Christmas & New Year in Ukraine

Christmas & New Year in Ukraine

New Year and especially Christmas are most popular and most beloved holidays in Ukraine. Both have a long history and a special set of traditions and rituals, all of which allow to explore a unique Ukrainian cultural identity that miraculously survived on the outskirts of modern Europe.

New Year. New Year’s Day, January the 1st, is a national public holiday in Ukraine. It marks the start of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 

Celebrating New Year in Ukraine combines the most joyful feelings associated with peace, love and understanding. This holiday in Ukraine is associated with new beginnings, many gifts, the implementation of the deepest wishes in the coming year. 

One prepares by the New Year in advance. There is prepared a festive table, decorated the Christmas tree toys. New Year is a family celebration, because all the relatives gather around the table to see off the old year, wishing all bad to be left. At midnight comes the new year and all congratulate each other after its arrival, and on city streets one could hear laughter and see the fireworks.

In Ukraine, we love to celebrate so much, that we’ve even made sure we have two New Year’s Eves. The second one follows the Julian calendar and falls on January 14th.

This time, however, we throw in a few more of our strange ancient customs and hold the vibrant ‘Malanka’ celebrations on the ‘Old New Year’ (yes, that’s how we literally call it). On this night you’ll join crowds of young people walking around people’s houses, caroling, playing pranks and acting out small Christmas-related plays. 

Christmas. For Ukrainians Christmas is the most important family holiday of the whole year. It is celebrated solemnly, as well as merrily, according to ancient customs that have come down through the ages and are still observed today. Ukrainian Christmas customs are based not only on Christian traditions, but, to a great degree, on those of the pre-Christian, pagan culture and religion. 

It's a feast of Christ's birth and it's celebrated on the eve of 7th of January. In some areas was used the pre-Christian name of the feast — Koliada. The Christmas Eve is considered as the most interesting part of Christmas as it has ritual and magic acts aimed at ensuring a good harvest and a life of plenty.

Caroling is a characteristic feature of the feast, it expresses respect for the master of the house and his children, and sometimes it's accompanied by a puppet theatre (vertep).

The most popular carol is "Carol of the Bells" (also known as the "Ukrainian Bell Carol") Shchedryk – Carol of the Bells – Original Ukrainian Version with English and Ukrainian Lyrics

Many families follow the old tradition to prepare 12 meatless dishes and to sit at the table when the first star appears in the sky. Kutya is the main dish of the Holy Supper. It is cooked wheat, mixed with poppy seeds, honey, and raisins – being the main treat of the holiday.