Everyone knows from childhood that on Christmas Eve, 12 dishes are prepared and the whole family gathers at the table in the parents' house. However, few people know where these and other Christmas customs come from and why they have been preserved for many centuries.
First of all, I would like to note that Christmas and Christmas Eve are one of the most important and traditional holidays in the life of Ukrainians. Christmas celebrations begin on Christmas Eve (this day precedes Christmas itself). On Christmas Eve, all family members, except for babies and very young children, fast all day, the family begins to have dinner only after the first star rises. During the day, each family member fulfills their pre-holiday duties, so the mother prepares festive dishes, the father together with the children decorate the pokutya for Didukh.
For a festive dinner, 12 lean dishes are usually prepared, that is, without the addition of butter, milk, sour cream, eggs and, of course, meat. The observance of the number 12 is due to the beliefs of our ancestors that according to folk myths this is the number of the sun, and according to Christian tradition this number of dishes symbolizes the 12 apostles of Christ. However, there are some regional variations in the number of dishes and in some areas only 9 dishes are served.
After the first dawn, the family kneels and prays before the icons, then the head of the family or the oldest member lights a candle and the family sits down to eat dinner. In addition to praying to God, they also remembered his helpers, the angels, symbolically inviting them to the festive table. In order for the angels to know that they were waiting for them in this particular house, the head of the family would take some kutia and throw it up into the air so that it would stick to the ceiling. The floor in the house was covered with hay or straw.
Our ancestors believed that at night the souls of deceased relatives could visit the feast, because Christmas Eve is a family holiday, regardless of whether the family members are alive or not. Therefore, after dinner, all the dishes are left on the table, the spoons are either left on the table or placed behind the cross of Didukh. The lit festive candle is also left on the table.
An important moment in celebrating this holiday was to feed and care for the livestock. To treat the livestock, the owner would take a spoonful of each dish, take bread, garlic, and salt, and go to the barn or stable. It was believed that on the night before Christmas the sky would open and the livestock would be able to complain to God about their owners, so special importance was attached to their care.
The main attributes of a festive dinner
The most important dish at the Holy Supper is kutya. Kutya is prepared from boiled wheat and generously seasoned with honey, poppy seeds, nuts and dried fruits. Eating this dish on Christmas Eve programmed the following year for a good harvest, livestock offspring and the continuation of the family. This dish is also a symbol of the unity of humanity with God and the world of the dead. Boiled grain with honey and poppy seeds is a kind of act of sacrifice to the Lord, therefore wheat is a sacred part of the Holy Supper. A dish of boiled wheat and honey is also called kolyvam and is traditionally served at memorial dinners. As we can see, the theme of the unity of the world of the living and the deceased, life and death, is a pervasive theme for the Christmas holidays.
Poppy symbolizes martyrdom and innocently shed blood. It is consecrated twice a year - on the feast of Macoveia (the first Savior, celebrated on August 14) and on the Transfiguration of the Lord (the second or Apple Savior, celebrated on August 19). Adding a poppy to the kutia symbolizes the infinite multiplicity of various God's graces that humanity received as a result of the sacrifice of Christ. The consecrated poppy is also used as a strong amulet against evil spirits, it is sprinkled around the yard and buildings so that no evil spirits can get into the house.
Honey on the festive table represents the symbol of God's word and purity. On the Christmas Eve table, honey is always served in a separate vessel.
Mushrooms or peas for dinner are boiled and dressed with sunflower (or other vegetable) oil. This dish symbolizes God's spring and the Christian life.
The most common Lenten first course is cabbage soup, it is prepared from chopped sauerkraut and seasoned with vegetable oil. Cabbage is a symbol of strength and simplicity, unity around the foundation. Perhaps this is the most important symbol of a Christian family gathering at one table.
Another traditional first course for dinner is borscht. It is also prepared during Lent from fermented, less often fresh, beets. Borscht symbolizes the triumph of goodness and is characterized by strength and simplicity, which are the signs of the newborn Son of God. Borscht for Christmas is fermented with beet kvass, which is prepared in advance, which is why such borscht has a rich dark red color and, according to some researchers, represents the blood of the Bethlehem children, destroyed by order of King Herod.
Golubtsi is an integral attribute of the Ukrainian Christmas table. Golubtsi is prepared in the form of wrapped cabbage leaves with a lean filling. The very name of this dish already indicates symbolism and is identified with the symbol of a dove. For Christians, a dove is the personification of God's love, a symbol of beauty, strength and the Holy Spirit.
Fish dishes are also widely spread on the festive table and this is due to the fact that fish is a symbol of Christ. The Greek abbreviation ICHTIOS (i.e. the name of Jesus) is read as "fish". It is also with the images of fish that the Trinity is depicted, in the form of three intertwined fish or three fish with one head.
The usual dumplings with cabbage on the Christmas Eve table symbolize abundance and prosperity. There was a custom to stick a coin into one of the dumplings, and whoever finds it will be rich throughout the year.
Pancakes have been a symbol of the sun since pagan times, and with the adoption of Christianity, the new “sun” became the son of God. Thus, the sun is a symbol of God's Word, since the Lord is light, therefore the sun is a symbol of God.
Porridge is a traditional and familiar dish for Ukrainians, mainly made from wheat groats, symbolizing the continuation of the family. This is the people of the Lord who gather and are transformed around the newborn Messiah. Porridge on the festive table symbolizes the union of people through the sanctification of the human race through the Son of God. The symbolism of porridge also comes from the meanings of the sun and grain, that is, it is the foundation that should be strong in every Christian.
Cakes or pies symbolize the health, happiness, and longevity that a person will receive through communion with the newborn Jesus. Interestingly, cakes are mentioned in the Old Testament as a dish pleasing to God.
Uzvar (Var) is a rich and aromatic decoction of dried pears, apples, plums and apricots. This drink represents human life, which Christ gives to everyone, becoming a man himself. Water, especially consecrated in the church, is a symbol of health, spiritual rebirth and resurrection, it is also a strong amulet against evil spirits. Holy water is a symbol of purification of both soul and body.
Garlic is also necessarily present on the table, but it is placed under the tablecloth. For Christians, garlic is a symbol of cleansing from sins, a symbol of health and fertility, and its presence on the festive table is a wish for happy family multiplication. Garlic is also used by the people as a strong amulet against evil spirits.
Pampuchy (pampushki) are baked in oil from wheat flour. This dish represents in Christianity those saints who received eternal life by believing in Jesus. There are millions of such followers, so every Christian is called to the same full and sweet eternal life. Pampuchy symbolize the holiday, the joys given to humanity by God.
Kalach (vasilnyu, vasyl, kerechun) - bread baked in large round shapes resembling the sun. Bread has always been a symbol of life, death and resurrection, symbolizing food for both the physical body and the human soul. Based on such an important meaning of bread and the appropriate attitude towards it, it cannot be thrown away, trampled, and when it has fallen, it must be picked up, kissed and consumed. Bread is also the main symbol of hospitality. For the Christian people, bread is Jesus: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven." In addition to the kalach, which was necessarily placed on straw, and in some areas of the Carpathian region, two kalachs are placed to emphasize the divine and human personification of Christ, other ritual bread was also baked for Christmas that symbolized the sun (malanka, vasyl, kerechun). On Christmas Eve, the head of the family would take such bread and water and walk around his farm three times, sprinkling it with the same water. It was believed that this would cleanse the yard of evil and bring prosperity.
A candle is an important and necessary attribute on the Christmas table. It symbolizes the beginning of the life of the newborn Son of God. Soft wax is a sign of a person's voluntary sacrifice to the Lord, a testimony of faith and independence of humanity to the divine light. A candle accompanies a believer throughout his life, from baptism to eternal rest. A candle is the main symbol of a person's readiness to meet God.
Salt is also placed on the festive table along with a candle, poppy seeds, and honey. Salt shows the inner essence of a person. According to folk custom, it is used not only as an important ingredient in a dish, but also as a strong amulet against evil spirits and witches.
The symbolic meaning of the table on Christmas Eve
On these holidays, the table symbolizes the Last Supper, for which Jesus gathered his apostles. The table is a symbol of unity, understanding, the ability to listen, it is a meeting place for generations, a place where traditions, customs and family wisdom are passed down, a place for joint prayer and a place for families to gather together. According to an ancient custom, the legs of the table for the Holy Supper are tied with a chain so that the family can stay together and be friendly and strong. The table is also the place where the newborn Child of God rests, all tables, whether it is a table in the temple (throne), a table where the Last Supper took place, a table where the family gathers, have the main guest Jesus. And so that the Holy Supper table can be called that, a kalach is placed on it in the hay, as a sign of remembrance of how Jesus lay in the manger.
The main features inherent in the celebration of Christmas
The most important and brightest family holidays are Christmas. Starting from Christmas Eve, the whole family gathers in the parental home, honors their ancestors, and rejoices in the birth of
Christ. The Holy Supper is an important, albeit rather peculiar, symbol of the unification of the family.
It is no secret that the main symbols of Christmas in Ukraine are the Christmas star, the grandfather, the dinner, the nativity scene and the carol. As for the star, we perceive it as a familiar phenomenon, although this attribute personifies the symbol of the birth of Christ and is identified with the Bethlehem star, which announced the birth of Jesus and whose sunrise is expected on Christmas Eve. The eight-pointed star is a symbol of light, the sun and God. It is worth noting that the Christian star is octagonal, unlike the Jewish six-pointed and the pagan five-pointed. The number eight symbolizes the eighth day, the eternal reign of the Messiah.
An important symbol of Christmas for Ukrainians is the grandfather, it symbolizes the harvest, prosperity, wealth, immortality of ancestors, the spiritual life of Ukrainians and acts as a guardian of the family. The grandfather is a symbol of the ancient Christian faith, which requires concretization in material human relationships. The grandfather is the personification of the spirit of the grandfather, that is, all the predecessors of the family. Usually, the grandfather is a sheaf of oats, which on Christmas Eve the owner and his son bring into the house and put on the altar, at the same time the son spreads straw and hay on the floor and on the table under the tablecloth. If there are no sons in the family, then all the actions related to the grandfather are performed by the owner himself. Based on the fact that the grandfather is a symbol of the ancestor of the family, it was believed that the souls of deceased relatives gather around him, so spoons were placed near him and a ritual dish called koliva was left overnight so that the whole family could join in the festive dinner.
A favorite performance for Ukrainians is the nativity scene. This theatrical performance depicts the story of the birth of the Son of God, it is also the glorification of God through an action depicting the Christmas mystery. The nativity scenes went from house to house and performed certain actions in accordance with their roles, for example, devils did harm, Jews courted women. Such theatrical and game performances combined two things: birth and death.
The concept of a carol has three meanings. First, they are prayer songs announcing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and the carolers in this case personify the angels announcing this news.
Secondly, all Christmas holidays are often called a carol, that is, they are used as a synonym for Christmas.
Thirdly, Kolyada, according to ancient Ukrainian mythology, is the mother of the Sun and the goddess of the sky. Her name comes from the word "kolo", the ancient name for the sun. According to legend, every year, on the longest winter night, Kolyada gives birth to a new Sun - Bozhicha. The celebration of this birth took place from December 26 to January 6 according to the old style with various actions and lighting of fires. It is with this phenomenon that scientists and researchers associate the appearance of the Ukrainian nativity scene. The great popularity of the pagan holiday forced the church to subordinate Christmas to this date. And the echo of the centuries-old traditions of celebrating Kolyada has reached our time in the form of caroling.
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