Christmas in Ukraine!

Traditionally In Ukraine Christmas starts on the 6th of January, this is Christmas eve in the Julian Calendar. This lasts until the feast of Epiphany on the 19th of January. However, there is a part of the population who celebrates Christmas on the 25th of December.

 Christmas Eve or Holy Eve, is marked with a traditional family gathering. This is called Sviata Vecheria or Holy Dinner. Twelve dishes are served in this dinner which symbolize the twelve apostles. The main dish of the night is Kutia (boiled wheat mixed with poppy seed and honey).

Big street celebrations are common in Ukraine, with boys and girls preparing special songs and verses that they take from house to house with the goal of entertaining the community. It is believed the more carolers that come to the home the more fortune and wealth will be brought to your family during the following year. 

It is common to decorate Christmas trees in Ukraine with Spider web decorations. This originated from an old tale about a widow who was too poor to decorate her tree, her kids went to bed sobbing. The spiders in the house, overheard their cries and decided to decorate the tree themselves. They spun webs around the tree that when the family woke up and opened the curtains, they glistened in the sun, creating a magical, sparkly tree. If you want to create your own spiderweb decorations make sure you keep an eye out for our kids activities, click here for more information. 

Didukh is also a common decoration throughout houses during Christmas time in Ukraine. Didukh is a sheaf of wheat stalks and symbolizes ancestors spirits. It is believed that during the Christmas holidays ancestors will return to spend time with their loved ones.