S Novym Godom: What It Means and How to Say Happy New Year in Russian

S Novym Godom (in Russian script it begins with the letter that looks like a Latin C, and in Latin letters it is s novym godom, often run together as snovym godom) means "Happy New Year" in Russian. Word for word it is "with the New Year": it is short for a longer phrase, "I congratulate you with the New Year", so the meaning is a congratulation rather than a wish about the future.

You will hear it everywhere from mid-December until well into January, because New Year is the biggest family holiday in Russia, bigger than Christmas for most people. Below we break down the grammar, pronunciation and polite replies, then move on to what a florist knows best: how Russians actually celebrate, which flowers and wishes fit, and how you can get a New Year bouquet to someone in Russia when you are far away.

Word by word: what each part of S Novym Godom means

The phrase has three parts. "S" is a preposition meaning "with". "Novym" is the instrumental form of "novy", new. "Godom" is the instrumental form of "god", year. Russian grammar requires the instrumental case after "s", which is why the endings change from "novy god" (new year) to "novym godom".

The hidden verb is "pozdravlyayu", I congratulate. A full greeting would be "Pozdravlyayu tebya s Novym godom" (informal) or "Pozdravlyayu vas s Novym godom" (polite or plural). In everyday speech nobody bothers with the verb, so the short form is what you see on cards, in messages and on shop windows.

The same pattern works for other holidays, which is handy once you know it: "S Rozhdestvom" is Merry Christmas, "S dnyom rozhdeniya" is Happy Birthday, and "S prazdnikom" means simply "Happy holiday". If you are writing to someone in late December, many Russians combine two greetings: "S Novym godom i Rozhdestvom!"

How to pronounce it and how to reply

Say it as one smooth phrase: "snóvym gódom". The stress falls on the first syllable of each word, and the "s" attaches to the next word with no pause, which is why so many people type it as snovym godom. The "y" in "novym" is a sound English does not have; something between the i in "bit" and the u in "put" is close enough, and nobody will mind.

The natural reply is "I vas tozhe!" (and you too, polite) or "I tebya!" (and you, informal). You can also answer with the same words back, "S Novym godom!", which is what most people do at midnight when everyone is clinking glasses. Adding "S nastupayushchim!" before 31 December means "Happy upcoming one", a nice touch if you are sending wishes early.

In writing, keep "Novym" capitalised and "godom" lowercase if you use the Cyrillic version, since only the first word of the holiday name takes a capital in Russian. In Latin letters both styles are seen, and the meaning is clear either way.

Bouquets we can deliver

Bouquet of 1 yellow sunflowers

$13

Bouquet of 3 white French roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Bouquet of 3 red French roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Bouquet of 3 pink roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

How New Year is celebrated in Russia, and where flowers fit

For most families the evening of 31 December is the centre of the year: a long dinner, salads that appear only for this night, the President's address just before midnight, the chimes of the Kremlin clock and then fireworks in the courtyard. Gifts are opened under the New Year tree (yolka), which Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, is said to bring. Orthodox Christmas follows on 7 January, and the public holidays usually run for the first week or so of January.

Flowers are not the main New Year gift the way they are on 8 March, but they are a very welcome one, especially for a hostess, a mother or grandmother, a teacher or a partner. A bouquet that arrives on 30 or 31 December decorates the festive table and lasts through the holidays, which is exactly why winter arrangements with conifer branches are so popular.

Remember the old rule that flowers given as a gift come in odd numbers; even numbers are traditionally for funerals. For mixed bouquets nobody counts stems, but if you order a small set of roses or tulips, keep the number odd. Our article on carnations in Russia explains why some flowers carry Soviet-era associations, useful if you want to avoid a bouquet that feels like a memorial.

Flowers that say S Novym Godom

The classic New Year palette is red, white, green and gold. Red roses with fir or pine sprigs, white chrysanthemums with eucalyptus, or a box arrangement with cones, cinnamon sticks and a candle all read instantly as festive. Amaryllis and hypericum berries add the deep red that looks right next to a decorated tree.

Think about how the bouquet will live. Conifer branches hold their scent and colour for a long time indoors, and dried accents such as statice and cotton do not wilt at all, so a mixed winter bouquet can stay on the table from New Year's Eve until Orthodox Christmas. Roses and chrysanthemums last well too if the water is changed every couple of days and the vase is kept away from radiators, which in Russian flats are often very hot.

Orchids in a pot are another good choice for an older relative: they bloom for weeks and need almost no care. If you wonder whether a potted plant is appropriate, ask our manager before ordering. Avoid yellow flowers if you are unsure of the recipient's taste; some older people still link them with parting, although younger Russians mostly ignore this.

What to write on a New Year card in Russian

Russian New Year wishes are warm and a little longer than English ones. A simple and safe card: "S Novym godom! Zdorovya, schastya i tepla v dome", Happy New Year, health, happiness and warmth in your home. Health always comes first in Russian wishes, especially for parents and grandparents.

For a partner you might write "S Novym godom, moya lyubimaya" (to a woman) or "moy lyubimy" (to a man), my love. For someone dear but not romantic, the softer moy dorogoy or "moya dorogaya" works well. For colleagues or a teacher, keep the polite form: "Pozdravlyayu vas s Novym godom! Uspekhov i radosti", success and joy.

You do not need to write in Cyrillic. A card in English with "S Novym godom!" at the top is charming and shows effort; if the recipient does not read English, keep the rest very short. Sign with your name, because otherwise the card is the only clue to who sent the flowers.

How to send a New Year bouquet to Russia from abroad

You can order on our site from anywhere: choose a bouquet in the catalogue, enter the recipient's address and phone number, and pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for suburbs and remote districts the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Details are on the delivery and payment page.

For New Year the best plan is to pre-order: you can book delivery 1 to 30 days ahead and pick a time window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or an exact time within plus or minus 30 minutes. In large cities express delivery in 1-2 hours after confirmation is also possible if you decide at the last moment.

The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arriving. Delivery is anonymous by default, so the courier will not name you; the free card with your text is how they will know. If nobody is home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge. To agree the card text in Russian, the exact time or a photo of the bouquet before it goes out, message our manager on WhatsApp.