Where did this collection of stories come from?

Styler gathered responses from Ukrainian users to a Threads publication where the author asked what items people are setting aside until Victory and what they promise to do after the war ends.

What items are Ukrainians keeping until Victory?

Among those mentioned are a bottle of alcohol given by a comrade, a homemade gingerbread from the first days of the war, cognac, 2013 Crimean wine, champagne from February 23, 2022, an evacuation coat, a silver ring with the outline of Ukraine, perfume for a captive friend, and a white dress.

Why don't people throw these things away?

For many, these items have become symbols of promises, memories of deceased or missing loved ones, and hope for a future meeting. The authors of the stories say they preserve them as evidence of what they survived.

"This Gingerbread Waits for Victory": What Ukrainians Keep in Their Closets Until the End of the War

On social media, Ukrainians have shared personal stories about items they are intentionally setting aside "until Victory." Styler gathered a selection of touching responses, referencing a post by user english_with_tetiana on Threads, who asked what people are keeping for the day they have been waiting for so long. In response, users shared stories about symbolic gifts, festive traditions, and objects reminding them of what they have been through and of loved ones they are waiting for. For some, it is an ordinary item that has taken on special meaning over time; for others, it is a memory, a promise, or hope for a future reunion.

The Bottle That Must Not Be Touched

One of the most frequent topics of discussion is alcohol kept as a symbol of a promise. "We have a bottle of alcohol that cannot be touched. It was given to my husband by a comrade. They agreed to drink it together when celebrating our Victory," one participant wrote. The same user shared that her mother has not baked Easter bread for five years and promises to make it only after Victory. Another story involves a bottle of cognac given by an uncle to a father for his 40th birthday: the men agreed to open it at the next milestone, turning 50. However, the uncle died in 2024. When the milestone arrived, guests were poured cognac after a minute of silence, and a small amount of the drink was left at the bottom of the bottle and returned to the sideboard as a memory of the person with whom they were supposed to celebrate this day together.

A Gingerbread from the First Days of the War

One user shared that at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, she and her husband were in the territorial defense, and a boy came up to them and gave them a homemade gingerbread cookie. Ever since, it has been lying there waiting for its time. "This gingerbread is lying here, waiting for victory. It's completely 'wooden' now, but I will crunch on it on Victory Day," the comment author wrote. Another participant reported keeping a bottle of 2013 Crimean wine and planning to open it exclusively on the shore of the Black Sea: "We will drink it on the shore of Ukrainian Crimea," she added.

A Coat That Survived Evacuation

One participant told about a coat that survived the first months of the invasion, a basement, evacuation via a green corridor, and a journey across all of Ukraine abroad. Now the woman lives outside the country, but the item is still kept at home in Sumy. She confessed that the coat absorbed so much pain and disappointment that she could have thrown it away long ago, yet she decided to keep such things as evidence of what she endured. After Victory, she wants to gather friends, light a big bonfire, burn the "artifacts of war," and remember those who are no longer around. The same user noted that since 2022 she has not taken off a silver ring featuring the outline of Ukraine: from constant wear, her finger has deformed, but the piece of jewelry remains with her.

Promises Yet Unfulfilled

Equally poignant is the story of two female friends, one of whom was captured by occupiers in the Kherson region. The Ukrainian woman is still waiting for news of her, as she promised to send her perfume after de-occupation. The comments also mentioned other postponed joys: a woman ordered her husband a t-shirt with his name and the names of their children, which she wanted to give him on Father's Day in 2025, and keeps a can of energy drink he once sent in a package—promising to open it when he comes back from the "zero line." Since then, she hasn't dyed her hair for about a year and eight months because her husband is missing in action. Another user is waiting for the chance to open a bottle of champagne produced in Ukraine on February 23, 2022—just before the full-scale invasion. One woman confessed that she is keeping a white, revealing, and very beautiful dress that she hopes to wear after the death of the Russian dictator—for her, it is a symbol of waiting for the day when celebration can happen without fear and anxiety. Another user shared that her mother has not put up a New Year tree for several years and cannot bring herself to restore this tradition since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

"This Gingerbread Waits for Victory": What Ukrainians Keep in Their Closets Until the End of the War