The New Year's assortments, including gifts, a yolka tree and cognac, were sent to the cosmonauts last October aboard Progress cargo ship, in keeping with the Russian tradition of celebrating New Year in space, which began in 1977.

Although alcohol is technically forbidden in space, cognac is allowed for cosmonauts orbiting the Earth, at the arrival of the New Year. Cognac is preferred to the traditional champagne, which turns into light foam and evaporates in zero gravity.

Avdeyev is the first Russian cosmonaut to score a hat trick in celebrating New Year on Mir station. He toasted the New Year in space in 1993 and 1996 during his stay on Mir. So far, six other Russian cosmonauts have celebrated the two New Years inspace.