With the New Year only two weeks away, Russia is preparing for the festive season with relish. Alongside fir-trees and champagne, tangerines are a ‘must have’ at festive tables in all Russian homes.

For millions of Russians tangerines have become one of the most popular symbols of the New Year celebration. Together with sparkling wine and salads, they are a necessity at the table, and the republic of Abkhazia has always been famous for its tangerine gardens.

This small area has a unique subtropical climate which allows farmers to cultivate exotic fruits and vegetables. Abkhazians say they don’t use chemicals, so their tangerines are better than ones imported from neighbouring countries.

Abkhazian Angela Ashuba carries collected tangerines in her jacket. She says it's a simple and reliable method, so the fruit won’t get damaged.

“This year the crops are very good. Some years tangerines come out black or rotten but not this season. They are of such a good quality. It's exciting to pick them,” Angela says.

Besides climbing and walking, this job also requires a lot of weight lifting as usually one can collect up to 100 kilos of tangerines from each tree, and all work is done by hand.

A wholesale market at the Psou checkpoint at the Abkhazian-Russian border is a busy place in December. Abkhazian farmers either cross the Russian border themselves, or sell their goods right there.

In previous years people had to wait for days and weeks to cross the border. In May this year, Moscow made it possible for Abkhazians to sell their goods in Russia, and with no more obstacles, and crossing the border takes minutes.

Abkhazian schoolteacher Rimma Ketia says she's trying to save enough money selling tangerines in order to feed her children during the winter. But like many other Abkhazians, she's hoping to return to her usual job.

“We all have a future, we have our children,” Rimma Ketia says. “We all hope that this new political situation, our newly-gained independence, will change everything dramatically – and for the better, of course.”

And as life in Abkhazia is getting back to normal after Georgia’s attack in August, the woman's dream may very well come true.