Ukrainian Christmas decoration didukh. What does it mean? If you cook Ukrainian recipes and are interested in national culture, then you probably know that Ukrainians have a great number of traditions and talismans with some secret, hidden meanings. On New Year and Christmas holidays, we make a special decoration called didukh/diduch (wheat sheaf). Traditional talisman Didukh has many names: straw talisman, dido, snip-rai, koliada, didochok, and kolidnyk. Traditionally, the sheaf was made from the last stalk of wheat harvested during the year. It may include wheat, flax, oats, and rye. According to the biblical parable, Jesus Christ was born in a stable in the cold season. When Joseph saw a crack in the wall, he closed it with a sheaf, so it became warmer in the stable. Thus the tradition to put a festive sheaf in the house appeared. Customarily, Ukrainians brought diduch to the house on January 6 - as soon as the first Christmas star appeared in the sky. At Christmas time, a festive sheaf is placed in the icon corner (the...↴ https://ukrainian-recipes.com/ukrainian-christmas-decoration-didukh-what-does-it-mean.html
