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 prepared for this holiday in advance and according to special traditions.

What can be eaten on Christmas Eve?

When are the main 12 meatless dishes prepared? After noon, the hostess would definitely light the oven to cook. There had to be 12 logs of firewood in the oven. The house was also decorated for the holiday. Straw was spread on the floor, the home icon corner was decorated with festive towels, and Christmas decorations in the shape of stars, a cross, the sun and the moon were hung on the windows. Straw 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 the 12 dishes at Christmas mean?

The 12 dishes at Christmas symbolize the twelve apostles of Jesus. Each of the 12 meatless 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 ingredient in this dish has a special meaning. Poppy seeds are a sign of abundance, grain - resurrection, nuts are a symbol of longevity, honey - health. Kutia is dressed with uzvar or sugar water. The meal begins with kutia at supper and Christmas lunch. After supper, kutia was left in a bowl on the table, with a spoon placed beside it. Ancestors believed that on this evening deceased relatives also come to the holy supper. The second essential dish on the table should be uzvar. This is a rich cooked compote made from dried fruit. It is served in a clay jug. It is believed that the table should be served with dishes made from vegetables, fruit and grains that are available in the house. Then meatless dumplings with cabbage or potatoes, mushrooms are prepared. Housewives also make meatless cabbage rolls, rice with vegetables, beet salad. Fish dishes are not omitted either. Such as jellied fish, fish cutlets, pickled herring. Braised dishes with cabbage. For example, braised cabbage with mushrooms. Soup is definitely cooked. It can be either mushroom soup with dumplings or with cheese. Beans are added to salads. Or fried with cabbage. And of course, no table does without Christmas kalach. This is a braided loaf baked from white flour, shaped as a ring with a hole in the middle. Then a vessel with grain and a candle, which is lit during supper, is inserted into this kalach. Pampushky were baked, symbolizing the holiday and a sweet life throughout 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?

1. Kutia
2. Uzvar
3. Mushroom soup
4. Meatless dumplings
5. Fish dishes
6. Meatless cabbage rolls (with rice or buckwheat)
7. Vinaigrette or red cabbage salad
8. Vegetable stew
9. Sweet pancakes or pampushky (with jam or preserves)
10. Baked apples with honey and nuts.
11. Baked potatoes with vegetables
12. Meatless borscht or cabbage soup

The dishes can be prepared at the discretion of each housewife. Everyone has their own family recipes of Ukrainian dishes, passed down from generation to generation. Of course, various pickles can be added (sauerkraut, cucumbers and tomatoes, cranberries). These are vitamin-rich winter dishes that complement the table. But the most important thing on Christmas Eve is the whole family at the table.