5 Things to Look Forward to on New Year’s Eve in Ukraine

Ukrainians love to toast and drink as they celebrate New Year's Eve.

It’s almost the end of the year again. With the Christmas holidays coming to an end, we’re now getting ready to greet the new year. If you plan to travel during the holidays, then Ukraine is a great place to add to your travel list.

The country has countless tourist spot destinations to choose from - from fascinating architecture and historical sites to untouched nature zones and ancient monuments of previous rulers.

There are lots of things to do in Ukraine during the New Year, including meeting new people, especially single Ukrainian women - that is if you’re looking for a companion to share the holidays with. But if you happen to have a Ukrainian friend, then why not travel with them for a short trip?

On New Year’s Eve, you’ll mostly find people going back to their hometowns to visit their families and relatives and to participate in old family traditions. You’ll have a front-row seat in experiencing what Ukraine is like during the New Year’s.

As midnight approaches, a presidential speech will be broadcast nationally. People will raise a toast to drink to the New Year, and once the clock strikes midnight, they greet each other with excitement and joy. There are also traditional fireworks displays during New Year’s Eve.

Here are some other unique NYE activities to enjoy in Ukraine:

Celebrating New Year’s twice

In Ukraine, there are two New Year’s Eve celebrations. This is because Ukraine follows the Julian calendar. So they celebrate it once on January 1st, according to the Gregorian calendar, and then a second time on January 14th, following the Julian calendar.

The first New Year is celebrated with the typical new year fanfare, with a lot of midnight parties and all-night dancing. You might see a lot of people attending local clubs, bars, and social events to celebrate the coming New Year.

The days between the first New Year and the second New Year leave them plenty of time to rest and do it all over again. Only this time, most people will be with their families and joining in the traditional New Year celebrations.

Malanka

To many Ukrainians, Malanka is a folk holiday celebrated on New Year’s Eve. In English, it is translated as Generous Eve.

Malanka is also considered one of the oldest, merriest, and most active festivals of the year in Ukrainian culture, since its existence dates back to pre-Christian pagan days.

Mostly celebrated in small villages and towns, everyone pitches in during the festival. Villagers are decked out in colorful homemade costumes resembling animals, parading along the streets. They visit from house to house, singing carols and pulling practical jokes.

The celebration lasts until nightfall, and a big feast is held at the dinner table. Many believe that the more variety of dishes on Malanka, the more generous their next year will become.

Caroling

According to an old tradition, caroling is mostly done after sunset when evil spirits are most active. Many villagers join in for the traditional Ukrainian carols and New Year songs. They go from house to house and are rewarded with baked mlyntsi (pancakes) and cheese dumplings cooked by the women in the household.

Some teenage girls and young men also participate in caroling during the New Year. Teen girls, whether alone or in groups, run around to the neighbors’ houses to carol.

Young men, on the other hand, wear masks and express good wishes, sing amusing songs, and even act out skits. One is usually dressed in women’s clothes and proclaimed as Grandmother Malanka. They are typically married men and are the ones who lead the younger men around town.

Ukrainian feast

During the New Year’s, Ukrainians welcome the holiday with special foods that bring health, luck, and prosperity.

Pork dishes are popular during the holiday, as the pig symbolizes prosperity in Ukrainian culture. They are prepared as kholodets (meat in aspic), blood and pork sausages, vershchaky (roasted pork marinated in beet kvas), salo (cured slabs of pork fatback), stuffed whole pig, etc.

Other dishes include fish, legumes, holubtsi (cabbage rolls), pampushki (stuffed and fried potato balls), baked goods, and desserts.

Aside from welcoming the holidays, food is also an important way to bring the family together. Everyone sits together around the dinner table to share their stories and enjoy each other’s company.

Visit the Carpathian mountains

If you love winter, then the Ukrainian Carpathian mountain resorts are an amazing place to visit during the holidays. Because of its natural winter beauty, it gets a lot of tourists and local visitors every Christmas and New Year’s season.

A person can really feel the special holiday season in the air. Not only can you go skiing, sledding, going on a winter stroll, and playing snowball fights, but there are also holiday events where you can join in celebration dinners with authentic Ukrainian dishes.

To top it off, there are also entertainment concerts, colorful folk festivals, Ukrainian carols, and special holiday divinations you can participate in to get into the New Year’s spirit.

Have a Happy New Year in Ukraine

Ukrainians love to toast and drink as they celebrate New Year's Eve.

With so many prospective activities to celebrate in Ukraine, you will surely find yourself entertained. And with the anticipation and excitement of the coming festival, there’s nothing quite like experiencing a Ukrainian winter holiday with friends or relatives.

Dressing up in bear costumes, caroling around the town, and eating delicious Ukrainian dishes are part and parcel of the whole New Year celebratory experience.

Do you have a date this New Year’s Eve? If you don’t, why not try dating women in Ukraine? These ladies were raised in a traditional household, and many of them value strong family ties.

There are several single Ukrainian ladies looking to find a great partner. They see the appeal of starting a family and would love to raise one with someone who is as devoted and faithful. And it might not be often you get to meet a beautiful woman who inherits the traits of a natural homemaker.

Who knows, you might be lucky enough to meet someone with whom you can spend the rest of your life!