Traditions of celebrating Christmas and New Year in Ukraine

Christmas and New Year are the main winter holidays in Ukraine, which are associated with many ancient traditions and customs. Most of them have not survived to this day, and those that are still followed have their own characteristics in different regions of the country. In Transcarpathia, where there are many different ethnographic groups, they are the most colorful and diverse. To see them with your own eyes, you should come to the Carpathian tourist complex to celebrate Christmas on December 25 and New YearLake Vita".

History of Christmas celebration in Ukraine

Christmas on the territory of modern Ukraine began to be celebrated in 988 after Volodymyr the Great baptized Kyivan Rus. The main religion that preceded Christianity was paganism. Hence such a large number of traditions, which are not so much connected with the church, as with honoring nature and the harvest.
Until the middle of 2023, the celebration of Christmas in Ukraine took place on January 7 according to the old Julian calendar. After the Verkhovna Rada amended Article 73 of the Labor Code of Ukraine in the summer, and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) agreed to change the date, it is officially celebrated on December 25 according to the Gregorian calendar. But the change of date does not affect the essence of one of the biggest Christian holidays.
On this day, believers commemorate the birth of the Son of God - Jesus Christ, who came to earth for the salvation of people. According to the evangelical traditions, he was born by Mary in Bethlehem. The birth of the Son of God was foretold by the Star of Bethlehem. She pointed the way to all who wished to come and bow to the long-awaited Messiah and Savior from the sinful yoke. Hence the tradition of using a star as a decoration for Christmas holidays.

Traditions of celebrating Christmas in Ukraine

Believers take the church calendar seriously and follow its traditions. Even if a person does not visit the church every Sunday, many still celebrate Christmas. Everyone prepares for the holiday in advance - cleans the house, cooks delicious meals and buys gifts for loved ones. The traditions of the celebration are passed down from generation to generation, and here are the ones that are followed today.

Philip's fast

From November 15 to December 24, believers keep a fast in order to devote more time to the spiritual rather than the earthly. During this period, only bread, cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, berries, mushrooms and partly fish are consumed - products that are not prohibited by the church.
For 40 days before Christmas, they do not eat:
• meat, dairy products and eggs;
• vegetable oil on all days except Monday, Wednesday and Friday;
• fish from Monday to Friday, it is allowed on weekends.
Fasting is not necessary to refrain from certain foods, but to curb the desires of the body, get rid of impure thoughts and repent to God in prayer. The last day of Philip's fast is Christmas Eve.

12 fasting dishes on the eve of Christmas

On December 24, 12 dishes are served for dinner in memory of the 12 apostles. In the essay "Customs of our people" by the Ukrainian ethnographer and folklorist Oleksa Voropai, it is stated that housewives in the old days put on the table:
• wheat kutyu;
• Uzvar;
• boiled peas;
• fried cabbage;
• forest mushrooms;
• potatoes;
• buckwheat porridge cooked on hemp milk;
• beans;
• Vareniks;
• fish;
• cabbage rolls with millet;
• poppy cakes.
The modern menu on Christmas Eve is not very different from this list. For example, in Transcarpathia, guests are still treated to dumplings, cabbage rolls, beans with cabbage, dumplings and kutya, which is seasoned with raisins, nuts, poppy seeds and honey. They sit down at the table on Christmas Eve after the first star rises in the sky.

Grandpa on Christmas Eve

It is customary to put a sheaf of rye, wheat or oats in the house. It symbolizes the spirit of the harvest and was considered an important amulet in ancient times. It was left in the house until Epiphany, and at the beginning of spring it was burned so that it would produce a rich harvest. The Church does not forbid putting a grandfather in the house on Christmas, although this custom originated before the Christian era. Nowadays it is used as a home amulet. You can make it yourself or order it from handmade masters.

Christmas carols

After the family had prayed, tasted every dish of the Lord's Supper, and performed a series of ritual actions so that the bread would bear fruit and the chickens would fly, the children and young people could go caroling. Currently, this ancient tradition is called the Bethlehem nativity scene, which is more like a theatrical performance. Each participant wears an outfit and plays one of the roles:
• stars;
• bell ringer;
• angels;
• shepherds;
• soldiers;
• carolers;
• grandfather;
• grandmother;
• a goat;
• king Herod;
• death;
• trouble;
• etc.
Participants of the nativity scene go from house to house to announce the birth of the Son of God. They prepare a play in advance, learn poems and songs, sew and decorate costumes. They can enter the house or stay in the yard in the fresh air. The owners, to whose house the nativity scene visited, give goodies and money. Most of the collected funds are then spent on the needs of the church or community.

Traditions of celebrating the New Year in Ukraine

Until 1918, the New Year was celebrated from January 13 to 14, and then from December 31 to January 1. There are not as many ancient traditions on this day as on Christmas. To this day, the custom of greeting the passing year with a kind word has been preserved. But after 1918, New Year's giving and sowing are carried out in the same way as in the old days - on January 13 and 14, that is, on the Old New Year.

The Christmas tree is a symbol of the New Year holidays

The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree originated in medieval Germany, but it spread massively among Ukrainians during Soviet times. Then Christmas trees became mandatory for all public organizations, before that only gentlemen and wealthy families could afford them.

To make a wish

For the New Year, people write their wishes on a piece of paper. Some keep it until it comes true. Others, on the contrary, burn the paper right away, throw the ashes into a glass of champagne and drink it until the last countdown before the New Year.

Make gifts

Many people give gifts for New Year's holidays and come up with different ideas for celebrating the New Year - trips and vacations at resorts. Ukrainians like to come to Christmas in the Carpathians — an area with amazing views, where you can go skiing and get healthy. If you are going to visit a region where ancient traditions are respected, come to the tourist complex "Lake Vita" and find out what Christmas and New Year celebrations are really like in Transcarpathia.