls depends on this condition. With unmarried people, it is supposed to discuss potential suitors, to guess at the betrothed. If the hostess and the guests have already found their life partners, then the conversation flows into the channel of household chores.
An important part of gatherings is considered to be a richly laid table. The hostess should surprise the guests with her hospitality, generosity and treats. Pancakes remained the main course. However, at Sister-in-law's gatherings, the hostess tried to cook them in a special way, adding various fillings: caviar, sour cream, jam, cottage cheese, fish, honey.
Sisters-in-law, of course, did not remain in debt. They not only came to visit, but also brought gifts — beautiful ribbons, scarves, beads or something useful for the house. After the meal, gatherings began — the girls arranged fortune-telling, sang, joked, and shared the news.
Traditionally, on the penultimate day of Maslenitsa, the festivities reached their peak. Saturday was the most fun and beloved of the young people, who were in a hurry to play enough fun games before the long and harsh Lent.
Shrovetide Saturday: how they celebrate today
In today's realities, "Sister-in-law gatherings" have lost their meaning. Nevertheless, the sixth day of Maslenitsa has preserved the tradition of meeting with relatives and friends. Some housewives turn this holiday into a real culinary experiment by trying new pancake recipes — with unusual fillings, pancake cakes or, conversely, healthy dietary options. Others organize joint workshops where they cook, decorate dishes together and share the secrets of delicious recipes.
If relatives live far away, modern technology helps not to interrupt the tradition — you can arrange a video call, virtual gatherings, and even compete to see who got the best pancakes.
The tradition of giving small gifts has been preserved to this day. A beautiful handkerchief, a beautiful candle, a jar of fragrant jam or something for home comfort can serve as a gift. It is important to show attention and care, because Maslenitsa has always been a celebration of family warmth.
In addition, in some villages they observe the custom of walking around the yards in disguise and singing funny ditties, receiving treats and small coins in return.
Folk signs: what can and cannot be done
Our grandmothers believed that Saturday during Shrovetide Week has a special energy, and traditions and omens associated with it can influence the future. This was especially true of family relationships, women's happiness and well-being in the home.
Signs for a daughter-in-law
For the young wife, Sister-in-law's gatherings were a chance to show herself a good hostess. They said that as soon as Saturday passed, relations with her husband's relatives would continue to develop, so it was important to try.
The main thing is to feed the sisters—in-law tasty and satisfying. Pancakes should be fluffy, ruddy, golden — if they turn out to be lumps or too thin, then the year will not be easy. And if the first pancake still failed, the hostess should eat it herself, so as not to pass the failure on to others.
The sisters-in-law watched closely at the gatherings as their daughter-in-law greeted them. A smiling and hospitable hostess, a clean house meant that there would be peace in the family. If the daughter-in-law is rude, behaves stiffly and clearly does everything through her strength, then it's worth waiting for conversations behind her back.
You can't swear, complain about your husband, or sort things out. In the old days, they believed that if you quarrel on this day, the whole year will be spent in arguments and misunderstandings. So, even if something is annoying, it's better to leave the disassembly for later.
Omens for sisters-in-law
The sixth day of Shrovetide can be fateful for unmarried sisters-in-law. It was believed that if a girl ate a pancake with honey or jam, she would meet a good groom in the near future. If you choose a pancake with caviar or fish, your spouse will be rich.
Maslenitsa celebration in Kaluga region, 2024
Another interesting sign is that if a sister—in-law receives a beautiful handkerchief as a gift from her daughter-in-law, she will get married soon. Therefore, girls often hinted at such a gift, and the daughter-in-law was not stingy, because it was also important to her that her sister-in-law was disposed to her.
If the sister-in-law accidentally spills tea during gatherings, then a secret admirer will appear in her life. An accidental drop of tea on the tablecloth means an early matchmaking.
Omens for all women in the house
It is customary to laugh, sing, and have fun at sister-in-law gatherings. Our ancestors used to say, "if the sisters—in-law have fun, the year will pass in prosperity, and if they frown, expect trouble."
If the house is warm, bright and cozy, and there are many guests at the table, it means that a successful year is ahead. It is especially important that there are no drafts in the house — this is considered a bad sign, which can lead to lack of money or even loneliness.
Another funny sign: if you accidentally break a plate, then you should expect an addition to the family. Chipped dishes have always been a good sign, no matter who dropped them.
The weather signs had a special force on the sixth day of Maslenitsa. So, in case of precipitation on the holiday, it means that the year will be rich, fruitful and successful. A clear and sunny day heralds early spring.
Fortune-telling at Sister-in-law's gatherings: how to look into the future
Sister-in-law's gatherings were not only an occasion for warm meetings and treats, but also a time when it was possible to lift the veil of the future. On these days, the girls were guessing about love, marriage, family happiness and well-being. It is on Saturday during Shrovetide Week that you can receive signs of fate that will tell you what to expect in the coming year.
One of the most common methods was fortune-telling on pancakes. Before starting to bake them, the girl made a wish and watched how the first pancake would turn out. If it came out smooth and rosy, then the year will be successful, if it is too thin and with holes, obstacles are possible. A burnt treat promised difficulties, and a lush and beautiful one meant the fulfillment of a dream. You could also turn over a stack of pancakes and look at the last one: if it's golden, there's joy ahead, if it's pale, you can only achieve what you want with effort.
Maslenitsa celebration in Moscow
Other interesting fortune-telling could be done with pancakes. The treat was torn into several pieces and laid out in front of them in the form of a circle, then the cat was called. If the pet chose a piece with caviar or fish, it would lead to wealth, if with jam or honey, it would lead to love and joy. However, in the case when the cat just sniffed pancakes but did not eat, they expected a quiet year without major changes.
Wax divination was also a popular method. To do this, they melted a candle and poured the liquid into a bowl of cold water, after which they carefully examined the resulting figures. So, the heart foreshadowed love, the circle — harmony, the star spoke of the fulfillment of a dream, and the flower promised a pleasant acquaintance. The cross warned of possible challenges that would have to be overcome.
Thread divination helped predict important events in the coming year. Three threads were dipped into a bowl of water: a red one — a symbol of love, a white one — family happiness, and a green one — prosperity and good luck. Then they set them on fire and watched which one would burn first. If the red one burned out faster than everyone else, romantic events await ahead, the white one — the family will be strong, the green one — financial success awaits. If the thread went out without burning out, then the year will be full of various difficulties.
Maslenitsa celebration in Moscow
The sixth day of Carnival: pictures, gifs, greetings, postcards
In honor of the special holiday, Izvestia has prepared warm greetings and beautiful postcards that can be sent to relatives, friends and colleagues.
"Happy Sixth day of Maslenitsa — Sister-in-law gatherings! May this day be full of joy, laughter and fun. May our pancakes be as delicious as endless pleasant moments, and may our communication be as warm and cozy as spring on our doorstep. I wish you all good health, happiness and lots of reasons to be happy! Thank you for always being there for me and for being such wonderful people!"
"Happy sister-in-law's get-togethers! May this day be as fun as our conversations over a cup of tea and as sweet as the best pancakes! May there always be a smile on your faces, and may there be many bright, joyful moments in your life. I hug you all tightly and hope that this day will be filled with only positive emotions!"
"Congratulations on your Sister-in-law's gatherings! May this day be as warm and cozy as your friendly conversations. I wish that there will always be comfort and harmony in your homes, and that life will be filled with joy, happiness and laughter. Thank you for your friendship and for the moments we spend together. May Carnival bring you only happiness!"
"Happy Sixth Day of Maslenitsa! May friendship always warm your hearts, and may your homes be filled with joy and laughter. May every meeting be filled with love, and may there be as many pleasant and bright moments in life as possible. I wish you all happiness, health and fun — may Carnival bring only bright and joyful days into your life!"
"Happy Shrovetide to you! Thank you for your friendship, for your support, and for the unforgettable moments we spend together. May our gatherings always be as cheerful and joyful, and may our lives be filled with happiness and good luck! May Maslenitsa bring you warmth, vivid emotions and only the best moments!"
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