Christmas in Ukraine

Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated January 7, according to the Gregorian calendar as with most other orthodox Christian countries. During the Soviet time it was not officially celebrated in Ukraine because instead communist government tried to replace Christmas with the holiday of New Year. Before it was a part of the Soviet Union and after it left Christmas was a very important family holiday. Christmas meals that have a symbolic meaning include Kolach and Didukh. Kolach is bread braided into a ring, with 3 rings placed on top of another to symbolize the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity of father, son and Holy Spirit. Didukh is a sheaf of wheat stalks or mixed grain stalks placed under icons in a home. It symbolizes family ancestors. In some regions people make decorated Christmas eggs which were a lot of like Easter eggs. In Ukraine Father Frost visits all the kids in a sleigh pulled by only three deer. He brings along a little girl named Snowflake Girl. She wears a silver blue costume trimmed with white fur and a crown shaped like a snowflake. Christmas is a religious celebration many churches will do services on midnight Christmas Eve. Christmas usually starts with people going to church. The church is where the celebration came from. A favorite Ukrainian carol is Boh predvichny meaning God Eternal. Ukrainian carols are unusual because they mention Ukraine while others are ancient pagan songs of a thousand years ago which have been changed into Christian carols.

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