Christmas is a wonderful holiday, it's a feast of Christ's birth and it's celebration on the eve of 7th of January. In the mid-4th century it was established by the Roman Catholic church as a separate feast and was celebrated on 25 December according to the Julian calendar. In the 10th century with the introduction of the Christianity into Rus it was fused with the local pagan celebrations of the sun’s return or the commencement of the agricultural year. In some areas was used the pre-Christian name of the feast - Koliada. The Christmas Eve is considered as the most interesting part of Christmas as it has ritual and magic acts aimed at ensuring a good harvest and a life of plenty. Caroling is a characteristic feature of the feast, it expresses respect for the master of the house and his children, and sometimes it’s accompanied by a puppet theater (vertep). The religious festival lasts three days and involves Christmas liturgies, caroling, visiting and entertaining relatives and acquaintances. The Christmas tree was adopted from Western Europe, but today it's the element of the New Year celebration in Ukraine.
The "holy supper" on Christmas Eve is a meal of 12 ritual meatless and milkless dishes. The order of the dishes and dishes themselves aren't uniform everywhere. In the Hutsul region, for example, the dishes were served in the following order: beans, fish, boiled potatoes, dumplings, cabbage rolls, kutya, potatoes mashed with garlic, stewed fruit, plums with beans and some other dishes.
Christmas is the holiday when all members of the family gather together. This is the holiday of joy. Comparatively with Great Britain and some other countries Ukrainian people don’t exchange presents on this holiday. For many years only religious people observed this holiday, but today it’s an official state holiday. Children like to have fun on this holiday, they go from door to door, sing carols and people give sweets to them. As it was already mentioned, "Kutya" is a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish. It's cooked by mothers and godchildren take it to their godparents. Although this holiday appeared long ago but nowadays many people still like to go church and listen to Christmas sermons.
Translation:
Christmas is a wonderful holiday, it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and it is celebrated on the eve of January 7th. In the middle of the 4th century, it was established by the Roman Catholic Church as a separate holiday, and according to julian calendar it was celebrated on December 25th. In the 10th century, with the introduction of Christianity in Russia, Christmas was mixed with the local pagan holiday of the return of the sun or the beginning of the agricultural year. In some places, the pre-Christmas name of the holiday was used - Kolyada. Christmas Eve is considered the most interesting part of the holiday, because it includes ritual and magical rites that portend a good harvest and a long life. Caroling - feature holiday, it expresses respect for the owner of the house and his children and is sometimes accompanied by a puppet theater (nativity scene).
The religious holiday lasts three days and includes liturgies, caroling, visits and entertainment of relatives and friends. The Christmas tree came to us from Western Europe, but today it is considered an element of the celebration of the New Year in Ukraine.
"Holy Evening" on Christmas Eve is a dinner that includes 12 ritual dishes that do not contain meat and milk. The order in which the dishes are served and the dishes themselves do not matter. For example, according to the Hutsul tradition, dishes are served in the following order: beans, fish, boiled potatoes, dumplings, cabbage rolls, kutya, mashed potatoes with garlic, compote, plums with beans and other dishes.
Christmas is a holiday when all family members get together. This is a holiday of joy. Compared to the UK and other countries, Ukrainians do not exchange gifts on this day. For many years, only religious people celebrated this holiday, but today it is an official public holiday. Children love to have fun on this day, they go from one door to another, sing carols and people give them sweets. As already mentioned, kutya is a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish. It is prepared by mothers, and godparents take it to godparents. Although this holiday has been around for a long time, today many people also like to go to church and listen to Christmas sermons.
AT Eastern Europe the Ukrainian state is located. This country borders on Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Russia. It has access to the Black and Azov Seas.
In ancient times, the current Ukrainians were called Little Russians and Rusyns. The Ukrainian nationality originates from the Eastern Slavs. Ukrainians live mostly in their own territories. But in some countries you can still meet representatives of this nationality: In Russia, the USA, Canada and other states.
Poleshchuks, Boikos, Hutsuls, Lemkos - all these ethnographic groups belong to the Ukrainian people.
Peoples inhabiting Ukraine
Today, the main population of Ukraine are Ukrainians and Russians themselves. Also, Belarusians, Moldovans, Tatars, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Romanians and Poles live in Ukrainian territories.
In addition, some Ukrainians live in foreign territories: in Canada, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, Brazil, Argentina and Australia.
The Ukrainian nationality is also made up of foreign Rusyns - Slovaks, Serbs, Americans and Canadians. Also, many Hutsuls live in Ukraine.
Modern Ukraine for a long time included Slavic-speaking and Iranian-speaking peoples. Gradually, the Iranians were evicted by the Turks. The Germans also lived here for some time. But the Greeks, Armenians and Jews lived the longest in the Ukrainian lands.
AT Soviet times the composition of the population of Ukraine has changed somewhat - Jews, Poles, Germans, Tatars began to leave the territory of Ukraine, and at the same time the Russian people began to move there.
The ethnic structure of Ukraine has changed under the influence of both external and internal factors - religion, differences in living standards, historical events and foreign policy.
Culture and life of Ukraine
Ukrainian life is full of color and religiosity. Tourists have always admired the beauty of the nature of these places and the character of the people.
The main feature of the Ukrainian nationality is the love for work and agriculture. This feature appeared in ancient times, because the Ukrainian people have always depended on the agricultural year.
What is a tradition or custom in many countries is commonplace and everyday for Ukrainians. For example, folk songs. People just need to entertain themselves by working in the fields.
If we talk about national clothes, then the men's outfit cannot be compared in brightness and beauty with the women's. A beautiful shirt with embroidery is belted with a hem. A velvet or silk corset and an embroidered apron are worn over this. Clothing is decorated with multi-colored ribbons, giving a special colorfulness to the outfit. The headdress is of particular importance - unmarried women wore a flower wreath, married women - a high ochipok covering their hair.
A men's suit looks much simpler than a woman's: a long shirt, harem pants, a sleeveless jacket and a long belt.
The family in Ukraine has great importance. Therefore, Ukrainians observe all the rules of marriage and family life.
Traditions and customs in Ukraine
Ukrainians have always honored and respected the traditions of their ancestors. And even after the adoption of Christianity, they were able to connect their past with the present.
Speaking of religious traditions, it is worth noting Christmas, Maslenitsa, Easter, Trinity and Ivan Kupala.
Christmas in Ukraine begins with the celebration of Holy Evening on January 6th. On this day, people cook kutya and uzvar. And on Christmas, each family sets up a festive table overflowing with meat dishes.
One of the Christmas customs is carols. Carol-makers go from house to house and collect gifts and goodies. They distribute roles among themselves - birch, latkovy, treasurer, bread-bearer, star star, dancer, etc.
Maslenitsa is still a pre-Christian holiday. It is held in honor of the end of winter and the onset of warm days. Today this holiday is held a week before Lent. As a rule, these days people cook pancakes with various fillings, treat each other, burning the effigy of Winter.
An Easter custom is to dye chicken eggs and bake Easter cakes. People meet each other with the words: "Christ is Risen!", and in response they hear: "Truly Risen!".
The feast of the Trinity is celebrated for 3 days. Green Sunday is the day when girls perform divination rites. It is believed that on this day the predictions come true. Checkered Monday is the day of consecration of fields from fires, hail and crop failure. The third day is Bogodukh's day. On this day, the girls play various games.
The holiday of Ivan Kupala is famous for its mysticism. They say that on this day you can hear the conversations of evil spirits. And if you bathe in a spring or drink dew, then all negativity is washed off a person.
Topic: Ukraine is a great country to spend your holidays!
Topic: Ukraine is a wonderful country for a vacation!
Ukraine is a country located in the center of Europe. It has a long history, beautiful landscapes, interesting traditions and rich culture. It has approximately 45 millions inhabitants and the area is 603,628 square kilometers. The capital of this county is Kyiv, which is proud of its architectural monuments, green parks and squares.
Ukraine is a country located in the center of Europe. It has a long history, beautiful scenery, interesting traditions and rich culture. It has approximately 45 million inhabitants and its area is 603,625 square kilometers. The capital of this country is the beautiful and ancient city of Kyiv, which is proud of its architectural monuments, green parks and beautiful squares.
If you have decided to visit this country, you can be sure that your trip will not be boring and you will get great impressions. Ukraine offers a long list of places to visit. Among them, there are the Carpathians, where you can breathe and see amazing nature. If you love the extreme, you can go hiking and climbing. If you are visiting Ukraine in summer, there are many lakes, where you can spend unforgettable time. If you are interested , you can visit Zaporizhzhia, where the kozaks lived. There are also a lot of castles in different parts of the country and a big number of ancient churches. Kyiv, Lviv, Kamianets Podilskyi, Kharkiv, Odessa, and Chernivtsi are among the most famous cities. Corrected: There also a lot of castles in different parts of the country and a big number of ancient churches. Among the most famous cities are Kyiv, Lviv, Kamianets Podilskyi, Kharkiv, Odessa, and Chernivtsi.
If you decide to visit this country, then you can be sure that your trip will not be boring and you will get wonderful impressions. Ukraine provides a large list of places to visit. Among them are the Carpathians, where you can breathe fresh air and see amazing nature. If you like extreme sports, you can try rock climbing and hiking in the mountains. If you are in Ukraine in the summer, there are many lakes where you can spend an unforgettable time. If you are interested in the history of Ukraine, you can visit Zaporozhye, where the Cossacks lived. There are also many castles in different parts of the country and a large number of temples. Among the most famous cities are Kyiv, Lvov, Kamyanets Podolsky, Kharkiv, Odessa and Chernivtsi.
A great idea will be to visit Truskavets or Morshyn where there are the healing springs. This water contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, which can help to improve the immune system. If you adore skiing, in Ukraine you can find luxury resorts. There you will spend a great time, get unforgettable impressions and meet a lot of interesting people.
Also in this country there are resorts where you can relax and improve your health. It would be a good idea to visit Truskavets or Morshyn, where there are healing springs. Their water contains many vitamins and minerals that help improve the immune system. If you are passionate about skiing, you will find luxury resorts in Ukraine. There you can have a good time, get unforgettable impressions and meet many interesting people.
As it was mentioned earlier, this country has a rich culture. It is famous for its songs, traditions, interesting legends and fairy tales. Ukrainian people have created a lot of unique . of this country is an embroidered blouse called “vyshyvanka”. There are many variants and designs of this blouse, so that everyone can find something for himself or herself. so all the traditions are connected with the celebration of the religious holidays. Children and adults will show interest in special fairy tales, based on historical events.
As already mentioned, this country has a rich culture. It is famous for its songs, traditions and many symbols, interesting legends and fairy tales. Ukrainians have come up with many unique musical instruments. A special symbol of this country is an embroidered blouse called "vyshyvanka". There are many variations and designs of this blouse, so there is something for everyone. Most Ukrainians are Christians, so traditions are associated with the celebration of religious holidays. Children and adults will be interested in special fairy tales based on historical events.
Ukrainian cuisine is very special. Here you can taste many dishes. (“borshch”), dumplings (“varenyky”), fat (“salo”). In addition, you to try different sweet cakes, tasty salads, unique main dishes, homegrown vegetables and fruits. Ukrainian women bake very tasty bread, so do not waste an opportunity to taste it.
Ukrainians are the third largest ethnic group in Russia. In total, about five million representatives of this nationality live in our country.
Although in last years a number of rather exotic versions of the origin of the people appeared, recognized historians and ethnographers are unanimous: Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians common ancestors - East Slavs. A number of sources also call them Rusyns("The Tale of Bygone Years") and Russians("The Tale of Igor's Campaign"). Common Slavic roots, similarities in cultures, a centuries-old history of neighborhood within one large country - all this, in terms of traditions, brought Russians and Ukrainians closer than any other representatives of different peoples. In academic circles, it is believed that the name of the nationality comes from the ancient Russian word "oukraina": this is how the border lands were called in Russia, and their inhabitants, respectively, - oukrainians, and later - Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian language is in seventh place in terms of prevalence in the territory of the Russian Federation, and the Library of Ukrainian Literature operates in Moscow.
At the same time, in Russia there is no hint of separate Ukrainian diasporas or, moreover, enclaves: Ukrainians and Russians live in good neighborliness. There are especially many representatives of this nation in the southern and far-eastern territories of the country.
Culture and traditions of Ukrainians
The folk culture of Ukrainians is closely intertwined with ritual and religious traditions. Many customs and superstitions are associated with natural phenomena, agricultural calendar. To be convinced of this, it is enough to re-read the early works of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, who was born and raised in the Poltava province Russian Empire. Winter caroling and the joyful riot of youth on the night of Ivan Kupala alternate in his stories of the cycle "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" with mystical and fairy-tale motifs of folk beliefs.
An essential part of the folk traditions and customs of Ukrainians is family rituals. The most beloved and revered celebration is the wedding. Once upon a time, girls were prepared for this significant event from a very young age. Around the same time, future brides began to dream about their betrothed and imagine "how it will be."
The wedding "cycle" began with the traditional matchmaking: the groom and his male relatives went to get acquainted with the relatives of the future wife ahead of time. They carried a roll of bread with them, which, as a sign of consent, was to be cut by the bride. In case of her refusal, the relatives of the wife took out a pumpkin to the matchmakers.
The Ukrainian engagement also took place according to a certain folk ritual: the hands of the newlyweds were tied over the collected grain or freshly prepared bread. Bread symbolized prosperity in the future family. And so that the young family certainly would not know grief, baking a wedding loaf was trusted only to happily married women.
The newlyweds personally invited guests to the celebration, moreover, in a rather intricate way: the bride went to the houses of her girlfriends and gave them shortcakes. And they immediately guessed - it was going to the wedding. Girlfriends also did not sit without work: they wove wreaths that were given to the bride and groom.
Many Ukrainian traditions and signs are associated with the birth of children. For example, pregnant girls should not look at snakes and meet sick people, sew in advance or buy clothes for the unborn child. Naturally, over time, the once binding rules have softened. And some have completely disappeared into oblivion. So, once the first 40 days after birth, it was forbidden to show the baby to men, including his father.
Folk holidays of Ukrainians
Like other Slavic peoples, paganism and Orthodoxy intertwined in the holiday traditions of the Ukrainian people.
One of the main pagan holidays - the day of Ivan Kupala associated with the solstice - is celebrated on the night of July 7th. The girls throw wreaths on the water of rivers and reservoirs and dance around a large night fire, over which, at the moment of the culmination of the holiday, the whole honest company jumps.
The winter holidays of Ukrainians began in December: on December 19, the day of St. Nicholas was celebrated, the veneration of which goes back to the traditions of the Roman Empire. Over time, in the countries of Western Europe, St. Nicholas "reborn" into Santa Claus, who gives gifts on Christmas Eve.
At Christmas time, it has long been customary to guess, referring to the forces of nature beyond human control. The memory of another ancient Christian saint is associated with a date falling on the modern Old New Year. On the thirteenth of January, Ukrainians honor Melania the Younger (Roman). On this day, children and teenagers go from house to house and "melanka": they sing songs, dance, portray funny scenes, receiving sweets or trifles from adults in return.
Interesting facts about Ukrainians
The Ukrainian language is considered one of the most beautiful and pleasant in sound. At the language competition, which was held in France in 1934, he took second place, after Italian, in terms of melody and third place, after French and Persian, in lexico-phonetic and lexical structure.
The Ukrainian folk Christmas song "Shchedryk", known in English as "Carol of the Bells", gained worldwide popularity in the musical arrangement of the composer Nikolai Leontovich. The song is still very much in demand in the cinema. You can hear it, for example, in the films "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", " Toughie- 2", "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2", and humorous interpretations appear in popular American animated series: "South Park", "Family Guy", "The Simpsons".
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Ukrainian trembita trumpet is considered the longest hand-held wind instrument. Its length can be up to 3 meters, the average weight is 1.5 kilograms.
Monuments to the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko have been erected in 1,200 cities around the world.
On average, one Ukrainian eats 18 kg of pork per year.
Most often, words in Ukrainian begin with the letter "p", less often - with "f" and "g'".
Ukrainians have a rich folk culture.
Hopak is a popular and energetic folk dance involving a competition among dancers. The name is coming from the Ukrainian “hop” - exclamation uttered during the dance. People usually dance hopak in Ukrainian folk costumes. Basic movements include running, wide and high jumps with flapping feet.
Ukrainian culture - hopak dance
bandum, a lutelike instrument with 50 or more strings, is Ukraine’s national musical instrument.
Pysanky are intricately designed ornamental Easter eggs, bearing Christian or pre-Christian symbols. Colorful wood-carvings are produced by artisans of the Carpathian Mountains area.
Ukrainian culture - Pysanky
Among the main national dishes of Ukrainian cuisine are borscht(other spelling borsch) - a soup made of beets, cabbage, and meat; rarcnyhy- boiled dumplings tilled with potatoes, cheese, sauerkraut, or berries and served with cream; holubtsi- stuffed cabbage rolls; and various sweet breads such as pasha, served at Easter time.
Other foods typical for Ukraine are pork, chicken, fish, potatoes, buckwheat, sour rye bread, and drinks such as tea, coffee, and honey liqueur.
Ukrainian literature
The earliest writings of Ukrainians, works produced in Kievan Rus from the 11th to the 13th century, were composed in Church Slavonic and are thus the common literary heritage of Russians and Belorussians as well.
After the Mongols invasion (the 13th century), Ukrainian literature was in decline until its revival in the 16th century. By the early 19th century, Ukrainian vernacular became the primary vehicle of literary expression, and an era of prolific began writing.
In the 19th century, Ukrainian literature reflected the rapid development of Ukrainian national consciousness under Russian rule.
Ivan Kotlyarevsky, classicist poet and playwright, inaugurated modern Ukrainian literature with his Eneida (1798), a burlesque travesty of Virgil’s Aeneid that transformed its heroes into Ukrainian Cossacks.
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Shevchenko(1814 - 1861) is Ukraine's most prominent literary figure and national patriot. The early poetry of Shevchenko expressed the interests of the Romantics.
But soon his poetry moved to a more sombre portrayal of Ukrainian history , especially in the long poem Haidamaky (1841; “The Haidamaks”), and the works satirizing Russia’s oppression of Ukraine - e.g. Son (“The Dream”), Kavkaz (“The Caucasus”), and Poslaniie (“The Epistle”). His later poetry, written after his release (1857) from exile, treats broader themes.
Taras Shevchenko
Lesya Ukrainka
Lesya Ukrainka is the pseudonym of Larisa Petrovna Kosach-Kvitka (1871-1913). Lesya Ukrainka was a poet, dramatist, short-story writer, essayist, and critic who was the foremost woman writer in Ukrainian literature and a leading figure in its modernist movement.
Her early lyrical verse, influenced by Taras Shevchenko, dealt with the poet's loneliness and social alienation and was informed by a love of freedom, especially national freedom. She was active in Ukrainian struggle against tsarism and joined Ukrainian Marxist organizations, translating the Communist Manifesto into Ukrainian in 1902.
In 1907 she was arrested and, following her release, was kept under observation by police. She married the court official Klyment Kvitka in 1907.
Her plays were inspired by various historical milieus - e.g., the Old Testament in Oderzhyma (1901; “A Woman Possessed”) and Vavylonsky polon (1908; The Babylonian Captivity), the world of ancient Greece and Rome. Her historical drama “Boyarynya” (1914; The Noblewoman) is a psychological tragedy centering on Ukrainian family in the 17th century.
Lesya Ukrainka also wrote short stories and critical essays and did masterful translations of works by Homer, William Shakespeare and Lord Byron.
