Sviat Vechir Traditions
The number of dishes typically included in a Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner.
What is 12?
Sweet dish often eaten first during a Ukrainian Christmas meal
What is kutia?
A decorated wheat sheaf
What is didukh?
What are koliady/koliadky?
Ukrainian Christmas Eve is celebrated on this date.
What is December 24th?
Families traditionally wait for this before starting their meal.
What is the first star?
Traditional Ukrainian Christmas bread
What is kolach?
A decoration symbolizing good luck
What carollers often wear while carolling
What is vyshyvanky?
A religious Christmas greeting
What is "Khrystos Narodyvsia"/ "Khrystos Razhdayetsia"?
This is often thrown on the ceiling of homes as a symbol of good luck
What is kutia?
Fish commonly served on Christmas Eve.
What is herring (oseledsi)?
Wheat is the symbol for this.
What are life and/or abundance?
Ukrainian title for "Carol of the Bells"
What is "Schedryk"?
The religious name for the "old calendar"
What is Julian calendar?
This is traditionally placed under the table or cloth to represent Jesus' manger.
What is hay?
A drink made from dried fruit
What is uzvar?
A plant symbolizing eternal life.
What carollers traditionally receive from the head of the home for their performances
The name of the bread received from church and served during Sviata Vecheria
What is prosfora?
What is meat?
The 12 dishes eaten on Christmas Even symbolize these figures in the Christmas story.
Who are the Twelve Apostles?
A play put on by children and/or families to tell the story of Christmas.
What is vertep?
The holiday that ends the carolling season
What is Schedryj Vechir/Epiphany?
Ukrainian Christmas Eve masses have adopted this nickname, referring to the time that they normally take place
What is midnight mass?