Goodbye, 2015 — Welcome, 2016

Yes, the old year 2015 will come to an end tomorrow, and most Americans, as well as many other people throughout the world, will fill restaurants, clubs, and other meeting places to enjoy food and drinks while waiting for midnight to greet the arrival of 2016 with a champagne toast. Many, including my wife Katrusia and I, will stay at home and wait for the silvery ball to drop in New York’s Times Square on television, provided they, like I usually do, don’t fall asleep before this occurs. 
It is a pleasure for me and Katrusia to be able to wish all our children, grandchildren, great-granddaughters, other relatives in this country and in Ukraine, and all our neighbors and friends throughout the world a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year.
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During my childhood years before World War II, the New Year was only a date on the calendar: no celebration or formal observation whatsoever. The reason for this was quite simple: Residents of our nice and picturesque village Volya Yakubova (Jacob’s Freedom), in the Sub Carpathian Region of Western Ukraine were all Ukrainians, except for three Jewish families, and Greek-Catholics. New Year’s Day fell during Advent, which lasted up to Jan. 6 and was traditionally observed as a fasting period with no dancing or any other “boisterous” celebration.
The Advent fasting continues to be observed by Ukrainians and Ukrainian Americans to this day. There are neither weddings nor dances in what is commonly considered “The Ukrainian Community” in the United States and Canada. 
During the Russian Communist occupation of Ukraine, the atheist Moscow occupiers did everything possible to eradicate the celebrations of religious holidays, especially Christmas and EasterThe massive executions and deportations of bishops, priests, and religious activists did not stop Ukrainian people from celebrating their beloved holidays. The authorities, in addition to forbidding the workers to take a day off for holidays, and penalizing students for participating in traditional holiday events, and other measures, began vigorously promoting the celebration of New Year, which included, among other things, the “New Year’s Tree” (replacing the Christmas tree) and “Grandfather Frost” (replacing the very popular St. Nicholas). 
After many years of this pressure and atheist propaganda, the celebration of New Year in Ukraine became more important and more widely accepted than the celebration of Christmas.
After the collapse of the USSR and restoration of Ukraine’s independence — on Aug. 24, 1991 — the traditional observance of Christmas and other religious holidays came back to life, with Christmas Eve supper consisting of 12 meal courses, public caroling, “vertep” (special Christmas plays originated centuries earlier by students of Ukrainian institutions of higher learning), and beautiful church services.
Nevertheless, the celebration of New Year continues to be very popular, with the “New Year’s Tree,” family gatherings, good food and champagne toasts at midnight.The weddings and dance parties commence on Jan. 14 on “St.Melanie Day,” known to Ukrainians as “Malanka.”
The local Ukrainian Catholic congregation will hold its “Malanka Dance” on Jan. 14, in the Parish Center, 1978 N. Biscayne Drive, North Port.
More details to follow.

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com. 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

 by Atanas Kobryn