San Antonio area's Ukrainians hold first annual Christmas Eve dinner

by Stephen Sokolyk

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - The nascent Ukrainian "hromada" (community) in the San Antonio area, dubbed Ukrainians of South Texas, held its first annual Sviata Vecheria (Christmas Eve dinner) on Saturday, January 11, at the home of Stephen and Beth Sokolyk in New Braunfels.

This was the fourth gathering of this diverse group of Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine in the past two years. Thirty-five adults participated, including residents of Austin, New Braunfels, Seguin, Cibolo, San Antonio and Helotes. They included several recent immigrants (one from Poltava who had arrived only four months ago, numerous members and descendants of previous waves of immigration, one exchange student from Novovolynsk, and several "Ukrainians by marriage."

Also present were two couples with no Ukrainian ancestry who have adopted children from Kharkiv and who have gone to extraordinary lengths to acquaint their children with the traditions of their homeland. Those children were among the 23 who joined us for the festivities.

The dinner was a potluck offering, and several intrepid cooks spent hours hunched over cookbooks and stoves, bringing forth traditional Ukrainian dishes which they had never before prepared. In lieu of a single didukh, wheat adorned the centerpieces of all the tables. Following the traditional greeting of "Khrystos Rodyvsia" and the reply "Slavim Yoho," the group recited the Lord's Prayer in Ukrainian, followed by a spirited a cappella rendition of "Boh Predvichnyi."

Then it was on through the buffet line, where guests enjoyed two varieties of kutia, beet and cabbage borshch, varenyky, holubtsi, mushroom gravy, sauerkraut with peas, beets, fish dishes, uzvar, and some wonderful desserts. The results of all the kitchen labor were outstanding. The meal was followed by boisterous fellowship in two languages.

This communal celebration was a wonderful occasion for many to practice familiar traditions that remind them of their youth. However, perhaps more significantly, it was also a chance to bring some of the richness of Ukrainian culture to those who have heretofore not known it, both the partly assimilated American diaspora (including this correspondent, who had never participated in a Sviata Vecheria of any kind) and those from Ukraine who, thanks to decades of cultural repression, never had the chance to learn their own people's traditions.

Ukrainians of South Texas aims to increase its level of activity this year. Anyone interested in participating is invited to call Stephen Sokolyk at (830) 606-5810 or e-mail SSokolyk@aol com.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 9, 2003, No. 6, Vol. LXXI

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