A Winter’s Embrace: Christmas and New Year in Lviv

Tuesday 23 December 2025

There are few places in Europe where the spirit of Christmas feels as pure, as radiant, and as deeply rooted in history as it does in Lviv. This ancient city, nestled in the hills of western Ukraine, becomes in December and January a living tableau of warmth amid frost, of golden candlelight shimmering upon cobbled streets, and of a faith and festivity that bind people together against the chill of winter. To spend Christmas and New Year in the city is to encounter an enchanting combination of tradition, music, and conviviality—an experience that fuses Central European charm with Ukrainian soul.

The Atmosphere of the Season

Lviv’s winter arrives gently, transforming the city into a snow-dusted dreamscape. The narrow streets of the Old Town, with their Renaissance facades and Baroque churches, seem made for the season: the scent of mulled wine drifts through the air, the soft glow of lanterns flickers on the Market Square, and the air carries the faint sound of carollers rehearsing for the coming feast. It is a city that has learned to make beauty from endurance; the cold only enhances the warmth of its spirit.

The heart of the season beats strongest around Rynok Square, where an old-fashioned Christmas market opens beneath the watchful tower of the Town Hall. Stalls brim with handmade crafts, painted wooden toys, and ornaments woven from straw in traditional Hutsul style. Visitors sip varenukha—a fragrant hot spirit infused with fruit and honey—or indulge in steaming pampukh doughnuts filled with jam. Every object, every song, every smile feels imbued with the simple magic of a city proud of her culture and heritage.

The Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christmas

Unlike much of the Western world, Lviv celebrates Christmas twice: according to the Gregorian calender, on 25 December; and the Julian calendar, in which the principal festivities begin in early January. The night of 6 January, Christmas Eve, is marked by family gatherings and the Sviata Vecherya—the Holy Supper. This meal of twelve meatless dishes symbolises the twelve apostles, with the first spoonful of kutia (a sweet dish of wheat, honey, and poppy seeds) offered in remembrance of the dead. The quiet dignity of the meal contrasts with the jubilation that follows: choirs fill the streets, children carry brightly coloured star lanterns, and the air resounds with the ancient melodies of kolyada—Ukrainian carols that speak of hope, redemption, and light overcoming darkness.

For the visitor, joining these celebrations is to step into living history. Churches across Lviv—Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Armenian, and Roman Catholic—open their doors for candlelit liturgies, their choirs resplendent in harmony. In the courtyard of the Lviv National Museum or outside the Dominican Cathedral, one may hear polyphonic ensembles performing kolyadky that have echoed through Carpathian valleys for centuries. It is a reminder that Lviv’s Christmas is not a spectacle to consume, but a heritage to share.

The New Year Festivities

While Christmas in Lviv is intimate and reverent, New Year’s Eve brings an effervescent energy to the city. The same squares that hosted choirs and nativity scenes transform into open-air celebrations, where fireworks illuminate the skyline and street musicians play late into the night. Lvivians, ever hospitable, gather in cafés and restaurants for long dinners punctuated by toasts of sparkling Ukrainian wine and the laughter of friends reunited. There is a palpable joy in the streets—a sense that even after years of hardship and uncertainty, the city remains indomitable, alive, and grateful.

One of the most cherished customs of this season is the blending of Western and Eastern traditions. Visitors may celebrate the Western Christmas on 25 December, New Year on 31 December, enjoy Orthodox Christmas on 7 January, and even experience the “Old New Year” on 14 January, according to the Julian calendar. Each holiday brings its own customs, songs, and spirit, prolonging the season’s warmth well into the heart of winter.

The Spirit of Togetherness

Yet what truly makes Lviv at Christmas and New Year so special is not merely the architecture, nor the rituals, nor even the music—it is the people. In wartime, especially, this season has acquired a new resonance. Soldiers return home briefly to their families; volunteers gather in candlelit squares to sing for peace; churches offer prayers not just for the faithful but for the fallen. The collective resilience of Lviv’s citizens transforms every lighted window and every cup of shared wine into an act of defiance against despair.

Spending this period in the city is to experience Lviv's heart: a blend of faith, culture, and community that endures through all adversity. It is to walk through snow-covered streets that whisper stories of centuries past, to hear carols that transcend borders, and to feel, if only for a moment, that light truly can conquer darkness. In Lviv Christmas is not just a holiday; it is a declaration of hope.