By Walter Kish
Ukrainian Christmas is one of those aspects of being Ukrainian for which I have always been immensely grateful. By and large, I believe that in much of the western Christian world, the original meaning and reasons for celebrating one of the holiest and most meaningful days of the religious calendar, has long since become irrelevant. This “holy” day has essentially been co-opted by the secular and commercial world and turned into an orgy of excessive spending, gift-giving, partying and self indulgence. This bacchanalia usually extends non-stop into the New Year’s celebrations a week later. And even though this is also a time for families to re-unite and gather together, the decline in the practice of meaningful shared religious and cultural traditions, combined with increased expectations and stresses, usually brings out submerged conflicts and resentments. Unsurprisingly, statistics show that it is also the time of year when we see the sharpest increases in mortality, depression, suicide, and marriage breakups. In a way, Christmas has reverted more to resembling the pagan year-end festivals that were held at the time of the winter solstice to celebrate the end of the year, and to drive away the winter “blahs”.
Even as a youth, when I understood little of the complex spiritual, religious and social customs and practices that provide the structure and motivations of our daily lives, I was very aware of the difference between Canadian Christmas and Ukrainian Christmas. The first was marked by presents, glitz, hectic preparations and merry-making. The second was focused more on religious observation, family re-unions, tradition and contemplation. By the time “Sviatiy Vechir” came around, the pressures of spending and gift-giving had dissipated, and the stresses and demands of the “commercialized” Christmas had faded.
In that respect, Ukrainian Christmas was a lot more in keeping with the original intent and significance of this holiday. My parents strove as much as possible to carry on with the traditions and rituals that they grew up with. It was something to look forward to. I fondly recall the twelve meatless courses for Christmas Eve dinner, the traditional “kutya”, the “didukh” placed under the icons, the extra place at the table in honour of past ancestors, and after dinner, the “kolyady” that we sang well into the night.
The whole Christmas season, until “Yordan”, was filled with ritual, songs, customs and traditions that went back centuries into ancient Ukrainian history into pre-Christian times. Even the term “kolyada”, has roots more ancient than the holy day with which it has become associated. Originally the word represented the cycle of rituals surrounding the winter solstice. It comes from the ancient Greek term “kalandai” which the Romans adopted and turned into “calendae”, which in English became transformed into calendar.
Our celebrations of these rituals and traditions, paralleled those of our relatives in the “old country”, and so served to unite us spiritually and culturally. It also bound us to all our ancestors who throughout the centuries strove at great cost to preserve their identity, their beliefs and their traditions. Our observance of Ukrainian Christmas was more than just a religious ritual. It was part of a long and rich cultural continuum.
With each passing generation born here in Canada, it becomes more of a challenge to preserve the rich legacy that makes up “Ukrainian Christmas”. Nonetheless, on “Sviaitiy Vechir” in our house, there will be “kutya”, there will be a “didukh” under the icon, an extra place setting will be set at our table, and “kolyady” will reverberate under our roof.
Merry (Ukrainian) Christmas!