Ukrainian community begins Christmas celebrations

While Christmas may be over for most people, the Ukrainian community Saskatchewan is having Christmas Eve celebrations this Sunday.

Christmas is celebrated in January because many Ukrainians still follow the Julian calendar.

The Ukrainian Co-op grocery store in the Regina was busy all week, with shoppers stocking up on specialty items.

One of the traditions for Ukrainian Christmas Eve is the serving of 12 meatless dishes.

Reverend Father Taras Makowsky with the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Saskatoon, said this time of year means a lot more than good food.

"I know that many, many families the newcomers, who have come probably in the last three or four months or in the last two or three years...this gives them that feeling of being at home," said Makowsky.

He said Ukrainians continue to be a major ethnic group in Saskatchewan.