Christmas in Ukraine and Great Britain

Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated on December 25. Before that, Christmas was celebrated by many on January 7 by the Julian calendar. With the start of December, the spirit of winter holidays usually fills Ukrainian cities, along with Christmas markets, festivals, decorations, and magic lights 

Christmas Eve (Holy Eve) is marked by traditional family gatherings in the evening of December 24 – the so-called Sviata Vecheria (‘Holy Dinner’). The festivities start with the appearance of the first star, though all preparations traditionally start from the very dawn. The table should be served with 12 dishes, which symbolize the twelve apostles. The main dish of the evening is Kutia (boiled wheat mixed with poppy seeds and honey).

The main house decoration that you’ll see is the didukh (a sheaf of wheat stalks) that symbolizes our ancestors’ spirits. It is believed that during these holy days – our ancestors return to spend time with their families. That is also why some Kutia and other dishes should be left on the table – as a treat for deceased relatives. 

The morning of December 25 starts with people greeting each other with the phrase “Christ is Born!” and the response “Let us Praise Him!” On this day, people go to the church for Christmas prayer and come together within the family circle to visit relatives. Unlike Christmas Eve, Christmas guests are no longer restricted to fasting.

Traditionally, children also prepare and perform so-called vertep performances. Vertep is a portable puppet theatre and drama which presents the nativity scene and other mystery plays. The essential attribute of the vertep is the Christmas star, which is considered a symbol of joy (as it bears the news of the birth of Jesus).

Christmas songs are an integral part of the whole holiday season, too. In Ukraine, we have different types of Christmas songs – koliadky (comes from the word ‘calendar’, which starts with the birth of Christ) for Christmas and shchedrivky (comes from the Ukrainian word for generosity) for so-called Generous Evening on December 31. In some parts of Ukraine, shchedrivky are sung only on the Feast of Epiphany, the last holiday of the season.

In the UK (or Great Britain and Northern Ireland), families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each other open their presents!Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularised the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in England.

Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. Often a famous person switches them on. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they get bigger and better. Thousands of people go to watch the big 'switch on' around the beginning of November.

Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. These are normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas to eat and drink when he visits them. Now, it's often a non-alcoholic drink that's left because Santa has to drive his sleigh.

 Boxing Day is a very old custom that started in the UK and is now taken as a holiday in many countries around the world.

In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It's normally roast turkey, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means vegetables like carrots & peas, stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. It's often served with cranberry sauce and bread sauce. Traditionally, and before turkey was available, roast beef or goose was the main Christmas meal. One vegetable that is often at Christmas in the UK are brussel sprouts. I love them but lots of people don't!Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten as well!

At 3.00pm on Christmas Day, the Royal Christmas Message is broadcast on TV, radio and online in the UK. The tradition of a Royal Christmas Message started in 1932 by King George V. Queen Elizabeth II gave her first Christmas Message in 1952. It was first broadcast on TV in 1957. The speech is now pre-recorded a few days before Christmas.

Christmas cards became popular in Victorian England, mostly made at home and given as gifts to loved ones.

The tradition comes from a folk tale which tells the story of a nobleman whose wife had died, leaving him penniless and the sole parent to their three daughters. Left with no money for a dowry (which was an integral part of finding advantageous marriage suitors at the time), the nobleman was concerned for his children’s opportunity to marry well. Without a sizable dowry, no one of equal wealth and status would be interested in marrying them, and with nothing to inherit, they would be left destitute. Hearing of this father’s dilemma, Saint Nicholas came to their family home and filled the girls’ stockings, which were hanging above the fireplace to dry, with solid gold spheres so that they would be able to marry after all. Versions of this quaint tale have been circulating for decades, each featuring their own twist, but regardless of the specificities, this story has continued to fuel Christmas decorating for hundreds of years. 

The British love singing, and singing is part of English life. Christmas carols are familiar to almost everyone, Christian or not.  Carol-singing is a tradition that continues, groups of young or not so young stand in the street, or go from door to door, singing carols and collecting for a charity.