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I was wondering what Eastern traditions there are for the Nativity of Our Lord. I have read about the Russian traditions and wondered what other Eastern Christians do as far as celebrating the Feast besides Phillip's Fast. I mean devotionally, liturgically, familially, and community wise.

I was getting nostalgic for a simpler Christmastime with my little family and was looking for old traditions for this Christmas. Also, I will be attending my first Ukrainian Divine Liturgy next week at (get this) Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Church. Is it the same Divine Liturgy as the Ruthenians celebrate as I have seen at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis? How much is in Ukrainian?

Thanks for your help,
Dr. Eric

Here are some of the traditions that follow the Slavonic heritage.

The Christmas Wafer - Oplatky
http://www.iarelative.com/xmas/oplatki2.htm
http://www.iarelative.com/xmas/oplatki.htm

The Holy Supper Table
http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/customs/highland.htm
some guidelines and recipes
http://www.byzantines.net/feasts/christmas/recipes.htm

I really don't think to many here follow this but it is an interesting tradition
http://www.iarelative.com/xmas/upside.htm

Embossed Wax Eggs for ornaments
http://www.iarelative.com/xmas/embossed_eggs.htm

There are many more links at this site
http://www.iarelative.com/xmas/
http://www.byzantines.net/feasts/christmas/

Those were all very wonderful. Thank you very much Pani Rose!!! Say Hi to Mother Angelica for me. EWTN was instrumental to my metanoia.
Does anyone have anything more?

Check out the book, "Donkey Bells" by Catherine Doherty. Catherine, a very holy woman who established Madonna House in Combermere, Canada, writes about Advent and Christmas traditions. True, she writes primarily from the Latin end of the observance, yet all her writings are sprinkled with wisdom and anecdotes of the East, since her origins were Russian Orthodox. Contains lots of nice traditions and suggestions for families - and just anyone in general.

Charitina,
Thanks for your help as well.
Dr. Eric

Ukrainian Christmas Season Traditions:

http://www.brama.com/art/christmas.html

Pavloosh,
Thanks for your input as well! Does your name have a transliteration in English? Is it like Paul?
One thing about these traditions...fish. I don't know why God made me a Catholic and created me with an aversion to eating fish. I hate the smell and the taste, I hate the taste of almost all aquatic creatures. Except...tuna (when cooked until the fishiness is gone,) shark (no fishiness at all from what I had) and alligator (which, not to sound trite, really does taste like chicken {more chewy though!}
Am I the only Catholic with this affliction?

Dr. Eric:
Yes, Pavloosh is the Ukrainian diminutive [affectionate] form of Paul. My wonderful +Babcia [grandmother] always called me Pavloosh or Pavlooshu even even after I was married and had children of my own.
As for your dislike for fish, wait til you hear this one - some of my Babcia's closest friends as a teenage girl in Ukraine were Jewish, so every Christmas Eve Holy Supper one of the three fishes she served after arriving in America was gefilte fish balls with red horseradish. I actually got to like it and now my grown children look forward to those gefiltes during our Sviata Vechara [Holy Supper].
You want we should send you the recipe? LOL

Pavloosh,
Sure why not! What exactly is a gefilte fish?

My "dminiutive" was "Eeek or Eeekee" depending on who was calling me. My cousin couldn't say Eric so she called me "Eeek!" My Great Aunt and Uncle called me this up until their dying days! (That little guy is even called Eek!)

Hi again Eekee!
Gefilte fish is a Jewish recipe for gelantinized [aspic] fishballs containing whitefish [and in some familes carp - not in ours], shredded carrot and herbs. Served cold with red horseradish and freshly baked rye bread - yummy. Any Jewish deli carries it.
Smachnoho! Bon Appetit!
Pavloosh

Ach du Lieber! Fish aspic, that sounds terrible! I once ate at an upscale restaurant in Clearwater, FL owned by Mike Alstott of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I ordered tuna (it was a Friday) I had to send it back to get it cooked longer to cook out the fishiness (I literally gag if it is fishy, I assume that I would vomit if I continued to eat a fishy fish!) :rolleyes:

Eekee:
Then come to our house on Christmas day for all kinds of delicious Ukrainian specialties - no fish!
Pavloosh

Such as.......?

Dr. Eric (and anyone else who might be interested)

The Pittsburgh Office of Religious Education has just published a very nice devotional/informational book for the Philipovka and Nativity seasons. You could probably get one by contacting Sr. Marion Dobos mdobos@earthlink.net.
As an added bonus, it contains a nice explanation of Ruthenian Svjatyj Vecer traditions including numerous (fish-free!) recipes.

God bless you!
Fr. Jack Custer
Byzantine Catholic Seminary