Ukrainian Traditions and Religious Festivals

The Ukrainians, like any other people, have their own customs and traditions: many of these are very old, some appear nowadays.

Most of the customs are connected with the religious festivals or with Ukrainian dwelling.

The most popular of the holidays is the New Year Day; it is celebrated on the 1st of January.

On the eve of the holiday children and their parents decorate a New Year's Tree with shining balls and other Christmas ornaments. The mothers of the families prepare holiday dinners.

On that day people exchange presents with their relatives and friends: they often go to see them or invite them to their place to see in the New Year together.

They lay festive tables and at 12 o'clock raise their glasses with champagne and say to each other "Happy New Year".

But the Orthodox Church in Ukraine celebrates New Year on the 14th of January to the old-style Calendar. In the evening on the 13th of January children go from house to house and sing Christmas carols: they wish all the best to the people who live in these houses.

Of course, the carol-singers are given some reward - sweets, cakes or a little money.

The Orthodox Ukrainian people celebrate Christmas on January, 6: the evening before Christmas is called the Holy Evening. On the Holy Evening all the family get together to have the Christmas Supper. According to the religious tradition, it is necessary to prepare 12 different dishes because of 12 apostles; no one at the table can eat till the first star appears in the sky. But, unlike in the English-speaking countries, in Ukraine people do not exchange presents on that day.

On the Christmas Evening the religious people go to church; some of them spend the whole night there — they pray and listen to Christmas religious songs which glorify Christ's birthday.

Another religious festival in winter is Twelfth-day or the Jordanian Holiday which is celebrated on memory of Jesus Christ's christening (on the 19th of January).

On the eve of this holiday at their supper people sing songs which are called "the generous songs" — that is why this evening is called "the generous evening", too.

In the morning of the Jordanian Holiday the festival procession goes from a church to a river or to a pond where christening of water takes place. After that the priest consecrates the peoples' homes and things.

Easter is another great religious festival: usually it is celebrated on one of Sundays in spring.

On that day the religious people go to church and listen to the service. Usually they bring with them baskets with food Easter cakes, butter, cheese and, of course, painted eggs.

The priest in the church consecrates all the food: many people believe that the Easter eggs possess magic power and can protect from evil, thunder or fire and have healing powers.

In the morning after the end of the service, the people greet each other with the words: "Christ has resurrected!" and return home for breakfast.

They celebrate Easter as the beginning of spring, too.

There are many other interesting customs and traditions in Ukraine, too.