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God eternal is born. He came to us from the heavens. To save all his people (from a popular Ukrainian Christmas carol). It’s hard to imagine Christmas without Christmas carols. They tell us the whole Christmas story: how the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to the Son of God in a manger, how humble shepherds came to pay homage to baby Jesus, how the three wise men came bearing gifts, and how Joseph saved the Holy Family from King Herod by fleeing to Egypt. Christians have been singing about these blessed events for centuries, in honor of Jesus’ birth and as prayers for the health and welfare of their homes and countries. Ukrainian Christmas carols are called koliady. The exact origin of the word is unknown. Some scholars suggest that koliada was the name of a pagan deity associated with the winter solstice. Others argue that the word can be traced to the Latin calenda, which means “the first day”. Our ancestors once kept track of the seasons by observing the sun, the winter and, summer solstices, and the longest and shortest days of the year. In pre-Christian times, the ancestors of modern day Ukrainians prayed to the Sun-god Yarylo, and praised Nebo (Heaven), Zemlia (Earth), Zori (Stars) and Misiatz (Moon). When Christianity was introduced, these songs were incorporated into new songs about the birth of Jesus Christ. Singing carols is a rich part of the Christmas tradition for practically all Europeans. In all, the different traditions, carols were essentially prayers to God for health, welfare and His mercy. The forty-day Christmas fast ends on January 6 (December 24 according to the Julian calendar), and Christmas Eve is celebrated on that day. Even today, the preparations for Christmas Eve include some pre-Christian traditions. Icons are adorned with didukhy-bundles of wheat from the previous year’s harvest, in order to ensure a bountiful harvest in the New Year. Iron objects are placed under the dinner tables to ward off evil spirits, and stalks of hay are placed under the table and table cloth to serve as a reminder that Jesus was born in a manger. Christmas Eve dinner is meat-free, but includes everything harvested in the fields and orchards. Dinner consists of twelve courses (the number of Jesus’ apostles). The courses include: kutia, a wheat-grain porridge with honey and poppy seeds, uzvar, a fruit stewed compote, varenyky (a.k.a. perogies) with potato and cabbage filling, holobtsi (cabbage rolls), a vegetable-based borscht, and vushka-mini-dumplings with mushroom and onion filling. After the first star has appeared in the evening sky, the family prepares for the meal. A candle is lit by the head of the household – the hospodar. A koliada is sung as grace. A New Joy has come – one that has never been seen, A bright star over a manger in Bethlehem shines for the whole world.
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After the meal, young carolers, koliadnyky, go from house to house singing carols and performing a short play on the Christmas theme, called a vertep. The characters usually include shepherds, the three wise men, angels, angels, and devils. One of the carolers says a vinshuvania (a short poem), wishing each of the household members a prosperous and bountiful New Year:
King of the Heavens! Grant the hospodar lucky years By the sevens! Glory to You God, Glory today! Grant the hospodynia As many years as you may!
A swallow was flying, And came to your home. She called out to you: “Come outside, hospodar, and look at your cattle, They’re all good and healthy – You’ll be very rich!”
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