The discrepancy between the church calendars gave rise to a strange and colourful phenomenon. Old New Year in Transcarpathia, or, as it is also called - St Basil’s Day - is traditionally one of the most beloved holidays of the local people and impresses with its unique folk traditions and «shchedrivky» carols, bringing a wonderful festive mood. Indeed, it was on 14 January, by the old style, that New Year was once celebrated in Ukraine.
Today this is - a wonderful chance to be together with your family and celebrate the main holiday of the year twice! Moreover, it is during this very period, in the Transcarpathian town of Mukachevo that the grand annual «Red Wine» festival takes place, drawing tourists from all around.
Old New Year in Transcarpathia: Transcarpathian traditions and customs
On the eve of Old New Year, or Generous Eve, the people of Transcarpathia celebrate Malanka, or Melanka - in honour of the noble woman and patroness, the nun faithful to Christ, the Venerable Melania of the Roman Empire. And on 14 January they mark the feast of St Basil, the renowned archbishop, ascetic, theologian, scholar and author of the monastic rule. On this same day, New Year’s Day was once celebrated in Ukraine according to the old style.
For the Old New Year in Transcarpathia people once again gather as a whole family around one table, dine, and also sing shchedrivky carols and sow grain, make merry, while the girls tell fortunes about their betrothed. Carolling and grain-sowing - are an ancient Transcarpathian folk custom: they involve going round the houses, during which people «sing shchedrivky», that is, joyfully greet and sincerely wish their relatives and loved ones abundance, happiness and health. They sing carols and sprinkle everyone with wheat grain. In addition, on 14 January it is customary to congratulate all those named Vasyl and Vasylovych - by Transcarpathian custom, they are lifted up into the air three times.
The Eve of Malanka
The occasion resembles Christmas Eve and is called the Generous or the Rich Eve, since the housewives have a tradition of preparing a great many Lenten and non-Lenten dishes of the distinctive Transcarpathian cuisine - a Generous Supper. In some villages of Transcarpathia they perform genuine household magical rites: they begin to accustom young colts to work, they «frighten» the trees with axes so that they will bear better fruit in the new year, and they even harness the oxen to the carts for the first time.
For the Old New Year in Transcarpathia unmarried girls tell fortunes to find out when they will marry and to whom, and what their marriage will be like. The most widespread fortune-telling on Malanka - is to go out into the street and listen: from wherever a dog barks - that is where the girl will be wed. They also tell fortunes with vareniky dumplings, slips of paper, combs, grains, chains, buns and so on.
Beliefs concerning the Generous Eve
The Generous Eve is considered magical, and many folk beliefs are connected with it. It was believed that at this time the sky «opens», and therefore one may ask of God all that one desires. People watched the weather closely - it could indicate what to expect from nature thereafter. For example, there was a folk sign: if snow falls on Malanka, it foretells a good harvest, but if there is a thaw - it foretells a rainy, warm summer. It was believed that if hoarfrost covered the trees, then a fine grain harvest and a splendid honey gathering could be expected that year.
If the highlight of Christmas in Transcarpathia is the bethlehem nativity play, then on Old New Year they «lead Malanka». This is a colourful, utterly incomparable theatrical procession-performance, in which both lads and lasses take part. The young people dress up as bears, a goat, cranes, gypsies, elderly folk and devils, all in rags and tatters, and paint one another. The main figure in this show is a young man dressed up as Malanka herself. This whole «parade» moves through the village, singing shchedrivky carols generously, joking and making merry.
Every year, on the Old New Year in Transcarpathia in the town of Mukachevo a grand and colourful festival of the divine sunlit drink takes place - «Red Wine». The finest varieties of Transcarpathian wine from the region’s best winemakers, merry and generous fairs, tastings of Transcarpathian cuisine , a rich entertainment programme, performances by folk musicians and artistes - all this makes the festival the most eagerly awaited mass tourist event of the winter holidays not only in Transcarpathia, but throughout the whole country.
