ESL Blogs

You'll be surprised but we are celebrating the coming of the new year again. In Ukraine this holiday is called Old New Year.

 Today we're having a holiday which is called Malanka. 

 On that evening Ukrainians  have a very important meal which is called "rich supper". We cook TWELVE traditional Ukrainian dishes, but the main dish on the festive table iskutia, a kind of porridge  from whole-wheat kernels, poppy seeds, nuts, and honey, a custom what dated to ancient times.

For the New Year and Christmas we decorate our homes with Christmas tree, but in western Ukraine, where I live, we've got a tradition to decorate our houses withdidukh,  a wheat or rye sheaf.

 On today's night in Ukraine the carolers traditionally  go from house to house playing tricks and acting out a small play. I like this tradition very much. The carolers first have to ask for permission to sing. If the answer yes, they enter the house and sing carols for each member of the family, even for the smallest child. I like our Ukrainian carols very much, they are fantastic!

And finally... Tomorrow we'll greet each other "Happy New year" again, because we celebrate the coming of the new year in accordance with the Julian calendar. There's one more tradition. Early in the morning the small boys(and only boys) go from home to home wishing Happy New Year and throwing about seeds of wheat or rye...

Happy Old  New Year to all the members of my EC and their families!!!!