The biggest arts event in winter is December Nights, a blue-chip classical music festival instigated by pianist Svyatoslav Richter in 1981. Major stars perform from mid December at the Pushkin Institute of Fine Arts at ulitsa Volkhonka 12 (www.museum.ru/gmii). Families gather around the yolka, or Christmas tree, on the eve of 6 January, before the Orthodox Christmas the following day. Skating and ice sculptures are fun in Gorky Park.

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