Christmas Rituals and Traditions in Belarus

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in Belarus from January 6 to 7. Due to the enduring influence of pagan traditions, Christmas celebrations in Belarus blend Christian customs with elements of folk rituals. On the eve of the holiday, Orthodox churches conduct services and liturgies. The festive period continues up to the Feast of the Epiphany on January 19. For Belarusians, Christmas is an occasion to gather with family and remember Christmas traditions passed down through generations.

Festive Table

On the eve of the holiday, after sunset, families gather at the table awaiting the first star. Under the tablecloth, a bunch of hay is placed as a symbol of the baby Jesus' crib. A candle, representing the everlasting light of the Star of Bethlehem, must be on the table. Dinner on Christmas Eve is fasting. The Christmas table traditionally includes 12 dishes, representing the number of apostles. The main festive dish is kutya – a cereal porridge to which honey, nuts, and dried fruits are added. The table also features jelly, borsch, dishes made from cabbage, mushrooms, and fish. Before starting the meal, the head of the family invites deceased ancestors – "dzyadou" to join. A portion of kutya is also left in the hallway or outside for the deceased.

On the next day, January 7, meat dishes such as sausages, aspic, vereshchaka, and roasted goose are served. The festive lunch is complemented with aspic, soaked apples, pancakes, and vereshchaka. Even in less affluent Belarusian families, the Christmas table is filled with treats.

Caroling

During Christmas, carolers – dressed-up villagers in masks of a wolf, bear, goat, and other characters like the devil, an old woman, gypsies, and soldiers – would visit homes. They performed skits and sang ritual songs, and in return, homeowners generously treated them with Christmas delicacies – sausages, nuts, lard, pancakes.

An essential attribute of carolers is the Christmas star on a pole, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. In pre-Christian times, this star symbolized the sun god Yarilo. Carolers were welcomed with joy and gratitude, believed to bring happiness to the home. Not welcoming them was thought to bring misfortune to the family and household. The tradition of caroling continues in many regions of Belarus, with both rural and urban residents participating in Christmas caroling.

Home Traditions and Beliefs

Preparations for Christmas in Belarus traditionally began well in advance, with all work completed before Christmas Eve. On the eve, houses were cleaned, people bathed in saunas, and wore clean clothes. On Christmas morning, it was customary to rise as early as possible.

After church service, it was customary to visit each other's homes. It was believed that for the homeowners to have a prosperous year, a man should enter the house first on Christmas, not a woman.

During the holy evenings, people refrained from work. They spent time at home in peaceful conversations, sang ritual songs, and the youth engaged in fortune-telling. Despite the religious significance of the holiday, Christmas days were always filled with magic. Girls would tell fortunes to find out about their future husbands, and peasants tried to predict the fertility of the upcoming year. Various magical rituals were performed for this purpose:

• Melting wax in water to see the face of a future groom.
• Throwing a boot over a fence to indicate from which direction the suitor would come.
• Sprinkling fruit trees with water drained from kutya to prevent them from freezing in winter.
• Giving the first Christmas pancake to domestic animals to ensure their health throughout the year.
• Tying the legs of the dining table with a rope to protect the house from misfortunes.
• Sprinkling seeds on the table, believing it would lead to a good brood from domestic poultry.
• Sprinkling the house with holy water from the church to ward off evil spirits.

In different regions of Belarus, holiday traditions varied, but one thing remained constant – Christmas was always a day of joy, gratitude for the past year, and warm family gatherings. Modern Belarusians, after celebrating the holiday with loved ones, visit friends, stroll through Christmas fairs, attend caroling performances and festive programs offered by theaters, museums, and other institutions in the country.