Easter traditions in Ukraine

Easter traditions in Ukraine. (Easter party for American quests)

-         to learn more about Easter traditions in Ukraine;

-         to practice communicative skills

T: Hello, dear quests! You are welcome to our Easter party. Our schoolchildren are going to tell you about Easter traditions in our country.

Look! This is an Easter basket which  is full of Easter provisions.

Do you know what food do Ukrainians usually put into the basket to bless in the church?

Yes, you are right, they usually put traditional Easter bread called “paska”.

There are a lot of recipes to cook it.

P2: People usually put colored Easter eggs called krashankas or pysankas.

P3: My mother usually puts homemade sausage, smoked meat and a piece of lard.

P4: And my granny  usually puts a piece of bread and some salt and horseradish.

T: What colour can Easter eggs be?

P1: They can be red. It symbolizes the beauty, joy, life, Jesus, blood and love.

P2: Krashankas are sometimes green. Green is the colour of spring, reawakening of nature.

P3: Blue is a symbol of the sky, wind and health.

P4: Yellow is the colour of the Moon, stars, fields.

T: What are krashankas and pysankas?

Krashankas - are hard-boiled eggs to be eaten.

Pysankas – painted eggs designed with the help of wax – are not to be eaten.     They are given as a gift.

T: When do Ukrainian people usually celebrate Easter?

P: Easter is usually on Sunday between the 4^th of April and the 8^th of May.

T: It is interesting to know that the week before Easter is usually called White or Pure.

What did people do a week before Easter?

P1: Monday and Tuesday – are cleaning and laundry days.

P2: Wednesday – is to smoke meat and make sausages.

P3: Pure Thursday – all field-work is finished. People can bake paskas.

T: Do you know why is Sunday before Easter  called Willow Sunday?

P1:People bless pussy-willow branches in the church and tap one another with them on Willow Sunday.

T: What do people say while tapping? Let's learn it together:

Be as tall as the willow.

As healthy as the water.

As rich as the earth.

  Not I am tapping,

the willow is tapping.

  Easter is in a week.

T: Look! Here you can see some Easter napkins. They are so colourful and beautiful. Our pupils will tell you some more interesting Easter traditions in Ukraine.

P1: It is a tradition today to bring paskas, eggs and meat to church to be blessed. All food are placed in an Easter basket which is decorated  with embroidered Easter napkins.

P2: People go to church at night for the vespers and come home early in  the next morning.

              P3: A candle lit in church would be placed in the paska and people walk home cautiously not to let it burn out.

              P4: At home  the family gathers around the table. The holiday breakfast starts with a prayer and traditional Easter greeting: “Khrystos Voskres”(Jesus is risen). The answer  is “Voistynno Voskres” (Truly risen).

              P5: After this greeting, people kiss each other three times.

              P6: The  first part of the meal is a slice of paska. Then people play navbytky, hitting their eggs to see whose is stronger. The one whose egg doesn’t crack wins.

T: So, let’s play navbytky and taste paskas and Easter food. Help yourself!

  American quests told us about their Easter traditions.

T: Easter Bunny – Easter hare or rabbit symbolizes new life.

  So, let’s sing the song about Easter Bunny  together.

Song “Here comes the Easter Bunny”