The most colourful part of Ukrainian Christmas traditions is the actual Christmas Eve, or “Sviatay Vechir”, which revolves around the twelve course Lenten supper. Ukrainian Christmas celebrations are one-of-a-kind. два' Veseloho Rizdva (Merry Christmas) or 'Ð¥ÑиÑÑÐ¾Ñ Ð Ð¾Ð¶Ð´Ð°ÑÑÑÑÑ' Khrystos Rozhdayetsia (Christ is Born). So as it is a very auspicious day did not consume meat. Traditional Ukrainian Christmas decorations differ a lot from the way Ukrainian homes look nowadays. As such, they celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on Jan. 6 and 7, two weeks behind the Gregorian calendar. Ukraine has a special connection with St. Nicholas, and the figures of Saint Nicholas and Did Moroz are closely associated—when you visit Ukraine, you might notice how many churches are named after this saint associated with gift-giving. The dinner table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem. Traditional caroling involves a whole cast of characters that includes a person dressed as a shaggy animal and someone to carry the bag that is filled with the rewards collected in return for the songs the band of carolers sings. It literally means 'grandfather spirit' and can represent people's ancestors being with them in their memories. The Didukh is a made from a sheaf of wheat and symbolises the large wheat fields in Ukraine. Christmas for many Ukrainians is an important family holiday. hristmas Traditions in Ukraine. Ukrainian Christmas songs or carols have their origins in antiquity, as do many other traditions practiced at Christmas time. Making paper snowflakes to put on the tree or in windows are a popular decoration. The golden-domed St. Sophia's Cathedral, with 11th-century mosaics and frescoes, is a draw for visitors to Kiev and Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are celebrated with age-old traditions. ... Vertep (in Ukrainian) is original, national heritage of our people. The main Christmas meal, called 'Sviata Vecheria' (or Holy Supper) is … Traditionally, Ukraine is an Eastern Orthodox country, meaning they practice the customs and traditions of the Orthodox Catholic Church. The Christmas Eve Supper or Sviata Vecheria (Holy Supper) brings the family together to partake in special foods and begin the holiday with many … Hay might be brought into the house to remind those gathered of the manger in which Christ was born, and believers may attend church services that night or early Christmas morning. An interesting aspect of Christmas in Ukraine is the bringing of a wheat sheaf into the house as a reminder of the ancestors and the long tradition of agriculture in Ukraine. During Soviet rule, Christmas was downsized in Ukraine, so now many families are returning to the tradition and the holiday grows more and more festive every year. They set a festive table with 12 traditional dishes (like the apostles), sing Christmas songs, remember all the good things that happened in the past year, and wish each other health and happiness. How well do you know Ukrainian Christmas traditions? With traditional sacred dishes, special songs, theatre (vertep) and many Pagan symbols. Sviaty Vechir, or Holy Evening, is the Ukrainian Christmas Eve that takes place on January 6. Tripsavvy uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Guide to Christmas traditions in Ukraine. Those who are familiar with Ukrainian culture understand the importance of grain to Ukraine—even the Ukrainian flag, with its blue and yellow colors, represents golden grain under a blue sky. Many Canadian and American families wear their Ukrainian embroidered shirts go outside as soon as it start getting dark in the afternoon to try and spot the first star. Traditionally the dishes don't have any meat, eggs or milk in them. Everything has so much meaning. The sheaf is called a didukh. 10 Ukrainian holidays and traditions. The Ukrainian yalynka (Christmas tree) is of particular interest for Westerners, for its odd decorations often referred to as “creepy.” But the story behind the traditional spiders and spider webs that adorn the Ukrainian Christmas tree is one of hope and joy. The meal normally has 12 dishes which represent Jesus's 12 disciples. Borscht and holubtsi are very well known dishes from Ukraine. The homes are decorated with sparkling lights, paper snowflakes, varicolored glass balls, garlands and coniferous wreathes. For Christmas dinner, it is cooked from unleavened dough and stuffed with chopped vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, cottage cheese or … There might also be someone who carries a pole topped with a star, symbolizing the star of Bethlehem, a Christmas custom that makes its appearance in other countries as well. Growing up, my family and I always referred to the Christian holidays as either “English Christmas” or “Ukrainian Christmas” and “English Easter” or “Ukrainian Easter.” The reason for this is because Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated on January 7, and Easter is frequently celebrated on a different day from the rest of the world. At present times most of people have adopted European Christmas traditions. Probably, that is why there are many Ukrainian holidays. After the meal, people love to sing carols or 'Koliadky'. Ukrainian Christmas Traditions In most climates where all four seasons are experienced, winter is a time to hunker down and retreat inside for warmth. While many of the Ukrainian Christmas Eve customs are of a solemn nature, the custom of caroling is joyful and merry. Kerry Kubilius is a freelance writer who specializes in Eastern European history, culture, current events, language, and travel. The 700 Club examines the traditions of Christmas from Ukraine. The period from January 7 to January 14 is a festive week in Ukraine. An extra place setting might be laid to remember someone who has died. SVIATA VECHERA OR "HOLY SUPPER"is the central tradition of the beautiful Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes. "Yes we do have some national traditions and family traditions for the Christmas days. Sunday is Orthodox Christmas Eve, a celebration with many longstanding traditions for the city's Ukrainian community that have passed down from generation to … The evening on the eve of this holiday is called Christmas Eve and has many interesting traditions. In Ukrainian Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Веселого Різдва' Veseloho Rizdva (Merry Christmas) or 'Христос Рождається' Khrystos Rozhdayetsia (Christ is Born). Songs & Music "Boh Predvichnyj - God of Ages" Ukrainian Christmas Carol. 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