Tangerines and champagne were not always the main symbols of the New Year: not everyone could afford them. For example, at the end of the 19th century tangerines cost 1 ruble 45 kopes a dozen. For this money, you could buy two chickens (70 kopeks apiece) Thanks to the catalog of the "Mur & Merilise" trading house, today we can find out what presents were exchanged in the 19th century and how much one could pay for toys from the capital's expensive stores. For example, in the 1890s the cost of dolls ranged from 35 kopeks to 5 rubles and up. The average salary of a Moscow professor at that time was 275 rubles a month; a worker received on average 14 rubles a month.

TANGERINES AND CHAMPAGNE: HOW MUCH THEY COST BEFORE THE REVOLUTION Tangerines and champagne were not always the main symbols of the New Year: not everyone could afford them. For example, at the end of the 19th century tangerines cost 1 ruble 45 kopes a dozen. For this money, you could buy two chickens (70 kopeks apiece) or 2.5 kg of pork (55 kopeks per kg). For a bottle of French champagne at the beginning of the 20th century you had to pay 5 rubles 50 kopeks.

TANGERINES AND CHAMPAGNE: HOW MUCH THEY COST IN THE USSR In Soviet times, people prepared for the main feast of the year in advance: they stood in huge lines, "got" scarce tangerines, and bought expensive champagne. In 1938, for example, Soviet champagne semi-dry, dry and sweet cost 18, 17 and 20 rubles accordingly (the salary of a Soviet worker in those years was about 200 rubles).