Celebrate Ukrainian Christmas: three fun ideas to try

Many of us have been in a cozy mode since the first drops of rain and leaves changing color. And now, with heaps of snow outside our windows, light decorations, and mulled wine kiosks in the streets, the Christmas magic is palpable. In Ukraine, however, this magic was stolen by Russia's war — the holidays are overshadowed by the news of attacks and losses. 

Even though families in Ukraine won't be able to fully enjoy Christmas, many Ukrainians still try to create a joyful and festive atmosphere — to preserve the traditions of their ancestors and to give lasting positive memories to their children. You can also support Ukraine and honor Ukrainian Christmas traditions by trying some of them at home, and Rubryka shows you how to do it below.

1. Style your home with traditional Ukrainian decorations

Before setting up a Christmas tree became part of the Ukrainian winter holidays in the 19th century, the people of Ukraine had a variety of traditional Ukrainian decorations that have been preserved to this day. We will offer two that you can make yourself at home as a fun family activity to create an authentic Ukrainian Christmas atmosphere.

First, no Christmas in Ukraine can be celebrated without didukh, a tree-like or bouquet-like decoration made of wheat stalks and ears. Traditionally, Ukrainians made didukh from the last sheaf of wheat or barley reapers brought to the village after the autumn harvest. During a special ritual, people in Ukraine "tied the beard" to create this bouquet, believing it carried the spirit of their ancestors.

With time, this decoration became even more beautiful and elaborate and is now made by local artisans. You don't have to be one to make a didukh. All you need is wheat stalks, dry plants, threads you can tie your decoration with, and some dedication. The video below shows how to make your own didukh at home. Once you're done, put it in a special corner of your house.

If you watched the video to the end, you might have noticed another traditional Ukrainian decoration called pavuk (or spider in English) — a mobile made from straw stalks bound together with string. The Spider consists of rhomboid shapes joined into pyramids that move with the air, creating the illusion of life.

In Ukrainian tradition, Christmas Spiders are believed to trap visible and invisible evil in their straw webs, protecting the home from negative energy. In the past, people in Ukraine never discarded these traditional Ukrainian decorations after the holidays but preserved them until the following Christmas.

The next holiday season, only after new ones were made, Ukrainians burned the old Spiders, symbolically erasing the negative energy they had absorbed throughout the year. Traditionally hung from a central beam of the house, the Spider is also believed to symbolize family, with the larger structure representing ancestors and smaller ones symbolizing children.

Making one is relatively easy — you don't need much, just some straw, which you cut into small stalks and threads to make the shapes and connect them into a lovely Ukrainian decoration. The same video shows the needed steps.

2. Make Ukrainian Christmas dishes

The Christmas Eve dinner — the Holy Supper — is one of the most important rituals in the celebration of Ukrainian Christmas. While the dinner honors the birth of Christ, this tradition is, first and foremost, quality time for the entire family. In the past, each family member had their own pre-holiday responsibilities. The mother prepared the festive dishes, while the father and children decorated the sacred corner of the home.

According to a holiday custom, Ukrainians serve 12 dishes on the Christmas table. The Ukrainian people's ancestors believed that 12 was the number of the sun, which embodies life and the cycle of nature. With Christianity, it came to symbolize the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, who gathered for the Last Supper.

On Christmas Eve, the family fasts — no meat, eggs, or dairy is allowed, but fish is — a tradition unreligious Ukrainians often skip. The family begins their festive dinner only after the first star appears in the sky. This tradition represents the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Wise Men to the birthplace of Christ.

We offer you the chance to try and make some holiday food from Ukraine with your family or friends for an authentic Ukrainian Christmas experience. The first and most important one is kutia, the centerpiece of the Holy Supper. This traditional Christmas dish is made from boiled wheat mixed with honey, poppy seeds, nuts, and dried fruits.

On Christmas Eve, it was believed to bring blessings for the year ahead, promising a bountiful harvest, healthy livestock, and family prosperity. This dish is the first Ukrainians must taste before starting other dishes. Here's how to make it:

Another delicious dish Ukrainians make for Christmas, which you may already know, is varenyky, traditional dumplings with filling. Making them is a fun and bonding activity for Ukrainian families, so you can do the same and prepare varenyky for your Ukrainian Christmas supper. In our article here, Rubryka offers the recipe for varenyky with cherries, but you can fill yours with any other traditional filling you prefer, such as stewed cabbage, mashed potatoes with fried onion, or cottage cheese.

Finally, dessert! For Christmas, Ukrainians make pampukhy, also known as donuts, traditionally made with rose jam prepared from tea rose petals. These donuts are considered a special Christmas treat because Ukrainians make this filling in advance in summer from fresh rose petals, crushed, mixed, and boiled with sugar. You can use any jam to make Ukrainian Christmas donuts. Here's a recipe to help you:

3. Sing (or listen to) Ukrainian Christmas carols

What Ukrainians love about the winter holidays is the Koliada, or Ukrainian Christmas caroling tradition. If you've been exposed to many American movies and are used to their versions of Christmas, some aspects of how Ukrainians carol might strike you as odd and unusual but still beautiful and fascinating — all because Koliada preserved many pagan customs.

Caroling starts on Christmas Eve and continues throughout the festive season. Groups of carolers go from house to house, singing special Christmas songs called koliadky that celebrate the birth of Christ and carrying an eight-pointed Christmas star with a bell on each point. The star symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem and the eternal light of God. 

The Koliada crew often includes a leader, someone holding the star, a bell ringer, who rings the bell to announce the arrival of carolers and a bag bearer who collects treats, like candies or money, which people may gift carolers for a good song. Some carolers dress up as characters like goats or bears, according to old pagan tradition. In some regions, caroling transforms into a vertep march — a lively nativity play with costumes, storytelling, and music. These performances are a community celebration that keeps the magic of Christmas alive.

If you visit your Ukrainian friends during the festive season, you can learn one Ukrainian carol and dress up as a folklore character when you go to your friend's house for dinner. Your buddies will be impressed and appreciate your effort. The most famous koliadka might be Dobryi Vechir Tobi Pane Hospodariu (Good Evening to You, Master of the House). The lyrics celebrate the birth of Christ and spread the joyous news of his arrival and the blessings he brings.

If you're yet to meet a Ukrainian friend, you can turn on some koliada music on your streaming platform of choice to accompany your festive supper for a lovely Ukrainian Christmas celebration. Here's a nice playlist to try out: