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Like most European nations Ukraine sees the New Year on December, 31. You can hardly find a person who doesn’t hope that Old Year with all its troubles will leave forever and the New Year will bring health, prosperity and happiness. On New Year’s Eve most people decorate a New Year tree with garlands, toys and sweets, prepare presents for their near and dear and enjoy the all-night New Year parties. January, 1 is an official day off, but nowadays many businesses close for several days till January, 8 or 10 to give their employees New Year and Christmas holidays.
New Year celebrations gradually glide into one of the most important religious holidays – Christmas. For many years this holiday was observed only by religious people, but now it is an official state holiday and a day off. It is favorite with children who like to go door to door, sing carols and get sweets from the hosts. Mothers of the family cook a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish “kutya” which all the family eat together. Many people now like to go to church to listen to Christmas sermons.
Not long ago young people and lovers of all ages started to follow the English tradition of celebrating St. Valentine’s Day on February, 14 by sending special postcards and giving lovely gifts to their sweethearts. It is especially popular with schoolchildren who have little wish to study on this day.
The next official holiday in Ukrainian calendar is Women’ s Day. Very few people remember how it originated, but it is an important sign post in the feminist movement in the world, because it commemorates the beginning of women’s struggle for their economic, political and social rights. Today it is the day to show love and respect to women of all ages, when most Ukrainian fathers, husbands and sons clean and cook and give wonderful presents and flowers to their beautiful wives, mother and daughters. Many women regret that this day comes only once a year.
April’s Fools’ Day is not an official holiday in Ukraine but it is very popular in this country. It was borrowed from Britain long ago and since then has been enjoyed by the young and the old. It is one of the most favorite holidays with schoolchildren, students and humorists who turned it into the “National Day of Humor”.
By Orthodox canons Easter, the day of Christ’s Resurrection, is celebrated in Ukraine later than in other European countries. Only several years ago it was proclaimed an official state holiday and many people celebrate it by attending the all-night service in church and having a tasty meal at home on Red Sunday. Children enjoy painting Easter eggs and eating Easter bread.
May holidays begin on the first day of this month as a holiday of spring and peace. For many years in the former Soviet Union it was celebrated as an official state holiday – Labor Day. Now it has lost its political significance and people just enjoy additional days off either having a rest in the open air or working in their gardens.
Victory Day which is annually marked on May, 9 commemorates the victory of Soviet people over Nazi Germany in 1945. So many people died or were killed in that war that there is hardly a family in Ukraine that didn’t suffer a loss. On this day many people go to military cemeteries and memorials to take flowers to the monuments and show their respect and appreciation to those who defended their Motherland by cost of their lives.
The new Constitution of Ukraine as an independent, sovereign, democratic, social and legal state was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on June 28, 1996 as the Fundamental Law of the country. The day of its adoption is a state holiday – the Day of the Constitution of Ukraine.
August, 24 is a new national state holiday –the Day of Independence of Ukraine, which was proclaimed in 1991 on the decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine after the military coup in Moscow. This day is marked with parades fireworks.
A traditional holiday on November 7 commemorates an important historic event – the Great October Socialist Revolution that took place in 1917 and influenced the life of people not only in our country but in most countries of the world. This state holiday used to be marked with military parades and peaceful demonstrations, but now most people regard it as a good chance to have a rest and a family get-together.
Most Ukrainian people enjoy holidays both old and new because they are good breaks in everyday work, an opportunity to see their friends and relatives and just to have a good time.
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