St. Andriy’s Day has been one of the most fun and active holidays of youth from the ancient times because it deals with the charming Old Ukrainian traditions. This holiday is also particularly popular among the contemporary students. Therefore it has become a good tradition to hold St. Andriy’s vechornytsy parties at almost all departments.
"Tired of the modern pace of life? Willing to feel the spirit of the Ukrainian past? Welcome to the vechornytsy party!" Suchlike invitations were handed out by the Economics Department along with the dress code requirements for the holiday (embroidery and dumpling cooking competition)..
Given the fact that the vechornytsy party is the special, sacred time known for fate predictions the initiators of the holiday in all the departments have tried to reproduce really genuine Ukrainian tradition in their scenarios. In fact, on that day girls could learn the names and professions of their husbands. At the same time, the guys demonstrated their strength, intelligence and speed. They were following the sacred rite of Kalyta, "riding Kotsyuba" and biting the desired dish.
The students of Technology and Pedagogics Department and Physics and Mathematics Department were the first to start the festive event. The vechornytsy parties were great at the Preschool Education Department and Psychology Department. Traditionally, all participants visited the house in the Ukrainian mistress. Girls were cooking dinner and singing songs while waiting for the guys. And when the guys turned up the celebration began with jokes, songs, dances and of course games. A fortune teller would foretell everyone long and happy life. And everyone was biting Kalyta, laughing and eating the delicious dumplings (varenyky).
The Primary Education Department greeted everyone with the words: "Ukrainian vechornytsy party is going to start so let the laughter and songs fill in your heart. We invite you into our house of wellbeing. From dawn to dawn there will be party and song." They introduced the traditions of the Ukrainian people to the younger guys and girls, told them about the origin of the tradition of fate foretelling popular among the Ukrainian girls. And then there was the party with divination, jokes and biting Kalyta. The holiday at the Primary Education Department ended with the Fair. The funds collected were given to charity.
The History Department also had a fun time during the vechornytsy party. The brightly decorated room, the enigmatic aura of authentic Ukrainian music and flickering candles added to the charm of the party. Like true Cossacks the guys waited at the door for the girls let them in. And as soon as the boys turned up the room was filled with genuine laughter as they were all joking. And everyone was looking forward to divination and competitions with boots, dances, fun singing and not only.
The girls of the Philology Department were putting boots on the threshold to find out who would get married first. This action was accompanied by funny jokes, laughter, and great mood. Then it was the time for boy to act. On that special evening they were forgiven all the naughty tricks and most importantly, they could also learn about their destiny biting the Kalyta – the symbol of the sun. Guys approached Mr. Kalytynsky guarding Kalyta on Kotyuba with jokes and amused everyone present. So all the guys tried to bite off a piece of Kalyta because "Kalyta is so sweet that he who bites it will enjoy the sunshine throughout the winter." All the guests of the event received their sweet slices of the festive Kalyta. The students were also eating varenyky, the traditional Ukrainian dish, sweets with hot tea carefully prepared by the mistresses of the holiday. On December the 13th the students along with faculty and student council recreated the specifics of St. Andriy’s youth festivities in the historical Uman. The youth promoted the Ukrainian folklore, rituals and culture by means of communication, witty jokes, future foretelling, maiden spell for a happy married life, biting the Kalyta ritual. The atmosphere of the old folk traditions was strengthened by the scenery, archival ethnographic materials of the "Ethnology Cherkasy region" research laboratory.
"Sofia" Ukrainian folk ensemble (directed by Vasyl Semenchuk) demonstrated a high level of song performance inherent to youth vechornytsy parties.
The St. Andriy’s vechornytsy party organized by the Philology Department students symbolized the youth, beauty and melody, fun culture worshipped by our ancestors in the calendar rites. As the seasons annually repeat the students expressed a wish: "To live up to the next holidays!".
Speaking about the celebrating of St. Andriy’s vechornytsy parties as a fun and exciting activity for students it is worth mentioning the great value of this holiday for the traditional calendar customs and traditions of the people of our country because it is the subject of attention of the researchers. It is very important to our University that successfully conducts the ethnographic exploration. The traditional Ukrainian customs and rituals are carefully researched. Celebrating St. Andriy’s vechornytsy parties is the path to revitalization and preservation of the unique religious treasures inherited by our people from the ancient times. All this helps us to improve the content of training future teachers on the basis of ethnic and cultural traditions of the Ukrainian people.
