Double-Vision Holidays: After Second Christmas, Ukrainians Celebrate New Year Again, 13 January

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On the eve of the «Old» New Year, or «Generous Eve,» people prepare a generous dinner, sing devoted holiday songs, and sometimes girls conduct divination.
illustrative photo: vesti-ukr.com

illustrative photo: vesti-ukr.com

14 January in the old style is called the New Year, which traditionally remained a key component of the ancient calendar ritual cycle of Ukrainians. On the evening of 13 January, they prepare a Generous Dinner («Shchedryi vechir»), lead the Goat and Malanka, sing shchedrivky (holiday wishes to the host of the house). Girls also conduct divination, because at this beginning of the year, people wanted to predict whether it will be successful or what the weather will be like.

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13 January, on New Year’s Eve, churches hold solemn services at the end of the Old Year. This evening is called «generous» because unlike on Christmas Eve, people prepare for dinner not fast, but meat dishes. However, today, few Ukrainians prepare a festive dinner with kutia and other ritual dishes. Rather, most people arrange a feast like in the New Year.

This is the night of the Shchedryk, the Ukrainian tune known around the world as the «Carol of the Bells.» It’s about a little swallow flying into a house on New Year’s Eve, which originally was celebrated in April. Its captivating melody is based on traditional folk chant using the fast-paced hemiola, three equal beats in the time normally occupied by two beats. It’s also today associated with eastern Christianity’s 18 January Feast of the Epiphany.

In addition, the attributes of the Old New Year are the rite of driving Grandma Malanka and Grandpa Vasyl, or Goat. On this holiday, girls chose the best among themselves and dressed it as a «bride»: a wreath, ribbons, many necklaces. The second among the girls disguised herself as a young man (dressing gown, hat, trousers, boots), and was called Vasyl. The whole girl group was called «druzhky». The girls with «Vasyl» and «Melanka» did not come to the house – they sang shchedrivky outdoors, in front of the window.

Boys’ bands also join Melanka. Guys in masks express good wishes, have fun with songs, dances, humorous scenes. One of them is usually disguised in women’s clothing. In addition, one of the oldest Christmas mysteries has survived to this day and takes place on a generous evening – «walking a goat.» This spectacle shows how the Grandpa is «killing» the goat, then yearns because of it and tries to bring it to life again with help of songs and dance, in which he finally succeeds. This ritual symbolises the victory of life over death, which was important for ancient Ukrainian cattlemen in the midwinter.

Also on Generous Evening be sure to give generously. They congratulate each other on the holidays and wish a happy year. In this way, on January 13, on New Year’s Eve, prosperity and harvest were called to the house.

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According to an ancient custom, the disguised, having finished the ritual procession, went to the crossroads in the morning to burn «Didukh» – sheaves of straw, which stood in penance from Holy Supper to Old New Year, then jumped over the fire. This was done to cleanse from contact with evil spirits. And the next day, when it begins to dawn, they go to sow grain. Grain is taken in a glove or in a bag. First, they go to godparents and other relatives and friends. Upon entering the house, the sower sows grain and wishes everyone a Happy New Year.

In addition to divination, on New Year’s Eve people tried to anticipate signs:

  • if the night before the New Year is quiet and clear – then it will be a happy year not only for people but also for cattle;
  • if the sun rises high, the whole year will be happy, and the fruit harvest will be especially good;
  • if the hoarfrost abundantly covers all the trees, there will be a grain harvest and a good honey harvest;
  • if soft snow falls – it’s a good sign for the harvest, and when it is warm, the summer will be rainy;
  • if it thaws on Melania – you should wait for a warm summer.

We will add that 14 January, Ukrainians still celebrate the old-style New Year (Julian calendar), while the transition to the Gregorian calendar (new style) in Ukraine took place in February 1918. Hence, due to the discrepancy between the Gregorian (secular) and Julian (Church Orthodox) calendars, Ukrainians celebrate the New Year twice. The official celebration of the New Year falls on 1 January, and the celebration of the night from 13 to 14 January – still remains a folk tradition.

According to RISU, Ukrainian traditions, and Wikipedia.

Translated by Vitalii Holich

You can read a Ukrainian language version of this story here.

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