The national holiday on December 19 is known as St. Nicholas Day, Nicholas the Wonderworker, and Nicholas the Winter.
Christians celebrate a church holiday on December 19 in honor of one of the most revered saints in the church calendar, Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas was a real person, canonized for his pious deeds and righteous life. Prayers for Nicholas are said by sailors, orphans, widows, travelers and generally all believers.
Saint Nicholas Day has always been an important holiday for Ukrainians. Since the days of Kyivan Rus, this date has been celebrated on a grand scale. Saint Nicholas was considered the defender of the accused and the innocently convicted. People who felt injustice in life prayed to him.
On December 19, Ukrainians gave gifts to children in the name of St. Nicholas. It was believed that Nicholas puts gifts under the pillow and gives gifts only to those children who have behaved well during the year. A few days before the holiday, children wrote a letter to St. Nicholas, from which parents learned what gift the child wanted to receive.
On the day of St. Nicholas, our ancestors went to church with the whole family in the morning, and in the evening they laid a rich table. Various fairs and sales were also popular on this day.
What not to do on December 19
- You can’t miss Mykola Zimovy, otherwise you will spend the whole next year in tears.
- You can’t swear at your mother and fight today.
- On this date, you should not work at home, clean and do laundry.
Weather signs on December 19
- Frost appeared on the trees – before next year’s oat harvest.
- Our ancestors noticed that if the weather is good on this day, then autumn will be cold.
- How much snow fell today, how much grass there will be in March.
- If the day is frosty and sunny, then there will be a good harvest.
