Ukrainian Culture: Customs & Superstitions You Should Know

A popular Ukrainian custom is Maslenitsa week. This holiday already existed in the times of Kievan Rus. The pancake was considered a symbol of the sun (yellow, round and hot), therefore, it meant seeing off the winter and greeting the spring. Celebrated in the last week before the Great Lent, Maslenitsa is a cheerful event. People serve freshly baked pancakes every day, go to visit each other, sled, ski and simply enjoy life.

Christmas in Ukraine is a family holiday when all the relatives gather together. They set a festive table with 12 traditional dishes (like the apostles), sing Christmas songs, remember all the good things that happened in the past year, and wish each other health and happiness. During the Christmas holidays, the tradition of carolling is also followed. Children go from house to house, sing Christmas songs and wish the hosts all the best. The most important part is “seeding” the floor with grains of wheat or barley, which brings prosperity and happiness to the house. Hosts, in turn, have to give money, sweets or any other treats to the carolers.

Although vyshyvanka (an embroidered shirt) is a part of traditional Ukrainian attire, it is a trendy piece for everyday life as well. Many Ukrainian brands have created their own interpretations of its shape, colour and length, thus, making it a popular item all over the world. Fashion celebrities like Anna dello Russo (Vogue Japan journalist) and Dita Von Teese have been spotted in vyshyvanka by Ukrainian designer Vita Kin. Locals do not miss the opportunity to show off in the embroidered clothing either.

Ukrainians are very friendly and welcoming. They love large groups and gatherings, always help each other and consider all people around them to be their best friends. Thus, if you happen to come to a party in Ukraine, don’t worry, you’ll definitely make some friends and will chat, laugh and sing your favourite songs till dawn.

A lot of people in Ukraine consider that if you eat from the knife, you will become an angry person. The fact is that the knife has a sacred meaning. It was not only a tool of labour but also an instrument of protection. Such a strong magical object required a special treatment, otherwise, you could anger the spirits, which would make a person aggressive. Or you can just hurt yourself by accident.

The most important elements in Easter are the krashenki (multicoloured boiled eggs), as well as pysanka (painted eggs). The latter have a very deep symbolic meaning because every detail of the patterns means something. For example, the red colour symbolizes the good and the joy of living. Yellow is for warmth and crops, while green means hope. Superstitious Ukrainians have been observing this tradition for many centuries and gladly continue to put heart and soul into this activity, even nowadays.

The tradition of buying a bride is as old as the Ukrainian wedding itself. In the past, such a rite had significant implications. Nowadays, though, this tradition is just an innocent game. Together with friends and an entourage, he participates in competitions and gets comic assignments in order to show that he is worthy of the bride.

An absurd but funny custom in Ukraine is to put a piece of burnt paper in a glass of champagne and drink it at the New Year. It is believed that a written and swallowed wish will definitely come true. But the trickiest part is that you have to do it while the chimes are striking twelve.

This superstition is one of the most popular in Ukraine. It has two different explanations. The first says that if you take the garbage out after the sunset, you will be surrounded by bad rumours. Why should you get rid of something under the cloud of night? Meanwhile, the second concerns the spirits. If you have not managed to throw the garbage out before dark, the evil spirits will enter the house and stay overnight.

On the night of 13 January, Ukraine celebrates the Old New Year. Despite the fact that this holiday is not an official one, locals never miss a chance to celebrate it one more time. Such a historical phenomenon appeared as a result of a change in calendars. At the times of Kievan Rus, people followed the Julian calendar, which was 13 days behind European time. To reduce this gap, the transition to the Gregorian calendar was carried out in 1918 and January 14 turned out to be the date of the Old New Year.

In Ukraine, people pay a lot of attention to interpersonal relations. If in Germany there’s a notion of die Termine (the appointment) that cannot be changed (and of adhering strictly to rules in general), in Eastern European countries, it’s a bit more flexible: there’s a possibility of kindly asking for a reschedule, explaining your circumstances and getting what you want. The same rule applies almost to every segment of everyday life. Therefore, to express gratitude, locals usually buy flowers, chocolate or alcohol and present it to someone who’s been very helpful.

Commemoration week in Ukraine follows Easter and ends on the 9th day after this holiday. This period is called Radonitsa or Hrobki. The tradition has pre-Christian roots and is closely related to the cult of ancestors. The ancient Slavs came to the graves of their deceased relatives because they believed that the dead rejoiced in hearing warm memories of themselves. Nowadays, even though the church does not approve of having fun at the graveyard, people come here to put some food on the grave, have a snack and, thus, share it with their dead relatives.

Plunging into an ice hole on January 19 (the day of the Baptism of Jesus) is a national tradition in Ukraine. However, the Epiphany frosts are considered the coldest, so people believe that it is impossible to get ill. On the contrary, the waters become holy on this day and heal from all the diseases. So, if you spot Ukrainians screaming but swimming in the icy waters in winter, do not be surprised, and keep this peculiar tradition in mind.

Maslenitsa is a holiday celebrated during the last week before the Great Lent. The people say goodbye to winter and greet spring, bake pancakes and organise festivals. This custom appeared during the times of Kievan Rus, as the pancake was considered a symbol for the sun (ruddy and round). Every day during pancake week, there is a particular ritual. For instance, on Monday, everyone prepares for the holiday; during the weekdays, it is time to enjoy pancakes (sour cream and red caviar fillings are especially popular). Meanwhile, Sunday is called Forgiveness Day – a day when people ask for forgiveness from relatives and friends.

Kupala Night is a holiday associated with the period of the summer solstice. It is celebrated on the night of July 7th. During this time, according to legends, many magical plants are growing; therefore, Ukrainians believe that whoever finds a blooming fern in the forest will be rich and happy for the rest of their life. Girls throw wreaths in the water, and whoever’s wreath travels the fastest will get married soon. Another important ritual is burning bonfires. The belief is that these fires have healing powers; you will be cleansed from sins and cured of illnesses.

Ukrainian people are very family oriented. For this reason, most customs are related to family holidays or events. One of them came from the Kievan Rus period when people greeted their most honourable guests with bread and salt. It turns out that if the hosts offered this combination of goods, they wished wealth (bread is a symbol of wealth) and banished evil spirits (salt is a symbol of the purity of the soul). Nowadays, Ukrainians have made this custom simpler; however, bread and salt are always put on the table when guests arrive.

When visiting a friend in Ukraine, you may face a superstition of never passing anything across the doorstep. It turns out that in ancient times, the ashes of their ancestors were buried under the doorstep of the house. The dwellers tried not to disturb them and refused passing anything through it. For the same reason, people are not allowed to sit on the doorstep.

An academic year in Ukraine starts on September 1st. This day, ever since Soviet times, is known as Knowledge Day. It is a type of school entertainment programme where students put on various performances, congratulate teachers and lecturers at the beginning of the academic year, and share knowledge. It is one of Ukraine’s most honourable customs and has been around for decades.

On Willow Sunday, which in Ukraine is called the Verbna Nedilya, people commemorate the date of Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem. In Western countries, this day is called Palm Sunday, but because there is no palm in Ukraine, locals replaced it with a willow branch. As such, there is an ancient custom that suggests striking your family members with a pile of willows, as the consecrated willow has a purifying power and heals all diseases and evil spirits.

Ukrainians usually knock on wood in order to get rid of the evil eye. This superstition has reached such an absurdity that some people in Ukraine even knock on their head if there is no wood nearby. It was inherited from our ancestors. In ancient times people believed that if you touch the wooden surface, you touch the Christ, who was crucified on a wooden cross. Thus, asking for protection from evil forces. Why knock three times? Because three is a sacred number for Christians.

40 years is the only date that is not celebrated in Ukraine, especially for men. This superstition arose because of the connection between the number ‘40’ and death. During the times of Kievan Rus, the bodies of the deceased were checked for imperishability, and the deadline for determining it was established in 40 days. Until now, the number 40 is directly associated with funeral traditions. It coincides with a memorial day on death and is considered fatal.

If you return home and enter the door, you cross the threshold – the boundary between the worlds. And if you come back without having fulfilled the plans, then supposedly you will not be lucky anymore. As you have turned off the road to the goal. But, if you have no other choice then come back, there is one more superstition: just look in the mirror and your initial energy will return to you.

It was believed that home spirits are clinging to people, hindering on the way and trying to get a person back, so the journey will not be successful. Having a sit before the trip, they could be confused – as if no one is going anywhere. But, there is also a logical explanation to the superstition. As sometimes it is useful, before going out, to get your thoughts in order and then start the journey.