Holidays in Ukraine

Each country has its own customs, traditions, holidays and important days of the historical events.

All holidays and celebrations in Ukraine can be divided into public and religious. Our religious holidays have deep cultural roots. Public celebrations are connected with different important dates of our national history.

We can also talk about some individual (private ) holidays and celebrations such as birthday, wedding day, etc.

The most important religious holidays for Ukrainians are: Easter, Christmas, Epiphany, Trinity etc.

We celebrate Christmas on the 7^th of January. It’s the day of Jesus Christ’s birthday. On this holiday people sing Christmas carols, cook traditional Christmas dish named “kutia”. People usually go to the Christmas sermon. Ukrainians have an old tradition to put on costumes and to go from house to house singing carols and congratulating.

Another important religious holiday is Easter. It’s movable. It is usually the first Sunday after the first fullmoon after the beginning of spring. We have specials Easter symbols: Easter eggs called “krashanka” and Easter cakes called “paska”.

The most popular public holidays are: the Day of Independence (on the 24^th of August), the Day of Constitution (on the 28^th of June), the 8^th of March (the International Women’s Day), the 9^th of May (the Victory Day).

The most exciting holiday in Ukraine is the New Year. It’s celebrated on the 31^st of December. People decorate the fir-tree, buy presents, cook delicious meals and wait till 12 o’clock to welcome the New Year in. People believe that the old year with all its problems leaves us and the New Year with all our hopes and expectations knocks at the door. The symbols of this holiday in Ukraine are: the decorated fir-tree with presents under it, bottles of Soviet champagne, mandarins and salad “olivje”.

Holidays in Ukraine are always noisy and funny. Ukrainians like different parties and celebrations, because they are an important part of our culture. Every holiday has its own tradition and way of celebration, customs and symbols.

It goes without saying that our culture is influenced by other cultures. There is a great number of holidays which came from the Western countries and Catholic religion. These are: Halloween, Valentine’s Day, April Fool’s Day, etc.

 

Exercise 11. Answer the following questions:

1) What public holidays in Ukraine do you know?

2) What religious holidays in Ukraine do you know?

3) What private holidays can you name?

4) What are the symbols of Christmas/Easter/The New Year?

5) What is your favourite holiday? Explain why?

6) What holiday don’t you like?

 

Exercise 12. Tell about your favourite holiday (public or religious). How do you celebrate it? Does it have any special traditions?