Gearing up for Ukrainian Christmas and Malanka 2013

If you’ve already celebrated Christmas and New Years, then I hope you had a great holiday. If you aren’t finished celebrating the holidays yet, you know there is still much more to do on the Julian calendar!

Christmas – January 7th

Starting the night before when the children spot the first star in the sky, Holy Supper (Svyata Vechera) is served with 12 meatless and dairy-free dishes featuring kutya (buckwheat), borscht, fish, varenyky (perogies) and holubtsi (cabbage rolls). Carolling (koliada) is also done from house to house.

An Introduction to Ukrainian Christmas

New Years (Malanka) – January 13th

The last chance to party before Lent, Malanka was once traditionally celebrated with carolers performing small plays or pranks. Now it takes on more modern traditions, usually with a formal celebration at a hall, partying to the countdown towards midnight. Find the nearest Malanka event near you!

An Introduction to Ukrainian New Years (Malanka)
Malanka Guide 2013

Epiphany (Yordan) – January 19th

The final day of the Christmas season and one of the greatest feasts commemorates the baptism of Christ in the river Jordan by St. John the Baptist. On this day, it is the custom to bless water— a river, a lake, or the sea. or now in modern churches, a vessel of water — in a great ceremony including a procession with the carrying of banners and the cross. After the meal on Epiphany Eve, the Christmas tree would be taken down and the didukh would have been carried out and burned in the orchard or pasture.

An introduction to the Epiphany (Yordan)

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