Preparing for Easter in Ukraine begins in advance, when they observe a long Lent. The last week before Easter was called Bela - during this week they cleaned the house, washed all the surfaces and decorated the hut with towels. On Maundy Thursday before Easter, the whole family washed.

For Easter in Ukraine they prepare ritual pastries - paski. More eggs are added to the pasta so that the dough is saturated yellow - this symbolizes the Sun. From above, paskas were decorated with figures of birds and flowers, which meant spring and fertility.

During the baking of pasok, the housewives forbade the household to walk near the oven, ventilate the room and slam the door - it was believed that the dough would not rise due to a draft. It was considered a good omen if the paska rises high and bakes evenly - this means happiness and well-being for the whole family.

Another symbol of Easter in Ukraine is the willow. Branches and willows are brought into the house for Palm Week, and then they decorate the house with them for Easter. Why willow? The fact is that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the locals greeted him by throwing palm branches on the road. Since palm trees do not grow in Ukraine, they were replaced by willows.

The third well-known symbol of Easter is krashanka. Painted and painted eggs symbolize life, the sun and resurrection. In Ukraine, the art of Easter eggs and Easter eggs is well developed.

On Easter day itself, it is customary to collect various products, paska and krashanki in a basket. The whole family goes to church for worship and sanctifies food there. Then at home the whole family sits down at the festive table, and the meal always begins with an Easter egg. For dessert, they eat pasques and try to ensure that not a single crumb falls on the floor.

What not to do on Easter
There are several prohibitions that must be observed on the holy day. On Easter you can't:

swear and quarrel, especially at the festive table;
on this day you can’t work around the house - all the chores must be done before Easter;
you can’t throw away food that was consecrated in the temple - it’s better to distribute it to those in need or take it to the church;
on such a bright holiday, you should not remember old grievances and refuse to help loved ones.
The most strict on Easter is a ban on any work. But since this day always falls on Sunday, it is not difficult to observe it.