Christmas in Ukraine :
Veseloho Rizdva & Polish Boże Narodzenie
By Chef Barry Karrh Culinary Arts Instructor , East Central Community College
These are Christian nations , which many of us only hear about on television . Poland is primarily Roman Catholic and celebrates Christmas on December 25 .
Ukraine celebrates holy days according to the Greek Orthodox calendar ; thus , Christmas is there celebrated on the 6th which many Christians here refer to as Epiphany .
There are a number of dishes which make their celebrations special , mainly because Sviat Vechir the Christmas Eve meal has twelve courses . But to be prepared for such a sumptuous celebration you are to fast all day , and only eat once the first star appears in the night sky .
This time of year is full of singing , games , stories , gifts and lots of food . But there is a central theme of love , family and sacrifice . The dishes found on Ukrainian tables remind them of generations of their own people and of the biblical characters themselves .
Kutia in Ukrainian and Kutia Wiglijna in Polish is a salad made from wheat , honey , white raisins , currants , flavored with poppy seeds , walnuts , and honey . It is to represent growing wealth , abundances and enjoying better times . There are variations which might include prunes , dried fruit , berries , or regional nuts . This is usually the first dish served for Christmas
20 • MERIDIAN LIFE