Ukrainian traditions have been preserved for centuries and are still celebrated today. Some key traditions include celebrating Christmas on Holy Night with a rich table and 12 Lenten dishes, Maslyana marking the end of winter with pancakes and burning a scarecrow, Palm Sunday where willow branches are blessed in church and used playfully, and Easter preparation beginning long before with cleaning, decorating, and receiving communion at the Easter service. The celebration of Ivan Kupala in July includes making bonfires and jumping over them in pairs while holding hands, believing the couples who remain holding hands will live happily together.

1. Ukrainian traditions
Prepared by
eTwinner from Khust, Ukraine
Perets Marianna

2. Traditions in Ukraine are interesting and unique, but
diverse and still widespread!
They have been stored and preserved for centuries and are
still alive and popular today.

3. Traditions of Christmas celebration
Christmas celebrations starts at Holy night. The house is supposed
to preserve Supreme purity, the atmosphere of prosperity and
happiness. In the red corner, adhering to a set of rules, there is a
decorated sheaf and "nest" — a nest of fragrant hay, with a pot of
kutya. The whole family waits for the first star in the sky, which
symbolizes the birth of Christ, to sit at the table The table is rich,
but with no less than twelve Lenten dishes, as a rule.

4. Maslyana
• Maslyana symbolizes the
end of winter and meeting
with spring. According to
Church tradition, it’s a week
when pancakes with cheese
are usually cooked. Young
people make a scarecrow of
winter and burn it having a
lot of fun with dances and
songs.

5. Palm Sunday (Willow Sunday)
The week before Easter is called Willow Sunday. On Sunday morning people go to
Church and bring willow branches which are blessed during the mass. On this day,
all God-fearing people must go to Church to great Ghrist. The one who has
overslept the service is then lightly beaten with the blessed willow branches with
the words:
• Not I am beating, the willow is beating,
• Easter’s in a week!

6. Features of Easter celebration
In Ukraine preparation for the f
Easter celebration begins long before
the date. Traditionally, before the
holiday the house is cleaned,
decorated it with flowers, willow
branches, Easter garlands, wreaths
and other relevant festive attributes.
On Sunday night in the Orthodox
churches the Easter service begins.
During the mass, people always try to
receive Holy communion and also
bless the basket with food, and then
hurry home to have festive breakfast.

7. The traditions of the celebration of Ivan Kupala
Among the traditions of Ivan Kupala (07.07) celebration, which has
come our time, there is a ritual to make a fire and have fun with
singing songs. In the evening, the young couples jumped over the fire
holding hands. It was believed that those couples can jump and don’t
let go the palm of each other will live together happily ever after. Songs
of midsummer are also included in the obligatory holiday traditions.
Also the girls sing the songs and throw to the water flower wreaths
with candles.