During the period of celebrating Christian holidays, many ask questions about the prohibition of certain actions. Find out what you can and should do at this time, and what you should refrain from, from this article.

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ has its roots in antiquity. On January 7, Orthodox Christians traditionally attend church and pray for the health of all relatives and loved ones. On this bright day, preference should be given to activities that develop the personality spiritually.

What can you do for Christmas

On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, one should offer prayers to the Higher Powers, asking them for favor and mercy to all people. If possible, it is worth visiting the church and attending the Divine Liturgy. You can also light a candle and offer words of gratitude at home in front of your icons.

You can wash and do your daily activities during Christmas if they are aimed at self-satisfaction and not entertainment. Work is also not considered sinful if the forces are directed to earn money for food and basic necessities. Wash your clothes only as needed if the matter is urgent.

Painstaking work such as knitting, embroidery and sewing is also appreciated. Labor has always been held in high esteem. If this is not entertainment and leisure, but a work or a gift to a loved one, the matter is considered God-pleasing and is allowed on any church holidays.

Traditional Christmas fortune-telling also takes place at this mysterious time, but the church does not approve of occultism and does not advise to get carried away with secret knowledge and look into the future. Everything is the will of God, and according to his commandments it is worth building your life path.

Close relationships between spouses are also not forbidden if they have a desire to continue their family line and acquire long-awaited offspring.

A popular omen says that people who make purchases and trips to shops and markets on this day attract wealth and financial well-being into their lives. You can also leave a few coins with those asking them to pray for your health.

What to stay away from for Christmas

On a great church holiday, one should not scold and enter into conflicts and quarrels. Your negative thoughts may well become attitudes in life, and you unwittingly program yourself for failure and bad luck. Spiritual growth and elevation above the negative will help to avoid the troubles of life and enlist the support of the Higher Powers.

It is believed that black things should not be worn on the bright holiday of the birth of Christ, as they symbolize mourning robes. The best choice there will be elegant things in light colors.

Under the ban are entertainment activities aimed at achieving their own pleasure, as well as drinking alcoholic beverages in large quantities... This day is intended to work for the benefit of the family and prayers for the salvation of the soul and guidance on the true path.

We have already told you about what dishes can be prepared for the festive table on Christmas Eve in the article "Christmas Table: 12 Lenten Meals". Now it's time to discuss the menu for January 7th.

On January 7, the celebration of Christmas continues, but now a variety of meat dishes and wine are added to the lenten dishes. The main role on the Christmas table is again played by the kutye, which is placed in the middle of the table. They usually prepare for it homemade sausage, roast, poultry, fried fish, stuffed cabbage, honey gingerbread, jellied meat, aspic from fish, gingerbreads, lomantsy with poppy seeds and honey and much more, whatever your heart desires.

We offer you some delicious Christmas dishes

Pork leg aspic

For jellied meat you will need:

Pork legs - 1 kg

Carrots - 1 pc.

Bulb onions - 1 pc.

Parsley (root) - 1 pc.

Garlic to taste

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Bay leaf - to taste

To prepare jellied meat, separate the legs at the joints, saw or chop large bones, put in a saucepan and pour cold water in the proportion of 4 -5 liters of water for each kilogram of legs.

Boil the legs over low heat, with the lid closed, for 5-7 hours, until the tendons are easily detached from the bones. Remove the foam immediately after the legs boil. To enhance the taste, add chopped carrots, onions, parsley root and Bay leaf... When the legs are cooked, separate the meat from the bones and cut into small pieces. Then add the garlic, remove the jellied meat from the heat and pour into deep bowls. Place the plates in a cool place and set aside.

Pickled mushrooms with cheese

To prepare a dish, take:

Pickled mushrooms - 500 g

Butter - 100 g

Spicy hard cheese - 100 g

Mayonnaise - 1 tablespoon

Parsley to taste

Dry the mushroom caps on a towel. Grate cheese on a fine grater, add butter, stir until homogeneous mass... Then add mayonnaise, mix and fill the mushroom caps with this mass. Place the finished hats on skewers and place on a plate.

Pork stew

For the dish you will need:

Pork with bone - 700 g

Bulb onions - 1 pc.

Fat - 2 tablespoons

Cumin - 1 tsp

Flour - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Salt the meat, dry and sprinkle with flour. Fry in very hot fat until golden brown... Then transfer it to a saucepan and add a few tablespoons of water. Peel the onion, cut it into circles, fry in fat until golden brown and add to the meat. Then add the caraway seeds to the dish and simmer under the lid until soft. Add water as the juice evaporates. When the meat is cooked and tender, cut into slices across the grain. Put it on a plate, top with the onion sauce and serve with festive table with boiled potatoes or cabbage salad.

Jellied pike perch

To cook pike perch you will need:

Pike perch - 1 kg

Carrots - 2 pcs.

Bulb onions - 1 pc.

Parsley (root) - 1 pc.

Gelatin - to taste

Lemon - 1 pc.

Fresh cucumber - 1 pc.

Egg - 2 - 4 pcs.

Cranberry - to taste

Vinegar to taste

Salt to taste

Peel the fish, remove the entrails, cut off the head and tail. Pour cold water over head and tail, bring to a boil, add some vinegar, salt, finely chopped onion, carrots, parsley root and cook for 15-20 minutes. For the broth to acquire a beautiful color, it is necessary to fry the onion rings without fat and add it to the broth.

Slice fish fillet pieces, place in a small saucepan, cover fish broth, which must first be filtered, and cook until the fish is cooked. Now drain the broth, cool the fish and put it on a plate, alternating with boiled carrots, eggs and lemon, as well as cranberries and herbs.

Now soak the gelatin in cold water (40 g. Gelatin in 1 liter of water), leave it for 2 hours. Then add this gelatin to the hot broth, stir. Whisk separately egg whites and add them to the chilled broth (for 1 liter of water - 2 proteins), and then simmer. When the proteins are curled, strain the hot broth through a cloth, refrigerate and pour over the fish in several steps to prevent the vegetables from floating up. Now put the fish in a cool place until it solidifies.

Homemade sausage

Necessary:

Pork - 1 kg

Beef - 1 kg

Garlic - 2 wedges

Onions - 3 pcs.

Coarse black pepper - to taste

Salt to taste

Pork intestines - to taste

Rinse the intestines, turn them out and clean well. Rinse the meat, cut into small pieces and pass with the onion through a meat grinder, add garlic, spices, salt, mix well. Now you can stuff the intestines with minced meat, tie the ends of the intestines with a thick thread and make several punctures on the sausage with a fork to remove the air. Then place the sausage on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until tender. Do not forget to periodically water the sausage with the juice that is released.

Baked chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 pc.

Breast - 200 g

Bulb onions - 1 pc.

Parsley to taste

Fruit from compote - to taste

Salt to taste

Mayonnaise to taste

Mustard - to taste

Preparation:

Salt the chicken, leave it overnight. Then brush it with mayonnaise. Line the bottom of the goose-bowl with thin strips of brisket, put the chicken back down on them, and lay the brisket shelves greased with mustard on it. Pour in half a glass of cold water, cover and bake in a hot oven (240 C) until tender, do not forget to water the chicken with juice. The finished chicken should be cut into pieces and placed on a platter, covering each piece of chicken with a strip of brisket. Garnish the meat with herbs.

Cabbage rolls with meat

For cooking you need:

White cabbage - 800 g

Meat (pulp - beef, lamb, pork) - 300 g

Bulb onions - 1 pc.

Flour - 1 tablespoon

Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons

Sour cream - 2 tablespoons

Butter - 2 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Remove the leaves from the cabbage head, cut off the bulges from the stems and boil in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Refrigerate afterwards. Now prepare the minced meat: pass the meat through a meat grinder, mix with boiled rice, fried onions, salt, pepper, mix everything well.

For gravy, fry on butter flour, add tomato paste and sour cream.

Put a tablespoon of minced meat on the leaves and wrap in an envelope. Fry cabbage rolls, put in a deep saucepan and pour over the gravy, add a glass of water, cover and simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes.

Lomantsy with poppy seeds

Ingredients:

Flour - 400 g

Margarine - 150 g

Sugar - 120 g

Egg - 1 pc.

Sour cream - 100 g

Egg (yolk) - 1 pc.

Soda - 0.5 tsp

Poppy - 1 tbsp.

Milk - 1 tbsp.

Sugar - 100 g

Honey - 1 tablespoon

Nuts (kernels) - 100 g

Sift flour, mix with baking soda, grated margarine, sugar (1 tablespoon), egg and yolk. Chop everything with a knife, and then add sour cream. Stir until smooth. Knead to a tight dough. Then divide it in two and roll out two cakes. Place each cake on a baking sheet, make a few nips with a fork and bake in an oven preheated to 200 C until tender.

Pre-soak the poppy seeds, and then grind it and mix with sugar (100 g), melted honey, cold milk, chopped nuts. Ready-made cakes break into small pieces, add to the poppy seed mixture, stir and place in a ceramic bowl and serve.

Merry Christmas!

According to information //www.smachno.ua

Despite the cold and bad weather, winter gives us the expectation of wonderful holidays and long vacations, permeated with the warmth of loved ones. Celebrating Christmas is the most significant and magical date. According to a long-standing tradition, they begin to celebrate Christmas on January 6, on Christmas Eve, with a 12-course Lenten feast. The next day, January 7, the meat treats are added.

Christmas story

The history of Christmas as a holiday dates back to the first centuries of Christianity and is celebrated in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary. The Son of God was born in a cave for cattle, on the route of the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph to Bethlehem, where a population census was carried out. Together with the birth of Jesus, a wonderful star lit up in the sky - since then this event has been celebrated immediately after the first star appears in the evening sky.

The celebration of Christmas with its vibrant biblical story attracts even people far from faith and religion, but united by identical moral values. Christmas is an occasion to strengthen family ties, to feel support, unbreakable ties with family and friends. It is customary to fast for forty days before Christmas. And on Christmas Eve, January 6, which precedes Christmas and is the final day of the Nativity Fast, do not eat anything. With the first star on the table, they serve sychivo, or - a special treat made from wheat, rice, nuts and honey.

Christmas Eve traditions

It is believed that on the night of Christmas, before the first star on Christmas Eve, January 6, the opposition between good and evil is most clearly expressed. Someone is celebrating Christmas Eve with loved ones and attending a church service. And there are those who gather for the Sabbath with evil spirits and create riots. It is important to maintain a complacent mood on this magical day and the following night, to beware of bad thoughts and actions.

Konstantin Trutovsky "Carols in Little Russia", 1864

In addition to carols with mummers, special Christmas performances - nativity scenes - were popular in Russia. The nativity scene was a box of a special design for a portable puppet theater. Various biblical scenes were played out with the help of themed dolls. Who knows, maybe you are destined to revive this interesting tradition? Try it, bring joy to your children and loved ones!

What to serve on the Christmas table

Orthodox and Catholic Christmas

Catholics around the world celebrate Christmas on December 25, or rather, on the night from 24 to 25, after the appearance of the first star; Orthodox Christians - on the night of January 6-7. On both occasions, Christmas is a holiday that includes church worship, a lavish family meal, and an exchange of gifts.

Karl Larsson (Sweden), "Christmas Eve", 1904-1905

Norman Rockwell, American Artist, Santa Claus, 1921

The adherents of the Catholic faith have a number of characteristics of the Christmas menu, among them:

Traditional goose or turkey, stuffed with apples, with a delicious golden crust - the main dish of the European feast.

Lovely gifts for children, which are brought by kind Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) and laid out in hanging socks over the fireplace. Symbolic presents on the eve of Christmas in the form of small souvenirs, with best wishes, are given to absolutely everyone - friends, colleagues, neighbors and just passers-by.

A rich and not very decoration of rooms in the house and the courtyard area - luminous lanterns and stars at the entrance, on nearby trees, wreaths of fir paws on the doors, garlands of branches, cones and berries, bells, etc.

Alexander Buchkuri, "Christmas Market", 1906

Signs for Christmas

Like any other church holiday, on Christmas Day it is not customary to do sewing and knitting, sweep and wash, do housework. On this score, there are many signs that portend losses and troubles. It is also not recommended to hunt and kill animals.

To bring wealth to your home at Christmas it is customary to show generosity and hospitality... There should be no resentment and sadness, all guests, casual and welcome, should be gifted and fed, no one should be offended and left unhappy. Even yourself: be sure to give yourself what you have wanted for a long time.

From the evening on Christmas Eve and three days of Christmas it is customary to carol- usually children do this. At least three of us go to Christmas carols, playing the roles of a star-ringer, a bell-ringer and a mehonoshi. The first carries a star - the main symbol of Christmas and sings carols, songs with congratulations. The second - the ringer - sings along and rings the bell. And the third - the most powerful - collects all gifts, gifts, sweets and coins in a prepared bag. To receive such a congratulation from the mummers caroling is the best omen. But guessing on this day is not at all worth it.

In table decoration hay (straw) and thick candles may be present, capable of burning throughout the significant night. Fire hearth always had a certain sacred meaning - to attract wealth on Christmas Eve, a specially prepared log soaked in honey was burned on it. Straw, as a reminder of the birthplace of Christ, is also an integral part of the holiday; it is usually placed under the table and tablecloth.

All water from any source is considered on this holy day endowed with special life-giving properties. It can be collected in prepared vessels to drink and wash - health and beauty will accompany you all year round.

It is considered a good omen to go out and look up to the sky waiting for the first star... This promises new perspectives and growth. But you can't eat and drink until the first star. As well as cutting pies specially prepared for this occasion.

There are many signs regarding the weather on Christmas Eve. The best of them are snowfall and generous frost on the branches. as a promise of profit, abundance and a good harvest in the coming year.

What to wear for Christmas

It is very inappropriate to put on black “mourning” clothes, wear old, worn out, everyday clothes during the Christmas celebrations. Even in the old days, when the dress was carefully worn for decades, on Christmas Eve they tried to put on everything new and elegant. Now, when there is no acute shortage in purchasing a new wardrobe, it is not difficult to adhere to this tradition.

When choosing, you should be prudent and tactful. Still, for many, this holiday remains the most sacred and radiant, so frank and extravagant outfits, bright makeup, lush hairstyles, catchy jewelry will be inappropriate. Moreover, if you are planning to visit the temple. Those who gravitate towards folk motifs in clothes can wear an elegant blouse embroidered at the collar; for lovers of modern clothes, a stylish dress will be the best option.

Want to make your evening memorable? Prepare colorful satin ribbons for guests and tie miniature bells to the ends. In the old days, during the holiday, such ribbons were tied under the collars of men and woven into braids, tied around the heads of women and girls.

Christmas presents

You can congratulate relatives, loved ones, friends who are far away or colleagues with positive themed postcards and small souvenirs in the form of angels, magic glass balls, beautifully decorated candles, photo albums and frames.

Strictly speaking, Christmas is a holiday for those closest to you. And gifts for Christmas should be chosen taking into account interests, be really dear to the heart and useful.

Adults can be given rare books and expensive wines, jewelry and household appliances, warm clothes in the form of cozy sweaters or sets of scarves, hats and gloves.

Teenagers will be delighted with various devices and gadgets, and preschoolers - toys and creative kits. Do not neglect the beautiful shiny packaging - sign and put it under the tree - unpacking such a gift will be pleasant and exciting not only for a child, but also for an adult! Give joy to your loved ones!

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Christmas is considered one of the greatest Orthodox holidays in the entire world. In Russia, the Nativity of Christ is celebrated on January 7, this day ends with a forty-day fast. The day before, on Christmas Eve, it is customary for the whole family to gather at a table laden with twelve lenten dishes. This meal is called a rich supper; every dish on the Christmas table has a sacred meaning. So, traditions of the Christmas table.

Traditional food for Christmas

Christmas Eve

Festive family dinner January 6 includes 12 Lenten dishes - the same number of the apostles participated in the Last Supper. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to cook dishes from vegetables and fruits in order to attract good luck and prosperity to the house for the whole year.

The main dishes of the table on Holy Eve before Christmas - kutia and uzvar .

Kutiei porridge is called, cooked from whole grains, with the addition of honey, crushed nuts, raisins, crushed poppy seeds. Christmas kutia can be made from wheat grits, barley, rice or barley. It is with the tasting of kutia that the meal begins on Christmas Eve.

Each component of kutya has a symbolic meaning. Grain is a symbol of renewal of life, honey symbolizes health and well-being in the house, poppy seeds and nuts symbolize prosperity and success in business. According to folk traditions, tasty and "rich" kutia provides a good harvest and becomes a talisman for the family's home throughout the year.

Traditional drink on Christmas Eve - uzvar. This is the name of a compote made from a mixture of dried fruits - apples, cherries, pears, plums and others. It is customary to add honey, dried rose hips or rowan berries to the Christmas uzvar, fragrant herbs(mint, lemon balm, rose petals). This drink is rich in vitamins and minerals, has tonic properties and strengthens the immune system.

From the first courses on Holy Eve are served lean borscht or - thick soup with millet and fresh or sauerkraut. V different regions boiled beans are added to lean borsch, dried mushrooms or ears (dough products with lean filling, similar to small dumplings).

On Christmas Eve, cabbage, mushrooms, stewed cabbage, lean or mushrooms, or millet porridge, or with fruit fillings,. An obligatory attribute of a Christmas dinner is boiled peas, beans or beans with fried onions in vegetable oil. Fried fish and homemade pickles are also served on the table - sauerkraut, pickled tomatoes and cucumbers, peppers, pickled apples.

Dinner on Christmas Eve begins after the first star appears in the sky - until that time, only children were allowed to eat. After the prayer, all participants taste kutya, then borscht and other hot dishes are served. The meal traditionally lasts 3-4 hours; on this evening, carols go to their homes, sing songs and wish the owners well-being. They are presented with sweets and pastries and invited to the table. In many families, on the evening of Christmas Eve, children carry kutya to their godparents or grandparents.

What to cook for Christmas

Fasting ends on the seventh of January , dishes from meat and poultry appear on the table - pork, goose or duck with apples, and more. also in christmas menu included dairy dishes - milk porridge - or milk noodles.

Christmas table setting

In the process of preparing for the Christmas holidays, it is important not only to prepare the treats, but also to pay attention to the table setting. Most often in the decor there is a combination of white with red or green.

Lay down an elegant patterned tablecloth and complement the decoration of the festive table with paper or textile napkins in a contrasting color.

From decorative elements, you can use curly candles and figurines of angels.

The traditional decoration of the festive Christmas table is the didukh - a charm woven of ears or straw.

Colorful garlands and a well-decorated Christmas tree will help create a festive atmosphere in the room.

Treats prepared with love and beautiful setting of the Christmas table are a guarantee of a rich harvest, prosperity and well-being in the house. May 2017 bring health, love and prosperity to every home!

On my site you will find recipes for treating friends and family at Christmas. Share your family's traditional Christmas treats in the comments.

2017,. All rights reserved.

Useful Tips

A bright holiday is approaching - Christmas.

This means that Orthodox people are running out of fasting time, and caring housewives are in a hustle and bustle looking for recipes to surprise their dear guests on Christmas Eve.

Read also:How to make a wish come true (and not only at Christmas)

12 dishes for Christmas

It is believed that there should certainly be 12 dishes on the festive table, symbolizing the 12 apostles.

Kutia (sochivo)

The word Christmas Eve or Nomad - comes from sychovo, which means grain of wheat. However, it can be lentils, peas and barley prepared in a special way.

Juice is traditionally eaten after a church service on Christmas Eve, completing a forty-day fast with this dish. It is sometimes called "kutia".

Kutia is, without exaggeration, the main dish and symbol of Orthodox Christmas. It is with him that the dinner on the eve of Christmas begins.

In addition to wheat grains, this dish usually includes poppy, symbolizing martyrdom, and honey, which is a symbol of purity and purity.

In addition, kutia also means union with God and the world of the dead. For this reason, the dish is also saved at night for the souls of deceased relatives and friends.

So, kutia is a dish made from wheat and other grains or legumes (such as rice, barley or beans), sweetened with honey. To improve the taste, raisins, dried apricots and other dried fruits are also added to kutya.

Kutia is eaten from common dish... Such a process, as it were, symbolizes unity, and in some families a spoonful of kutya is thrown up to the ceiling. If it sticks, you can expect an abundant collection of honey in the coming year.

Mushrooms

In the countries of the former Soviet Union, where mushroom picking, drying and pickling is a national pastime, special attention is paid to mushroom dishes. Mushrooms at Christmas are one of the 12 main festive dishes.

It can be either mushroom soup, or just pickled mushrooms, which must be seasoned vegetable oil... To emphasize the taste of the product, as a rule, housewives prefer sunflower oil.

Mushrooms symbolize two essences and the life of Jesus Christ: divine (hat) and earthly (leg).

Borsch

Some families choose sauerkraut borscht, vegetarian borscht, or vegetarian hodgepodge, to which they add something like dumplings with mushroom, potato or cabbage filling instead of meat.

The dough for these dumplings is also prepared with a small amount of vegetable oil.

Borscht is a symbol of the triumph of good over evil. It is believed that the hostess prepares lean borscht from all the ingredients that the land gives her. This means that everything that our land is rich in should be present on the festive table.

Some read that red borscht also symbolizes the blood of the Bethlehem children who were exterminated by order of King Herod.

What dishes are prepared for Christmas

Kapustnyak

Another of the main dishes that must be present on the festive table is cabbage.

Cabbage symbolizes simplicity and at the same time strength, strength, unity, cohesion, which has one single basis - the Almighty.

A fish

Not all Orthodox Christians eat fish and eggs during fasting. However, when the fast ends, fish dishes are an obligatory part of the festive table.

So, pike perch, cod, carp, eel, salmon and salmon occupy the central place in the fish list. By the way, the most diligent housewives bake kulebyaka with fish filling. Eggs, dill and rice are also added to the kulebyaka.

In addition, fish snacks are welcome on the table. It can be herring and other salted fish.

Cabbage rolls

Cabbage rolls are one of the main dishes of the Christmas meal. When preparing this dish, the hostesses turn on their imagination: someone prepares cabbage rolls from sauerkraut leaves, but there are also those who prefer to use grape leaves.

As a rule, sour cream is served with stuffed cabbage rolls.

The main word already appears in the name of this dish. In many cultures, the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the messenger of God and signifies beauty and strength.

Vareniki

Dumplings are a symbol of prosperity and prosperity.

The hostess chooses the filling for this dish based on the taste preferences of her household and guests. It can be potatoes, mushrooms, sauerkraut, Cherry.

Please note that the dough for dumplings is prepared according to special recipe using exclusively lean sunflower oil. And the molding of dumplings is generally a real art.

Russian dishes for Christmas

Pies

Well, what is a feast without your favorite pies?

Every good housewife has her own original recipe making pies. The filling here can also be absolutely anything: from potatoes and peas to mushrooms or cabbage.

By the way, the pies symbolize the longevity, health and happiness that a person receives from communication with the newborn Son of God - Jesus Christ.

What to cook for Christmas

Peas

Pea dishes are a symbol of God's spring. Peas also symbolize the unity of the human race, so this dish must be included in your Christmas dinner.

Dishes for Orthodox Christmas

Beans, vegetables

Beans and boiled or stewed vegetables should also be present on the table. The beans must be cooked slowly the night before for several hours.

Then it can be seasoned with fried onions and sunflower oil... Stew of stewed vegetables also a welcome dish that is a must-have element of a Christmas dinner.

Beans, other legumes and vegetables take center stage on the table and symbolize wealth and prosperity in the coming year.

Christmas goose in the oven

Goose baked in apples or oranges

Well, where can you go without a Christmas goose?

Just as the turkey plays an important role in Western culture, so in the culture of the Orthodox goose it has its own place of honor, displacing other types of meat from the festive table.

As a rule, housewives bake a goose in apples or oranges. But here it already depends on the desire of the household and on the fantasy of the hostess.

However, of course, a goose or other bird is cooked and eaten by those who do not fast.

As an example, take into service next recipe cooking goose in white sauce:

Trim off excess fat from the goose, then melt in a saucepan. Rinse the poultry thoroughly, then divide it into the desired serving size, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté in melted fat.

Roast the goose until golden crust, then remove from the pan and add finely chopped onion to it. Add a spoonful of flour and fry this mixture for a few minutes, then add a couple of tablespoons of sour cream to it. Pass the sauce through a sieve, pour over the poultry and bake on low heat until the meat is done.

Desserts for Christmas

Dessert and Uzvar

Dessert on Christmas Eve in the strictest Orthodox families is exclusively dried fruits and nuts flavored with honey or a fruit compote, the so-called uzvar.

So, this drink looks more like a compote and is a sweet mixture of dried fruits such as apples, pears, cherries, prunes, currants, raspberries, gooseberries and raisins. All ingredients are mixed with honey, sometimes with spices and boiled in water.

In fact, it is a half drink, half stewed fruit.

Uzvar is a ritual drink that serves to celebrate those who have just arrived, therefore it symbolizes the birth of the Baby Jesus and his arrival in this world.

According to the Orthodox tradition, food on Christmas Eve should be washed down not with water, but exclusively with uzvar.

Some families serve more sophisticated desserts such as gingerbread and animal-shaped cookies. Such cookies are called carols.

Carols are Russian Christmas cookies, usually made from rye flour with the addition of cottage cheese.

Baked apples are delicious, healthy, and just right for Christmas.

To improve the taste, apples are baked with honey and raisins. To add even more taste and pleasant aroma, some housewives add seasoning in the form of cinnamon and cloves. Just a few minutes, and Christmas delicious dessert ready. Well, for the benefit baked apples even a child has heard.

Lenten meals for Christmas

The vinaigrette- This salad can be a great alternative to a side dish.

If you are not a fan of vinaigrette, you can opt for any other lean salad... It can be salads from beets, nuts, various raw, boiled vegetables... If you are not fasting, you can find recipes for delicious salads in our article: Top 11 delicious and healthy holiday PP salads

Pickles- an invariable addition to any festive table in Russia.

Pickled and pickled cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini, loved by many, are loved by both young and old.

Pampushki- it is customary to serve bread with garlic baked inside for dinner. It is believed that garlic drives away evil spirits and attracts all good and kind.

Stewed cabbage with mushrooms is another hearty and tasty lean dish that is prepared by many housewives in the post-Soviet space.

Lenten potato dishes - it can be both baked potatoes with salt and potatoes stewed with vegetables or boiled potatoes with herbs and garlic.

Traditional food for Christmas

Chicken stuffed with rice;

For the filling, in addition to rice, raisins and dried apricots are also used.

Chicken baked with apples in the oven;

Thanks to apples, poultry meat is saturated with sweet and sour aroma and taste.

Boiled pork;

Not a single Russian feast is complete without this dish.

Fried carp;

Another simple and tasty dish at the same time.

Fish pie.

Red caviar sandwiches:

Well, what a festive meal without red caviar? It's delicious and healthy. A more expensive alternative to red caviar can be black caviar.