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Category Archives: Culture

Ukrainian New Year Celebration – Julian Calendar

Christmas celebration on December 24-25, and New Year on December 31-1,(Gregorian calendar), are well-known dates to the majority of the population, however, per the Julian calendar, Christmas was celebrated on January 6-7, some called it Orthodox Christmas, and the New Year was celebrated on January 13-14.

As of this year, 2024, Catholic and Orthodox Ukrainians in UKRAINE and around the world joined together, separated themselves from their oppressor Russia, and began celebrating these holidays according to the GREGORIAN calendar. 

Ukrainians call this New Year “Malanka”, the day of St. Melania, or “Generous Eve” (Shchedryi Vechir).

Ukrainian Christmas Eve Tradition

Ukrainian Christmas Eve is not only very rich in traditional foods prepared freshly that day (today in our busy lifestyle most of us prepare many food items ahead of time), and shared by the family during the Christmas Eve 12-course meatless dinner, but also myriad traditions are practiced before and after the meal.

Marinated Mushrooms – Recipe

Ukrainians looooove mushrooms. They incorporate mushrooms into numerous everyday recipes, but especially for their Christmas Eve 12-course meatless meal.

Traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve menu will include mushrooms in Mushroom soup, varenyky filling (pierogi), Holubtsi filling (Cabbage Rolls), Vooshka filling (dumplings that accompany Ukrainian Christmas Borscht), mushroom gravy (referred to as, Machka, in some households), mushrooms with cabbage, and of course marinated mushrooms.

Ukrainian Doughnuts – Anna’s Recipe

My mom made the best homemade doughnuts, using her European recipe.  Hers are so much better than the quick recipe I used before. 

Every Christmas Eve my mom joined us for dinner, and always brought in a huge platter of freshly made doughnuts.  We all are still reminiscing about those sweet memories.

Today I will share that recipe with you all, in memory of my mom’s baking and cooking.

Butter Cookies – Recipe

I received this recipe from my sister-in-law, and they are my grandson’s absolute favorite cookies.

I already posted this recipe under a different heading but will rewrite it here for your convenience.

This recipe yields at least 48 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.