Celebrating Ukrainian Christmas at John Leggott

Celebrating Ukrainian Christmas: How John Leggott College Welcomed Its Local Community

At John Leggott College, we have always believed that being part of a community means more than sharing a postcode. It means showing up for the people around you, especially when times are hard.

This winter, we were honoured to open our doors to members of our local Ukrainian community, offering the use of our facilities so that families could come together to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas. In a time of ongoing conflict and uncertainty for so many, being able to gather, share food, sing together and keep centuries-old traditions alive felt more important than ever.

We are incredibly proud to have played even a small part in that.

Ukrainian Christmas: A Celebration of Faith, Family and Resilience

For many people in the UK, Christmas on 25 December is a familiar date. What is less widely known is the rich and deeply meaningful way in which Ukrainian families mark this occasion, with traditions that stretch back centuries and carry profound cultural and spiritual significance.

Ukrainian Christmas is not a single day but a period of celebration, reflection and community that unfolds over several days. At its heart are the values of faith, family, remembrance and resilience, values that feel especially powerful given everything the Ukrainian people are living through right now.

Christmas Eve: Sviata Vecherya, the Holy Supper

The most important gathering of the Ukrainian Christmas period takes place on Christmas Eve, 24 December. Known as Sviata Vecherya, or the Holy Supper, this is a deeply symbolic family occasion that marks the end of the Nativity Fast.

Families prepare 12 traditional meat-free dishes, one for each of the 12 Apostles. Before sitting down to eat, the table is prepared with great care. A layer of straw is placed beneath the tablecloth to represent the manger where Jesus was born. In the corners of the table, garlic, sugar and coins are traditionally placed, symbolising protection, prosperity and the wellbeing of the family in the year ahead.

The meal does not begin until the first star appears in the sky, representing the Star of Bethlehem. A candle is lit, a prayer is said, and the family shares kutia, a symbolic wheat pudding that honours ancestors and invites blessings for the year to come.

Some of the most beloved Holy Supper dishes include:

• Kutia: wheat pudding with honey, poppy seeds, nuts and dried fruits, the central dish of the evening, representing family unity and remembrance

• Borshch: rich beetroot soup, often served with mushroom dumplings called vushka

• Varenyky: dumplings filled with cabbage, potato or mushrooms

• Holubtsi: cabbage rolls with rice and vegetables

• Pampushky: soft buns, plain or with garlic

• Uzvar: a warming drink made from dried fruits, offered as a gesture of gratitude for nature's gifts

Each dish carries meaning. Together, they form a table that speaks of memory, faith and continuity.

Vertep and Caroling: Bringing the Community Together

After the Holy Supper, the celebration moves beyond the family home. Groups gather to sing traditional carols known as koliadky, and many perform Vertep, a living Ukrainian nativity theatre in which participants bring the story of Christ's birth to life through costumes, music and humour.

Carolers travel from house to house, often carrying a decorative star to represent the Star of Bethlehem. Hosts welcome them with treats and small gifts. It is a joyful, communal tradition that turns the streets into a stage and reminds everyone that Christmas is something to be shared.

Christmas Day and the Days That Follow

On Christmas Day itself, families celebrate with a festive meal that ends the fasting period. The table now welcomes meat dishes alongside the traditional baked goods and pastries that are central to Ukrainian Christmas baking.

Beloved Christmas Day foods include kholodets, a jellied meat dish, roast poultry, smoked ham and sausages, alongside pastries such as vatrushka, poppy seed rolls known as makivnyk, and medivnyk, a beautiful honey cake or gingerbread.

For three days following Christmas Eve, children and adults continue to go from house to house, singing carols and performing with the Vertep, carrying the festive spirit through the whole community.

Keeping Traditions Alive in Difficult Times

Perhaps the most moving aspect of this celebration is the context in which it took place. Many members of our local Ukrainian community are far from home, separated from family members, and living with the weight of an ongoing war that has touched every part of their lives.

And yet they gather. They prepare the twelve dishes. They light the candle. They sing the carols. They perform the Vertep.

Ukrainian Christmas is, at its core, a celebration of resilience. It is a statement that culture, heritage and identity cannot be taken away, no matter the circumstances. Watching families come together to honour these traditions, here in Scunthorpe, was genuinely moving for everyone at the college who was fortunate enough to witness it.

John Leggott College: Proud to Serve Our Community

Offering our facilities for this celebration was the very least we could do, and we would do it again without hesitation. John Leggott College exists to serve the people of this area, and that means all of the people of this area.

We are grateful to every member of the Ukrainian community who joined us, and we hope that being able to come together in this way brought some warmth, connection and joy during what continues to be an incredibly difficult time.

Our doors remain open. You are part of this community, and this community is richer for having you in it.

FAQ Section

Why does John Leggott College open its facilities to the local community?

JLC believes that a sixth form college should serve the whole community it belongs to. Offering space for events like this reflects the college's commitment to inclusion, belonging and supporting local people.

When is Ukrainian Christmas celebrated?

Ukrainian Christmas is celebrated on 25 December, following the New Julian calendar. Christmas Eve, known as Sviata Vecherya or the Holy Supper, takes place on 24 December and is the most significant family gathering of the period.

What is Sviata Vecherya?

Sviata Vecherya, or the Holy Supper, is a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve meal consisting of 12 meat-free dishes, each representing one of the 12 Apostles. It is a deeply symbolic occasion centred on family, faith and remembrance of ancestors.

What is Vertep?

Vertep is a traditional Ukrainian living nativity theatre performed at Christmas. Groups of carolers travel from house to house performing the story of Christ's birth through music, costumes and humour, bringing the community together in festive celebration.

How can I find out more about John Leggott College and its community work?

Visit leggott.ac.uk to learn more about the college, its values and its role in the local community.