Just before December began, Ukraine House in Denmark opened its doors for a special charity Christmas dinner with Ukrainian chef and writer Olia Hercules. Guests gathered at long tables for a cozy evening to share music, stories, and Ukrainian Christmas traditions in Copenhagen — and to turn them into concrete support for children who have lost one or both parents due to the war. Ukraine House in Denmark will direct 20% of the price of every ticket to the Stichting Children of Heroes of Ukraine.
At the heart of the evening was a Ukrainian Christmas feast prepared by Olia Hercules and her team, combining beloved traditions with modern interpretations. Guests tasted borsch with pillowy garlic pampushky, fresh seasonal salads with mushrooms, lentils, beetroot, and fermented cabbage, local white fish, holubtsi, and a festive kolach with cream and quince.
Between the courses, the young Ukrainian musical collective Endangered Songs performed carols from front-line and liberated regions of Ukraine, bringing to Copenhagen melodies that carry both joy and sorrow — and, above all, the voices of communities whose stories must be heard.
Olia also shared reflections from her new book Strong Roots, weaving in the story of her family: relatives who survived the Holodomor, endured Soviet repression, and, like many Ukrainians now living through extremely difficult times, carry their scars but remain unbroken in spirit.
Through food, music, and storytelling, the evening gave Danish guests a living experience of Ukrainian Christmas as a culture that, even during war, remains a source of strength.
This event is a vivid example of how cultural initiatives across Europe can support Ukrainian children. We are sincerely grateful to Ukraine House in Denmark for deciding to support the Stichting Children of Heroes of Ukraine through this dinner and to everyone who joined the event and, by their presence, chose to support Ukrainian children-our beneficiaries..
