How is Christmas celebrated in Ukraine? They changed their Christmas date to December 25th

Christmas in Ukraine is now officially celebrated on December 25th.

This became law in July 2023. Previously, Christmas was traditionally celebrated on January 7th as many of Ukraine’s Orthodox churches had historical connections with the Russian Orthodox Church, which celebrates Christmas on January 7th.

In February 2023, Ukraine’s main Greek Catholic church announced a change to December 25th from January 7th. Some people will still celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but most Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas on December 25th.

When and why is Christmas celebrated in Ukraine?

The calendar change has also moved St Nicholas’s Day from December 19th to December 6th.

Many children in Ukraine will get gifts from St.Nicholas (known as Svyatyi Mykolai) on St Nicholas’s Eve (now the 5th, previously the 18th).
Some children also might get presents from Did Moroz / Дід Мороз (Grandfather Frost) on New Year’s Eve.

Did Moroz often travel with his Granddaughter Snegurochka (which means snow maiden)?
However, Svyatyi Mykolai is now bringing more gifts, with Did Moroz doing less!

What does traditional Christmas food look like in Ukraine?

For a traditional dinner, 12 different Lenten dishes must be on the table. (The number is related to the number of apostles and months in the year.) These include fish, borscht, potatoes, pies with beans and cabbage, and the traditional “kuća.” It is a porridge made of cereals and nuts with honey and must not be missed at Christmas dinner.

The Ukrainians add one more chair to the table. This place is reserved for the souls of the dead who partake of dinner with them, so it is appropriate to mention them at dinner.

Recipe for your own Kuća

Do you want to try traditional Ukrainian Christmas food? Here is a mug recipe to help you prepare this delicacy at home. Please read it carefully first; Kuća requires overnight preparation so that you can do it quickly.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups wheat grains
• 4 and 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup dried chopped apricots
• 2/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts.
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation process:

1. Rinse the wheat so that the water runs clear. Put it in a bowl of lukewarm water so the level is 3-5 cm above the grain. Leave to soak overnight.
2. Drain the wheat and place it in a medium saucepan the next day. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, turn the cooker down to low and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 3-4 hours until the wheat is soft. Depending on the quality of the grain, stir occasionally to prevent sticking. You can optionally add milk to keep it submerged.
3. Before your wheat is cooked, rinse 3/4 cup of poppy seeds with water in a fine sieve. Drain well and place in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil on medium and turn off. Don’t cook! Leave it covered for 30 minutes, then bring it to a boil again and let it rest for another 30 minutes. Finally, drain and grind with a poppy seed grinder.
4. Preheat the oven to 356°F. Spread 3/4 cup of sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast for five minutes. After that, take it out; you can leave the oven on, but reduce the temperature to 320°F.
5. Once the wheat is soft, drain the milk. Reserve 1/2 cup of milk and mix it with 1/2 cup of honey. Mix until combined.
6.  Place wheat, ground poppy seeds, 1/2 cup raisins, apricots, roasted almonds, honey-milk mixture, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Mix. Then, put the mixture in a baking dish or pie dish and bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 320°F.
7.  Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let stand for 15 minutes. The longer it rests, the tastier it will be. You can serve it warm or cold, and it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

The Christmas Day

This day begins with people greeting each other with the greeting: “Christ is born!” and they answer each other: “Celebrate him!”.

People go to church for Christmas prayers. Today, work is not allowed; only the most necessary work is permitted. Otherwise, it is a day of good food, especially a rich breakfast, which no longer has to be subject to fasting and gatherings with relatives and friends.

The children go for a melody in the evening. They sing and wish the landlords all the best. It’s a magical night. It is believed that expressed wishes have a high chance of coming true.

Boxing Day

This holiday is called the Old New Year. A celebratory dinner is being prepared again, but this time richer because the fasting period has already ended. This is also why this evening is called generous. Again, she eats kuća (more decadent, prepared with lard), meat, and other fatty foods. In the evening, they go caroling again. Because even this night has magical power, girls can predict what awaits them in the new year.

Baptism of the Lord

Christmas ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This holiday commemorates the day Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River. Then God the Father spoke and showed sympathy for him; the fast ended with a festive dinner on the eve. The next day, people go to church to have water consecrated. He then sprinkles his home, barns, and other family members.

Who brings gifts in Ukraine?

In Ukraine, Christmas is celebrated traditionally, with customs and folk superstitions worshipped. It is not as commercialized as in many other countries, and the navel-gazing Santa Claus still needs to set foot there.

The calendar change has also moved St Nicholas’s Day from December 19th to December 6th. Many children in Ukraine will get gifts from St.Nicholas (known as Svyatyi Mykolai) on St Nicholas’s Eve (now the 5th, previously the 18th). Some children also might get presents from Did Moroz (Grandfather Frost) on New Year’s Eve. Did Moroz often travel with his Granddaughter Snegurochka (which means snow maiden).

St.Nicholas brings presents outside the window or door, not under the tree. Gifts under the tree are not a tradition here. So the children are waiting for Nicholas, then they can look forward to Old New Year, the day of gift-giving.

Ukrainian Christmas customs and traditions

Do they have a Christmas tree in Ukraine?

You will only find it in some families. When the Christmas tree is decorated, apples, nuts, spiders, and cobwebs are also put on it. You will learn why spider webs later. Much more traditional than trees is Didukh.

What is Didukh?

It is the main symbol of traditional Ukrainian Christmas. As soon as the first star came out on Christmas day, the head of the Didukh family brought it to the house. To this, she recited: “Didukh to the house – trouble from the house.” The whole family previously made it from dried flowers, corn cobs, and colorful ribbons. It signified the rebirth of the living and was placed in a sacred place in the house where people displayed religious icons. At the same time, this place was reserved for the spirits of the dead, considered patrons and protectors of the family.

Cobwebs and spiders are symbols of Christmas and good luck.

You are probably all curious as to why cobwebs and spiders have their place on the tree. In Ukraine, spiders and cobwebs are a symbol of luck and Christmas. According to legend, spiders saved Christmas.

The legend tells of a poor widow who wanted to prepare a beautiful Christmas for her children, at least by decorating their tree. But she had nothing. By morning, the spiders had woven their webs around the tree like decorations. And when the sun rose in the morning and shone on the little tree, the cobwebs shone like silver and gold. From then on, the family began to prosper and lived happily and contentedly without poverty.

Ukrainian Christmas carols

Children who go to carols in different disguises prepare their special carols. Very famous carol is called Schedryk. It was composed by Mykola Leontovych (1877-1921). The text of the carol is about a little swallow that flew to the owner’s house and wished him in the new year that he would be well, have a lot of money, and have a rich harvest.

You can listen to it in the original language here:

Щедрик (English Translation - Shchedryk)

Don’t forget to also check out our selection of the best Christmas carols you shouldn’t miss.

In Ukrainian Happy/Merry Christmas is Veseloho Rizdva or Khrystos Rozhdayetsia (Christ is Born).