Happy Malanka
Happy Ukrainian New Year !!
I was raised about as Ukrainian as anyone, yet, I never remember celebrating Malanka. I remember celebrating Ukrainian Christmas but think this extrapolation to Ukrainian New Year is just made up.
Regardless, a New Year is always about a new reset and I will take any reset available. Time to make more resolutions, another clean slate. I think I am going to try early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Ukrainian Christmas wasn't about presents, it was a time to celebrate Christ and all that faith brought to us. On Christmas Eve, we had the traditional 12 meatless dishes. This year, I had a craving for boiled wheat.
I don't know for sure the origins of the Christmas Eve feast but I can speculate that the Ukrainian women wanted to have a special feast of celebration and didn't have much so made dishes out of what they had. Life for people living in Ukraine has always been difficult. The country isn't known for its agriculture. The land can only produce the heartiest of vegetables such as potatoes and turnips and beets. They did what they could. The perogy remains our biggest delicacy. I think it was born out of necessity. Boiling potatoes by themselves probably meant that the potato would break down. By putting them in a simple flour dough would ensure the potato would remain intact. Even our beverage, vodka, made from fermented potatoes, likely happened by accident. My grandfather was born in the Ukraine and was the most frugal person I know.
Ukrainians have never had a lot of material trappings. Even now, Ukraine is probably best known for internet brides. Going to the Ukraine and seeing where I came from is on my bucket list, however, I don't know what I would do while I am there. It is not a destination known for its tourist traps.
I wish I knew how to speak more Ukrainian. Better yet, I wish I knew how to spell or write the Ukrainian that I do know.
I used to love spending time with my Ukrainian relatives when I was a child. I knew it would be a time of great laughter. No matter what the occasion, it was a time of celebration and a time of too much. Too much food, too much loudness, too much alcohol for the adults, too much displays of affection, just too much. It was great !
I think that is the best thing about this made up Ukrainian New Year. A time to reflect and remember all the reasons why I am proud to be Ukrainian. We are hard-working people who love to celebrate life and we value our relationships.
I was raised about as Ukrainian as anyone, yet, I never remember celebrating Malanka. I remember celebrating Ukrainian Christmas but think this extrapolation to Ukrainian New Year is just made up.
Regardless, a New Year is always about a new reset and I will take any reset available. Time to make more resolutions, another clean slate. I think I am going to try early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Ukrainian Christmas wasn't about presents, it was a time to celebrate Christ and all that faith brought to us. On Christmas Eve, we had the traditional 12 meatless dishes. This year, I had a craving for boiled wheat.
I don't know for sure the origins of the Christmas Eve feast but I can speculate that the Ukrainian women wanted to have a special feast of celebration and didn't have much so made dishes out of what they had. Life for people living in Ukraine has always been difficult. The country isn't known for its agriculture. The land can only produce the heartiest of vegetables such as potatoes and turnips and beets. They did what they could. The perogy remains our biggest delicacy. I think it was born out of necessity. Boiling potatoes by themselves probably meant that the potato would break down. By putting them in a simple flour dough would ensure the potato would remain intact. Even our beverage, vodka, made from fermented potatoes, likely happened by accident. My grandfather was born in the Ukraine and was the most frugal person I know.
Ukrainians have never had a lot of material trappings. Even now, Ukraine is probably best known for internet brides. Going to the Ukraine and seeing where I came from is on my bucket list, however, I don't know what I would do while I am there. It is not a destination known for its tourist traps.
I wish I knew how to speak more Ukrainian. Better yet, I wish I knew how to spell or write the Ukrainian that I do know.
I used to love spending time with my Ukrainian relatives when I was a child. I knew it would be a time of great laughter. No matter what the occasion, it was a time of celebration and a time of too much. Too much food, too much loudness, too much alcohol for the adults, too much displays of affection, just too much. It was great !
I think that is the best thing about this made up Ukrainian New Year. A time to reflect and remember all the reasons why I am proud to be Ukrainian. We are hard-working people who love to celebrate life and we value our relationships.
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