Those of you who have met Russians know that they have well developed traditions for celebrating the New Year. One established tradition, almost universal among all Russians, is the watching of a classic Soviet film from 1976, Ирония судьбы or The Irony of Fate. It features a holiday drunken mishap in which an engaged man ends up in someone else’s apartment and in one night, falls completely in love with another woman. The cinematography and amazing soundtrack lend artistry to the tale of love, and the constant comic romance will keep you in stitches all the way up to the moment of midnight. In fact, watching this rather long feature (close to 3 hours) is what helps your crowd make it to the ripe hour of midnight to see the ball drop.

In our own family, it is a movie that can easily play in the background with many checking in whenever they can or desire. The plot is very simple, and it is quite easy to relate to the characters wherever they are on their journey of self discovery. With this version that has English subtitles, you should be able to enjoy it almost as fully as those who need no translation. Happy New Year to all! May God’s blessing be on you and yours in 2022!