Know that on this Christmas evening my thoughts are with you, and I want you to feel all the warmth and love that I send. In Ukraine, where I grew up, Christmas is a special time, filled not only with magic, but also with delicious food.

Ukrainians adhere to the amazing tradition of preparing twelve festive dishes in honor of the twelve apostles. The main one is kutia. This is a special dish, wheat, barley or rice porridge mixed with raisins, poppy seeds, honey and nuts. Each ingredient has its own meaning and symbolizes goodness, health, and fertility.

There must also be uzvar on the Christmas table - a fruit compote that symbolizes abundance and prosperity. When you sit at the table, surrounded by these magical dishes, you truly feel like you are part of something bigger.

On this Christmas evening, I wish you to feel all the beauty of traditions, enjoy the taste of kutya and uzvar, and that every minute spent this evening reminds you of how important it is to be in the circle of those you love.