Kutia is one of the oldest ceremonial dishes of the Ukrainian tradition, which has retained its symbolic meaning to this day. It is not just porridge, but a ritual dish that accompanies key winter holidays and is associated with ideas about family unity, memory of ancestors, prosperity and spiritual purification. In the winter calendar cycle, Ukrainians traditionally prepare kutya three times, each time with a different meaning and symbolism.
The first is rich kutya, which is cooked on Christmas Eve before Christmas. According to the new church calendar in 2025, this day falls on December 24. It is with this dinner that the Christmas cycle begins. Rich kutya combines grain, poppy seeds, honey, nuts and dried fruits - as symbols of life, fertility, harmony and God's blessing. This dish is considered central to the festive table, it is the beginning of the meal after fasting, and it personifies the wish for well-being for the whole family for the coming year.
The second kutya — schedra — is prepared on Shchedry Vecher, which precedes the New Year. In 2025, it is December 31, the day of the celebration of Malanka. Unlike Christmas kutya, schedra kutya can be fast: it is allowed to add butter, milk or cream. It symbolizes generosity, openness and hope for a rich and successful year ahead.
The third, hungry kutya, is cooked on the eve of Epiphany. According to the new calendar, the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, and Epiphany Eve falls on January 5, 2026. This kutya is lean and as simple as possible in composition. It personifies restraint, spiritual concentration, and preparation for the great church holiday.
Each of the three types of kutia has its own symbolic meaning. Rich kutia is associated with birth, prosperity, and family unity. Generous kutia is associated with the expectation of a new cycle of life, material well-being, and joy. Hungry kutia is associated with purification, fasting, and inner discipline. Together, they form a holistic winter ritual cycle.
In folk tradition, kutya was accompanied by numerous signs and customs. It was believed that the correct preparation of the dish affected the harvest, the health of the family and peace in the house. The hosts could throw a spoonful of kutya to the ceiling, watching the grains as a sign of future prosperity, leave the dish on the table overnight for deceased relatives or start the meal with a joint prayer.
Certain prohibitions related to haste, quarrels, or frivolity in the ritual. The rules were especially strictly observed when preparing fasting kutia, where no fasting ingredients were allowed. All this reflected the idea of kutia as a sacred dish, combining the earthly and the spiritual.
Thus, kutya remains not only an element of the festive table, but also an important part of the cultural memory of Ukrainians. It preserves the connection between generations, the tradition of joint prayer, and the idea of harmony in the family and society, which are relevant even in the modern calendar context.
