Ukrainian Ortodox Christmas traditions

The Ukrainian Christmas festive days according to the Julian calendar, start on 6 January, Christmas Eve, and end on 19 January.

Sviaty Vechir (Holy Evening)

Sviata Vecherya or "Holy Supper" is the central tradition of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes. The dinner table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem.

Kutia (sweet grain pudding) is traditionally served at the Ukrainian Christmas dinner table. It is often the first dish in the traditional twelve-dish Christmas supper (also known as Svyaty Vechir) and is rarely served at other times of the year.

Koliadky (Caroling)

At the end of the Sviata Vechera the family often sings Ukrainian Chrisymas carols. In many communities the ancient Ukrainian tradition of caroling is carried on by groups of young people and members of organizations and churches calling at homes and collecting donations. The Ukrainian song "Shchedryk" became the basis for the world famous Christmas carol, "Carol of the bells".

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Didukh (Grandfather)

When the children see the first star in the eastern evening sky, symbolizing the trek of the Three Wise Men, the Sviata Vecherya may begin. In farming communities the head of the household now brings in a sheaf of wheat called the didukh which represents the importance of the ancient and rich wheat crops of Ukraine, the staff of life through the centuries. Didukh means literally "grandfather spirit" so it symbolizes the family's ancestors. In city homes a few stalks of golden wheat in a vase are often used to decorate the table.

Shopka (Nativity scene)

Shopka is a traditional portable nativity scene used to represent nativity and other figures in a puppet form.

Serbian Orthodox Christmas

There are many, complex traditions associated with the Christmas holidays. They are most likely to be seen in their purest form in large, extended families around the world. They slightly vary from place to place. I will talk just about a few symbolic old costumes.

The Serbian name for Christmas is Božić. 
Christmas for Serbs who are Christian Orthodox comes two weeks later than Christmas of Roman Catholics. Serbs do not celebrate Christmas on December 25th, but on January 7th, while they celebrate New Year on January 13th rather than on December 31st. This is because the Serbs follow the Julian calendar, while Roman Catholics follow the Gregorian calendar.

The Serbian name for Christmas Eve during the day is Badnji dan. 
Groups of young people go from house to house, congratulating the holiday, singing, and making performances; this continues through the next three days.
Early in the morning the head of each family, usually accompanied by several male relatives, selects and fells the tree from which a log will be cut for their household. The group announces its departure by firing guns or small celebratory mortars called prangija. The Turkey oak is the most popular species of tree selected in most regions, we call it Badnjak. The moment when the badnjak burns through may be marked with festivities, such as the log being kissed by the head of household, and wine being poured over it accompanied by toasts. A reward may be given to the family member who was the first to notice the event, and in the past, the men would go outside and fire their guns in celebration.
Since the early 1990s, the Serbian Orthodox Church has, together with local communities, organized public celebrations on Christmas Eve. There are typically three elements to such celebrations: the preparation, the ritual, and the festivity. The preparation consists of cutting down the tree to be used as the badnjak, taking it to the church yard, and preparing drink and food for the assembled parishioners. The ritual includes Vespers, placing the badnjak on the open fire built in the church yard, blessing or consecrating the badnjak, and an appropriate program with songs and recitals. In some parishes, they build the fire where they to burn the badnjak not in the church yard, but at some other suitable location in their town or village. The festivity consists of gathering around the fire and socializing.

Once the badnjak and straw have been taken into the house, the Christmas Eve dinner may begin. The head of household makes the Sign of the Cross, lights a candle, and censes the whole house. 
Before the table is served, it is strewn with a thin layer of straw and covered with a white cloth. The family members sit down at the table. Prior to tucking in, they all rise and a man or boy among them says a prayer or they together sing the Troparion of the Nativity in Church Slavonic language.

Christmas Eve is a fast day, the dinner is prepared in accordance with that, but it is copious and diverse in foods. Besides an unleavened loaf of bread called badnjački kolač, and salt, which are necessary, this meal may comprise e.g. roast fish, cooked beans, sauerkraut, noodles with ground walnuts, honey, and wine. It used to be served in some villages on a sack filled with straw, with the family seated around it on the floor. An essential feature of Christmas dinner is a česnica, which is a round loaf of bread. Dough for česnica is made with strong water. While it is kneaded, a golden or silver coin is put into it. Some people put also little objects made of cornel wood, representing chickens, oxen, cows, swine, bees, etc. 
In addition to  česnica, other kinds of Christmas loaves may be regionally baked, each with its specific name and purpose within the celebration. The božićni kolač, meaning Christmas cake, is despite its name a round loaf of bread. Before baking, a Christogram is impressed on its upper side with a wooden seal. For each male member of the family  round loaf named ratarica is made – the biggest one for the head, and the smallest one for the youngest boy.

It is a custom in Banat (the region where I was born) that, after Christmas Eve dinner, groups of children go from house to house of their neighbourhood and sing to neighbours. This custom is called korinđanje, and children who participate in it are called korinđaši. They knock on a neighbour's door or ring the doorbell; when the neighbour comes out they greet him and ask if they are allowed to sing. If the answer is affirmative, they sing a children's ditty, as a reward, the neighbour gives them candies or even money; more traditional gifts include walnuts, prunes, apples, and cakes. A bit similar to international holiday Halloween.

Gift giving on Christmas is not a Serbian tradition—instead, gifts are given on the three Sundays before Christmas Day. These three holidays are called Detinjci or Djetinjci, Materice, and Oci. Children give gifts on Detinjci, married women on Materice, and married men on Oci. But in fact, in modern time for Christmas day, we give symbolic gifts and bigger present it is left for New Year's Eve, as an influence from a culture in the West.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Z1IXzZjJc

Cheese presentation for kids

This December every Saturday in Espai Ermengol there are some workshops for kids. And we were very glad to visit the first 06.12.14. It was presentation of Cadi products with interesting workshop for children.

Together with them we found out more about technologies of Cadi factory, which is located in La Seu. Everyone enjoyed to see how this young talents use their creativity to make art from butter and sweets. Young digustators left the event very excited and got tasty presents.

Photography.mARTina malesev

EVS Training in Girona

24.11.14 -29.11.14 it was a arrival training in Girona. 

We spent this time with 30 another particapants from different part of world who are volunteers in Spain, as we are.

Every day we participated in different trainings, workshops, seminars, learned more about EVS, found out what means to be volunteer. 

This training gave us a great opportunity to understand more about ourselves, our lives and  find people, who think in the same way as we.

Also we discovered a lot about Spanish culture and history, enjoyed beautiful arhitecture and amazing landscapes, felt kindness of citizens. 

This experience gave us a lot of positive energy to continue our volunteering projects. 

Trip to Andorra

Everything started with hitchhicking!

Amazing landscapes!

Sitting with famous sculputre in Andorra!

One day we decided to go Andorra, we made a sign, went to road and took a risk!
The first stop was in Sant Julia, near Naturlandia. We looked around and were impressed by beautiful landscapes.

We saw a local life!

 Than we went to the capital, Andorra la Vella. We saw famous touristic places and enjoyed shopping. 










We spent all day  there, bought a few things, enjoyed the sun, walking in the woods, took amazing photos, met a lot of  nice people.

'La Unió Europea en perill'- Aleix Sarri

En: We were invited to the presentation of the new book of a young citizen from Catalonia, Aleix who is already an important part in the world of politics. During the many promotions and debates, he honoured the citizens of Seu d Urgell with his arrival in a company with Albert Batalla.

Ca:Ens van convidar a la presentació del nou llibre del jove català Àleix , que ja és part important en el món de la política. Durant les altres presentacions i debats que va honrar als ciutadans de la Seu d'Urgell amb la seva arribada en companyia de l'alcalde, d'Albert Batalla.

En: In this work, Aleix Sarri gives his views on the current crisis of confidence in the European Union within countries that are part and tries to give them answers. The work focuses especially on the financial crisis and the euro, which has resulted in the rescue of banks and cuts that have hit especially in social states such as Greece, Spain and Portugal.

Ca:En aquesta obra, Aleix Sarri dóna el seu punt de vista sobre l'actual crisi de confiança en la Unió Europea dins dels mateixos països que en formen part i mira de donar-hi respostes. L'obra incideix especialment en la crisi financera i de l'euro, que s'ha traduït en el rescat de bancs i en retallades que han colpejat especialment a nivell social estats com ara Grècia, Espanya i Portugal.

Sr: U ovom radu, Aleks Sarri daje svoje mišljenje o trenutnoj krizi poverenja u Evropskoj uniji unutar zemalja koje su deo EU i pokušava da im da odgovori na kljucna pitanja. Rad se fokusira posebno na finansijsku krizu i pitanje eura, što je rezultiralo u spasavanju banaka i smanjenju krize koja je pogodila posebno države kao što su Grčka, Španija i Portugalija.


Here are some of the impressions that we took with photos.


Aquí hi ha algunes de les impressions que hem pogut captar amb fotos que hem fet.


Martina Malesev

Photography.mARTina malesev

This is the beginning of our new life...

So,who are We?


Sometimes it is hard to introduce yourself because you know yourself so well that you do not know where to start with. Let me give a try to see what kind of image you have about us through our self-description. I hope that our impression about ourselves and your impression about us are not so different....

Our first video :)



I'm Csenge from Hungary. I love to travel,this is my life.New cultures,new languages,new people,new places.Every travel is a new experience.- „Travel is the only thing you buy,that makes you richer!"-I love to eat so much,to do sports(especially running and swimming),I like good books and romantic-comedy movies.I like to sleep early and to get up late:) I like to be surrounded by people,but sometimes to be alone.I like to talk(sometimes more than enough),to laugh out load,to cry...I like the flowers in spring,the smell of the rain in summer,leaves in autumn,and snow in winter...well the list goes on & on & on and on!!!

Martina is a girl from Serbia.She is a passion about travel too,and two more things:writing and photography.She graduated Serbian language-literature and worked like a journalist and published two books,but she wants to try to connect her with all three passions.This girl live to try a new things,flavors,food,see new cultures,meet different people,learn more things...Because she thinks that travel makes people grown more as a person,open views and give life knowledge.Also she wants to live healthier life and all things that she made and love to put in some new page of living.Martina hopes that this project will be her biggest journey to try to make better life,because life its a book that just You can write it!

Inna comes from a beautiful country-Ukraine,full of generous and kind people.She is active,open minded and creative.Inna just finished University,speciality graphic designer and come to La Seu to enjoy nature and culture,learn about local live,to contribute to the development of the city.She likes to travel,to meet a new people,to cummunicate,learn something new.The biggest her passion is draw,to bring as her art in life as she can.

Follow us and enjoy our new life! :)