Many Ukrainians who stayed in Ireland for Christmas have celebrated in their own ways – while others found themselves unable as war continues. 

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine beginning in 2022 and Ireland opening its border to refugees soon after, many Ukrainians will be experiencing their second or first Christmas in the Republic. 

One of those people is Viktoria Tymoshchuk, who escaped Kherson, Ukraine, by herself with her young daughter. 

“My mother is still in Kherson as she doesn’t want to leave the city and ‘become an international homeless’ as she said,” Ms Tymoshchuk explained. 

“I worried a lot, leaving my mother at home, but I had to rescue my daughter and prioritise her future.” 

Not home for Christmas

This year, the Government decided to permit Ukrainian refugees who are living in hotels and other State-provided accommodations to travel freely for the Christmas period between December 22nd and January 8th. 

Ms Tymoshchuk, however, was unable to return home as her town has been ruined by Russian bombardment. 

A recent bombing in Kherson killed five people and left much of the city without electricity.

After her arrival, Ms Tymoshchuk became involved with the Ukrainian Network. She serves as its Activities Facilitator, organising events for her fellow refugees. 

This Christmas, the Kalyna choir - founded by Ms Tymoshchuk alongside Svitlana Deikun - performed in a church in Cork on Christmas Day. 

“People meet together, especially if they live close to each other,” she said. “Ukrainians are very friendly and try to stay together.” 

The Kaylna Choir, the first Ukrainian choir in Ireland. Image: Viktoria Tomsychuk

Beyond the choir performance and a few Christmas films with her daughter, though, Mr Tymoshchuk found herself unable to celebrate Christmas in Ireland in full. 

“Personally, for me, everything has changed since the war began,” she said. “I don’t have peace in my heart and soul and think daily about my homeland and the sufferings of our people. 

“I can’t celebrate anything while there’s hell in my homeland.” 

Christmas in Ukraine

Ms Tymoshchuk recalled her own previous Christmases in Ukraine. 

“I used to take my daughter to her godmother, who lived in Oleshky city,” she said. 

“Traditionally, children visit their godparents and bring them food - in return, children receive presents and all the family eats tasty food. 

“Unfortunately, families can’t unite because people can live in different parts of the world. 

“Now the bridge which connected two cities across the Dnieper River was destroyed and Oleshky is an occupied city under Russian control.” 

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after a Russian attack in Kyiv, 29/12/2023. Image: AP/Alamy

Ms Tymoshchuk knows some refugees, particularly from northern Ukraine, who were able to return home – but right now, it is impossible to say when she and her daughter could return. 

“It's hard to give a proper answer about hope to return home,” she said. 

“The town has been destroyed, so if the Irish government offers an opportunity to stay in Ireland, I’ll take it.” 

Ukrainian celebrations

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed legislation earlier this month to make Christmas Day in Ukraine December 25th, rather than the previous traditional January 7th, which Russia also follows. 

While Ms Tymoshchuk herself hasn’t celebrated Christmas in-depth, she explained some Ukrainians are using the two dates to celebrate Christmas with old and new traditions. 

“All Ukrainian families have their own traditions of celebrating Christmas,” she said. “It depends on their background and region they come from. 

“Ukrainians are celebrating both Christmas on 25th December and January 6th. 

“If Ukrainians are celebrating with their Irish, local friends, they celebrate according to local traditions and taste local food. 

“Also, locals ask Ukrainians to cook their traditional food to taste.

“People are integrating and accepting traditions and customs of the country they are living now.” 

In Ukraine, for example, Ukrainians celebrate Christmas Eve with Sviata Vecheria (‘Holy Dinner’). The 12-course dinner including Kutia, boiled wheat mixed with poppy seeds and honey. 

Ukrainians also decorate their houses with didukh, a sheaf of wheat stalks that symbolises ancestors’ spirits visiting at Christmas. Some Kutia is even left at the table for the deceased family members. 

#GotCork Honoured to be able to launch The 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival today (27-29 July) and humbled to sing Danny Boy with Cork’s Ukrainian Choir. Read more here on the fab festival, https://t.co/YNSVRMa7M2 #weareCork #ProudofCork #cityofwelcomes pic.twitter.com/G5MaKkBj8c

— Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Kieran McCarthy (@cllrkmac) July 3, 2023

Meanwhile, Ms Tymoshchuk and the Ukrainian Community group have spent the holidays hosting Kalyna choir performances. 

The group will be hosting a fundraiser with Trocaire for Caritas, a Ukrainian humanitarian charity. 

The event is open to all local communities, she said. 

“You’ll hear traditional Ukrainian Christmas carols, traditional and modern songs, also you’ll see our traditional costumes,” she said. 

“Our people love holidays, so many of them will be celebrating their traditional Christmas too.” 

'Ukrainians support each other'

Ms Tomyshchuk noted that Ukrainian people have been looking out for one another since they sought refuge in Ireland. She said they will do so in particular over the Christmas season. 

“People feel upset but hope for peace to come to our land,” she said. “We support each other, pray and hope for better times.” 

Ukrainian representatives have said changing the official day of Christmas was to align the country with its “European family”.