Some Ukrainian newcomers change Christmas traditions to reject Russia

For Liliia Tashnik, the past year has been full of big changes.

At this time in 2022, Tashnik was listening to carollers singing outside her home in Kyiv as her family gathered around the dining table, laughing, eating and exchanging presents.

For Tashnik, it was Christmas, which is celebrated by the Russian and Ukrainian branches of the Orthodox church on Jan. 7.

But this year, as the holiday rolls around again, Tashnik says "it's a little bit different" — and not just because it's her first Christmas in Canada. 

Tashnik is one of many Ukrainians who've chosen to celebrate the holiday on Dec. 25, per the Western tradition, rather than in early January.

Her decision comes as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has allowed its clergy to conduct religious festivities on that date in response to increased demands from Ukrainian people to reject any associations with Russia.

"It feels right," said Tashnik, who arrived in Ottawa in November with her 18-month-old son, elderly mother and cat. Her husband remains in Ukraine, fighting for their people.

A long time coming

Father Taras Kinash, who will be conducting his first Christmas festivities at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral on Saturday, explained that celebrating on Dec. 25 actually has its roots in Ukrainian history.

Before the 1930s, Christmas was celebrated in Ukraine on that date, Kinash said, but it was switched due to pressure from the Soviet Union in the years leading up to the Second World War.

"The topic of changing dates [back to Dec. 25] appeared more than 10 years ago, but the war was, like, the capitalization of this," he said. "The people wanted their own Christmas." 

Some Ukrainian newcomers, like himself, will still celebrate Christmas on Saturday at the cathedral for tradition's sake, he said.

There will be food-tasting competitions featuring kutia, a sweet wheat berry pudding, and uzvar, a traditional Ukrainian beverage made from dried fruits and berries.

But whether those festivities continue after this year remains unclear.

"This is a Christmas of loss, of tears, of suffering, of splitting the families," Kinash said, adding his father and brother are still in war zones.

"This Christmas is unique as it never was before. And I hope it will never be again."

'We want to find our own way'

Liliya Terenyak, a Kharkiv native who came to Ottawa earlier this year with her four children and husband, said she will be participating in the competitions but won't celebrate Orthodox Christmas.

"We want to be a part of this community, so we do need to be together," she said. "But we want to find our own way."

Anastasiia Lazarchuk also discussed with her family back home over a phone call if they would celebrate the January holiday, as they'd done all their lives before the war.

The answer, she said, was a resounding no.

Instead, her mother made 12 dishes, invited their neighbours over, and they all celebrated on Dec. 25.

"It's the duty of every Ukrainian … to protect our traditions, to protect our own language and our own culture. And I think this is the right thing to do," said Lazarchuk, who fled to Ottawa with her boyfriend after the war broke out.

"We're trying to save our identity."