Christmas traditionsin Poland

Old Christmastraditions

For Poles, Christmas Eve is a timeof family gathering and reconciliation.It's also a night of magic: animals aresaid to talk in a human voice and peoplehave the power to tell the future.

Old Christmas traditions

The belief was born with our ancestorswho claimed that 24th December wasa day to mark the beginning of a new era.It was bolstered by sayings such as,"As goes Christmas Eve, goes the year."Hoping for a good 12 months, everyonewas polite and generous to one anotherand forgave past grievances.

Old Christmas traditions

Polish rural residents are among the fewwho still keep up the old Christmas Evecustoms. In eastern Poland it is stillbelieved that girls who grind poppy seedon Christmas Eve can hope for a quickmarriage.

Old Christmas traditions

After dinner, they leave the house,and the direction of the first dog barkpoints to where their future husbandwill come from.

Old Christmas traditions

When going to Christmas Eve midnightmass, girls would blindfold each otherand touch fence pickets. A straight andsmooth picket would portenda resourceful husband, while a crookedand rough one was an indication ofa clumsy and awkward spouse.

Old Christmas traditions

If a maiden wanted to learn about herfuture fiance's profession, she wouldgo to a river, dip her hand in the waterand pull out the first thing she touched.Wood meant a carpenter, iron-a blacksmith, leather-a shoemaker, etc.

Old Christmas traditions

Weather-forecasting superstitions werealso popular. It was believed that ifChristmas sees no snow, Easter certainlywill-or "If the Christmas tree sinksin water, the egg rolls on ice."

Old Christmas traditions

Other sayings include, "A sunnyChristmas Eve brings fair weather allyear round"; "Stars that shine brighton Christmas Eve will make hens layplenty of eggs"; "A shine on the birthof our Savior will be seen allthroughout January."

Old Christmas traditions

The more daring diners would pull outblades of straw from underneath thetable cloth. A green one foretoldmarriage; a withered one-waiting;a yellow one-spinsterhood; a veryshort one-an early grave.

Old Christmas traditions

Today, few people are familiar withChristmas Eve fortune telling, especiallyurban dwellers. Yet some old traditionscan still be found among village peoplewho tend to lead a more old-fashionedlifestyle, closely connected to natureand its cycles of death and rebirth.

Old Christmas traditions

Christmas today

Wigilia

WigiliaChristmas Eve, Wagilia, is an importantpart of the Polish Chrismas, in fact, the

most important rituals are celebrated onthis day. The very word Wigilia, which inPoland was formerly known as the day

before a feast day is now used only as theday before Christ's birth.

Wigilia

The Wigilia supper is so special there is noother like it throughout the year.With cheerful feeling all members of thefamily partake of the Wigilia supper,which traditionally starts at dusk, whenthe first star appears.

WigiliaAs the day begins to darken and familymembers ready themselves for theevening meal, a child is sent out to lookfor the first star in the sky.With the appearance of the first star,the Wigilia meal begins. A Christmastree is already decorated.

WigiliaAfter supper all the family gathers aroundthe Christmas tree. They sing Christmascarols and open presents.Traditionally carol singers go from houseto house carrying a great paper starlantern, singing carols.At the end of the evening, everyone goesto midnight mass.

Christmas eve supper

Christmas eve supperThe table for Christmas supper shouldbe sufficiently large to accommodate thewhole family.A candle is placed in the centre of thetable, the Holy Bible and ”Oplatek”.A spare place is set at the table fora stranger or an absent member of thefamily, who may come unnanounced.

Christmas eve supperIt was also customary to invite the lonelyfor the supper, because on Christmas Eveno one should be left alone.Another custom that has survived till thisday is putting a little hay on the table asa remembrance of Christ's birth ina stable.

Christmas eve supper

The traditional Christmas Eve supperconsists of twelve dishes representingthe twelve months of the year.No meat is served during the supper,only fish, usually herring, carp or pike.

Christmas eve supperOther traditional dishes appearing on thetable include red barszcz, mushroom orfish soup, sauerkraut with wildmushrooms or peas, boiled or friedpierogi, Polish dumplings with a widevariety of fillings are among the mostpopular Polish dishes. For the ChristmasEve supper, pierogi are usually madewith sauerkraut and mushrooms.

Christmas tree

Christmas treeThe modern Christmas tree as we knowit today came to Poland from WesternEurope at the end of the 18th century.Initially popular only in town, it gainedpopularity with peasants at the end ofthe 19th century. The first Christmas treeswere decorated with apples, nuts,gingerbread, miniature loaves of breadand many colourful candles.

Christmas treeThe Christmas tree is not only a decorativeornament. It is also deeply symbolic:

-The triangular shape is that of the holytrinity pointing up towards God;

-Evergreen means forever eternal andgreen colour is assosiated with life;

-Needles grow upwards like handspraising God;

-Candles and lights depict heaven andcommemorate the souls of the deceased;

-Gifts under the tree are symbols ofcharity and love.

Christmas tree

Christmas treeIn modern-day Polish homes, both intown and village, Christmas trees aredecorated with factory-made colourfulglass balls, ribbons and lights. But onmany trees, these decorations areaccompanied by the old-style traditionalhome-made ornaments which have beenhanded down from generation togeneration.

Christmas tree

Under the Christmas tree presents arelaid for family members and friends.These are wrapped in coloured paperand decorated with ribbons.Presents are exchanged and openedafter the Christmas eve supper.

Santa Claus

Santa ClausThe legend of Santa Claus dates all theway back to the 4th century when a childnamed Nicholas was born.As a grown-up he became bishop of Myrain Lycia, a province of the ByzantineAnatolia, now in Turkey, where, accordingto legend, he only did good deeds.

He had a reputation for secret gift-giving,such as putting coins in the shoes ofthose who left them out for him, andthus became the model for Santa Claus.In Poland Santa Claus brings gifts twicea year. First on the 6th of December onhis name-day and then on the 24thof December on Christmas day.

Santa Claus

Christmas wafer

Christmas waferThe word "Oplatek" derives from the Latinword "Oblatum", meaning sacred bread.Made of unleavened dough, it first beganto be used in the 1Oth century asa liturgical wafer. In Poland the traditionof baking wafers in engraved metal forms,and of using these wafers for sacral andsecular purposes dates back to theMiddle Ages.

Christmas wafer

The wafer-sharing ritual is accompaniedby mutual wishes of health and prosperityin the coming year. At Christmas time,it is now also sent to absent members ofthe family and close fiends.

The end