Didukh for Christmas: how to make, what is the significance and when to burn it

Didukh is a Christmas ritual decoration made from ears of wheat or other cereals. It is one of the most important symbols of Ukrainian culture, carrying a deep sacred meaning.

TSN writes about it.

The word "didukh" means "oldest". In different regions of Ukraine, it is called differently: korol, snip, kolidnyk, snip-rai, koliadnyk, didok, did, didochok, dido, koliada. The term is translated from the Old Slavonic language as "the spirit of ancestors."

Didukh has ancient pre-Christian roots. In ancient times, it was created as an offering to the forces of nature. With the advent of Christianity, didukh became a symbol of Christmas.

Traditionally, didukh was brought into the house by the head of the family. It was placed in the corner, near the icons. Didukh was considered a talisman against evil forces. It was decorated with colorful ribbons, flowers, and spruce branches.

The festive sheaf remained in the house for a week. In some places, it was even left until Epiphany. Didukh was a symbol of comfort, festive mood, and well-being.

The technology of didukh making is also important. Usually it is made from unthreshed wheat ears. In some regions, oats and rye are also used. The sheaf can be shaped like a braid, sheaf or tree.

If you want to make didukh yourself, here are some tips:

• Take at least 21 ears of wheat.
• Before weaving, soak the straw in warm water to make it elastic and soft.
• Then sort the straws by size. Create seven bundles with seven ears in each.
• Then tie each bundle tightly with a rope.
• Next, gather the bundles together with a kind of "steps".
• Divide the sheaf into three "legs" so that the didukh can "stand".

The most common variant is a didukh in the form of seasons. For this purpose, four tiers are made: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Different types of cereals are used for each tier to create a specific season.

There was a belief among our ancestors that the richer the didukh looks, the more fruitful the coming year will be. That's why it was customary to decorate it very lavishly. You shouldn't spare dried flowers, berries, ribbons, and nuts. Some craftsmen even add medicinal herbs to didukhs.

After Christmas, didukh was traditionally burned. This tradition also has its own symbolism. According to folk beliefs, when burning didukh, people let the souls of the dead go to heaven and protect the living from evil forces.

Didukh is not only a traditional symbol of Ukrainian culture, but also an important element of the spirituality of the Ukrainian people. It is a link between the past, present and future.

As a reminder, we have already written, when Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas and what are the traditions of the holiday.

If you want to get the latest news about the war and events in Ukraine – subscribe to our Telegram channel!