Where to enjoy the Christmas spirit: traditional and unconventional Ukrainian locations with carols and goats

The shift in the calendar has left many Ukrainians confused. Adjusting to December 24/25 is not an easy task for everyone, and there will be no official day off on December 25. Thus, make a Christmas weekend out of it and visit places that offer maximum cheerfulness, cultural traditions, and interesting themed entertainment. The overall festive atmosphere and vivid impressions can make the transition to a new date more pleasant. Today, we are talking about traditional and extraordinary places where you can feel the Christmas mood.

Lviv

Lviv is the capital of Ukrainian Christmas. The city where the magical atmosphere begins a couple of weeks before the holiday and does not disappear until the end of the New Year holidays. On Christmas weekends, the streets are filled with lantern magic and crowds radiating smiles and hope for a brighter future. Once you get to Christmas Lviv, you involuntarily start smiling and feeling happy, and no Grinch can change that. Angels, carolers, the aroma of hot mulled wine and the beauty of Christmas decorations turn into one powerful beam and spread through the streets.

Sitting in colorful coffee shops, strolling along inspiring streets, or spending a few hours at a Christmas market - any option will be successful and atmospheric. Stop by one of the city's restaurants on Christmas Eve to taste 12 meatless dishes and enjoy Ukrainian Christmas traditions by attending a service in one of Lviv's many cathedrals, churches, or temples.

Dykanka, Poltava region

The village of Dykanka is known far beyond the borders of Ukraine. The preserved authenticity of this place fascinates and inspires. Don't forget to take Nikolai Gogol's novel The Night Before Christmas with you to immerse yourself in the Christmas festivities in Dykanka. You will hear many traditional carols and shchedrivkas and enjoy Ukrainian traditional costumes and interiors. Dykanka offers special programs as part of tours, where you will become participants in a theatrical performance and feel the Christmas mood with all your might. Eat from clay pots taken out of the oven, drink from wooden and clay mugs and be filled with Christmas dreams and hopes.

VDNKh, Kyiv

This year, the location celebrates the opening of the 10th season of Winterland. There will be even more entertainment and a more atmospheric mood. Starting from November 30, Kyiv residents and guests can get feel the essence of the holiday by visiting the Winterland. The organizers promise a sense of wonder and Christmas mood despite all the trials and hardships.

The VDNKh locations that have already become a favorite of hundreds of thousands of visitors, such as the skating rink or the fair, the butterfly planet or Santa's residence, will remain unchanged. New characters will appear in the Winterland, with whom children and adults love to take pictures, animation programs will change, and unexpected surprises will appear for both young and old visitors. A survey of Winterland guests showed that 96% of people become happier after visiting the festive locations.

Ivano-Frankivsk

If you have never heard or seen the festival-prayer "Koliada na Maisliakh", it's time to go to Ivano-Frankivsk for a Christmas weekend. Artists from Canada, the United States, France, and Sweden are invited to the festival. Together with Ukrainian artists, they create a Christmas mood that fills the city center thanks to large screens and sound systems. In Ivano-Frankivsk, you can enjoy Christmas traditions that are more typical of Western Ukraine. These are incredibly colorful performances.

Pyrohiv Museum, Kyiv

For several years now, the museum has been celebrating Christmas according to all Ukrainian canons. On the holiday of Vasyl and Malanka, you can see nativity scenes and pet a goat, immersing yourself in the traditions and beliefs of our ancestors. You will be able to learn many Ukrainian rituals, hear carols and taste a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish - kutia. Celebrate Christmas by enveloping yourself in Ukrainian culture and feeling your identity. We recommend preparing a few carols in advance.