Christmas Dinner 2024: How Much Does the Festive Table Cost and Is 12 Dishes Mandatory?.

According to ТСН: Ukraine is actively preparing for the celebration of Christmas, which now falls on December 25. Markets and supermarkets are crowded with people, and prices for festive dishes have risen significantly: fish prices increase every week, and caviar has become a true luxury item.

Market Prices: Meat Holds Steady, Fish 'Soared'

On the eve of the holiday, the situation in the markets is ambiguous. Pork has slightly decreased in price, but beef and fish have become true delicacies.

• Pork Fat: 230 UAH/kg (in bulk, it can be found for 220 UAH).

• Pork: shoulder - 200–210 UAH, neck - 225 UAH.

• Beef: cutlet - 450 UAH, shoulder - 335 UAH.

• Poultry: home chicken - 135 UAH/kg, duck - 235 UAH.

• Rabbit: 320 UAH.

Prices for red fish have increased by 100 UAH per kilogram in the past week. Sellers explain that during winter, the supply is limited, and therefore the demand is high. For true gourmets, Danish trout caviar is offered for 6000 UAH/kg (600 UAH for 100 grams). Most buyers choose hake.

'Holy Night Index': Vegetables Cheaper, Compote More Expensive

According to economist Oleg Pendzin, the traditional Holy Night table will cost approximately 1370 UAH.

'This year, vegetables are 15% cheaper than last year. However, fried carp has increased by 15%, and the price of compote has risen by 20% due to expensive apples,' notes the expert.

Fruits and Vegetables:

• Mandarins - 100 UAH/kg;

• Oranges - 120 UAH/kg;

• Cucumbers - 100 UAH, tomatoes - 120–140 UAH.

The Myth of 12 Dishes: What History Says

Gastroculture researcher Olena Braichenko asserts that the tradition of 'mandatory 12 dishes' is relatively new - only about 30–40 years old. Historically, only three elements are mandatory:

1. Kutya (the oldest ritual dish);

2. Uzvar;

3. Bread (palyanytsya).

Other dishes have always depended on the region: for example, in Polissia and Transcarpathia - mushrooms, in Lviv region - pampushky, in Slobozhanshchyna and Poltava - pies with cabbage and potatoes.

'Make the kutya that you like - whether with halva or just with wheat. 12 dishes are not a necessity, but a tribute to tradition,' says Ms. Olena.

How Not to Go Bankrupt: Life Hack from an Economist

If you plan to buy delicacies with discounts, Oleg Pendzin advises not to rush. The biggest discounts in supermarkets appear two days before the New Year. Stores refill their supplies before Christmas, and to sell off items nearing their expiration date, they organize big sales.

Thus, Ukrainians are preparing to meet Christmas under conditions of high prices but with hopes for new purchases and traditional dishes. For the first time, the holiday will be celebrated on December 25, which will add new colors to the celebration. One can only maintain traditions and adapt to new conditions.