SPRING CUSTOMS IN POLAND

EASTER

What do Christians celebrate on Easter?

Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays. There are two reasons to celebrate. One is that Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the other that Easter marks the end of winter and nature waking up after the winter period.

PALM SUNDAY The Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. On this day people bring palms to churches. It reminds us of the day when Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and people greeted him with palm leaves.

HOLY SATURDAY On Holy Saturday, people usually go to churches to bless food they will eat the next day. Food should be put into the specially decorated baskets. Blessed food is served as a part of the traditional Easter breakfast the next day.

On Easter Sunday we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection.

Lots of people go to churches early in the morning to take part in a Resurrection Mass and after that they eat a very festive Easter Breakfast with their families.

Traditional Easter Breakfast in Poland

Some of the most typical dishes Eggs with different sauces Sausage (white or brown) Ham (roasted or boiled) Sour soup Cheese cake Easter cake Easter pastry Butter lamb

Easter Monday- Lany poniedziałek In Poland Easter Monday is connected with the old Polish custom "Śmigus Dyngus". That is why Easter Monday is also called "Wet Monday" because people pour water on each other (especially on girls) which supposed to bring them health, beauty and fortune.

Easter decorations

Before Easter people make eggs which are to decorated a table. Easter eggs

Others symbols of spring The stork Others symbols of spring

The swallow

The crocus

The snowdrop

Melting Madder Children often do a „Marzanna Doll” to say goodbye in this way to the winter.

21 st March- Truant’s day

Prima Aprilis - April Fool's Day

In Poland the 3rd of May is the National Day - Constitution Day. May holidays In Poland the 3rd of May is the National Day - Constitution Day.

Many families celebrate May days (1st-3rd) with outdoor activities, such as picnics (it’s called “Majówka”).

Polish proverbs

PO LUTYM MARZEC SPIESZY, KONIEC ZIMY WSZYSTKICH CIESZY. AND AFTER FEBRUARY MARCH COMES FAST RIGHT ,THE END OF WINTER IS EVERYONE’S DELIGHT.

DZIKA GĘŚ W MARCU PRZYBYWA, CIEPŁA WIOSNA BYWA. WHEN A WILD GOOSE IN MARCH ARRIVES, WARM SPRING COMES.

KTO W MARCU ZASIEJE , TEN SIĘ NA WIOSNĘ ŚMIEJE. THE ONE WHO SOWS IN MARCH, WELCOMES THE SPRING WITH LAUGH.

MARCH COMES IN LIKE A LION AND GOES OUT LIKE A LAMB. W MARCU JAK W GRANCU. MARCH COMES IN LIKE A LION AND GOES OUT LIKE A LAMB.

CHOĆ JUŻ W KWIETNIU SŁONKO GRZEJE, NIERAZ POLE ŚNIEG ZAWIEJE. THOUGH THE SUN IN APRIL SHINES,THICK SNOW SOMETIMES IN FIELDS LIES.

GDY W KWIETNIU SŁONKO NA DWORZE, NIE BĘDZIE PUSTEK W KOMORZE. WHEN THE SUN'S IN APRIL OUTSIDE, THERE’S NO VOID IN CHAMBER INSIDE.

JAK PRZYGRZEJE SŁONKO, PRZYJDZIE KWIECIEŃ ŁĄKĄ. THE WARM SUN SHINES/THE APRIL WITH MEADOW COMES.

NO BEES IN APRIL FLYING/LONG COLD DAYS ARE FORERUNNING. JEŚLI W KWIETNIU PSZCZOŁY NIE LATAJĄ, TO DŁUGIE CHŁODY SIĘ ZAPOWIADAJĄ. NO BEES IN APRIL FLYING/LONG COLD DAYS ARE FORERUNNING.

The presentation prepared by students of ZSO nr 7 Sosnowiec, Poland for the project E-Dictionary of proverbs. Erasmus+