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Christmastime lasted three days, January 7-9 (O.S.). Guests and
neighbors were invited to visit on Christmas Day and on the second
and third days of Christmas. Treats were numerous, primarily nuts,
sweet cookies, or rolls. Visits were frequent and convivial. Among
all the groups of people, caroling was the main outdoor activity.
Koliady and shchedrivky were sung throughout the Christmas season, an
ancient practice probably traceable to Roman influence. Every peer
group - Hospodari, hospodyni, girls, and young men- went about the
village or town and greeted each household with these seasonal songs.
Each group had its own appropriate repertory that differed from
region to region, but the custom of caroling was all pervasive.
Koliadnyky (carolers) were invited into the homes and given treats,
food and drink; horilka (whiskey) to hospodari, nuts and fruits to
the boys and girls. Today, in the United States and Canada,
koliada is used as a vehicle through which Ukrainian charities
solicit donations. The gift now is money. Children and young
adults still visit Ukrainian homes and sing the ancient "Bob
Predvichnyi" ("God Eternal") and receive traditional treats.
Christmas was followed by Mulanka (New Year's Eve), January 13
(O.S.). The holiday had fused with an old celebration know as
Shchedryi Vechir (Generous Evening). Foods prepared for this
evening differed regionally. In the Dnipro area, pies with meat
filling and buckwheat pancakes with sausages were offered. In the
southern Ukraine, bubyky (small savory rolls) found popularity. In
the Hutzul area, in the Carpathain Mountains, vareyky were featured.
One old custom for welcoming the new year was the practice of
zasivannia (sowing). A young boy took a sack of wheat and went from
house to house, greeting everyone with the New Year, scattering the
grain on the floor and reciting appropriate verses of good wishes.
For this greeting, he was rewarded with coins. Some housewives
hurriedly offered the coins so as not to have an excess of "good
wishes" to clean up. Yordan-Vodokhreschenia (Jordan-Blessing On The
Waters) signaled the end of the Christmas celebrations. On the eve of
January 19 (O.S.), a scaled down version of Sylata Vechera was
served. This had the popular name of holodna kutia (hungry meal). On
the feast day (praznyk) itself, after the church service, everyone
went to the local stream or river where the men had carved a large
cross from the river's ice, often stained red with beet juice. There,
the cross and the waters were blessed by the priest. This was a
combined effort to celebrate the Christian feast of Christ's baptism
and to "buy protection" from the forces of nature from Spring floods.

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