SteemitBoard Carnival Challenge - Maslenitsa in Russian

Today this year in Russia begins Maslenitsa. It is an East Slavic holiday that lasts a week before lent.
Maslenitsa – marks the border of winter and spring. This is an analogue of Carnival in European countries.
In the Orthodox Church pancake week is called Cheese week.
A mandatory attribute of Maslenitsa – pancakes.

As a child, I loved Maslenitsa, and I was very impressed by the burning of effigies of Maslenitsa (winter) in the square of our city. It was in the 90-ies.

Since the main festivities in Russia will begin only at the end of the week, and the challenge ends in a couple of days, I can only talk about the beginning of our Russian Carnival.

Today the beginning of Maslenitsa was celebrated at my daughter's school. Each class prepared some scene. Girls from my daughter's class sang ditties to the accompaniment of a boy who played the accordion. Some children were dressed in traditional folk costumes.

Also parents baked and brought in school different pancakes and bagels. Pancakes and eat a sweet (with honey, cream and sugar, with jam, with cottage cheese, chocolate) and savoury (meat, eggs, fish, vegetables).
Pancake – symbol of the Sun. Round, bright, hot – a symbol of the arrival of spring.

Cheese week is divided into Narrow Maslenitsa (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) and Wide Maslenitsa (Thursday to Sunday).
The difference between the Wide carnival that Thursday stop all work. Of course, in modern times it is not a public holiday, so no days off officially in the country.

Every day Maslenitsa is called in its own way.
Today is Monday – Meeting. In the old days people in this day were finished building the snowy mountains, booths, began to bake pancakes. Also made stuffed Maslenitsa, which was carried through the streets on a sleigh (usually at this time of year in Russia was snow).

Tuesday – Zaigryshi (something like flirting, fun, pastime). On this day people were engaged in courtship, brides were everywhere.

Wednesday Is Tasty. On this day the mother-in-law treated pancakes of the sons-in-law and other guests. It's a sign of affection for her daughter's husband.

Thursday Is Revelry. Work stopped, the real holiday began. People had fun: riding horses, fisticuffs, competitions. Bonfires were built and people performed a ritual – jumping over fires. This action seemed to burn all sins. People started apologizing to each other.

Friday is Mother-in-law's evening. Return visit of the mother-in-law to visit the son-in-law. Pancakes in this day used to bake daughter.

Saturday - Sister-in-law’s gatherings. The bride called the groom's relatives to visit on the pancakes. The bride had to give something to the groom's relatives.

Sunday – Farewell. This is the main day for pancakes. If all week you could not eat them, today is the last chance to celebrate Maslenitsa pancakes. It's forgiveness Sunday. The culmination of the whole holiday.

At the end of the feast was solemnly burnt the effigy of Maslenitsa (a symbol of winter), and the ashes scattered on the fields.
Also on this day went to the cemetery to commemorate the dead. All of this is done silently, on grave feast pancakes.