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Modern Adaptation of Sviata Vechera (Christmas Eve)

The modern adaption of Sviata Vechera is faithful to some of the old
traditions discussed above. The house is cleaned, the table set with
the best china and candles. One candle and one dish of kutia are
placed in the window in memory of the souls of ancestors -- or more
recently, in memory of the Ukrainian soldiers who fought in the war
for the Ukraine's independence in 1918. An extra place is set for
the unexpected guest. The table is covered by an embroidered linen
cloth. A large kolach with Christmas greenery (instead of the
traditional straw or hay) serves as the centerpiece. A plate with
small pieces of kolach and a dish of honey is set at the head of the
family's place. In the corner of the room, a Christmas tree
decorated with handmade ornaments substitutes for the ancient sheaf
of wheat (didukh). The same basic dishes are prepared and served in
traditional order. Dietary restrictions have been somewhat modified
by the church, and many cooks cheat a little by including ingredients
that were formerly banned. These include eggs, butter, and cheeses,
which are used primarily in the preparation of kolach, pampushky,
and fillings for varenyky. It is very proper for families to
develop personal adaptions of the basic Sviata Vechera menu. Some
families dote on fried fish or marinated herring (a perennial
favorite). Some prefer the fancy fish quennelles. Some serve two
or three fish courses. Individual interpretations of borsch are also
common. Usually, the borsch served is a full bodied but meatless
"Ukrainian" borsch, which includes all the vegetables and is
thickened with zaprazhka (roux). Some families serve just a clear
bouillon of beet broth, kvas, and stock with vushka (Dumplings)
floating on top. The target number of dishes is twelve, in honor of
the apostles, or the magic numbers of nine or seven if one is
superstitious. The traditional menu adapted usually includes braided
bread (kolach) with honey, beet soup or broth (borsch) and dumplings
(vushka) with mushroom filling, fish in aspic, or in any other style,
stuffed cabbage leaves (holubtsi) with mushroom sauce, dumplings
(varenyky) filled with mashed potatoes and sauted onions, dumplings
filled with cabbage and sauerkraut, compote of dried fruit (uzvar),
flummery (kutia) of wheat kernels with honey, poppy seeds, etc., tea
with lemon, yeast raised doughnuts (pampushky) with rose preserves.

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