Tyrone locals recall Christmas traditions from their home country

Twinkling lights, the aroma of a turkey cooking in the oven, festive favourites playing in the background… Christmas is a time of comforting traditions celebrated across the globe.

Most of us embrace the jolly season with festive glee – each abiding faithfully to the traditions we have grown up with.

Advent, candlelit Mass and the mummers have marked an Irish Christmas for centuries, but not everyone celebrates this time of year in the same way.

In a merry bid to find out more, the UH spoke with three families living locally, but whose roots lie elsewhere…

Ukraine

Makar Marynoshenko, a Ukrainian teenager living in Omagh, paints a vivid picture of Christmas celebrations that differ greatly to the familiar Irish festivities

“Santa doesn’t visit the Ukraine on December 25 as he does here in Ireland, instead Father Frost brings gifts to Ukrainian children in January,” said Makar.

“On Christmas Eve, Ukrainian children would walk around our village, knock doors and sing for people and they would give us food and money. It’s a bit like ‘trick or treating’ at Halloween.

“And on Christmas Day, our family would get together and have a meal – usually turkey, ham and potatoes – and always Koutia,” continued Makar.

Koutia is a traditional Ukrainian food eaten around Christmas, made with poppyseeds.

Salad Olivye is also a favourite. Makar concluded by sharing a Christmas carol sung by the Ukrainian people at this time of year.

“We always sing ‘Carol of the Bells’, or ‘Shchedryk’ as we know it, around Christmas time – It’s very popular!” he said.

Bulgaria

Lubi Kostikova-Brennan, who is originally from Bulgaria, lives in Omagh with her husband Christopher and their son.

She tries to keep her Bulgarian heritage alive at Christmas with a big emphasis is placed on food.

In fact, preparing their culinary spectacle can begin up to three days prior to Christmas Day itself.

“On Christmas Eve, we have either seven, nine or 11 meals prepared and placed on the table, and would usually have Sarmi, which is cabbage leaves or vines filled with rice, herbs and peppers.

“Bean soups are also common,” added Lubi, while stressing that it’s not the Heinz or Branston kind we are familiar with!

On Christmas Day, pig is traditionally found on the plates of Bulgarians – although turkey or steak ALSO wouldn’t be out of the realm of potential meal possibilities.

Bulgarians also see in the Christmas season with traditional folk music which Lubi maintains isn’t a far cry away from Irish folk.

“We dance a lot at Christmas time, the ‘Horra’ especially,” she said, which is a traditional Bulgarian dance.

“We dance as a symbol of strong health and also as a way of wishing good health onto others,” concluded Lubi.

Lithuania

Kristina McIntosh, who is originally from Lithuania, celebrates Christmas with her husband and family in Dungannon.

Kristina, like Lubi, taps into her heritage at Christmas, but doesn’t shy away from also enjyoying a traditional Irish Christmas.

“Christmas Eve is the most important day for Lithuanians,” she said.

“We all gather with our closest family and have 12 dishes, mostly made up of fish, biscuits, oranges, breads and salads.

“The 12 meals are to show respect for Jesus’s 12 apostles.”

Lithuanians typically fast from meat from the beginning of December up until Christmas Day, according to Kristina.

And December 25 is not marked by the carving of a turkey, as Lithuanians just cook whatever meal they enjoy.

“I have fond memories of Christmas in Lithuania,” said Kristina.

“We used to play a traditional game where you would draw straws: If you got a long straw, you would live a long life and a fat straw would mean a rich and happy life.”

Needless to say, nobody relished the thought of drawing the short straw!

“When I was small, I remember nanna and granda would tell us kids an old Lithuanian tale about how at midnight on Christmas Eve animals could talk,” she laughed.

Kristina reminisced about the innocence of those days, sneaking out to the barn to check on the animals, with frowns of disappointment when the they remained speechless.

Christmas unites us in a shared celebration of love, hope, and joy, but there are endless examples of different traditions in different countries. It’s not all Quality Street and Shloer!

Whatever you get up to this Christmas, have a good one…