"Kolyada" is a Slavic mythological character, an embodiment of the New Year cycle. It is most commonly featured in Christmas carols. In the image of a beggar (or transforms into a goat to hide from Mara), it participates in folk Christmas rituals with games and songs (caroling). According to some interpretations, Kolyada was originally a dual god, a companion to Dazhbog, or a goddess and the wife of Dazhbog. Every year on the longest night of winter, gives birth to a new Sun - Bozhich.
The name comes from the word Kolo, the ancient name of the Sun, but the most prevalent explanation for the origin of the name and the holiday's name of this character comes from the Latin "kalendae" (the first days of the month), which is also the root of the word "calendar."