Foreigners visiting Ukraine around the winter holidays are likely to be stumped by the phrase “Old New Year.” The holiday is still celebrated on January 14, in memory of the switch Ukraine made in 1918 to the Gregorian calendar, when 14 astronomically redundant days were annulated. However, parts of the Orthodox Church never made the switch, and still live by the older Julian calendar. As a result, 6.6% of the world’s Christians (and 56% of the Orthodox Christians) celebrate Christmas on January 7, 14 days after the rest of the world does on December 25.
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