For most of us, the hustle and bustle of Christmas celebrations dies down every year shortly after Dec. 25. Those particularly dedicated Christmas celebrators may continue their commemoration until the advent of the New Year. Then, life returns to normal. It’s back to work, and back to school.
For Joanne and Dwayne Ternovoy and their family, however, the first week of January marks the most important time of their Christmas holidays. The Ternovoys, like many in and around St. Paul, are descended from Ukrainian ancestry, and as such, celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6 and 7 to coincide with the Julian Calendar’s placement of the holiday.
In the Ternovoy home on Friday evening, the lights were low, Ukrainian carols played softly in the background, and the sweet scents of Eastern European cooking drifted throughout the living area, while dozens of friends and family members sat together and enjoyed the company that Christmas always seems to bring.
“This is, without a doubt, my very favourite time of the year,” said Joanne. “We get to see so many people from all over - Edmonton, Cold Lake, St. Paul, you name it - and even though most people are already back to work from the holidays, we always take time out to make sure we celebrate our Ukrainian heritage and our special traditions.”
Some of the special traditions of an Orthodox Christmas include placing a lit candle in the windowsill, and setting an extra place at the table.
“Each of the traditions are there for a reason,” Joanne’s son, Keynon, explained. “Each tradition of a Ukrainian Christmas has deep symbolic meaning. The candle in the window is there to light the way for a stranger, or a person who is alone on Christmas. The empty place at the table is set for any loved ones who have passed on.”
Another crucial aspect of Ukrainian Christmas celebrations are and the 12 dishes, all of which are made without meat or dairy.
“We eat a lot of garlic here,” says Joanne, with a laugh.
The first dish to be served every Christmas is Kutia, a course made of wheatberries, honey, poppyseeds, and occasionally a dash of cinnamon.
“Kutia, or svyata vecherya, is one of the best parts of a Ukrainian Christmas,” says Dwayne.
“Wheat is, historically, very important to Ukrainian people. Traditionally, the head of the household is supposed to throw a spoonful of Kutia up at the ceiling. The more Kutia that sticks, the more prosperous year you’ll have . . . But that’s the one thing we don’t do anymore, because I got tired of cleaning the ceiling,” he joked.
Before their evening meal began, Joanne, Dwayne, and a few other friends and family members gathered and sang, “Boh predvicnyj narodilsjaia (Eternal God Born Tonight),” a traditional Ukrainian carol about the birth of Jesus Christ.
Finally, Dwayne lit two candles on the dinner table, representing the light of Christ, which surrounded a stack of three Kolaches – circular, braided bread that represents eternity.
“It is really sad sometimes to see how much of the spiritual aspect of Christmas is set aside,” reflects Joanne. “Maybe that’s why I care so much about our Ukrainian Christmas traditions. They’re so closely tied to the Nativity and the birth of Christ that you can’t ignore it. I’ll be celebrating and having an Orthodox Christmas until the day I die, and after that, it’s up to my kids to keep all these beautiful traditions alive.”
