Traditions of the Christmas table. How to properly set the table for Christmas? When the table is being assembled for Christmas

According to tradition, housewives prepare from ten to seventeen lenten dishes for the festive table at Christmas. The fact is that Christmas Eve or Holy Vecher, as they call the evening before Christmas in Ukraine, is the last day of the Nativity fast. The next day, January 7, the food becomes much more satisfying.

1. In first place, of course, Kutya. A traditional and very tasty Christmas dish, which is served both on Christmas Eve and on the Christmas table. Classic kutia is made from wheat. But if you don’t like this dish, then you can replace the cereal with rice, barley, or pearl barley. Also, poppy seeds, nuts, uzvar and honey are always added to kutya. The more additives, the better. Remember, kutya is not removed from the table at night. It is believed that on this night deceased relatives come to the house and kutya is left for them.

2., also known as dried fruit compote: dried pears, apples, prunes, etc.

3. The third main dish of Christmas is Lenten borscht. You can cook it with mushrooms or fish. Borscht can be replaced with kapustnyak (thick sauerkraut soup with mushrooms) or vegetable stew without meat.

4. Dumplings. Dumplings can be prepared with a variety of fillings: mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes, cherries. Salted dumplings can be seasoned with fried onions or sauces to taste. Sweets can be served with honey.

5. Fish must definitely be on the festive table on Christmas Eve, as this is one of the symbols of Jesus Christ. It can be either sliced ​​herring with onions in sunflower oil, or simply fried river fish. Even fish sandwiches are welcome.

6. - Probably everyone knows how to cook it. Boiled or baked (which is much tastier) vegetables - cut beets, potatoes, carrots into cubes of approximately the same size. Chop the onions, pickles, add the beans cooked in advance. Salt everything and season with vegetable oil.

7. . Instead of meat, cabbage rolls use mushroom filling as a filling. There can also be buckwheat with onions or carrots with rice. There are many options.

8. . Can be made from either yeast dough or puff pastry. Add a lot of fried onions and coarsely grated carrots to the filling.

9.Mushrooms. Mushrooms can be either one of the dishes (marinated or fried), or they can be a filling for some dish.

Christmas is a great occasion to gather all your family and friends at one table in the fabulous atmosphere of a magical holiday. The Christmas table in all countries and at all times looked elegant and beautiful, and the dishes served were especially tasty. The table decoration this evening has already acquired a classic look, although each family has formed special traditions. There are certain rules on how to properly set the table for Christmas.

How to properly set the Christmas table

The basis of the holiday is the tablecloth, which emphasizes the solemnity of the holy evening. It must certainly be starched until crisp. Traditionally, the table for Christmas was set only with a white tablecloth, but today any color is allowed. If the tabletop is made of wood, you can use linen napkins decorated with ornaments.

Our ancestors placed a little straw under the tablecloth, symbolizing the stable in which Jesus Christ was born. You can also sprinkle some wheat, which is a symbol of abundance for the next year. Garlic is placed on four sides to ward off evil spirits. The magic of Christmas will be emphasized by beautiful decorative candles in elegant candlesticks, which you can make yourself or decorate in accordance with the theme of the holiday.

Decorating and serving the Christmas table

In the center of the table there must be a composition of fir branches, decorated with ribbons, cones, bows, and New Year's balls. A beautifully decorated Christmas wreath would also be perfect. This composition will look especially impressive with the contrasting red color of the tablecloth. Napkins are chosen to match the tablecloth, and rings for them can be decorated with the image of fir branches. Napkins can be folded in the shape of Christmas trees or angels. Thematically designed chair covers will add additional elegance to the holy evening.

The tablecloth can be matched at the corners with beautiful ribbons, bells or balls. A universal option for decoration would be wide white candles that will suit any style. You can use beautiful wicker coasters that will create a special cozy atmosphere. Using acrylic paint, you can beautifully paint transparent glasses with a New Year's theme.
An important component of the holiday is dishes. You can create a special festive atmosphere if you use a separate set. A worthy alternative to it would be separate plates, but certainly in the same style and color scheme, harmoniously combined with the overall tone of the tablecloth, napkins and other decorations. In order for the table to really look decent, the main emphasis of the design should be placed not on food, but on decorations. Dishes are best served in portions. This, of course, is more troublesome, but as a result the table will look elegant and beautiful.

What should be on the table for Christmas

There should be a minimum of twelve dishes on the Christmas table. This number symbolizes the apostles - disciples of Jesus Christ. Since ancient times, they have put kutya or sochivo at the head. Then came the rest of the main courses:

• aspic;
• jelly;
• pancakes;
• fish;
• pork head with horseradish;
• suckling pig;
• roast;
• homemade sausage;
• honey gingerbread;
• carols;
• uzvar;
• dumplings.

Nowadays, all traditional dishes must be prepared with uzvar and kutya; other dishes are served depending on established family traditions. In many countries, there is a tradition of serving baked goose at the Christmas table. Recently, this bird has become the main attribute of the holiday in our country.

The main dish of the holiday - kutia - is prepared from wheat, poppy seeds, nuts, raisins and honey. It is served cold and is the starting point for the festive Christmas dinner. During the holy meal, kutia should always be on the table. It is believed that the dead can come to taste it, so this dish is left on the table overnight. Also a traditional and obligatory attribute of the table is a variety of pastries. You can prepare gingerbread cookies, cookies, pies, muffins and decorate them beautifully and festively in accordance with the Christmas holiday.

An important attribute is also uzvar, which is prepared from a variety of dried fruits. The drink can be replaced or supplemented with sbiten. It is mandatory to have whole fish, which can be baked or prepared as jellied.

How to properly set the table for Christmas? Under no circumstances should there be alcoholic beverages on the table. You can change the traditional list of dishes according to your tastes, capabilities and desires. The main thing to remember is that on holy evening, according to tradition, dinner is the first and last meal of the day.

Traditionally, there are two big holidays in the middle of winter - New Year and Christmas. And if everything is more or less clear with the New Year, then not everyone still knows how to celebrate the Nativity of Christ, because church traditions in our country were broken and for a long time this holiday was in oblivion. There is one more nuance - not everyone understands why in other countries Christmas is celebrated on December 25, while in Russia it is celebrated on January 7.

How Christmas is celebrated - the history of the holiday

Indeed, the entire Christian community celebrates Christmas on December 25th. Historians believe that this is due to the fact that during the times of Ancient Rome, the pagan holiday of Saturnalia fell on this day and the Catholic Church, in order to distract people from paganism, turned this date into a Christian holiday.

In Russia, too, before the revolution, the celebration of Christmas fell on this date, but with the introduction of the Western European Gregorian calendar in 1918, a shift in dates occurred.

It must be said that many believers continue to celebrate Christmas on December 25, which is certainly more logical, since otherwise the New Year celebration and, accordingly, a plentiful festive feast would fall in the middle of the strict Nativity fast.

We hope that in the future this paradox will somehow be resolved, but for now the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church continues to celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar and this day falls on January 7th.

How to celebrate Christmas - rules and secrets

According to Orthodox traditions, the strict Filippov Fast begins 40 days before the Nativity of Christ. Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve - is also usually celebrated with Lenten dishes, the main one of which is kutia or sochivo. It is prepared from wheat grains, which can be soaked in water (a stricter version) or boiled and seasoned with honey.

You cannot start a meal until the first star appears in the sky - these are the rules for celebrating Christmas. There should be only Lenten dishes on the table - vegetables, mushrooms, cereal dishes, etc. One of the wonderful Russian traditions is not to close the doors to guests on Christmas Eve, although visiting guests on this evening is still not customary.

After dinner, believers go to church, where Christmas services begin. They begin with the Royal Hours, followed by the all-night service. At the end of the service, Christmas is considered to have arrived and the fast is over.

After the family returns from church, they can begin the holiday meal with meat dishes. It is a Russian tradition to serve roast goose on the 7th. On this day it is also customary to visit friends and give them gifts.

Choosing gifts

A separate topic is gifts. It is customary not to place them under the tree, but to place them in special stockings that are hung on the tree. Try it - the kids will really like it.

Since it is customary to observe a particularly strict fast on Christmas Eve, as a rule, nothing is eaten on this day until the first evening star. Thank God, it gets dark early at this time, so the star appears around 4-5 pm.

A traditional and main dish until Christmas comes - it's luscious. In order to prepare it, you need to take a sufficient amount of wheat grains, fill it with water and put it in the oven. When the porridge is cooked, add raisins, nuts and soaked dried apricots, and then dilute honey with warm water, bring to a boil and pour into the porridge. All other dishes can be optional, the only indispensable condition is that they be lean. Christmas pudding or Christmas goose are not served until the next day.

After dinner, if you wish, you can go to church to celebrate Christmas.

How to celebrate Catholic Christmas

Russia is an amazing country where you can celebrate not only the New Year, but also Christmas twice. Therefore, it will be very useful for you to learn how to celebrate Catholic Christmas and then your holidays will begin right from the end of December. Indeed, Catholics begin to prepare for the celebration of Christmas already on December 20, and Christmas itself is celebrated on the 25th.

Well, unless you're a devout Catholic, you don't have to go to church all five days, but you still need to make sure you have Christmas gifts in advance. Moreover, Christmas and New Year sales begin during this period.

How to celebrate Catholic Christmas?

The best way to do this is to go on Christmas holidays to one of the countries of Western Europe or to the Baltic states. Everything there is filled with the aroma of the approaching holiday, and you can fully immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Catholic Christmas.

If you do not have the opportunity to do this, then you can easily celebrate Catholic Christmas at home, while observing some rules.

It must be said that, like the Orthodox, Catholics also have a tradition of the Nativity fast and it begins 4 weeks before Christmas. December 24 is Christmas Eve, which is the last evening of Lent.

By this time, you need to festively decorate your home and fill it with the attributes of the upcoming holiday. And, of course, you need to decorate the Christmas tree, decorating it with candles and a Christmas star. The front door should be decorated with a Christmas wreath; hang pine branches and dried berries, such as rowan berries, on the walls.

How to celebrate Christmas and what to cook for the holiday table

The New Year holidays have died down, and after abundant holiday libations, I want to unload the body a little and return to regular light salads. But it was not to be - one of the most beloved and beautiful holidays is on the threshold - Christmas, and therefore, it’s time to sit down at the table again. How to set the table for Christmas and how to celebrate Christmas? Yes, there are certain traditions in this regard too.

Getting ready for the celebration

Of course, if you observe the Nativity Fast, then Christmas Eve dinner will be its happy ending, when you can finally eat a hearty meal. But not right away. Christmas Eve, when it is customary to begin celebrating this great holiday, is still a continuation of Lent.

And if you follow Orthodox traditions and strictly observe all church restrictions, then the table at the beginning of the celebration should be exclusively Lenten. But let's talk about everything in order.

First of all, before celebrating Christmas, you need to properly decorate the table. On Christmas Eve there is a tradition of laying a layer of straw on the table under the tablecloth. This is due to the fact that, according to the Gospel, the great event of the birth of the Savior took place in a manger where food for sheep is placed. So in memory of this straw is placed. In the corners, in order to protect the table from evil spirits, it is customary to place a few cloves of garlic. And only after this the table is covered with an elegant festive tablecloth.

What to cook?

There must be at least 12 dishes on the table. In fact, there should be 13 of them, since this marks Christ with his disciples and apostles. But since the number 13 is often considered unlucky, we can limit ourselves to 12 - according to the number of apostles. Until the first evening star, all dishes on the table must be lean.

This could be lean borscht, vegetable dishes, salted mushrooms. Sauerkraut, etc. But the central decoration of the table is kutia - porridge cooked from wheat with the addition of fruits, nuts and honey. Everyone should definitely eat some amount of this porridge - then peace and prosperity will await you until next Christmas.

Before celebrating Christmas, do not forget to put another device on the table for someone who may accidentally come to visit you that evening. It is considered a very good omen if it turns out to be a young black-haired man.

But women should not visit guests on Christmas, so as not to bring misfortune to the house where they appear. Remember that Christmas Eve is the end of Lent, so meat dishes and the traditional Christmas roast goose can only be served on the 7th, when the festive feast continues.

A story about how to celebrate Christmas and how to set the table for Christmas would be incomplete if we did not mention that the central place on the table is occupied by a lit candle, in memory of the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi to the born baby. And, of course, just as the Magi brought their gifts to Christ, so the whole family at the table must necessarily exchange gifts - even if they are small and symbolic, but this is the Christmas tradition.

Christmas is a church holiday, not everyone celebrates it, although they should. It is not necessary to give each other gifts on this day; congratulations, a lot of smiles and laughter in the house, joy and a good, solid table covered with delicious traditional dishes are held in high esteem here. Today you are going to learn how to set the table for Christmas.

If you are traveling outside the country and want to celebrate Christmas there, you should know that by booking a table for this holiday, how will you be able to set the table for Christmas. Each nation has its own characteristics and traditions of celebrating Christmas. If you are invited to celebrate the traditional Christmas of another people, another nation, be sure to agree, you should like it.

How to set the table for Christmas in Russia

People in Russia celebrate Christmas in a big way, although not many people do. For us, Christmas is more of a church holiday, which is celebrated not only by believers, but by the whole country. Despite this, everyone is trying to set a luxurious Christmas table. If you don't know how to set the table for Christmas, we can help. So, traditional Christmas Slavic dishes are:

• kutya,
• goose baked with apples,
• duck.

All dishes are very easy to prepare, but you can quickly fill up, the table will seem truly festive and rich. , we have already written, however, as in the situation with the duck. The duck should also be baked in the oven along with the apples. The main thing here is to cook it correctly and get the meat out of the oven or out of the oven on time. To prevent the meat from burning on top, cover the baking dish with a lid or foil. For a juicier and more beautiful color of the duck or goose, baste them with the juice that will be released during baking.

How different peoples of the world set the table for Christmas.

Well, now you know how to set the table for Christmas in Russia, all that remains is to find out how to set the table for Christmas in other countries of the world, as other people do. You may like some ideas, and then you can celebrate Christmas in another state or spend the traditional Christmas of one state or another at home. In Ukraine, which is close to Russia, you can set the table for Christmas with the same dishes as in Russia, as well as a drink made from berries and fruits and cabbage soup.

France prefers to set the table for Christmas with their favorite oysters, different types of cheese, liver pate (duck), turkey and, of course, high-quality champagne. As for turkey, it is a must-have dish for Christmas in the USA as well. They believe that without turkey, Christmas loses its essence and its magic.

Belarusians set the table for Christmas with goose, turkey, cranberry jelly, as well as fruits and nuts infused with alcohol.

In Armenia, you can set the table for Christmas with meat dishes made from turkey or pork ham.

Residents of Bulgaria set the table interestingly. Only Lenten dishes are prepared here for the holiday, and their quantity is strictly regulated by ancient customs. There can be either 7, 9, or 11 dishes. A layer cake with a surprise - banitsa - is required.

At Christmas, Spain prefers to set the table with roasted lamb (most often young lambs are purchased), suckling pigs, shellfish, turkey and fortified Sherry wine.

But in Italy, instead of meat and turkey, which is popular in many countries, they prefer to set the table for Christmas with fish, namely steamed cod or perch baked in white wine.

Latvia celebrates Christmas with traditional Christmas dishes such as piparkukas or piparkook cookies, peas, bacon gravy, pies, cabbage, tangerines and sausages. This is a very unusual holiday table for Russia, wouldn’t you agree?

A rich table is set for Christmas in Finland. Here the table on this day is always full of ham, trout, salmon, various casseroles, puff pastries (plum jam is used as a filling), berries such as cranberries and lingonberries, as well as green peas.

Service for a celebration

Typically, twelve Lenten dishes are prepared for Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve in honor of the twelve apostles. Of course, the main thing is not how you serve the food, but the atmosphere of the holiday itself. Nevertheless, this is a great reason to take out the family table set from the closet or even buy a new one in order to receive long-awaited guests at the highest level.

So, which service to choose - for 4, 6, 8 or 12 people - is, of course, up to you as the hostess to decide. But it’s best to buy a set for 12 people. This set should include all the necessary items for a beautiful table setting. And also, remember that the plates usually break most often, so if possible, buy one or two more in reserve.

If you will wash the service using a dishwasher, then at the time of purchase, look for the corresponding inscription on the packaging of the service.

Do you prefer a set of dishes to one large set? Then let it be in the same style, as provided for by the rules of etiquette. When choosing components, remember the minimum items for one person: snack bar, pie plate, small table and small dessert plates, broth and tea cups. You should also add to this list a round or oval dish and a vase with a low leg. Buying dishes separately is beneficial in cases where you are sure that, for example, a gravy boat or tureen from the service will never be needed for future use in your life.

What and how to properly serve Christmas holiday dishes

Kutia made from wheat with poppy seeds, honey, nuts and raisins is the main and irreplaceable Christmas dish for many years. Unfortunately, according to the rules of etiquette, special dishes are not provided for this delicious dish, so it is recommended to serve kutya on the table in small dessert plates or bowls.

As a rule, a cake plate has a diameter of 175 millimeters. It can be used very successfully when setting the table: it can become a small personal bread box for each of the guests sitting at the table. You can put croutons, toast, donuts, as well as Christmas pies with scapu, beans or mushrooms on it. Also, a pie plate is often used as a stand for salad bowls or a gravy boat.

When serving, you can’t do without the so-called snack plate. It is usually customary to serve cold fish and meat snacks, sandwiches or salads. However, at the time of the Christmas dinner, which strictly consists of lenten dishes, only fish or vegetable snacks are placed on it.

Salads, marinades and pickles should be placed on the holiday table in small square-shaped salad bowls, herring in a herring bowl, and stuffed fish in an oval dish, which is specially designed for cold fish appetizers.

Now we move on to hot dishes. For cabbage rolls with rice and mushrooms, you need to place small table plates on the table, the diameter of which, as a rule, should be 240 millimeters. But for dumplings with cabbage or potatoes, place special snack plates on the table, the diameter of which should be 200 millimeters. By the way, dumplings or pies for Christmas are often made with a surprise - a note with a special wish or a coin. To the lucky person who gets it, life will bring success in all matters and endeavors!

Let's move on to the holy of holies - borscht. Serve traditional Lenten borscht in a tureen, but you need to place deep table plates for each of the guests. They are intended for borscht, soups, fish soup. In other words, exclusively for first hot courses with large proportions of pieces of meat or fish. If you have cooked cabbage, you need to prepare broth cups that have two handles (a broth cup with one handle is designed specifically for delicate puree soups that do not have a garnish).

For sweet dumplings with apples and poppy seeds, dessert plates or a bowl-shaped vase with a low stem are perfect. You can also safely serve cakes, pastries and fruits on such dishes.

Offer traditional uvar (a Christmas drink made from dried fruits) to guests in cups, which, as a rule, should be included with any table service.

Christmas table decoration

The basis of any holiday table is the tablecloth. It should be white and not have flashy designs. If the table has a beautiful wooden tabletop, you don’t need to lay a tablecloth. Make do with suitable linen napkins that have an original design. This will add special comfort. You can also sew capes for chairs or buy them; bows and drapery always create a look of grace and sophistication.

Remember that there should be a bright and large spot in the center of the festive table. From spruce branches, cones and Christmas tree decorations, make an original composition that will make the table more festive. By the way, this design should not be very high. Otherwise, it will block guests sitting opposite each other.

I would also like to mention the lighting of the Christmas table. Here you should definitely remember that Christmas is, first and foremost, associated with magic. Therefore, only a flickering fire and the smell of wax can create the true magic of the festive atmosphere! Place a couple of decorative candles on the table in gilded metal candlesticks or ceramic vases with beautiful patterns. An abundance of sparkling lights, shining silverware, crystal glasses, Christmas tree decorations with candles displayed in them will create a unique atmosphere of this good holiday! By the way, both aromatic and simple candles can be used to decorate the table.

Napkins, which must be folded correctly and in an original way, play a huge role when setting the table. For example, you can make them in the shape of angel wings and place them on each of your guests' plates. To make angel wings from a napkin, we take a square napkin, tinsel or red threads, an angel figurine (this can be a Christmas tree decoration, or simply an image of an angel cut out from a postcard). Now we need to fold our napkin so that we get a triangle. Then we step back a few centimeters from the fold and collect part of the napkin into an accordion so that we get sharp, long “ears”. Below we connect them and tie the napkin with a thread and attach to it a figurine of an angel prepared in advance. Our napkins are ready and we can decorate the Christmas table with them!