Old New Year: will Ukrainians celebrate the holiday in 2025?

On the night of 13-14 January, many citizens of the former Soviet Union celebrate the Old New Year. The holiday ceased to be official more than 1000 years ago, but it has remained firmly entrenched in the minds of the people. Find out who celebrates the Old New Year and when, what mix of traditions is common here, and what signs have been tested over centuries of folk practice

Travel around Ukraine with Visit Ukraine

CHOOSE A TOUR

On January 26, 1918, the authorities of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics switched to the Gregorian calendar. This was done in order to eliminate the so-called “shift” of the vernal equinox (the actual equinox was 10 days different from the calendar one). Since the date of the equinox affects the date of Easter, this discrepancy posed serious problems for the church. When the calendar was “shifted back,” the date of the New Year's celebration changed along with it, and the former holiday became an everyday day on January 14. However, traditions and cultural consciousness are not so easy to change - people continued to celebrate according to the Julian calendar, which several decades later gave rise to a new holiday, the Old New Year, which is celebrated unofficially. Read all about the traditions, signs, and geography of the holiday on Visit Ukraine.

What traditions do Ukrainians have for the Old New Year?

On the same day, the Gregorian calendar celebrates the national holidays of Melanka (January 13) and Vasyl (January 14). Today, Ukraine has switched to the New Julian calendar, which has shifted Melanka and Vasyl back 13 days. Previously, the traditions of celebrating the Old New Year were as follows:

1. January 13 - Generous Evening: the whole family gathers at the table at home, traditionally wearing embroidered shirts for the holiday.

2. On this evening, kutia is prepared for the second time - it is called generous: the cereal is seasoned with a compote, sweetened with honey, nuts and dried fruits are added.

3. The table should contain not only 12 meatless dishes, but also sausages and baked meat.

4. On January 13, nativity scenes are displayed in the streets until January 19. The girls malanka sing and tell stories. Koliadnyky (carolers) perform theatrical performances.

5. To get married on the Generous Evening is a good omen for the future life (not only marriage).

6. On this day, boys could send matchmakers again if a girl refused them in the fall.

7. According to folk legends, in order to have prosperity in the house, you need to pour coins of different caliber into a plate of clean water on the evening of January 13 - put the plate on the window so that the sky and nature are reflected in the water.

8. And in order not to attract misfortune, it was forbidden to count coins on Melanchine's night, say the word “thirteen” and lend them out. In some regions, even the garbage was not taken out on this day!

9. On Old New Year's Eve, people used to make a wish, and it would come true, because this day was especially energetically powerful.

What signs come true on Old New Year's Eve?

1. If it snows on St. Basil's Day (January 14), the field will give birth to good crops.

2. If it's warm on Old New Year's Eve, expect a rainy summer.

3. If there is fog on St. Basil's Day, expect a good harvest.

4. If there is frost on the trees on Old New Year's Eve, beekeepers will have a lot of honey.

5. If there is a blizzard on Melanka, there will be a lot of berries in the summer.

6. If you wear new clothes for the celebration, the whole year will be good and rich.

7. If a man is the first to enter the door on Old New Year's Eve, the owners will be in good health.

8. If the weather is clear on Melanka, the year will be rich and easy for people.

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

What countries celebrate the Old New Year?

The Old New Year is celebrated in the post-Soviet countries - Russia, Belarus, Georgia, some regions of Ukraine, and the countries of the former Yugoslavia: Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. Interestingly, the traditions of the holiday have also been preserved in one of the European countries, Switzerland.

Is the Old New Year celebrated in Ukraine?

Ukraine has now switched to the New Julian calendar, so we honor Vasyl and Melanka on December 31 and January 1. However, the Old New Year remains a favorite of Ukrainians and an occasion for the whole family to get together.

Just a reminder. Earlier, we named the top facts you probably didn't know about New Year's Eve celebrations in Ukraine.

Photo: PMG.ua

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – health insurance with coverage of war risks;

Visit Ukraine Mini Hull Insurance – car insurance with extended coverage in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Osago – compulsory motor third party liability insurance for cars with Ukrainian registration;

Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2025, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.