Fast. 40 days before Christmas, the Advent Fast begins - one of the longest of the year. In terms of severity, it does not take first place, but it lasts 40 days and is necessary to cleanse the soul and body before Christmas. During the Advent, any vegetables and fruits, cereals, legumes, mushrooms are allowed, most days it is allowed to eat fish. In fasting, you can not eat meat, eggs, cottage cheese, dairy products, butter.



Holy evening. On January 6, the Holy Evening is traditionally celebrated, the obligatory attribute of which is 12 Lenten dishes on the table. There are two versions of the interpretation of this number: one is the number of apostles, and the other is the number of months in one year.



Kutya. The main dish of the evening is kutya (boiled wheat mixed with poppy seeds and honey, walnuts, raisins). And after the feast with the family, it is customary to bring dinner to the godparents. They took kutya and other dishes and went to visit for several hours, but then they always returned home to celebrate Christmas morning with the family. After lunch, they could already visit their grandparents, who live separately, or other relatives.



Didukh. The main decoration of the house is didukh - a sheaf of wheat stalks, symbolizing the spirit of our ancestors and a symbol of prosperity, wealth, a talisman of the family. It is believed that these days our ancestors return to spend time with their families. Didukh is placed in the most honorable place in the house - under the images.



Carols. From the evening of January 6, it is customary to carol with a big star in their hands: carolers sing Christmas carols. Boys and girls prepare special songs and poems that they take from house to house, entertaining their neighbors in exchange for sweet gifts and coins. It is believed that the more carolers come to the house, the more prosperity and wealth the family will have over the next year.



Divination. The tradition of guessing on the night of Christmas is more ancient than Christmas itself in Ukraine. Many believe that it is impossible to guess on this day, while others, on the contrary, believe in the great power of the holiday, and also that fortune-telling on Holy Evening will help to find out the future. Girls in Ukraine are still guessing their fate to find out if they will get married and the name of the future groom. Dreams from January 6 to 7 are also considered prophetic.



The morning of January 7 begins with the fact that people greet each other with the phrase "Christ is born!" and the answer “Glory to Yogo!” On this day, people go to church for a Christmas prayer, and then gather with their families. On this day, people are no longer limited to fast food.