The Catholic Christmas was already celebrated but the Orthodox Christmas is coming soon! All the Orthodox Christians celebrate it on the 7th of January.

This date was set according to the Gregorian calendar as in most of other Orthodox Christian countries. In Ukraine Christmas was not officially celebrated until the country got its independence in 1991. Since that time it has become one of the most important and bright holidays among all the people!

Maybe it will be interesting for you to learn how we celebrate this holiday here and know more about the history of the country where your beloved lady lives!
There are numerous Christmas traditions here. They vary significantly at the different parts of Ukraine. But in most parts of the country on the Christmas Eve people create so-called 'Vertep' (means cave in ancient Greek). These are scenes from Bible of Jesus birth. They show little Jesus in manger, Mary, strangers offering their gifts and Bethlehem star in the sky. Those verteps are exhibited at public places, usually near or inside churches. At night candles are installed inside verteps for people who come to church for the night service can observe them.

There is one more very exciting tradition in Ukraine. It is common for all the girls to pay some special attention to fortune telling. All kinds of tricks are made by fair sex to find out their future and, what is very natural for young girls, the future is mostly connected with marriage. For example: before going to sleep girls put a comb under the pillow saying:" My promised husband, come and comb my hair". The man in a dream was likely to be a future husband. Or they take several pieces of paper and write down on each of them different men's names and then put them under the pillow. In the morning a girl wakes up and takes one piece of paper, without looking and the name that is written there is surely to belong to her future husband.

And it goes without saying that no matter whether it is Catholic or Orthodox Christmas, the holiday can not do without presents and souvenirs for dear people to show them your Love, Care and Affection! If you would like to surprise your One and Only with something special we prepared couple of interesting offers for you! We hope you will enjoy them and your lady will appreciate them a lot!

The Christmas Eve is called in Ukraine 'Sviaty Vechir' (Holy Evening) sometimes also called 'Sviata Vecheria' (Holy Supper). People usually cook some tasty foods for this evening. There should be at least 12 different foods on the table. Those should mandatory include 'Kutia' - the ritual food which is prepared from cooked wheat and special syrup containing diluted honey, grated poppy seeds, raisins and sometimes walnuts. Halloween is not celebrated in Ukraine but some similar traditions are performed here for Christmas. Children this evening come around their neighbors with torches and sparklers (called here Bengal lights) spreading grains and colored seeds. They wish people good health and abundant harvest for the next year and ask for some donations. Also they perform some Christmas songs called in different parts of Ukraine 'Koliadky' or 'Shchedrivky' like these:
"Radujsia zemle, radujsia. Syn Bozhyj narodyvsia." -- Joy, Earth, Joy. The Son of God was born.
"Dobryj vechir, Sviaty vechir. Dobrym liudiam na zdorovja." -- Good evening, Holy evening. To good people for good health.

Ukraine Christmas Gifts