- December 12, 2025
- 9:44 pm
- Israel
In Israel, where winter is more like a mild autumn, there are still days when the air is filled with the aroma of baking, cinnamon, and children’s laughter. This year, such an atmosphere fills the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Tel Aviv, where on December 12 and 13, 2025, the celebration of one of the brightest and kindest events of winter — “St. Nicholas Day” — will take place.
The event is organized by “Ukrainian Gatherings in Israel” with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel. On these days, the center will transform into a real “Residence of Nicholas” — a cozy space where the Ukrainian soul, Israeli warmth, and universal kindness come together.
What is “St. Nicholas Day” and why Ukrainians celebrate it
“St. Nicholas Day” is a warm family holiday that symbolizes kindness, care, and belief in miracles created by human hands. It is dedicated to the memory of a man named Nicholas, who lived almost 1700 years ago in Asia Minor. Nicholas helped the poor, protected children, saved people during disasters, and secretly left gifts for those in need of support. Over time, his image became a symbol of selfless kindness and justice.
Today, this day is celebrated as a day of good deeds and children’s joy. In Ukraine, parents place sweets and small gifts under children’s pillows, and families gather together to remember the importance of human warmth and mutual assistance.
Although the holiday is deeply rooted in Ukrainian culture, it is also celebrated in many other countries: in the Netherlands, it is known as Sinterklaas (from which Santa Claus later emerged), in Germany, children receive treats in their shoes from Nikolaus on December 6, and in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Croatia, Nicholas also comes with gifts and good wishes.
The difference is that in Ukraine, this day has retained a soulful, family character, without commercialism and ostentatious festivity. It reminds us that goodness does not require decorations; it is born from simple human actions.
For Ukrainians in Israel, this holiday has become a bridge between cultures. It does not oppose traditions but unites them — as a reminder that belief in goodness, respect for family, and the desire to help others are understood in any language.
What is the “Residence of Nicholas” and where did this tradition come from
Many Israelis hear this phrase for the first time — “Residence of Nicholas”. In fact, it is a Ukrainian cultural tradition that originated in western Ukraine — in the Carpathians, in the Precarpathian region, where the spirit of folk winter customs was preserved after the Soviet “New Year legacy” and spread over time throughout Ukraine.
The idea is simple: before St. Nicholas Day, a space is created where children and parents can spend time together — write a letter with good wishes, make crafts, bake gingerbread, decorate a “holiday star” or just play. A symbolic Nicholas comes there — as an embodiment of kindness and generosity. His goal is not to “reward” but to remind that miracles begin with human actions.
Gradually, “residences” became an important part of Ukrainian cultural life. Each city has its own atmosphere: somewhere it’s a house in the mountains, somewhere a museum or cultural center. The main thing is to create a space where children learn to believe not in a miracle “from the sky,” but in the goodness that people around them do.
Now this tradition will come to life in Israel as part of cultural adaptation and diaspora warmth. For many Israelis of Ukrainian origin and Ukrainian families who found themselves far from home due to Putin’s aggression, the “Residence of Nicholas” has become a way to give children that very “feeling of childhood” that cannot be bought — coziness, anticipation, and care.
Why Ukraine changed the date of the celebration and broke the connection with the aggressor’s calendar
St. Nicholas Day is one of the most beloved holidays for Ukrainian children. Previously, it was celebrated on December 19, according to the old Julian calendar, which is still used by the Russian Orthodox Church.
But after 2022, it became clear to millions of Ukrainians: even a calendar is not just numbers, but a matter of self-identity. The “Moscow church,” blessing weapons, endorsing mobilization, and justifying violence against Ukraine, long ceased to be a spiritual structure — it became part of the ideological machine of the aggressor country.
In response, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church made a historic decision: to switch to the Gregorian calendar, which is accepted throughout the civilized world. Now “St. Nicholas Day” in Ukraine is celebrated on December 6 — on the same day as most European countries.
This step is not just symbolic.
It is a spiritual separation from a state that destroys cities, steals children, and distorts the very concept of faith.
Ukraine chose not the “Russian world,” but the European path — the path of light, humanity, and freedom.
That is why the celebration of Nicholas today resonates especially strongly. It is not only about children and gifts — it is about moral resilience, memory, and belief in goodness, even in the most difficult times.
🎅 Nicholas, Santa Claus, and “Ded Moroz” — three images of one winter
Many confuse these characters, but each has its own history and meaning.
Nicholas was a real person who lived in the 4th century in Asia Minor. He helped those in need, saved sailors, and secretly brought gifts to poor children. For Ukrainians, he became a symbol of justice, generosity, and human dignity. This is not a religious image, but a reminder: goodness has no nation and requires no reward.
Santa Claus is a Western image that grew out of the same legend but became part of pop culture. He is good-natured, cheerful, wears a red suit, and flies on a sleigh with reindeer. Santa is a holiday of smiles, but not of spiritual meaning.
As for “Ded Moroz“, that’s a completely different story. He is not from a fairy tale or faith — he is from the Soviet laboratory of ideology. This character was artificially created in the USSR to replace Nicholas and erase the very idea of goodness associated with conscience and humanity. When Nicholas reminded people of generosity, compassion, and personal responsibility, Ded Moroz was supposed to remind only of one thing — power.
He was invented as the “correct” winter old man without a soul, but with a plan of events, scripts for “palaces of culture,” and slogans on posters. He became a symbol of cold, official winter — with party trees, a sickle and hammer instead of a star, and obligatory “hooray” under the chimes of the Kremlin clock. Instead of a miracle — a script, instead of kindness — an instruction, instead of faith — an agitbrigade.
“Ded Moroz” did not come to children out of kindness — he was “released according to plan.” His appearance at the holiday did not mean warmth, but control: everything according to lists, everything under supervision, everything “as it should be.” He symbolized that very Soviet cold, where goodness was turned into an order, and joy into an event.
That is why modern Ukraine consciously abandoned this soulless image. “Ded Moroz” remained in the past — along with the ideology where behind the external shine lay emptiness. In his place is Nicholas: alive, human, warm. He does not demand worship and does not carry flags — he simply inspires to do good, not for a report, but from the heart.
🎨 Holiday program in Tel Aviv
The organizers of “Ukrainian Gatherings in Israel” have prepared a rich program designed for both adults and children. Two days — two formats, united by one idea: to create joy with your own hands and give a piece of warmth to those nearby.
🕊 December 12 — a day for adults: traditions, coziness, and creativity
This day is dedicated not only to crafts but also to childhood memories, family stories, and the aromas of an old home. Participants will be able to immerse themselves in the Ukrainian atmosphere, where every detail is part of a living culture.
🕚 11:00 — master class on creating straw snowflakes.
Straw decorations are an ancient symbol of winter holidays in Ukraine. They were hung over the table as amulets, woven on “Sviatvechir,” and passed on to children as a sign of light and peace. Under the guidance of a craftswoman from the Ukrainian community, participants will learn how a snowflake is born from an ordinary straw — light as a breath of winter and eternal as memory.
🕐 13:30 — master class on painting traditional Ukrainian gingerbread and cookies.
The aroma of honey, vanilla, and cinnamon will fill the cultural center hall. Everyone will be able to decorate their gingerbread with icing, inspired by patterns from Poltava and Podolia. Such gingerbreads were once given on Nicholas, with names and wishes of goodness written on them. After the master class, everyone will enjoy tea with homemade pastries and conversations — the kind that start simply and end in friendship.
Each session lasts about two hours. All materials and treats are included in the participation fee, and the number of places is limited to keep the atmosphere truly homely.
⭐ December 13 — “day of miracles” for children
The second day is dedicated to children — those for whom the “Residence of Nicholas” exists. There are no spectators here — only participants. Each session combines creativity, play, and unexpected miracles: Nicholas, Angel, and the cheerful Chortyk appear not on stage but right in the hall, interacting, joking, and helping children create.
🌟 10:00 — creation of Christmas stars.
Children make bright stars from paper, fabric, and ribbons, decorating them with glitter and kind words. After the master class — an interactive session with characters and a gift from Nicholas. The star made with their own hands will become a symbol of home light — it can be taken home.
✨ 12:30 — painting festive lanterns.
Children decorate glass lanterns with acrylic paints and stickers, turning an ordinary item into a personal source of light. Then — a game with characters and surprises. The lanterns can be lit at home in the evening — as a reminder of the goodness that does not fade.
🍪 15:00 — decorating sweets and interactive with characters.
The final event of the day is the joint decoration of gingerbread and cookies to music and laughter. Nicholas, along with Angel and Chortyk, helps children with tasks and then presents each with a symbolic gift — for a smile and participation.
All sessions are held in a format of live communication, with soft music, the aroma of fresh pastries, and joy that is felt even without words. The duration of each block is about two hours. For the comfort of participants, a simple rule applies: one accompanying adult per child.
🕊 A holiday of goodness, understandable in any language
“Residence of Nicholas” in Tel Aviv is a cultural bridge where goodness and family are more important than any differences. Ukrainians, Israelis, children from mixed families — all will find here what unites: laughter, warmth, creativity, and a sense of home.
“We just want children in Israel, wherever they were born, to feel that very Ukrainian warmth, which begins with a simple word — kindness.”
In a world where news is often full of pain, such holidays remind us that the human is stronger than the political, that belief in goodness is universal, and that Ukraine today carries this belief even across continents.
🕯 “St. Nicholas Day” in Tel Aviv
📅 December 12–13, 2025
📍 Ukrainian Cultural Center, 22 Yermiyahu St., Tel Aviv
🤝 Organizer — Ukrainian Gatherings in Israel
With the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel
Tickets – https://www.osehaim.co.il/
Organizers advise purchasing them in advance: last year’s master classes were fully booked within a few days.
NAnews Israel News Nikk.Agency
