Holy Evening: what to do and what not to do
Christmas Eve is a holiday, an ancient Ukrainian custom of gathering with the first star as a family at the table. It is the last evening of fasting before the Nativity of Christ. Since ancient times, all housewives have prepared for this holiday in advance and according to special traditions.
What can you eat on Christmas Eve?
When are the main meat-free 12 dishes prepared? After midday, the housewife would be sure to light the stove to cook. There had to be 12 logs of firewood in the stove. The house was also decorated for the holiday. Straw was laid on the floor, the corner shrine was decorated with festive towels, and Christmas ornaments in the shape of stars, a cross, the sun, and the moon were hung on the windows. Hay and dried herbs were also placed under the festive tablecloth on the table. This was considered a charm for the whole year. The number of dishes is not just a number.
What do 12 dishes mean at Christmas?
12 dishes at Christmas symbolize the twelve apostles of Jesus. Each of the 12 meat-free dishes on Christmas Eve symbolizes the twelve months and has its own special meaning. The most important dish at the Holy Supper is kutia. Each of the components of this dish has a special meaning. Poppy seeds are a sign of abundance, grain is resurrection, nuts are a symbol of longevity, honey is health. Kutia is dressed with uzvar or sugar water. The meal begins with kutia, as does Christmas lunch. After dinner, kutia was left in a plate on the table, with a spoon placed nearby. Ancestors believed that on this evening deceased relatives also come to the Holy Supper. The second essential dish on the table should be uzvar. It is a rich boiled compote of dried fruit. It is served in an earthenware jug. It is believed that the table should include dishes made of vegetables, fruits and grains that are available in the house. Then they prepare meat-free varenyky with cabbage or potatoes, mushrooms. Housewives also make meat-free holubtsi, rice with vegetables, beet salad. Fish dishes are not left out either. Such as jellied fish, fish patties, marinated herring. Stewed dishes with cabbage. For example, stewed cabbage with mushrooms. Soup is always cooked. It can be either mushroom soup with vushka dumplings or with cheese. Beans are added to salads. Or fried with cabbage. And of course, no table is complete without a Christmas kalach. It is a braid baked from white flour, made in the form of a circle with a hole in the middle. Then a container with grain and a candle, which is lit during dinner, is inserted into this kalach. Pampushky were baked, symbolizing the holiday and the sweet life ahead during the year. Various fillings can also be added, such as jam or condensed milk.
What are the main 12 dishes that should be on Christmas?
- Kutia
- Uzvar
- Mushroom soup
- Meat-free varenyky
- Fish dishes
- Meat-free holubtsi (with rice or buckwheat)
- Vinaigrette or red cabbage salad
- Vegetable stew
- Sweet pancakes or pampushky (with the addition of jam or preserves)
- Baked apples with honey and nuts.
- Baked potatoes with vegetables
- Meat-free borscht or cabbage soup
The dishes can be prepared as each housewife sees fit. Each family has its own recipes for Ukrainian dishes, passed down from generation to generation. Of course, different pickled foods can be added (sauerkraut, cucumbers and tomatoes, cranberries). These are winter dishes rich in vitamins that complement the table. But the most important thing on Christmas Eve is the whole family at the table.
