What was given in the USSR on February 23

“How well we lived, how badly we lived,” - this is how the poet accurately expressed our attitude towards the past. Remember February 23 was not a day off in the USSR. But the holiday bustle at work and at home was still felt! There were many or few men in the team, gifts were prepared, wishes were made to the stronger sex in a friendly circle! The boys were congratulated at school, and homemade children's cards were received with the same solemnity and gratitude as other gifts.

Do you remember what gifts they gave men during times of total shortages in the Soviet Union? Let's remember together!

Perfume

The most common "smelling" gift was cologne. Most often, men received as a gift "Chypre". It was believed that this is what a Soviet man should smell like.

In the 80s of the last century, its popularity was shared by the smell of cologne "Sasha”, which was considered a “younger” option.

Accessories

As in our days, Soviet women tried to find the “right” present, looking for accessories that a man could use.

Socks

Let's start with socks, this is a present for all times! True, no “bouquets” were made from them then.

Cufflinks

It seems that shirts with cufflinks were more common in the USSR than today. It is unlikely that representatives of the stronger sex often receive cufflinks as a gift these days. And their Soviet counterparts could make up a collection of cufflinks.

ADVICE! If you still have these at home, treat them carefully: among the Soviet cufflinks there were items made of silver and gold.

Ties

A common gift both in our time and in the 20th century. This gift could be personal, but it was also suitable for a present to a colleague.

Scarf

Scarves were probably also more in demand in the past than they are today.. There is an explanation for this: a practical and comfortable high-stand collar was not typical for the outerwear of Soviet men. Therefore, in cold weather we couldn’t do without scarves.

Cigarette case

Smokers used cigarette cases - flat metal boxes in which cigarettes or cigarettes were stored.

REFERENCE! Regular cardboard packaging was fragile, and the cigarette case protected the pockets from tobacco crumbs.

Shirts

“Getting” a good shirt was considered good luck. Often it was reserved as a gift for a birthday, New Year or February 23rd.

The shirt is a personal gift; of course, such gifts were not given to colleagues.

Alcohol

Strong drinks could well be a gift. But not just any drinks. For example, good cognac quite suitable for this. True, he also had to be “extracted”.

Electric shaver

Of the personal electrical appliances, the most “masculine” was the razor.. This purchase spoke of the seriousness of the relationship, remember the famous Hippolytus from “The Irony of Fate.”

There could, of course, be other gifts.A carton of cigarettes or a book, a camera or a record... What else did you give or receive on February 23 when you lived in the Soviet Union?