Hello everyone who reads my blog! I'd like to tell you about the traditional dish of the Christmas table, without which no Christmas in Ukraine can do.
Kutia is a traditional ritual porridge, which is most often served at a wake, but it is also put on the table for the New Year (according to the old style), for Epiphany and, of course, for Christmas on Holy Evening. Also, kutya is an invariable dish of Great Lent, it is customary to cook it on the days of commemoration of the dead.

It was customary to start and end the meal on the Holy evening with a spoon of kutia, while people exchanged good wishes, and also remembered deceased relatives.

Lenten kutya was usually served at Christmas, as the Advent fast lasted until Christmas Eve. According to tradition, all members of the family necessarily ate kutya, and they also treated livestock with it so that it would not get sick and bring offspring.

Kutya was always worn by older family members who lived separately, as well as godfathers. In addition, there was another tradition: the owner of the house threw the last spoonful of kutya up and counted how many grains from the dish would stick to the ceiling - so many sheaves of bread should be in the new year.

Spikelets were usually put under a bowl with Christmas kutya, and then kept for a whole year as a talisman. A bowl of Christmas treats was also left for the souls of deceased relatives.

Thank you for your attention! What dishes adorn your table?