December 19 in Ukraine is St. Nicolas Day. Younger children are looking forward to that holiday as it means that New Year is coming soon and then Christmas. Besides they get presents from the Saint. Usually the children find the gifts under their pillows. Some children write letters to St Nicolas asking the presents, others write to Father Frost. But nevertheless they get presents from both. Christmas on January7 is also the day of getting and giving presents.
In the central square of our town there is a very high New Year’s tree decorated with toys.
Near it you can see a rather big statue of Father Frost and his granddaughter, Snowmaiden. Usually there are various shows and performances there during the holiday season. At midnight on December 31 one can enjoy a firework on the central square.
For children there are special Near Year’s parties at schools and kindergartens with concert programs and shows. There is usually a big New Year’s tree in the Assembly hall or a gym of each school. They normally take place at the end of the school term. Father Frost comes to every school with his granddaughter and a big sack of presents and shares them with children.
School children have vacations from December 28 till January 13. The offices will be closed from December 31 till January 8 this year according to the President’s regulation. Normally only January 1 is the day off.
January 7, Christmas, is also a state holiday. There are special church services, many different traditions and superstitions connected with Christmas.
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6 comments:
Hello Ukraine students. It's very interesting to hear about how you celebrate the holidays. We have Christmas on December 25th, before New Years. In our country we don't say Father Frost - we call him Santa Claus and he doesn't have a daughter, just a bunch of magical elves who help him make the toys. This is the first time I've heard about Snowmaiden. I looked her up on the internet to learn more about her. I read that Snowmaiden and Father Frost's sleigh is pulled by horses. Here, Santa Claus's sleigh is pulled by reindeer - one of whom, Rudolph, has a red nose to light Santa's way in the dark. We received Christmas cards from students in Belarus who drew a Santa with a horse-drawn sleigh. Now we know why!
Most schools in USA take two weeks for Christmas vacation, but where we live, we get three weeks off because most of our students have family in Mexico and want the time to go visit them. We look forward to hearing more about your holidays.
Hello Ukraine students, I didn't know you celebrated Christmas after New Years, I think that that's very interesting to know, thanks for sharing with us how you celebrate your holidays. We celebrate Christmas before New Years, on December 25 we celebrate Christmas and many Christian's celebrate December 25 as the day Jesus Christ, the son of god, was born. Since you get gifts from both St. Nicolas and Father Frost, do you always get all the things you wrote St. Nicolas or Father Frost you wanted? Well hope you had a happy and joyful Christmas and wishing you the best for a great and prosperous New Year.
Hello Ukraine friends.It is so interesting to know how you spend your holidays.It is a big surprise to know that you celebrate new years first and then Christmas.Here in the U.S. we celebrate Christmas first then New years.I think it really awesome that you get presents by both Santa Claus and Father Frost.We take two weeks of school,we get out on DEC.20 and go back on Jan.12.Well hope you guys write back!
Hey Ukraine students,
I think thats really awesome to celebrate New Year then Christmas you guies might get lots of presents. Father forst and Saint must be really nice to give gifts do the childrens. Do naughty children get presents too? Here we believed that naughty children doesn't not get presents only good ones.
Hey guys, I find your holidays very interesting. Your holidays are similar to ours only that they take place in different days. and we dont have a Father Frost, instead we have a Santa Claus that has a 9 DP Engine (Deer Power) thats takes him across the world. Hoepfully one day Ill go visit Ulkraine to send the holidays there.
Thanks for your comments!
We are glad you got to know about our traditions.
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