Ukrainian Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, following the Julian calendar. Families gather for a festive meal called Sviata Vecheria, which includes twelve traditional dishes representing the twelve apostles. Common foods include kutia (a sweet grain dish), borscht, and fish. The celebration begins with the first star appearing in the sky, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. Many families also attend a midnight church service, known as Pasterka. Ukrainian Christmas traditions often include singing kolyadky (carols) and decorating homes with pysanky (decorated eggs) and didukh (a sheaf of wheat) to honor ancestors.