The Holy Evening (Святи́й Ве́чір / Свя́твечір) is celebrated on Christmas Eve. On this day, as evidenced by the field materials collected by us, many symbolic and magical acts and rituals were performed. On this day, the livestock was feed ritual food and the forces of nature were “coaxed”. To ensure family well-being and wealth, people put under the icon (“н апокуті”) a doll of Дідух (a spirit of ancestors, the symbol of harvest and richness),the master of the family threwkutya to the ceiling; children imitated the bleating of lambs and calves, the croaking of like hens, etc. Evil spirits were driven away with the help of garlic and poppy. The Christmas Eve dinner began and ended with a prayer, presupposed the presence of all family members and consisted of 12 (in difficult years – of 5-7) ritual fast dishes. The main and obligatory dishes were the following: kutya (кутя́), wheat (пшеничка), kolach (колач), vareniki/ pies (вареники / пи(е) роги) stuffed with potatoes, cabbage, cherries and vzvar (взвар / узвар / звар), a drink of dried fruits. Other dishes varied: pies (паланички / пиріжки / плачинти), boiled or stewed potatoes картофля(і), raw or stewed cabbage (капуста квасна / кисла / квасяна), roasted or aspic fish (ри(е)ба), cakes with poppy or hemp seeds (коржі з маком or з жуфою), boiled beans (фасулі варені / колочені / бабани), and other. Some food, drinks and spoons were put on the table or windowsill for the dead ancestors. Ritual gift exchange (“носили вечерю”) also occurred on Christmas Eve; children and adults performed such rituals as walking with the star (“ходили со звіздой”) and carol singing (“колядували”). The customs and rituals of the Holy Evening among the Ukrainians of the Republic of Moldova are distinguished by archaic, local variability and multidimensionality of various strata reflecting economic needs, rational knowledge, magical actions, mythological and religious concepts.