Brief History 

Christmas is a very special time of the year. It's a time to spend with family and friends. It's also a time to give and receive presents. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25. But some people celebrate Christmas on January 7. They use the old calendar. Both dates are good. Christmas is for everyone. We can have fun and eat cookies and sing songs.

How It’s Celebrated

There are many ways to celebrate Christmas in the Orthodox Church. Some traditions are: 

• Going to church on Christmas Day. In church, we sing songs, pray, and listen to a talk about Jesus’ birth.
• Giving gifts to our family and friends. We give gifts to show our love and remember Jesus’ birthday.
• Having fun with our family. We sing, dance, and eat special food like kutia and pryaniki.
• Thinking about Jesus. We read the Bible and pray to remember what he means to us.

Orthodox Christmas Day

Interesting Facts

• The observance of Orthodox Christmas is distinguished by the utilization of specific hymns and liturgical readings that differ slightly from those used in Western Christianity.
• Before Christmas, Orthodox Christians frequently observe a 40-day period of abstinence, culminating with the Nativity Fast on December 28. This time of fasting serves as a period of spiritual preparation for the upcoming holiday.
• Some Eastern Orthodox countries, including Russia and Ukraine, observe the tradition of decorating Christmas trees and exchanging gifts during this time.
• The festive season in the Eastern Orthodox Church extends until Theophany (Epiphany), which is observed on January 19.
• In addition, at Christmas, Orthodox Christians celebrate another holiday the Great Consecration of Water. This happens on the night of January 18. It is believed that the holy water that is used during this holiday has magical properties. It is distributed to the faithful, and they can use it at home throughout the year for protection and blessing.