I won’t be surprised if besides that made up thing was created as a populist political point (I’d let you keep it, now vote), it could be also created as a marketing one (buy our xmas\alt-xmas merch to show 'em, btw we sell both). And that it’s probably came as a part of the red scare, in spite of commies having long-going traditions around the New Year celebrations, some even more noticeable like statesmen adressing the nation at 00:00.
I won’t be surprised if besides that made up thing was created as a populist political point (I’d let you keep it, now vote), it could be also created as a marketing one (buy our xmas\alt-xmas merch to show 'em, btw we sell both). And that it’s probably came as a part of the red scare, in spite of commies having long-going traditions around the New Year celebrations, some even more noticeable like statesmen adressing the nation at 00:00.