Why millions are celebrating Christmas this week, almost 2 weeks on from December 25

While many of us have packed away the Christmas decorations, for millions worldwide, the festive season is just beginning. The anticipation leading up to December 25 and the joyous celebrations on the day itself are familiar to most, but for members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Christmas arrives nearly two weeks later.

Adhering to the Julian calendar, which was superseded by the Gregorian calendar in 1582 under Pope Gregory XIII, these believers mark Jesus' birth on January 7. With a congregation numbering between 220 and 300 million, the church's Christmas traditions vary from other Christian denominations. Countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Serbia, and Russia celebrate Christmas Day on January 7.

How do Orthodox Christians observe Christmas?

Typically referred to as the Orthodox Church, its followers embark on a 40-day fast leading up to Christmas, abstaining from meat throughout this period. After a mass on Christmas Eve, January 6, many gather with loved ones and fellow community members for a feast marking the end of the fast, reports the Express US.

In countries like Ukraine and Russia, this includes 12 traditional dishes, symbolising Jesus' 12 disciples. These can range from kutia, a mixture of cooked wheat and barley with poppy seeds, nuts, and honey; borscht, a red beet soup; to fish.

A special white or embroidered tablecloth, symbolising the swaddling clothes of baby Jesus, is typically used for this feast. The table may be adorned with straw to represent the stable of his birth, and extra places may be set for deceased family members.

In some households, a sheaf of grain known as a didukh is displayed to signify a bountiful harvest.

@SlavFreeSpirit on X elaborated on these customs: "On Christmas Day, believers in Slavic countries in the early morning hours cut a branch, usually from an oak tree. The oak symbolises the tree that, according to tradition, the shepherds brought to Joseph and Mary to light the fire and warm the cave where Jesus was born.

"The oak is brought into the home in the evening, and the fire should burn until morning - that is, until Christmas - when the joy of Christ's birth is announced. Christmas Eve is the time when the household gathers around the fasting table and awaits Christmas."

Another Orthodox Church tradition involves members plunging into icy open water to mark the baptism of Jesus. Tradition dictates that they must submerge three times, symbolising the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

This ritual is performed by many at midnight on January 19, concluding the 12-day Christmas period, while others partake on January 6.

Other members proceed to nearby seas, rivers, and lakes, making holes in the ice to bless the water on Christmas Day. The emphasis on gifts is less pronounced than in many parts of the western world.

In certain countries, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Greece, Orthodox Church followers celebrate Christmas on December 25, alongside other Christian denominations.