Old New Year Wishes

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The “Old New Year” exists because of the gap between calendars: 1 January in the Julian calendar falls on 14 January in the Gregorian one. Since the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church moved to the new calendar in 2023, Generous Eve and St Basil’s Day are now marked on 31 December and 1 January. Still, many families gather on 13–14 January out of habit to enjoy the holidays once more and greet their loved ones. Here are Old New Year wishes: short, funny, for family and colleagues, plus poems. Wishes for other holidays of the year are in our holiday wishes calendar.

More winter holidays: New Year wishes, Generous Eve wishes, Epiphany wishes.

Short wishes

• Happy Old New Year! May the holiday spirit stay with you as long as possible.
• Happy Old New Year! Once again — happiness, peace and good health.
• The Old New Year is a great excuse to wish you well twice. May all your plans come true!
• Happy holiday! May the year, no longer brand new, be generous and calm.

Funny wishes

• Happy Old New Year! The tree can stay up, the leftovers can be finished and wishes can be made all over again.
• Happy most puzzling holiday: the year is new, but the celebration is old. May your happiness be double too!
• The Old New Year is a second chance for anyone who missed making a wish on 31 December. Go for it!

For family and colleagues

• Mum, Dad, happy Old New Year! Thank you for making these holidays always smell of home and your love.
• Colleagues, happy Old New Year! May the festive mood help us ease back into work and make this year a success.
• Grandma, happy holiday! I remember your varenyky and carols — may your home always be warm and welcoming.

Longer message

• The Old New Year is a quiet, cosy holiday: the New Year rush is over, but the festive mood is still here. May this year bring what we wait for most — peace, calm and the chance to be with our loved ones. May each day be a little better than the last. Happy holiday!

Old New Year traditions

• Traditionally, on Generous Eve people sang shchedrivky (New Year carols) and set a rich table, and on St Basil’s morning boys went from house to house “sowing” grain with wishes for a good harvest and prosperity. With the new calendar these customs move to 31 December and 1 January, yet many families still keep them in mid-January — what matters is not the date but the warmth with which we wish each other well.

Old New Year poems

The Old New Year is at the door,
Our home still smells of pine.
May joy and luck be yours and more,
And may your days be warm and fine!

We sow the grain and sing our song,
Happy Old New Year, all year long!
May your home be rich and bright
And every day a pure delight!

A small treat for the Old New Year

Big gifts are not expected on the Old New Year — small treats are just right: sweets for tea, home baking or a little bouquet. Flowers in a box are practical in midwinter: they don’t freeze on the way and last a long time without a vase.

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See roses in a box and sweets.

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FAQ

When is the Old New Year?

On the night of 13–14 January — 1 January in the Julian calendar.

Is it still celebrated after the calendar change?

Officially the church feasts have moved: Generous Eve to 31 December and St Basil’s Day to 1 January. Many families still also mark 13–14 January by tradition.

How should I greet someone for the Old New Year?

A short, warm message, a shchedrivka carol or a small gift such as sweets or flowers.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.