New Year’s, New Happiness

New Year’s in Ukraine is celebrated as the most joyful holiday, promising a so-called “new year, new happiness”. It is a time for families to come together, share traditions, and look forward to a brighter future. Amidst Soviet citizens’ grey and austere days, New Year’s replaced the banned Christmas festivities of old. Historically, Christmas was forbidden under the Russian Empire between 1914 and 1917, and under the USSR from 1929. When Stalin reinstated the holiday in 1935, it had been reframed into a secular, communist New Year's celebration, stripped of its religious connotations. Despite the ban, secret underground gatherings kept Christmas traditions alive, often at great personal risk. To me, this defiance highlights the resilience of Ukrainian culture during periods of intense political oppression.

One of the most iconic symbols of this holiday is the “yolka”. During the USSR, Christmas trees were banned along with other religious customs. Even today, we don’t refer to it as a “Christmas tree” in Ukraine; instead, it’s a yolka, specifically for New Year’s. Decorating it is a cherished tradition, and the yolka is at the centre of many meaningful family moments - my family would take a photo of me in front of our yolka every year, a small yet meaningful custom.

In addition to the yolka, we have a unique version of Santa: “Ded Moroz i Snegurochka”, or Grandfather Frost and his niece. Unlike Santa, Grandfather Frost wears a blue robe most often, but his resemblance to the Western figure is unmistakable.

I often reference New Year’s in my work, as it is a traditional celebration layered with meaning, carrying within it the weight of history, trauma, resistance, and hope.

Text edited by Davide Gibson.

Varvara Uhlik was part of Face-to-Face: Arles Edition 2024.

Check out her Artist Feature Sunshine, How Are You?