Ukraine 201 - Christmas

Today is Ukrainian Christmas! Merry Christmas to our little one. May your day be filled with hope and peace - it's going to be a great year! :)
I thought you'd like to read about Ukrainian Christmas customs...(this is just a brief summary, I know!)
They use the Julian calendar, in which Christmas is celebrated on January 6th/7th. On Christmas Eve (6th), they have a big family dinner that is rich in tradition and symbolism. 12 meatless dishes are served, representing the 12 apostles of Jesus. The table is set with an embroidered table cloth, with clumps of hay stuffed underneath. This makes the table lumpy, and is a reminder of the manger where Christ was born. Special bread that has been blessed by a priest is served, along with Borscht, fish dishes, and many other uniquely Ukrainian dishes. That night, Father Frost, accompanied by an angel girl, comes with his sled and 3 reindeer to leave sweet treats in the children's shoes. Christmas is a time to focus on the birth of Christ and being with family. It is very different from the commercial holiday we are bombarded with here!

Ukraine 101

We bought a Ukraine guidebook this weekend, and I've been reading up on the history, customs, food, etc. Here's a crash course in some of the highlights...

- Ukraine has only been an independent country since 1991 (which is why we didn't learn about it in high school!)

- The national flower is the Sunflower

- It is the largest country in Europe (if you count Russia as part of Asia and not Europe)

- It is slightly smaller than Texas

- Their Christmas is January 7th (they use the Julian calendar, we use the Gregorian)

- Borsch (a soup made of beetroot and other vegetables) is a national staple, as is vodka (they say there are more varieties of vodka in Ukraine than there are first names!)

- The average income in Ukraine is the equivalent of $6700 US dollars (although this is a great improvement from 10 years ago)

This is Independence Square, KievSince my favorite thing to see in European cities is old cathedrals...

Here is the beautiful St. AndrewsThis is the bell tower of the Sofia CathedralWe are looking forward to learning as much as we can about Ukraine. It will be the longest period of time we have ever spent in another country, and it will be our daughter's first home and her heritage!