No, I'm not off my rocker (today). Tomorrow is the Orthodox Christmas celebrated in Eastern Europe!
This is one of many Christmas trees in Kiev! This one is in Independence Square. Another was near the Podol area where we stayed. I took a pic of the one by us being taken down! LOL
The "Holy Supper" is tonight, on Christmas Eve, and sometimes little bits of hay is on the table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem.
The Holy Supper begins after a child sees the first star in the East- a symbol of the trek of the Wise Men. Families pray and a traditional Christmas greeting is given- "Chrystos rodyvsya!" or "Christ is born!" Family answers with "Slavite Yoho!" or "Let Us Glorify Him!"
Traditionally, families attend church on Christmas morning. Services sometimes start before midnight on Christmas Eve and are offered also on Christmas morning. It's customary, too, to have a spider decoration on the Christmas tree! And during the Christmas eve dinner angels deliver gifts beneath the Christmas tree.
So... a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!
My dad always "recognized" the Orthodox Christmas. His dad (my grampa) was born in the Ukraine and some of his (siblings) still celebrated it here in Canada. I remember going to my great-uncle's house as a child one January, completely confused why they had so many presents under their tree in JANUARY!! It was explained that it was Crhistmas Eve to them and we had gone there for a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve feast! It was Yummy!
ReplyDeleteOh, is the spider in the tree a Ukrainian tradition? We got a spider ornament a year or two ago and I remembered it came with a legend, but no one at our house could remember exactly what it was. ALl we remembered it was a tradition SOMEWHERE to hang a spider in the tree. . .
ReplyDelete