In Ukrainian Christmas tradition, the sheaf of grain displayed in the home at Christmas is called a didukh.
The didukh is a bundled sheaf, usually made from stalks of wheat or other grains, that represents the ancestors and the household’s connection with agriculture. It is traditionally brought into the home around the Christmas season and placed in a prominent position, particularly during the twelve-day Christmas period in Ukrainian custom.
The name comes from Ukrainian and is commonly explained as meaning “grandfather” or referring to an ancestral spirit. The object therefore carries both harvest symbolism and remembrance of family members who have died. It is not simply a decorative bundle of straw.
The tradition belongs to Ukrainian Christmas practices that combine Christian observance with older seasonal customs. Ukrainian Christmas celebrations also include foods such as kutia and caroling traditions known as koliadky. The didukh is distinct from those foods and songs: it is the ceremonial grain sheaf representing continuity, ancestry, and a good harvest.