For centuries, Orthodox and Greek Catholic (Uniate) Christian Ukrainians have celebrated Christmas on 7 January, according to the Julian (Old) rather than the Gregorian (New) calendar. Since 2017, both 25 December and 7 January have been public holidays in Ukraine to acknowledge both calendars. In common with many other European countries, Christmas Eve is celebrated with a solemn meal comprising of twelve dishes which symbolise the twelve apostles. The meal is meatless and includes the...

For centuries, Orthodox and Greek Catholic (Uniate) Christian Ukrainians have celebrated Christmas on 7 January, according to the Julian (Old) rather than the Gregorian (New) calendar. Since 2017, both 25 December and 7 January have been public holidays in Ukraine to acknowledge both calendars.

In common with many other European countries, Christmas Eve is celebrated with a solemn meal comprising of twelve dishes which symbolise the twelve apostles. The meal is meatless and includes the ritual dish of Kutya (poppy seeds, wheat and honey), followed typically by borscht, holubsti (stuffed cabbage leaves), varenyky (pierogi or dumplings), marinated herrings or another fish dish, pickled food and sweet treats such as compote (dried fruit stew). The meal cannot be eaten until the first star appears in the sky, and a place is always set for any deceased member of the family. It is traditional to decorate the table with a diduk – a sheaf of wheat tied with a ribbon – as well as a ritual bread called a kolach, into which a candle is placed and lit when the meal begins.

The meal begins with a prayer, and this is followed by the breaking of a bread called prosfora which is dipped into honey and passed around the table to wish everyone a sweet year to come. This is followed by the kutya and the other dishes. The family then attends midnight mass.

Presents are not usually exchanged at Christmas this happens at St Nicholas Day instead (19 Dec). On Christmas Day, people greet each other with the traditional greeting 'Christ is born', and attend church before celebrating with family and friends. Christmas carols are very popular, as is the tradition of carol singing. There are two types of festive songs in the Ukrainian tradition - koliady and shchedrivky - celebrating a range of religious and folk themes.

The UK diaspora usually celebrate with a party or a dance held at the local Ukrainian cultural centre. Epiphany recognises the baptism of Jesus Christ by St John the Baptist in the river Jordan, and in the UK diaspora this celebrated with a ritual meal similar to Christmas Eve and the blessing of houses with holy water by both Orthodox and Greek Catholic priests. In Ukraine, many people celebrate by going swimming, often in icy lakes or rivers. In Bradford, the Ukrainian community also celebrated Christmas with two community events - a carol concert and a community Christmas meal, known as Yalynka (Christmas Tree).

On 22 January 1918, the Ukrainian Central Rada issued its fourth and last Universal (decree) which proclaimed Ukrainian independence (and became law three days later on 25 January). Before Ukraine became an independent state in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, this was the date commonly observed in the diaspora as Ukrainian Independence Day, rather than the current date of 24 August.

The context to the declaration is complex and set against the First World War and the Russian revolution. The Rada, under the leadership of Mykhailo Hrushevsky, had two goals in proclaiming independence: to facilitate a peace treaty with Austria and Germany, and to protect Ukraine from the Bolshevik invasion. In terms of the peace treaty, a significant portion of what is now Ukraine was part of the Austro-Hungarian (Habsburg) Empire, which was the only state prepared to recognise Ukraine as an independent state.

The declaration was also significant as it was the first open break with Russia since the Cossack era, and built on anti-imperial feeling which had been building for some time. For the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK, the declaration of independence in 1918 is also closely linked to the commemoration of the Battle of Kruty. In response to the Rada's call for mobilization against the Bolsheviks in the immediate shadow of independence, a detachment of around 400 students, mostly from the student battalion of Sich Riflemen, fought around 4,000 Bolsheviks at Kruty railway station in the Nizhyn region of Chernihiv Oblast on 29-30 January. Over half of the Ukrainian soldiers were killed.