Ukrainians celebrating their first Christmas within the UK are writing letters to Santa Claus and planning conventional meals – however their ideas are additionally with family members nonetheless contained in the devastated nation.
Kateryna Chebizhak, 34, works as a phone interpreter, and he or she arrived from Kyiv along with her seven-year-old son Kolya in April, by way of Poland and Germany.
She stated Christmas in Ukraine is on 7 January, as decided by the Orthodox Church, however her son is wanting ahead to getting his presents a bit earlier this yr.
“Usually in Ukraine, we just get presents under the Christmas Tree in the New Year, but [in the UK] it works differently”, she stated.
“Now’s he is ready for his two presents, and he is actually excited.
“As it is the school holidays, he has been writing letters to Santa Claus.”
The pair will spend the day with pals in Enfield, north London, exchanging presents, going for a stroll, doing artwork and craft actions and taking part in a card recreation.
Ms Chebizhak stated her dad and mom stay in Ukraine, including: “Usually we have traditions where my mum (Tetiana) will always make 12 dishes which symbolise the 12 months of the year, and we would make a wish on Christmas Eve and go to bed, and it should come true.
“My sister Anna additionally used to stay not too removed from them, and he or she additionally left to go to Greece along with her two kids, so they’re alone, and he or she does not have any grandchildren close by,” she added.
“My mum and dad might sit down together and watch some movies or listen to the national anthem of Ukraine, and we’ll have a call, but they are coping and doing great, despite it not being a good situation.”
Ms Chebizhak stated she desires of peace in Ukraine and hopes to return to see Kolya’s father “as he misses him very much”.
Meanwhile, she is concentrating on her dream of turning into a fully-qualified interpreter, due to donations made by means of a crowdfunder arrange by platform Beam.
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Olha Komarnytska lives in Birmingham along with her kids – Mia, 15, and Volodymyr, 13 – having arrived from western Ukraine in May.
“We usually celebrate Christmas in January, but I think a lot of Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas in December this year because Russians celebrate Christmas in January, and it’s not very good for us because we are fighting with Russia,” the 42-year-old cleaner stated.
She stated they’d go to church collectively on 25 December earlier than sitting right down to a Christmas dinner with a mix of British and Ukrainian dishes.
“I plan to make cabbage with rice, meat carrot and onions and a Ukrainian salad with potato, carrot, meat, onions and cucumber,” she added.
But a number of folks won’t be with them – Mrs Komarnytska’s husband, dad and mom and two brothers are nonetheless in Ukraine.
“It’s not good, we are not happy – but the situation is very bad because of the war happening in Ukraine and there is a bad situation with electricity where many don’t have any,” she stated.
“I think next Christmas we will celebrate in Ukraine, but we will always remember how lovely and helpful those in the UK have been to Ukrainians.”
Source: information.sky.com”