On Holy Evening, the Christmas forty-day fast comes to an end, and the table is set with 12 lean dishes in honor of the 12 apostles.
According to an ancient tradition, the celebration of Christmas begins on the evening of Christmas Eve with both spiritual and material preparations.
The evening is referred to as Holy or Festive Evening, or the Eve of the Nativity of Christ, which falls on January 6.
Setting the table on Holy Evening is a traditional ritual; in the past, our ancestors would place hay under the tablecloth and a clove of garlic at each corner of the table to "drive away evil forces."
As per tradition, there must be exactly 12 dishes on the table on Holy Evening, a number associated with the 12 apostles.
The preparation of dishes would begin early in the morning, and the hostess had to complete everything before the appearance of the first star.
Throughout the day, until the festive dinner, nothing could be eaten, and with the first star in the sky, it became permissible to start the festive meal.
The dishes prepared by hostesses on Holy Evening include traditional items such as kutya, dumplings, mushroom soup, cabbage rolls, potatoes, fish, mushrooms, cabbage, beans, uzvar, and donuts.
Kutya is the most significant dish of Holy Evening, made from unground wheat, rice, oats, or barley with the addition of treats like honey, sugar, raisins, jam, candied fruits, and dried fruits.