pg. 164 — Alma-Ata
Alma-Ata (the Russian name for the city Almaty) was the capital of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic from 1929 to 1991 when the region became Kazakhstan. It remained so until 1997, when Aqmola became the capital.

pg. 167 — New Year tree
A New Year's tree is decorated similarly to a Christmas tree, but is not associated with a particular religion, allowing the tradition to continue during and after the era of the Soviet Union.

pg. 172 — International Women’s Day
International Women's Day is a holiday first established in 1911 that is celebrated on March 8. While it has no central organization, yearly themes typically gain traction. The overall goal is to promote gender equality and to celebrate historical achievements of women.

pg. 176 — Grandfather Frost
Similar to Santa Claus, Grandfather Frost (or Ded Moroz, in Russian) brings presents to children on New Year's Day, leaving them under the New Year tree. He is an old man with a long white beard who dresses in a red robe and carries a staff. He travels with his granddaughter the Snow Maiden (or Snegurochka, in Russian), who dresses in colors like blue or white. He was similarly challenged by the Soviet suppression of religious expressions, but his tradition survived.

pg. 177 — Ayaz-Ata
This name, which also translates to Grandfather Frost, is typically associated with another wintertime mythical figure operating primarily in Turkey, but in this book it also refers to Ded Moroz. (See above annotation.)