CHRISTMAS IN POLAND OUR CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

ADVENT It is the time of four weeks before Christmas. During that time we are expecting Baby Jesus to come. We clean our houses, wash windows, and a week before Christmas Eve we start cooking and baking some food. The four-week-time is also to prepare our hearts for His birth. Four candles represent four Sundays of four weeks of waiting.

Christmas Eve One day before Christmas we celebrate Christmas Eve among our family. That day we only eat two light meals during the day, because in the evening we have a special dinner that consists of 12 dishes (WOW!!). While women in the house prepare food that day, men and children decorate Christmas Tree. Finally, when the first star appears on the sky, we sit altogether aroud the table and we start to pray.

One person from the family reads the part of Bible, where there is information about the Birth of Jesus. Next we share a wafer with everyone in the family to wish all the best. We always set an extra plate for unexpected guest and whoever comes that evening and knocks your door (a lonely living neighbour, a homeless person, a priest or a nun, etc) is nicely welcome and is seated at the table with the rest of the family. It is believed that the person might be Jesus Himself, who comes to visit people. There is usually some hay or straw under the table cloth to remember that Jesus was born in a stable.

2. Fried carp fish – extremelly delicious but there are many fishbones inside it… Some people change it for salmon. 3. Saur kraut with beans and carrot – cooked. The twelve dishes, that you will try at Christmas Eve Table in Poland: 1. Number one is always beetroot soup with ravioli or as we call it red borshch with „ears” or „fingers”.

5. Herrings in a salad with vegetables and mayo. 6. Greek style fish – with tomatoes, carrots and onions. 4. „Pierogi”- dumplings stuffed with potatoes and cottage cheese or marmelade. 7. Fish – Jewish style – in a gelly.

9. Cheese cake. 8. Poppy-seed cake or kutia (a mix of nuts, almonds, coconuts with honey and poppyseeds). 10. Gingerbread.

11. Compote – made of dried fruit (usually plums). 12. Mushroom soup.

After the feast we sing Christmas Carols and songs. Adults have time to chat and children can open their presents from under the Christmas tree.

Pasterka a special ceremony held in church at midnight. It starts in complete darkness, so people bring candles, but after 10 minutes from the beginning of the celebration we start singing a special Christmas song – that moment all the lights in the church are turned on. It symbolises that the Birth of Jesus brought light to our lives.

The first Day of Christmas is a day to visit our relatives. And the 26th of December (Boxing Day) we have time to relax. Of course the next day our parents go to work, but happily, all students are free from school until after the New Year.

The first person that visits your house on New Year’s Day must be a tall, dark haired man. This will bring good luck to your family for the entire year.

We wish YOU MERRY CHRISTMAS and ALL the BEST in NEW YEAR!!!