Ded Moroz is the gift-bringing Christmas figure in Russia and several former Soviet countries.
The Russian name means “Grandfather Frost.” Ded Moroz traditionally wears a long fur coat and brings presents to children, often appearing during New Year celebrations rather than on Christmas Eve. His granddaughter and companion is Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden.
Ded Moroz developed from Slavic and broader European winter folklore. Soviet authorities promoted New Year celebrations as a secular alternative to religious Christmas customs, helping make Ded Moroz especially prominent in the twentieth century. After the Soviet period, Christmas observances and religious traditions became more visible again, but Ded Moroz remains an important seasonal figure.
He is often compared with Santa Claus because both deliver gifts, yet their dates, clothing, companions, and cultural histories differ. Snegurochka is not another name for Ded Moroz; she is a separate character.