Ukrainian families in N.L. try to find Christmas cheer despite war on home country
'We can't gather together, and it's a little bit sad,' says Ukrainian immigrant
Katarina and Oleh Gavrilyuk sit in their living room beside a Christmas tree covered in ornaments. Outside their living room window, Christmas lights twinkle brightly on the front porch, the colours illuminating the room with a red and green glow.
Their three-year-old son, Teodor, sits cross-legged on the couch, watching videos on the family's laptop while munching on a bag of gummy candies.
Christmas is only a few days away, and it's a holiday the Ukrainian family, who are currently living in St. John's, say they adore. But this Christmas is different — it's their first spent away from home.
The family moved to Newfoundland and Labrador six months ago from Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. They say the province has quickly become their second home — it's a place they feel safe and happy, and they say the joyous Christmas spirit in St. John's is palpable.
They want to revel in the happiness of Christmas but they say it's sometimes difficult. Their family and friends are still in Ukraine, a country that continues to grapple with the devastating effects of war.
"We can't gather together," said Katarina Gavrilyuk, looking at her husband, "and it's a little bit sad."
When the Gavrilyuks moved to the province, they initially lived with a host family they found through a Facebook group. They say the province has been warm and welcoming — Oleh Gavrilyuk found a job in St. John's as a software programmer, an occupation he held in Ukraine, and the family was also able to move into their own house.
When the couple talks about Newfoundland, their faces light up. But they say it's hard to reconcile the peaceful and joyous spirit of Christmas in Canada and the war on their home country.
This sentiment is shared by Kateryna Blinda, who moved to the province from Kyiv in September with her two kids, Ivan and Mariia. Blinda says her husband, Denys, still lives in Ukraine, where he works at a government company.
"It's a little bit sad for us, because we are here without our family, without our friends," said Blinda. "But, you know, I really, really love Christmas."
Christmas is different in Canada
Blinda says her family also has a Christmas tree adorned with ornaments, which she says has always been a Christmas staple in their family's household.
She says many Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, the date Jesus was born according to the Julian calendar. In 2017, Dec. 25 became a public holiday in Ukraine.
Blinda says she'll only be celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 this year because observing the holiday on Jan. 7 is tied to Russian traditions, whereas Dec. 25 is more commonly celebrated in North America and other European countries.
Ukrainian families usually prepare 12 traditional dishes for Christmas, says Blinda, and she'll be making a few of them this year for her family to enjoy. She says in her hometown of Kyiv, many Ukrainians gathered together on the streets to celebrate the holiday — this year, she says, that'll be different.
"Ukrainian people love to do everything together," she said. "I think maybe this year it'll be impossible, because Ukrainian people can't be together because it's dangerous."
Serhii Koretskyi arrived in St. John's with his wife and four children on Dec. 6. The family is staying at the Holiday Inn hotel on Portugal Cove Road, along with other Ukrainian families.
He says the province has been warm and welcoming so far and being in Canada is a Christmas wish come true.
"Even the flights to Canada, to St. John's is a miracle as well," said Koretskyi through translator Ekaterina Chabanenko of the Association for New Canadians. "And that we were on that flight is a Christmas miracle as well."
Koretskyi says his children are very excited for Christmas, because this year, they will celebrate on both Dec. 25 and Jan. 7. They sang traditional Ukrainian carols with other children at the hotel the weekend before Christmas, and Koretskyi says they are eager to open presents.
"I'm super-excited about Christmas because people around me are super happy and the Christmas spirit, you can feel it from everywhere," said Koretskyi's 12-year-old daughter, Yuliia, through Chabanenko.
Since the war began, Koretskyi says many people in his hometown of Kryvyi Rih have electricity for only two to three hours a day. The once-glowing city is now dark, he says, so the bright Christmas lights in St. John's are a welcome sight.
Christmas lights are something the Gavrilyuks also say are new to them this holiday season. Katarina Gavrilyuk says Christmas is far more flashy in Canada, and Oleh Gavrilyuk says people in Canada pay far more attention to decorations than they do back home.
Katarina says to get into the Canadian Christmas spirit, she purchased Christmas lights at a garage sale in St. John's in the summer.
"You can see lights everywhere around, you can see snowmen standing on the porches, you can see people preparing for Christmas for like one month early," said Oleh.
"Oh my gosh, you use so much electricity," added Katarina.
Hope for the future
Although it's hard to be away from home, Blinda says, she's happy to be safe with her children. Koretskyi shares a similar view, saying many people still living in Ukraine are trying to find comfort and solace this holiday season.
For Koretskyi, seeing his home country safe again would be a Christmas miracle.
"[Ukrainians] are very kind and they just look forward to Christmas and most of all, for the victory, because it will be the best Christmas gift ever," said Koretskyi through her translator, Chabanenko.
"That's gonna be the best present ever for the whole nation. For the whole world."
The Gavrilyuks say their Christmas wish is complicated, yet simple — they want everyone to be at peace.
"We want all the people around to be happy," said Oleh Gavrilyuk.
"We just want Ukraine to be happy too," added Katarina Gavrilyuk.
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