Christmas in Poland

A SMALL PRESENT TO START WITH - how to wish Merry Christmas in different languages:

http://www.worldofchristmas.net/merry-christmas.html

Christmas is a very festive holiday in Poland. Many customs, ceremonies and beliefs centre around Christmas Eve, a special day in Polish homes. An important element contributing to its dignified atmosphere are the Christmas decorations, notably a beautifully adorned Christmas tree. Today it would be difficult to imagine Christmas without it, although it's one of the newest traditions: the first trees appeared in Poland in the 19th century, mainly in cities, introduced by Germans and Protestants of German origin. Gradually the custom gained popularity all across Poland. Before that, Polish houses used to be decorated with green branches of fir, spruce or pine.

DECORATIONS and CUSTOMS at the table

Another element of the traditional Christmas decorations were sheaves of wheat and rye, hay and straw. They were supposed to bring good crops and remind everyone of the poverty in which Jesus was born. The custom has survived in the form of a small bunch of hay put under the tablecloth. In some houses this is accompanied today by money, a fish scale or bone put into a wallet - all to ensure affluence in the new year. An extra set of plates and cutlery is laid on the table for an unexpected guest. Sometimes an empty plate is a reminder of those who have passed away.
Christmas Eve was believed to affect the entire new year. For this reason, it had to be spent in harmony and peace, with everyone showing the utmost kindness to one another. Today it is still devoted to long preparations for Christmas Eve dinner, all the work having to be done before dusk. Then the whole family sit down to dine together, in the most important event on that day.

CHRISTMAS EVE/ DINNER - WIGILIA

Traditionally, Christmas Eve dinner begins when the first star has appears in the sky. First, there is a prayer, sometimes with a passage from scripture about Jesus' birth being read out. Then the family wish one another all the best for the new year and, as a sign of reconciliation, love, friendship and peace, share opłatek Christmas wafers that symbolise holy bread. Orthodox Christians do the same before their Christmas Eve meal by sharing proskura or prosfera, which is unleavened bread.

TRADITIONAL DISHES/ HOLIDAY CUISINE

The dinner consists only of meatless dishes. Traditionally, there should be twelve courses - reflecting the number of months in the year or, in different interpretation, Christ's apostles.
In practice, hardly anybody bothers to count them; the more food is on the table, the more auspicious the next year will be. You at least have to taste everything. This custom derives from the ancient tradition of respect for the fruits of the earth. After dinner, Christmas carols are sung. Many people end the day by attending the Midnight Mass known as Pasterka (the Shepherds' Mass).

MORE TRADITIONS

A popular event during the period after Christmas is the jasełka, a Nativity play staged by amateurs. In the country, you can still see carollers who go from house to house with a star or Nativity crib. Traditionally, they expect to be tipped for the visit; once the payment was in Christmas delicacies, but today these have been largely replaced by small change. The carollers are often dressed up and improvise scenes that loosely draw upon biblical motifs. Typically, the characters are King Herod, Angel, Devil, Death, sometimes Gypsy and a bear or goat.

Christmas CRIBS/ SZOPKI

A long-time tradition in Poland during the Christmas season is th building of "Szopki" (pronounced shop-key), which are elaborate form of the Nativity scene. This tradition started back in the 13th century in Krakow, Poland, and remains an annual tradition whereas major prizes are awarded for the most elaborately decorated and designed Szopki.

Our FACEBOOK USERS comments:

We asked our Facebook users at the beginning of December the following question:

We DO realize it's quite early to ask, but what are (in your opinion) the most typical Polish Christmas Traditions unknown elsewhere and worth presenting as part of our culture on the portal? Any helpful comment is welcome :)
And here we go with comments we received...

Diana (Jerusalem/Lublin) opłatek! I don't think they have it anywhere else :)

poland.gov.pl Can you pls provide a short definition of how would you describe it to someone who is not familiar with this tradition? Like 1-2 catching sentences?

Maya The Wigilia Meal: barszcz wigilijny z uszkami (Christmas Eve borscht with mushroom uszka dumplings), carp in aspic, herring (sledze), breaded whitefish, meatless cabbage rolls (golabki), and noodles with poppyseed. Desserts: nuts, tangerine...s, chocolates, makowiec (poppyseed roll), mazurek (a jam-filled flat pastry), piernik (honey-spice cake), pierniczki (gingerbread cookies), kompot (fruit compote), cognac, liqueurs, mead and krupnik (a honey-spice cordial) and Kutia, a kind of gruel with cracked wheat and honey.
PS Awww, Christmas is in the air! :)

poland.gov.pl Maya - do you know why do we eat these particular dishes...? what lies behind the choice of menu... anyone knows?

Maya as far as I know, Wigilia is a meatless meal because, years ago, Roman Catholics fasted for the four weeks of Advent, including Christmas Eve. In the past there were twelve main dishes (representing the Apostles and Christ), but nowadays m...any families have replaced this tradition with a twelve-fruit compote for dessert - I like this compote so much :)) as for food, they are to represent the four corners of the earth.
Kasia (US) http://polishmamaontheprairie.blogspot.com/2010/12/childs-school-project-leaves-me.html
I actually was just posting about this...
Rachel (US) Wigilia meal always has a spot for an unknown guest who is welcome but not invited formally, nor expected. A symbol of Poland's great history of humility and hospitality. Every region of Poland may have a different Christmas handicraft or recipe or dress. Polish Koledy. My favorites continue thru the entire season, i.e. MikoLki and the Three Kings in January.

poland.gov.pl wow, fantastic! More, and even more pls!

Kasia We always play tradtional polish music at wigilia, polskie hymni, like "Lulajże, Jezuniu" which has always put me to tears with it's beauty (and now being a mother, it means even more because I can understand better the meaning behind that ...song)... At my old PNCC church, we always do a Wigilia dinner after a Mass. The dinner is all traditional foods, and the Poles answer questions about recipes, etc. The Father of our church would play traditional hymni as well as play a presentation w the words for everyone to sing along. I think I might actually do a blog post about this, thanks for the ideas!
Yvonne (Seaford/Tarnów) We always set an extra plate for whoever may show up at the door!:)Szczesliwych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia!

poland.gov.pl Has anyone showed up at your home unexpectedly on Xmas Eve...?

Yvonne not yet...still waiting!!!LOL
Tomasz Salwador (Zamienie/Warsaw) twelve dishes? hay under the tablecloth?

poland.gov.pl Tomasz-fine,true,thanks.But do you know why it is so peculiar?

Tomasz Salwador Take a look here: http://www.federacja-polonia.dk/tradycje.html
and here: http://www.szkolnictwo.pl/index.php?id=PU0351
...There are some examples with explanations. Some of our Christmass traditions have roots in pagan slavic traditions.
Kasia That's true, every country and even the Catholic faith itself has roots in Pagan traditions. Perhaps that's part of the beauty of it, it's as though we are still able to touch our ancient ancestors through multiple centuries by worshipping in some of the ways they once did, even if their names are lost to time. But I think that Poles are some of the most Catholic I've ever met! :)

poland.gov.pl Thank you very much for all your precious comments, we will try to post some of your ideas on the portal. Have a nice week :)