Christmas Space

Ukrainians began to prepare for Christmas in advance. They bought new makitra (clay mixing bowl), bowls, and other utensils at the fairs in advance, whitewashed the house and painted or decorated the stove with vytynanky (art form of papercutting), prepared the best fragrant hay, sewed and embroidered new clothes for all family members.The space of a Ukrainian house at Christmas is especially festive, exquisite, and even magical. In the corner, on the floor covered with hay, there is a didukh. There is a straw "spider" attached to the haystack. There are kutia and uzvar, ritual bread, and dishes on the table. There is also a candlestick with fragrant honey candles.

Didukh

Didukh was made mainly of rye, the field's first or last sheaf (bundle). On average, didukh was 1.5-2 meters high. Such a sheaf was also called koliada, sheaf-paradise, grandfather, or king. It was consecrated in the church on the Feast of the Savior (the Feast of Transfiguration), and the owner brought it into the house for the Holy Supper. After the Epiphany, the didukh was threshed, the straw was burned, and the grain was used in the spring to sow the fields. Thus, the idea of the infinity of life, eternal dying, and resurrection of life forces was manifested.

"Spider"

The "spider" was made of straw shortly before Christmas Eve. There is an assumption that this slender geometric design meant the structure of the Universe for our ancestors. The "spider" was suspended on horsehair or a thin thread to the chimney, closer to the corner or above the festive table. Due to the air movement, the "spider" rotated around its axis, harmonizing the space. It was considered a good omen to touch the "spider" accidentally.

"Trinity"

On Christmas, candles were lit in a wooden or ceramic three-candle holder, the so-called "trinity." In traditional life, candlesticks-triplets occupied a particular place, combining sacred, ritual content and household purposes. Candles were inseparable attributes of this holiday, combining the semantics of holiness and light. They were made of beeswax two or three days before Christmas. According to ancient custom, a Christmas candle could be inserted into a pot with kutia, the main Christmas dish. The ceremonial candle had to stay in the house during the whole cycle of the Christmas and New Year holidays - 12 days.

Vytynanka

Vytynanky have spread in Ukraine since the late nineteenth century. Colored symmetrical images cut out of paper decorated the stove and the wall space between the windows. At Christmas, white vytynanky were created on the windows - stars, angels, crosses.