Gromova N. The Christmas-New Year Rites of the Ukrainians of Bojkivshchyna (end of XX - beginning of XXI).

The thesis researches Christmas-New Year rites in Bojkivshchyna during Ukraine's independence and is based upon analysis of scientific literature and a large amount of information sources. The paper depicts Bojkivshchyna Christmas-New Year cycle, consisting of three main holidays: Christmas, New Year and Epiphany, and places special emphasis on the description of ritual Holy-evenings on the eve of Christmas and Epiphany. Using calendar of Bojkos' winter holidays as an example, the author shows that the folk culture of Bojkivshchyna develops in line with the overall Ukrainian folk culture, at the same time keeping its sub-ethnic and regional traits. The thesis analyses local differences between Bojkos' Christmas holidays in two historic parts of Bojkivshchyna - those originated from Galychyna and Zakarpatya. The author found out that motivation for many Christmas ceremonies was changed or lost; many rites cease to be actively used altogether. However it is proved that the basis of Christmas-New Year rites in Bojkivshchyna is retained better if compared to other Ukrainian regions. The paper describes and analyses reasons for changes and transformations of the traditional Bojkos' winter rituals.