After moving to the UK, mum of two Kateryna Kunytska tells Rosie Mullender about the Christmas customs she cherishes – and the new friends she has made to share them with

This Christmas, Kateryna Kunytska plans to celebrate with a unique mixture of Ukrainian and British traditions – and raise a glass to give thanks for the friendships she has forged since moving to the UK.

“In Ukraine, we always make 12 dishes for Christmas Eve, including kutya, which is a wheat berry pudding. Back home, the children would take it to their grandparents’ and godparents’ homes to share,” she says. But now, they share it with the close friends who have welcomed them here. “We also sing Carol of the Bells, which is based on a Ukrainian song, so we can all sing it in our own language. It’s wonderful that we’re not only keeping our traditions alive in our family, but sharing them with others too.”

A local charity provided a tree and hamper, while Kunytska’s family shared homemade kutya with their new friends