Christmas rites and traditions. Common customs and traditional celebrations of Christmas. Festive meat stew in wine
The content of the article:
The Nativity of Christ is the most important and great Christian holiday that mankind celebrates for over 20 centuries. He gives a spiritual beginning, the expectation of something wonderful and extraordinary. Therefore, the holiday is considered homely, calm and at the same time solemn. It is celebrated for several days in a row with a variety of rituals. But the most important tradition is Christmas dinner on January 6th on Christmas Eve with the appearance of the first star.
It so happened that Christmas is celebrated in different countries ah on different dates. Orthodox on January 7, Catholics, Protestants and Lutherans on December 25. The discrepancy is explained as follows. The Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Belarusian and Georgian churches remained on the Julian calendar, and did not switch to the Gregorian.
Orthodox traditions at Christmas
The Orthodox tradition presupposes observing a strict 40-day fast before Christmas. Moreover, on the last day of fasting, the tradition prohibits breakfast and lunch; only children are allowed to have a little snack at lunchtime.
Believers eat fast food for 40 days. This lasts until the first "Bethlehem" star rises on January 7th. This canon applies even during Christmas Eve - the Christmas festive table on the night of January 6-7. It is believed that at this time the forces of good and evil are fighting for the soul of a person, and depending on whose side wins, he fulfills desires. Therefore, on Christmas Eve, people put on kind animal masks, went from house to house with songs and carols, wishing well and prosperity. Thus, they tried not to anger evil spirits, but to attract good ones. This custom is an echo of pagan beliefs, but in some villages, it is still preserved. However, traditionally, only men and boys were caroling.
The symbol of Christmas is, of course, a tree with a star at the top. They also decorate the apartment with a Christmas wreath, decorative candles and Christmas cards. The tradition has survived to this day to ring the bells during songs, which symbolizes the greeting of the coming of Christ.
On Christmas Eve, the family must be at home, it is strictly forbidden to swear, quarrel and argue. In large families, it was agreed in advance about who would celebrate at home, choosing, as a rule, a rich dwelling or the house of the head of the "elder" of the clan. It is necessary to invite only friends and relatives to the table.
To prepare the table for Christmas Eve, children are involved, in particular the older daughters, help the mother. Since women are preparing festive Lenten dishes all day on January 6, which should have been at least 12. The dishes symbolize the 12 apostles and 12 months of the year. At the same time, before cooking, you need to confess, cleanse your soul and heart, make peace and forgive your enemies.
The most important ritual dish is placed in the center of the table - Christmas kutya, which is tasted first. Also, Slavic women bake fresh bread and pies. The number of pies is prepared equal to the number of people gathered at the table. In this case, a coin is placed in one of them. Pirmet says that whoever gets it will carry it all year round.
Men at this time organized the festive table itself. They brought in stalks of straw and laid them under the tablecloth. With songs, they put dishes on the table, which were tied crosswise with red threads, which symbolized the birth of the son of God in the manger. In the old days, it was believed that the little Christ was born that night, for this reason one should not make noise, so as not to disturb the baby.
In addition, the ceremonies require a didukh, who must stand in the house in the most honorable place. This is a festive sheaf made from wheat, oats, or rye. "Breadfruit" represents the deceased spirits of all descendants, who, according to belief, come to the house of their relatives on this day.
Traditional set of 12 dishes for Christmas
Different regions have their own traditions and their own set of 12 Christmas dishes. Putting everything together, you can make an approximate average menu that is suitable for any table. At the same time, it should be noted that you definitely need to taste every dish, so as not to be hungry next year. At the same time, you cannot eat the entire gala dinner, otherwise the house will remain empty.
- Kutia
- Uzvar
- Beetroot salad with prunes
- Sauerkraut and pickles salad
- Vinaigrette with herring
- Dumplings with potatoes or cabbage
- Millet porridge with mushrooms
- Mushroom soup or lean borsch
- Stewed cabbage with mushrooms
- Fried fish
- Cabbage rolls with rice and stewed carrots
- Boiled potatoes with butter and garlic
- The traditional color of the celebration is white, therefore tablecloths, napkins, curtains, tableware are selected only in snow-white shades.
- Unmarried girls and single guys cannot sit on the corner of the festive table, otherwise they will be left without a married couple.
- Food is washed down only with uzvar, not water.
- It is impossible to get up from the feast and leave the house until the meal is over. Otherwise, let in evil spirits.
- After dinner, children bring food from the festive table to their godfathers and grandparents.
For more information on the traditions of celebrating Christmas, see this video:
We celebrated the New Year. Another favorite winter holiday is, of course, Christmas. Christmas is a religious holiday. On this day, Christians glorify the birth of the baby Jesus Christ. Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25th and Christians on January 7th. Before Christmas, believers were fasting, and at Christmas they go to church. Christmas days lasted not one, but 12 whole days, Christmastide. The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve.
Christmas is the completion of a certain path in life. You can rest, relax and wait for the miracle and magic that the holiday gives us. Earlier in Russia the traditions and customs of Christmas were very much honored. Now they have been forgotten a little. Maybe believers are trying to stick to traditions completely. Christmas traditions are very interesting. Let's talk about them in more detail today, on the eve of the holiday.
2. Christmas Eve
3. Christmas divination
4. Signs associated with Christmas
At the end of November, the Christmas fast began - this is preparation for the great celebration. Of course, not everyone observes the fast, but believers, I think they do, try to limit themselves to heavy food and drink. Fasting should be done by those who can do it.
Another tradition before Christmas is the general cleaning of the house: they sweep the dust from the corners, wash the curtains, that is, they clean their home before the bright holiday.
In the old days, men repaired a sleigh, a house, a roof, in general, they found a job for themselves. Now, too, for our men there is a lot of housework, which requires just masculine strength and dexterity.
Before Christmas, people went to the fair to buy new things for themselves and their loved ones. The dishes were renewed, chipped and cracked were thrown away. Now, too, it does not hurt to cleanse your house of unnecessary things that only carry bad energy, nothing else good. So feel free to throw away unnecessary dishes, things that only litter our home.
The whole family had to prepare for the holiday. It is not for nothing that the proverb says: "Whoever is busy before Christmas will live in peace and harmony throughout the year." So involve all members of your family in preparation for the holiday: husband, children.
Young people in Russia prepared thoroughly for the holiday. Boys and girls sewed costumes, taught songs, made the Star of Bethlehem. Because in the old days, they organized noisy festivities, processions. The mummers walked around the courtyards. People were having fun, singing, changing clothes, carols. And the owner brought them food. In the days of my youth, it was like that too - young guys and girls walked around the village, congratulated the owners, sang,. It was fun. Now this tradition is leaving. Although some children still go and congratulate, "generous," for which they receive sweets or money.
The appearance in Russia is also connected with Christmas. By the 18th century, the Christmas tree was decorated in all European countries. Apples were tied to the branches, candles, which were lit on a holiday. The top of the spruce was decorated with a star or an angel in memory of the star that rose over the cradle of Jesus Christ.
What shouldn't have been done on Christmas? It was forbidden to wash, clean, cook, chop wood. This had to be done before the holidays, and the holiday should remain clean and bright. Moreover, people believed that it was impossible to sweep dirty linen from corners. because there could be the souls of deceased relatives who came to the holiday.
Christmas Eve
This is the last day of fasting. All relatives gathered together, laid the table. Traditionally, on this day, they cooked sochivo (hence the name). Juice is soaked grains of wheat, rice, with the addition of honey and fruits. Nowadays we call this dish kutia. At Christmas, many people cook it from wheat, adding poppy seeds, nuts, honey.
It was possible to sit down at the table after the service was served in the temple, and when a star appeared in the sky, which announced the Magi about the birth of the Savior.
Hay was put on the table, the memory of the manger where the baby Jesus lay. The festive table was covered with a white tablecloth and 12 dishes were set (according to the number of the apostles). Lenten dishes should have been on the table. they put boiled or baked fish on the table, an uzvar-compote of dried fruits. Wheat grains symbolized the beginning of a new life, ripe fruits and fruits - a sign of the end of life. Thus, Christmas Eve is a kind of ritual for the birth of Jesus Christ.
And for the holiday they baked a cake, in which they put a coin. It was believed that whoever gets it will get happiness.
Christmas divination
Christmastide began on January 6 and lasted two weeks, until Epiphany. It was a merry and joyful holiday in Russia.
At this time, Christmas fortune-telling was arranged. The girls were very attentive to dreams, at this time they were considered prophetic. And the night on Christmas Eve itself was considered fateful.
Fortune-telling was very different: this was throwing a shoe over the threshold, fortune-telling on grains, on rice, on wax, coffee grounds. To attract the suitors, they took the damper from the oven, poured crumbs and fed the rooster. another interesting fortune-telling, my grandmother told me - they put a container with water, on the other side - a mirror, and in the middle of the room - wheat grains. They launched a rooster into the hut. wherever he goes, so the betrothed will be. To the water - a drunkard, to the mirror - a handsome man, and to the grains, therefore, rich. These are the kind of funny fortune-telling organized by our great-grandmothers and grandmothers in the old days.
Signs associated with Christmas
According to the signs, it was on January 7 that severe frosts began (we already had severe frosts before the New Year. Let's see how it will be at Christmas). It is a good omen if a man enters the house first. So there will be no quarrels. And if a woman is not very good, it was believed that this is to misfortune and illness. Well, we are. we will not believe such signs. Let it be a thing of the past.
They also believed that if the owner breaks something on this day, it will lead to a quarrel.
On January 7, you should not swear, move to a new place, cut cattle and think about the bad (this, I think, is a good omen).
Weather signs
If frost hits on Christmas, then it will be cold on Epiphany.
At Christmas, a blizzard - bees will swarm well.
At Christmas, frost on the trees - a good harvest of bread, the starry sky - a harvest of peas.
If Christmas is warm, spring will be cold.
Dark Christmastide - dairy cows, light - nosed chickens.
The traditions and customs of Christmas have been formed in Russia for many centuries. Therefore, if you do not observe them, then you just need to be respectful. It is also believed that if you look at the sky on Christmas night, pray, make a wish, but it must be necessarily kind, then it will certainly come true. Let's believe in miracles!
Merry Christmas, my dear readers! Kindness, peace and happiness!
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Hello dear readers. I want to congratulate you on a wonderful holiday. After all, soon the day will come for all believers when they will celebrate the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Nativity of Christ). It will happen on January 7th. This holiday is one of the most important in the Christian world. It was installed as a sign of great joy due to the birth of the Savior of mankind Jesus Christ (God-Infant, the Son of God) from the Mother of God the Virgin Mary. This event of a world, even - Ecumenical, scale took place in Bethlehem. It is accepted that Christmas is preceded by the Nativity Fast and is included in the number of the twelve holidays. It is the final one in a long 40-day fast (Holy Forty-day). The strictest fast is necessarily observed before the onset of the holiday itself.
At night, from 6th to 7th, solemn Christmas services are held in all Orthodox churches and temples.
This is followed by Christmastide, which lasts for twelve whole days. At this time, all believers celebrate and glorify Christ. Today I want to consider interesting traditions and customs for Christmas. In fact, everything is very interesting, both for children and adults.
The history of the holiday - Christmas for children
January 7 marked a new life for all mankind. Now the worship of pagan idols is a thing of the past. There were no more human sacrifices for the sake of these gods. Today, the only "sacrifice" offered by an Orthodox Christian to the Lord is a candle and sincere prayer.
The history of the holiday is shrouded in mysteries, since it is one of the oldest on earth. Meanwhile, there are facts that are precisely established by modern science and are practically not subject to doubt. Agree: it is difficult to imagine that this day has never been celebrated at all. And, meanwhile, there were such times. To understand how it was, you need to plunge into the fascinating and mysterious world of history.
1. This holiday is established in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ in the ancient city of Bethlehem. It happened in 5508 from the day of the creation of the World.
2. In the 4th century, the principles of celebrating Christmas were only being established. They did not have 100% similarity with modern ones. And in terms of chanting, too.
3. In the 5th century, the foundations of chants were just beginning to be laid. This was facilitated by Patriarch Anatoly of Constantinople. His work continued in the 7th-8th centuries by Andrew and Soffonius of Jerusalem, as well as by Kozma Mayum, Patriarch German of Constantinople and others. It was then that chants are widely practiced by modern clergymen.
4. This great holiday was held in high esteem among believers from the very moment of the birth of the Savior. Over time, it gained popularity, and more and more believers joined in the celebrations. Already in those days, the custom was born to celebrate this day in a special way. However, all this was persecuted and was not recognized by the then official authorities. long time.
5. The first who decided to congratulate Christ and all people were simple shepherds, to whom an angel appeared, notifying them of the greatest joy: a savior came to earth, and everyone who believes in him and will adhere to his commandments will get a chance for salvation of his soul and a blissful paradise life for all ages. The shepherds presented gifts to the baby, and the wise men (wise men) hurried after them. It was they who were entrusted with the honor of informing people about the birth of the Child of God.
The history of the origin of the holiday of Nativity of Christ is presented briefly for children. After all, children should know and need to tell everything correctly and clearly.
This was how the foundations of this holiday were laid, which we celebrate today. And not only at the religious, but also at the official - state level (in more than 100 countries of the modern world).
Some more interesting facts related to history!
The holiday of Christmas in different countries of the world is celebrated not exactly the same. This was influenced by the customs of those local peoples who lived on those lands when it was just being laid.
It is celebrated by both the Catholic and Protestant churches, and is honored by many related religions.
In Russia, the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated only in the 10th century. And her baptism itself was, for the most part, forced. The pagan beliefs of the local peoples were too strong.
Closer to our time in the villages Christmastide was celebrated "with the whole world", moving from one hut to the second. This custom has survived to this day. Merchants in those days rode in troikas, and noble nobles loved to arrange balls.
Holy evening or Christmas - traditions and customs
In fact, home “chores” began long before Christmas. And they each had their own. So, the owner had to feed the meat, put wine for ripening, prepare smoking and so on. The hostess was engaged in embroidery, cleaning, preparing new dishes, cooking dishes. The children helped them in all this.
On January 2 (on Ignat) final cleaning was done, houses were decorated with didukh and spruce branches.
On January 4 (at Anastasia), the preparation of products for the festive table was finally completed.
On the 6th, from the very dawn, the hostess collected water for the kutya, the uzvar, heated the hearth, on which the dishes were then prepared. Strict fasting was still going on until the evening of the sixth. But the first star announced its relative "end."
And in order to emphasize all the idleness of this moment, they took up such a long-awaited festive meal. But, she, in mandatory, was lean. The table was incredibly rich. And it had to be, of course, 12 dishes.
It was not at all necessary to eat every dish completely. And it was not very real after a strict fast. But little by little is a completely different matter. The meal was started with kutya - the central, main, dish of the Christmas table.
Among other things, it is also a memorial dish, therefore a bowl filled with it, and next to it is an uzvar, was also placed for deceased relatives, who, as it was believed (and is still considered to this day), visit the living at this magical time.
Kutia was also brought to those people who were not relatives or lived in other houses, in order to wish them well-being, prosperity, good health, happiness and joy, as well as to wish them a Merry Christmas. The same wishes were borne by the godfathers.
"To wear to the supper" is the name of this rite. For her, adults give children gifts from the heart.
Let's go back to the festive home table. It was covered with fresh fragrant hay, but food was placed in a clean, beautiful dish. Each of the dishes has its own meaning. It is believed that dishes from all fruits and vegetables available on the farm should be put on the table, so that next year they will make them even richer.
Why exactly 12 dishes need to be prepared for Christmas?
This is due to the fact that there are the same number of months in a year. And yet, it was 12 apostles who took a direct part in the famous Last Supper with Christ.
1. Kutia, as already mentioned, is the main dish of this table. This is a cereal porridge.
2. Uzvar (var). A special compote with dried fruits as the main ingredient.
3. Chilled fish.
4. Cabbage plant.
5. Boiled peas.
6. Lean borscht.
7. Fried fish.
8. Lean dumplings.
9. Lean pies.
10. Pancakes or donuts (for borsch).
11. Millet or buckwheat porridge.
12. Cabbage rolls with vegetables, cereals.
After the meal was over with the family, it was possible to wear the supper. At this time, young people could carol, adults, and with them children, old people, young (everyone who wanted) began to gather in church. The girls, on the other hand, took up fortune-telling. However, they were officially prohibited by the church!
How to cook Christmas kutya
In ancient times, the whole family got to work to prepare this unique dish. Each of its members, from young to old, for several evenings in a row, sorted out the wheat in order to use only the best grains in the cooking process. Barley was used a little less often than wheat.
Modern kutia is usually made from rice, but recipes that use wheat and barley are coming back to us gradually. The dish is served with poppy seeds and bee honey. Sometimes it was refueled and well-fed. This is also honey, only diluted. It's not that sweet and much more runny.
Little by little, poppy milk was added to kutya only later. In fact, this is not milk, in its pure form, but pre-steamed and thoroughly crushed poppy seeds.
If there is no honey, you can simply add sugar to the dish. Also, the trend of modern cooking is raisins and nuts in kutya. Previously, only the nuts who had them could be added.
There are a great many recipes for cooking this dish. Here is one of the most popular, still used by our ancestors.
It uses wheat or barley grains, previously crushed in a wooden mortar. But, they should not be fragmented. The main task is to remove the husk with which they are covered.
Ideally, if the water, after that, did not need to be drained, that is, it was completely digested.
The finished grain was poured: pears, apples, plums, sometimes - apricot fruits. The grain is laid out in bowls separately, an uzvar is added there, you can put a spoonful of honey. The grain can be poured and full.
V modern interpretation kutya, nuts, raisins, sugar instead of honey are added to it (but not necessarily).
January 7 - Bright Christmas
On the first day of Christmas, the 7th, an early lunch was put on the table. Meat dishes were allowed to be consumed in unlimited quantities.
However, everyone knew that it was impossible to abuse it, since the gastrointestinal tract had to be rebuilt for a new diet after such a long fast. Allowed blood and meat sausage, porridge with roast, bacon with boiled pork and so on. At lunchtime, there should have been one (at least) dairy dish on the table. It could be noodles with milk.
They served church services, worshiped, and then went to visit the guests. Sleeping at night is an unaffordable luxury, this applies specifically to Christmas night. Why? It was believed that whoever falls asleep can sleep through all his happiness and good luck. But, I couldn't get enough sleep, even with all my desire: carols under the windows, ringing of church bells, noise and din, talk about the Bright Feast of people returning from services (from church)!
On Bright Christmas, one had to have fun and rejoice, spend time with the family, and then visit. And, what is extremely important, to forgive any insults, letting go of them and no longer remembering. Only joy, because the Son of God was born.
By the way, all the customs and traditions mentioned above have survived, in one form or another, to this day. And soon it will be time to remember them again. After all, Christmas is at stake.
Fortune telling on the night before Christmas
They wondered at this time everywhere. And even despite the fact that the church officially forbade doing this, this practice did not lose its popularity. And it has not lost to this day.
The most common were divination with a bow in the name of his betrothed, fortune-telling with a gold ring, with a comb, with glasses, fortune-telling with the help of a cat, with a rooster, and so on. And each of them is a whole rite with a lot of features. Let's give an example of one of them.
Fortune telling on the betrothed on the bulbs. Before Christmas Eve, a week before her, the girl selected several bulbs, on each of which she made a note with the initials of “candidate”. I put them in the water. And during fortune-telling, at night, she whispered over the bow: "Bow, bow, whisper to me, who is my fiancé?" Then the size of the processes was measured. The longest, with initials, and pointed to the groom.
January is the month of holidays, followed by Christmas. But continuing the theme of Christmas, I can't help but mention some interesting signs for Christmas.
Christmas signs
The main signs that were believed in then, and which continue to exist now:
✔ It is forbidden to sew on Christmas so that all family members have excellent eyesight.
✔ A blizzard on this day is early spring and lush foliage on the trees.
✔ The starry sky is a big crop of peas.
✔ Kutia, prepared by the main hostess in the house - good health to the one who eats it.
✔ On the eve of Christmas, it is better not to take light and fire out of the hut.
✔ Not a single plate should be empty on the table.
And most importantly: how will Christmas go, so will it be the whole year! These, of course, are not the only signs. Several volumes are not enough to read them all. But, before you, the most interesting of them.
The Nativity of Christ is a great holiday, a solemn day for all Christians. On this day, God himself, the Savior of the world, became incarnate in man. It is surprising that in the Holy Scriptures there is not a single indication that the day of the Messiah's birth is a church holiday or some special day. In those days, birthdays were not celebrated at all. And the ancient Church did not celebrate Christmas either. The birth of Christ was celebrated on the day of Epiphany.
Surely everyone knows the story of the Magi who came to worship the King of Judah after seeing a star in the East. But the Magi themselves were not Jews. What did they believe in? Why did the birth of the Savior become a great holiday for them too? Why did they prepare special gifts, which included oil for embalming the departed - myrrh?
How is fasting related to casting out demons in the Bible? Did Christ Himself Fast?
When do Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas - December 25 or January 7? Did you know that the first Gregorian calendar "missed" 10 days on purpose?
How do you know what's going on at the festive worship service on Christmas Day? What are troparion and kontakion? We have analyzed in detail the composition of the worship service for Christmas.
Why is it customary to decorate a fir-tree for Christmas, isn't this a secular New Year's tradition rooted in paganism? Was the fir tree standing next to the Christmas manger? Which Christian was the first to come up with decorating a spruce?
In this article, we tried to collect for you the answers to the most important questions for a Christian about Christmas Day, interesting facts and postcards with which you can congratulate your loved ones.
Nativity of Christ: the history of the holiday
So, let's turn to the history of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. It would seem that everything is simple here. This day is described by the evangelists, undoubtedly, for a Christian the birth of the Heavenly King, incarnation in man, the opportunity to ask for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life is a great holiday. Not so simple. As we have already said, there is no mention of the celebration of Christmas in the Scriptures. And even more so, there is no particular promise to decorate the spruce, to give each other gifts.
The story of the Nativity of Christ is described in the Holy Scriptures, but the celebration of this event appeared later. Christmas is one of the twelve great holidays of the Orthodox Church. In our tradition, it is customary to call them Twelve Feasts, these are the great celebrations of the Church that follow after Easter. In the Jewish tradition, birthdays were not celebrated, which is difficult for modern people to believe, and in the Scriptures there is no promise of a special celebration. The first mentions of Christmas date back to the 4th century. In 360, the Roman bishop of Liberius mentioned the feast of Christmas. In the II century, the birth of Christ was spoken about on the day of the Epiphany. The Feast of the Epiphany celebrated three great events at once - the Birth of Jesus, the bringing of the gifts and the Baptism. In the old prayer books, Christmas is called “Winter Easter,” and the Resurrection of Christ was a consequence of Christmas. All church practice was formed around them. This holiday is dedicated to the earthly life of Christ. Our Savior was born not in a luxurious castle, but in a barn, where livestock took refuge from the weather. In the Roman temple of Santa Maria Maggiore, there is supposedly a particle of Jesus' manger.
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, in that year the emperor ordered a census of newborns. The Mother of God and Joseph were from the family of King David. There was no place for them in city hotels on the way to Bethlehem, so the Savior of the World was born next to the stall, and the Divine Infant was placed in a cattle feeder - His first manger. The shepherds who guarded their flocks nearby, as the Gospel of Luke says, was the first to know about the miracle that had happened. On a starry night, the Angel of the Lord appeared to them to proclaim the Great Joy "for this day a Savior has been born to you in the city of David." Together with the Angel, the numerous heavenly host appeared, crying "Glory to God in the highest!" The first to worship the Lord were the common people, and the common people became the first preachers of Christ. The angel said to them: "Do not be afraid: behold, I proclaim great joy to you, he will be all people, as if the Savior is born to you this day, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David," ". What did these words mean? Before the birth of Christ, God had never before incarnated. Taking upon himself the sins of the world, Jesus gave people the hope of Salvation, commanding his disciples first of all - love. The Apostle Paul said that death for him would be an acquisition, because in the body he was excommunicated from the true source of life - Christ.
The Magi Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar (in the Latin tradition) saw the Star of Bethlehem in the East and also understood that this means the birth of the Savior of the world. Most likely they came from Persia. Despite the fact that the wise men were pagans seeking the truth, the sun of truth was revealed to them. In those days, astronomy was often combined with astrology and pagan practices, therefore, in the modern sense, the wise men were something like magicians. Although the Persians and Jews believed that they believed in the One God and perceived each other favorably, the Magi, of course, could not be considered God's chosen people. They brought their gifts to the Divine Infant (gold is a sign of royal power, incense is a sign of the priesthood and myrrh (spicy incense) - they anointed the bodies of the departed, a symbol that Jesus Christ is to die and rise again. Zoroastrian teaching about Saoshyants (three saviors who will teach people of good faith) echoed the teaching about the Messiah.The appearance of the Magi on the day of the holiday meant that the Savior came not to one people, but to all people.
Why did the Son of God become human? God has revealed the ways of salvation for us. The essence of man was united with the Divine essence. Jesus put on a man to heal mankind. He brought us an amazing gift of grace, and we are only required to accept this gift with dignity and righteousness. The manifestation of God in the flesh is a sacrifice, which was atoned for all the sins of mankind. Moreover, not only past, but also future sins. Theophan the Recluse writes about the “adoption” by God the Father through God the Son: “The Spirit of God makes sons - regenerating, does it all? Not all, but only those who believed in the Lord, were appointed to follow Him in everything, and for the sake of these dispositions were accepted into the good pleasure of God, as if they were destined to be sons ”.
At the place where God came into the world, there is now the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ. The basilica was laid by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena. The basilica operates continuously, the building of the basilica suffered from wars and fires. There is a cave under the basilica, its place is marked with a silver star with fourteen rays. This is the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hegumen Daniel Pilgrim is the first to describe the cave of the Nativity in Russian. This happened at the beginning of the XII century.
On the eve of Christmas, the pre-holiday day is Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the “door” that opens the gates to Christmas.
Until the day of Christmas, the great holiday, people observe the Nativity Fast. Fasts in a Christian's life take up one third of the year. On these special days, Christians are trying to get in touch with timelessness, Eternity. Believers imitate Christ, because Christ fasted. It is necessary to try to become like Christ not only in food, but also in spiritual life. We empathize not even with the holiday of Christmas itself, but with the appearance of Christ in the world, with the fact that God became a man. Fasting is a time of purification in the spiritual life and one of the main spiritual activities of a person. The holy saints of God fasted, about which there are numerous references in the Scriptures. Many Holy Ascetics spent their entire lives in intense fasting. Jesus spoke of the need for fasting to the Apostles. To the question of the Apostles - why did they manage to drive out demons from the demoniac, Jesus answered that this kind is driven out only by fasting and prayer. Prayer is for the soul, and fasting for the body is an important matter for a Christian. Preparatory Christmas fast. We are preparing for the Nativity of the Lord, the day of the great holiday, such a holiday should be greeted with spiritual purity. So that the day of Christmas does not become an ordinary day, fasting is observed, a person repents of his sins, so that the soul accepts this holiday.
Symbols of the Nativity
On the eve of Christmas, on Christmas Eve, festive dishes are prepared - sochivo and kutia. The word "Christmas Eve" is just connected with the preparation of sochiv. These are dishes made from steamed cereals with honey. They eat on Christmas Eve only once, after the festive divine service.
The main symbol of the 
Christmas, of course, remains the Christmas tree. It occupies a special place in the Orthodox tradition, we will tell you about it in detail.
The sacred gifts - gold, incense and myrrh - remain the symbols of Christmas even now.
Another important symbol of Christmas is the Star of Bethlehem. People have always gazed at the stars and admired the view of the night sky. But the Star of Bethlehem has a special place. This is the star that led the Magi with gifts to the cradle of Jesus. Its rays showed the way to the birthplace of the Savior. It is believed that after this the wise men themselves adopted Christianity and preached Christ. In homes, this star is attached to the top of the Christmas tree. The eight-pointed star is also present on the icon of the Mother of God “The Burning Bush”. Previously, it was also installed on the domes of the first churches. The story of the star from the East was described by the Evangelist Matthew. The Magi knew the map of the starry sky well and believed that the stars are not just cosmic objects, but also signs that tell about the fate of people. The Pentateuch of Moses contains the prediction of the prophet Balaam. This man did not belong to the Israelite people, he was of pagan origin. He proclaimed “a new star from Jacob,” so the Magi waited for a special star to appear in the East. The worship of Jesus from the pagans, the Magi, says that all times and peoples, all earthly kings, sooner or later, will bow down before Christ.
The angel and the bells remind us of announcing the birth of the Lord to the shepherds. The ringing of bells glorifies the Lord.
In many countries, it is customary to light candles at Christmas. Their light symbolizes the Divine radiance of the joy of the Nativity of Christ.
Christmas traditions differ from country to country. Accordingly, the symbols of Christmas can be different. The tradition of the Christmas den has taken root in Russia. The Nativity Scene is a cave of the Nativity; it is made with their own hands and installed in churches, in city squares and in houses of believers. The nativity scene "came" to Russia from medieval Western Europe. In those days, they actively fought against pagan traditions and rituals. Many Christians, due to their weakness, participated in the feast of the god Mithras, the pagan sun god. This refers us to the history of the establishment of the holiday of Christmas itself. The day of Christmas coincided with the day of the Solstice, which also had a certain symbolic implication. The church began to celebrate Christmas separately from the day of Epiphany, in order to replace the pagan holidays with Christian ones.
Even though many Christians did not organize pagan holidays, even becoming involuntary participants in the feast, they harmed their souls. So one might think that there is no significant difference between the veneration of Christ and the veneration of other non-existent gods. The church had to either excommunicate the “half pagans” or come up with a way to establish a real Christian holiday, reminding us that Christ the Savior has come to us. Despite the fact that there was an undoubted benefit in separating Christmas from the Feast of the Epiphany, a number of theologians believe that there were certain disadvantages for Christians in this. Christmas has become less closely associated with the appearance of God in the world. Blessed Theodorite of Kirsky said: "... Jehovah God and God's Son, having an invisible nature, when he became human, became apparent to everyone.".
In those days, not only the singers of the church choir, but also the parishioners took part in the Christmas holidays. A statue of the Virgin Mary was installed on a special table above the throne. A boy from the church choir, portraying an Angel, heralded the birth of the Messiah. And the priests portrayed the shepherds of Bethlehem. After the announcement, they entered the altar. This was followed by a small performance on the Biblical theme, which was called "Nativity scene", and in Western Ukraine, just "Vertep".
In 16th century Europe, puppet theaters performed such mysteries. These theaters had decorations reminiscent of those of today's nativity scenes. They were cut out of paper, wood, molded from clay. Nowadays, nativity scenes are often simply set up at the entrance to a temple or house.
Catholics and Protestants also make Advent calendars. Advent is four weeks before Christmas. Small gifts are left for children in such calendars.
Why the dates for celebrating Christmas are different in different churches
Many people wonder when to celebrate the Nativity of Christ - December 25 or January 7? In some countries, for example, in Moldova, both days of Christmas are widely celebrated - according to the old and new styles. This is due to the confessional diversity in the country. In Russia, the celebration of Christmas is also becoming a tradition.
There was no single calendar in the ancient world. Julius Caesar was one of the most enlightened people of his time. He realized that there was a need to create a calendar. The Julian calendar was established by Julius Caesar, which follows from its very name. Greek science of that time already knew that the Earth makes a complete revolution around the sun in 365 days and 6 hours. In fact, these are not entirely accurate figures - for 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes. Julius Caesar demanded that the calendar combine Roman names and Greek scientific discoveries. This calendar, like the Gregorian, has 12 months, leap years, 365 days a year. An extra day appears every four years. Unfortunately, the inaccuracy of 11 minutes has become critical. So in 128 years, the calendar would have a whole extra day. In 1582 it became apparent that a new calendar had to be developed. Pope Gregory XIII introduced a calendar, which is called Gregorian, respectively, and has fewer leap years. Years that are divisible by 100 but not divisible by 400 now contain 365 days. Why was there controversy if the new calendar was perfect? It deliberately missed ten days. Countries adopted the new calendar at different periods, which gave rise to several confusion about important historical dates.
This question is not as straightforward as it seems, and it's not just calendars. Today our Church lives according to the Julian calendar, although in some countries the Gregorian calendar is considered the most accurate. The difference between the two calendars is in terms of calculus. The Julian and Gregorian calendar is a matter of theology. After the October Revolution, the Julian calendar was considered "obscurantist", all secular holidays are celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, in 1923 the Church tried under pressure to switch to a new style, but the Russian Orthodox Church remained faithful to the Julian one. Catholics and Protestants celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar, as do a number of Orthodox Churches abroad.
We know quite accurately the date of conception of the mother of John the Baptist, Elizabeth (September 23, old style). We know that when Zechariah left Jerusalem, it is known that in the sixth month after the conception of John the Baptist, an angel appeared to the Most Holy Theotokos. This day became the day of the divine conception of Jesus Christ. We cannot know the exact date, but we can calculate that the birth of Christ was in the middle of winter.
Festive worship
The greatness of the holiday is reflected in at Christmas. On this day, the prayer "Heavenly King" is read. This is what we call Christ, honoring Him as Lord God. This prayer is not read only in the period from Easter to Pentecost, and many services are opened to it, and not just festive ones. Next comes the litany and the hymn “God is with us”. This hymn reminds us of the prophet Isaiah, who, 700 years before the birth of Christ, announced the coming of the Savior of the world, born of a virgin. He described the events of His earthly life, death and resurrection. This is followed by the song of Simeon the God-Receiver, which speaks of the bringing of the Divine Infant to the Jerusalem Temple, which was traditionally performed on the fortieth day of life. At the festive divine service on Christmas Day, irmos is sung - the title of the Christmas canon. There are nine songs in the canon, the beginning of the ninth canto (irmos) is the thread connecting the Old Call to the New Testament. He says that we Christians are better off loving silence. Many preachers cannot find words to convey the essence of the mystery of the birth of Christ. The service is held in Church Slavonic. The hymnography of Ancient Rus and Byzantium is enormous. As we know, all services go on a daily basis. On the eve of the holidays, the morning and evening services merge into one “All-Night Vigil”. Such services are held only twice a year - at Christmas and Easter. The Patriarchal Christmas service is being held in the Russian Orthodox Church, when the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addresses the flock.
The matins of Christmas are sung at night. On this night we hear the Angelic Song: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, goodwill in men. This is gratitude to God for the fact that he incarnated and saved us. We also hear the polyeleos, verses from these psalms glorifying the mercy of the Lord. Next comes greatness - a short chant praising God. The composition of the festive Matins includes a grave and grave antiphon. Antiphons imitate the choir of angels praising the Lord. The titles refer to the way these chants are sung. So Antiphones are sung alternately. Next comes the prokeimenon, preceding the reading of the passage from Scripture dedicated to the Nativity of Christ. This is followed by the Gospel stichera, which explains the words of Scripture.
Troparion and kontakion for Christmas
The troparion and kontakion at Christmas are the most important components of the divine service. They are created by Christian poet - hymnographers. The troparion and the kontakion are not just prayers, but also explanations of the essence of the holiday of Christmas.
Troparion for Christmas
Kontakion for Christmas
Christmas tree: Orthodox meaning
Spruce has always been a symbol of Christmas. This is due to the fact that Herod ordered to kill all the babies, fearing for their position, when the Magi reported that the King of the Jews was born, meaning the Savior. It is believed that in order to save Jesus, Mary and Joseph closed the entrance to the cave with branches of spruce.
Why was Herod so scared? In the time of Jesus, everyone was waiting for the coming of the Messiah. He was expected as a powerful King, whose enemies would be defeated. Jesus, as we remember, was not born in palaces, but in a stable, and His first manger was a bowl for cattle fodder. Herod was not a deeply religious Jew, so the coming of the Messiah interested him only in terms of political ambitions. Not only was Herod not a descendant of David, which means that his position as an official ruler was already precarious, so it was not he who accepted Judaism, but his grandfather Antipas, because the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judah demanded this. Antiparus, father of Herod, seized the royal throne with cunning and power. He himself became a victim of betrayal and deception. Herod punished the traitors and ascended to the kingdom. Power passed from hand to hand. Taking the granddaughter of Hyrcanus II as his wife and reconstructing the temple, Herod tried to strengthen his position. But, being a cruel and suspicious person, he later killed his wife and three sons, suspecting them of conspiracy. Against the background of these events, the wise men appeared in Jerusalem, demanding to show them the King of Judah, and they clearly did not mean Herod. After that, he ordered to kill all babies. This terrible event was one of Herod's worst atrocities.
In Europe for a long time there was a legend that when the trees brought their gifts to the Infant - fruits, they had nothing to offer him, and she modestly stood on the threshold of the barn, not daring to approach. Then Jius smiled and held out his hand to her. But this story belongs rather to good fairy tales.
There was also another version of this tale: it said that two other trees, palm and olive, did not let the spruce to Christ, mocking her. Hearing this, the Angel of the Lord adorned the humble tree, and she entered the manger of the Divine Infant in all her majesty. Jesus was delighted to eat, but she was embarrassed, and not proud, because she remembered - she was dressed up by an Angel, and she owes her her transformation. For modesty, it was the spruce that became the symbol of Christmas Day.
In Russia, the tradition of decorating a fir tree for Christmas came only in the 18th century. By the way, in many countries, this tradition also became late: in England, France and America, only in the middle of the 19th century, spruce at Christmas became a widespread practice.
Spruce is also decorated for the New Year, but this is a secular tradition. For Orthodox Christians, spruce is, first of all, a symbol of Christmas. In Ancient Russia, spruce was not favored; it was a gloomy tree growing in a swamp.
The decorated tree is an echo of paganism. In those days, people endowed nature with human, if not divine properties. According to legend, forest spirits lived in conifers. To save their homes from evil spirits, people dressed up forest beauties, trying to appease them. The attitude towards conifers, by the way, was constantly changing. They sometimes kept evil spirits in themselves, then they guarded the dwelling. However, at all times, spruce was endowed with mystical properties.
In Europe of the 15th-16th centuries, for the first time, there are mentions of decorating spruce. It is believed that the custom of decorating spruce in the Christian tradition was discovered by Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism. He put candles on spruce branches to show the children the symbol of the Lord's love and mercy - the beauty of the heavenly stars on the day when the Lord became incarnate and descended to people. The decorated spruce was “brought” to Russia by Peter I, but initially it was installed only in drinking establishments, and an elegant tree appeared in houses already in the 19th century. There was a decorated Christmas tree in the house of Emperor Nicholas I in St. Petersburg.
A little later, the spruce appeared as an illustration for the book "Nutcracker" ("Nutcracker") by Hoffmann, which spoke of the deeply rooted tradition of decorating the spruce at Christmas. Already in 1916, the Holy Synod saw the influence of the Germans in the tradition and banned it, and in 1927, after an anti-religious campaign, the Christmas tree was classified as a “relic of the past” ...
Now the evergreen spruce, which also reminds of eternal life, is experiencing a rebirth. In 1935, the spruce returned to government institutions, but returned, alas, as a secular symbol of the New Year. It was decorated with a red star at the top. It is known that during the years of theomachy people used to dress up spruce in secret in their homes. People began to remember that this is, first of all, a symbol of the Nativity of Christ.
Merry Christmas greetings
Your loved ones with old Christmas cards.
Dates of the Nativity of Christ:
About the Nativity of Christ on Pravmir:
About the Nativity of Christ: the history of the holiday
- Bishop Alexander (Mileant)
- Protodeacon Andrey Kuraev
- Archimandrite Iannuariy (Ivlev)
- Prot. Alexander Schmemann
Christmas calendar
Chants and services of the Nativity of Christ
- Nikolai Ivanovich Derzhavin: and
Christmas carols and songs
Video
Christmas in the family: traditions and customs
Icon of Christmas
- Hieromonk Ambrose (Timrot)
Sermons
- St. Basil the Great
- St. John Chrysostom
- St. Leo the Great,
- St. Right. John of Kronstadt:
Christmas is a special light holiday filled with joy and expectation of a miracle! Both adults and adults are looking forward to it. Christmas gives us peace, tranquility, hope and faith in a wonderful future. This is a family holiday, it is celebrated in a warm family circle. Christmas is a time to forget old grievances, to forgive and ask for forgiveness from those whom we could offend, to thank everyone who was kind to us or just was there, who supported us and believed in us. This is the time to wish each other the embodiment of all dreams and hopes.
Do we know Christmas traditions and customs?
Christmas is a great event for the entire Christian world, the holiday of the birth of Jesus Christ. From this day the countdown began. I will tell you about Ukrainian Christmas traditions and customs, although I think they are identical for all Orthodox Christians. It is important to keep them in mind.
Christmas is preceded by a four-week fast from November 27 to January 6. At this time, all household chores were carried out: they put in order the dwelling, did cosmetic repairs, decorated the walls with paintings, towels, laid carpets. The red corner was always decorated with especially solemnly lit candles and a lamp. The main symbol of all winter holidays was placed here - the didukh (a sheaf of spikelets of wheat and rye collected during the harvest). Didukh grains were stored until spring and added to the seed for a good harvest. Many folk signs are associated with Christmas. If in the first three days of the holiday frost appears on the trees, then there will be a good harvest of bread. There will be a rich harvest of cereals and lush grasses if there is deep snow at Christmas. If there are many stars in the sky, then the harvest of berries will delight. If it's warm at Christmas, the spring will be cold.
Christmas traditions have been passed down from generation to generation. For our grandfathers and grandmothers, it was compulsory to cover the floor with hay, and they put straw on the table, which was a symbol of the manger, in which they put the newborn Christ. The distribution of alms was an important part of the celebration of Christmas. This process brought joy and festive mood not only to those who received charity and thus had the opportunity to celebrate Christmas, but also to those who gave it. It was a sacred duty and great happiness to accept a poor or an orphan in their home, and what is very important, they were not only received in the house, but also treated like a member of the family, like a native.
The celebration of Christmas began with the appearance of the first star in the sky on January 6th. A festive dinner was served on the table, which traditionally consisted of 12 dishes. The number of appearances on the table is essential, they symbolize the 12 apostles, who were the first disciples of Christ. The dinner began with a prayer that the whole family would say together. The owner sat down at the table first, he handed out traditional kutya to everyone, followed by other dishes: uzvar, borscht, cabbage rolls, dumplings with potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, cottage cheese, stewed cabbage, pickled mushrooms, herring, donuts and so on. The assortment of dishes for different regions of Ukraine may differ, but what is important is their quantity and the fact that they were lean. The meat dishes were tried the next day (January 7) after returning from the temple.
The famous Ukrainian culinary specialist Alla Kovalchuk shares with the audience how to cook a real and very tasty kutya.
The most striking Christmas traditions can be safely called the nativity scene and carols. The most honorable in the nativity scene was the wearing of the eight-pointed star of Bethlehem, which was made of gilded paper and decorated with a flashlight, and animal masks were also prepared.
The nativity scene could have an unlimited number of characters, everyone was brightly dressed up, they acted out performances illustrating the birth of Jesus Christ and biblical stories. We sang carols and Christmas carols. Everyone can carol: children, adults, boys, girls. The owners handed out treats and gifts to the carols.
These are the Ukrainian ones that are still observed in many families, especially in the villages. This is an incredibly beautiful, mesmerizing, magical event - the celebration of Christmas.
Peace, kindness, happiness, health to all and God's mercy!
Probably the most famous carol for Ukrainians is the song "Good evening tobi!"
Good evening tobi, my master, rejoice,
Cover the tables, that all with kilims, rejoice,
Oh, rejoice, earth, the Sin of God was born.
That hoard of kalachi with spring wheat, rejoice,
Oh, rejoice, earth, the Sin of God was born.
Bo come before you three feasts on a visit, rejoice,
Oh, rejoice, earth, the Sin of God was born.
And the first feast day: Christmas, rejoice,
Oh, rejoice, earth, the Sin of God was born.
And the other feast day: Saint Basil, rejoice,
Oh, rejoice, earth, the Sin of God was born.
And the third feast day: Holy Vodokhreshcha, rejoice,
Oh, rejoice, earth, the Sin of God was born.
And now I bring to your attention Ukrainian carols.
Ukrainian carols for children
I'm sleeping with kolyada for you,
God give you the harvest
Generous fields, small gardens,
Zirka in the sky on Svyatvechir
For adults and children.
Carols my moonє,
Weight of light from Rizdvoy vitaє.
Carols, carols, carols.
Good with honey.
And it’s not like that without honey,
Give me a pyataka, uncle.
Yak will not give a pyatak,
Vіzma bika by the horns.
Don't give a copy,
Bo to tear the intestines,
Be, people, ambition!
Give me a penny of paperwork.
Oh, rejoice on the earth! Christmas carol!
Holy evening, good evening!
Carols іde, give everyone a gift.
Give everyone good luck, give us a word,
It seems to us that the whole world is.
Earth, earth, unscrew the doors.
Odchinyay the doors, for thy prince go!
Good evening toby, my master!
Bring us a couple of cowbusses,
Oh, walk like a spike,
Give us some messages.
Bring lard, do not skimp,
Your barley is ugly,
They pressed a hundred cents of life,
Schob is all sieve!
The schob cattle drove around,
Wheat was born,
Shcheb at the house of all mali -
Kolyadniks were welcomed.
I'm a little shepherd boy
Fired up into the casing,
I play on the violin
I visit you all.
And vi, people, smell
Prepare kolyada -
Apple, pots
Children on the quiet.
Kolyadin, kolyadin,
I'm the only one with the dad.
Do not marvel at me
Lashtut kovbasu.
Kolyadin, kolyadin,
I'm alone with mami.
Carry my pies,
Put that one at the bears.
Kolyadin, kolyadin,
I'm the only one in babusi.
By the number of casing,
Give uncle a pie.
Kolyadin, kolyadin,
And I'm the only one,
We tear the casing,
Carry me a donut.
Give, God, good evening!
Give the pie.
And I want to be short,
So a little bit
No handles, no legs,
Schob didn’t beat snags!
Don't break it
Let's do it for the most part.
Oh on ricci, on Jordan,
There is the Prechista rizi prala,
I grabbed my sina,
On yalina kolihala.
Three Yangoli arrived,
Heaven took Christ.
All the heavens have opened up
All the saints were worshiped.
Little Isusik do not sleep, do not sleep,
The whole world is packed with their hands.
І your hatina, і your homeland,
And all Ukraine - Christ is born!
Oh went Kolyadka
On the streets in the place,
At the stitches of the siblings,
In light namist.
Iskors of fun
On the SNIG rossipala,
"God's syn was born!" -
I helped you.
On the day of the garn, at a good hour
I from Rizdvom vitaum you,
From the Holy Supper, a merry Christmas carol.
High carol moon
At Bethlehem -
In the stays on the blue -
Christ is born
All for salvation!
People please
White Christ,
To God's blue
Glory!
Glory in heaven
Holy God,
On earth spokiy
To the human race!
Oh, Ісусе, loving, krashiy, yak ti kiti,
Take a bite of some Ukrainian children.
Shobi bully good, shobi bully happy,
І smart, і health, mov tі kіti red.
Ty, Ditino Bozha, on the fragrant sin,
Give us happiness and I will increase the share of native Ukraine!
The sky is clear, the stars glimmered,
Our land was sanctified.
With a snowball it was arguing,
It paved the way for us.
Good evening to the Lord,
We brought a gift to God.
Our pisnі garnі dari
Born to be praised.
Good God, good God,
Send us a happy rіk.
Oh, at the floor, at the floor
Oh, at the floor, at the floor
Samitnya khatinka.
There the Savior was born -
God's child.
Shepherdesses at the field
The lambs were guarded.
Yak pochuli about Isus -
They arrived at the nursery.
Arrived, arrived,
They became pitati,
Chi allow Bozha Mati
Isusa vitati.
Ісусе, Ісусе,
Horny quote,
Grant Lita Happy
To my hometown.
Here are falling snizhok quietly
Pleiad of little stars
In rude taste polincya
Angels at once stood on the ring
Іsusika voni vitaut
І store your hands with something
І my wish to privatize
First name give a date
І vira, і my love
Daruєmo Baby tobi
Christ was born!
Snіzhinko-snіzhinonko,
Fly to Vkrainonka,
Lay the field clearly,
Shcheb gave birth to red!
Creep with stitches
Help the hatins
Guests are dear to walk,
Wear pies for the parts.
Stay like a powder
With good thoughts.
Shut up - cheer
Soul and donkey!
Holy evening and I'm going to sit on the ice.
I am yogo and becoming pitya kudi yti koladuvati.
Winning me and showing them waving his ears:
“Go, go there de kind people, de kind gentlemen,
De kind lord give children a generous gift "
Good evening. Christ was born! Glorify Christ!
In the end, a wonderful video from the Ukrainian singer Tina Karol. It vividly demonstrates how Christmas carols are held in Ukraine. These are the Christmas traditions and customs of our people!