Christmas superstitions and signs
Kyiv • UNN
The most common Ukrainian Christmas signs, prohibitions and traditions passed down from generation to generation. From the ban on taking out the garbage to the rules of a festive dinner and receiving guests.
Christmas is not only one of the most important holidays in the Christian church tradition, but also one of the most revered holidays for Ukrainians. This is probably why it has acquired many signs and superstitions that are passed down from generation to generation. UNN has collected the most common ones for you, but it's up to you to decide whether to follow the superstition and trust the signs.
In many regions of Ukraine, it was believed that the first person to enter the house on Christmas Day should be a man, preferably a dark-haired one, to portend good luck in the new year.
It is believed that on Christmas Eve and on the holiday itself, one should not do any work or household chores (except for preparing a festive dinner). However, many people believe that working for pleasure, even on such a holiday, is not a sin.
There is a superstition that you can take good luck or family harmony out of the house with the garbage on Christmas Day. Therefore, some people prefer not to take out the trash on these holidays.
Another warning is not to quarrel or swear. This prohibition applies to all church holidays, and people believe that this can bring trouble. But in general, conflicts and swearing on an ordinary day are not only unattractive, but can also cause problems.
On holidays, we usually like to wear beautiful clothes, but our ancestors believed that putting on a new outfit would attract prosperity to its owner. Preferably, the clothes should be light.
Our ancestors did not forget about livestock at Christmas, which they also treated to - this was also supposed to contribute to prosperity. Isn't this a reason to pamper your pets?
Christmas bans:
- You cannot swim;
- Do not cut your hair;
- You cannot move to a new home;
- Slaughtering livestock, hunting or fishing;
- You can't go to the cemetery.
It was also considered almost a sin not to try all the dishes on the festive table. Many people believe that dinner should always start with kutia.
At the same time, it is not forbidden to drink alcohol on Christmas. Nor are church sacraments such as weddings or baptisms banned.
It was considered a good omen to visit or receive guests.
It should be added that on Christmas Day (December 25), the 40-day fast ends, which means that those who have been fasting will be able to eat meat and other foods that were forbidden. It is important to remember that one should break the fast correctly and gradually - one should not immediately binge on meat.
On Christmas Eve, our ancestors would eat nothing until dinner. Dishes for Christmas Eve were prepared exclusively for fasting and there had to be 12 of them. To protect against dark forces, they would put a clove of garlic on each corner of the table. And the table had to be set before the first star rose in the sky. The owner of the house usually put hay under the table as a reminder that the Savior was born in a manger. A didukh, a symbol of ancestors that came to us from pre-Christian times, was placed on the table.
Ukrainians in general were very respectful of their ancestors and on Christmas Eve they would always put a plate on the table for them, and you could put kutia or apples, for example.
Traditionally, dinner should begin with a prayer, and Christmas Day with a visit to church. After that, you can have a festive lunch.
