Watch List: A Ukrainian holiday

During the holiday season, it is popular for Ukrainians to traverse their neighborhoods celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Christmas in Ukraine actually occurs after New Year’s Day. According to the Russian Orthodox tradition, Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7, as outlined by the Gregorian calendar, said Edna Andrews, director of the Center Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies. Roman Catholics and Christians of the Western tradition continue to recognize Christmas on Dec. 25 according to the Julian calendar, which was later replaced by the Gregorian calendar.

Caroling, or koliadky, is a popular Christmas Eve activity throughout Ukraine. Karolina Povedych, a Trinity senior, grew up in Vinnytsia, a city in central Ukraine. She said children walk through their neighborhoods singing Ukrainian Christmas carols and hymns. The dwellers of the homes often give the children candy or a little bit of money as a token of their gratitude. Koliadky always follows a traditional Christmas dinner known as Sviata Vechera, which consists of 12 different dishes and begins once the first star has appeared in the night sky.

A similar yet unique tradition occurs on New Year’s Day. On this holiday, Ukrainians traverse their towns—not singing carols—but tossing wheat into their neighbors' homes. This is a beloved and welcome tradition in many parts of Ukraine, Povedych said. Tossing the wheat is a way of celebrating the New Year, she added.

“Wheat and bread… are very valued in Ukraine. It’s a popular notion that you can’t really throw bread out in the trash,” Povedych explained. She added that tossing the wheat is a way of wishing other families prosperity and, historically, a bountiful harvest.

While the concept of Christmas caroling is a treasured holiday tradition in many cultures around the world, the Ukrainians add their own flare to the concept of going door to door by tossing wheat into their neighbors’ homes and wishing them a successful new year.