Christmas is an amazing time in Poland. We celebrate this time with family.
On the Christmas Eve we eat only supper with 12 meals, for example carp,
dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms, kutia. We share a wafer and wishes.
In my country we give gifts by putting them under the Christmas tree.
After Christmas Eve we go to church-to pasterka. It’s Eucharist during which
we rejoice Jesus’s birth.
Next day is the First Christmas day. We are with families this day, too. In my country there is a beautiful tradition-usually young people go with carols to other people. I was a “caroler” this year, too :) II Christmas day is a time for our families, too. We are very family country, isn’t it? :)
Created by Małgorzata Czaplińska:
Typical Polish Christmas: lights all along the streets; beautifully decorated Christmas tree (usually spruce or pine) with presents underneath; hundreds of gingerbreads; tons of cakes; twelve traditional dishes on the table on Christmas Eve; singing carols; going to church on midnight; being happy about next anniversary of Jesus Christ's birth; being together with family; lots of love, lights and
usually - snow.
How it looked this year in my home?
First thing - snow. Or rather... lack of snow. Mother nature is freaking out and this time she gave us some spring time in winter season. Christmas without snowman in my family are just... empty. We didn't sing Christmas carols, because nobody wanted to start (oh, this shyness). Christmas tree was cut from our backyard - it had only few branches, but spiders didn't mind to make their houses there. Now the tree is standing in the corner and looking totally grotesque with hundreds of ornaments on paltry branches... We hadn't twelve dishes on the table, because nobody counted this (so... it's possible that we could have twelve dishes...). Traditional prayer and wishes were extremely short, because it's the hardest part of Christmas dinner and nobody likes this, while delicious food is waiting. There wasn't any gifts, because we didn't think about it and actually... we didn't think it was important at all. Because the main point of Christmas is celebrating Jesus birthday, isn't it?
That's all from me. Happy New Year! :-) Created by Katarzyna Alencewicz:
Christmas in many Polish families is being celebrated very traditionally. In my family
we always have twelve dishes on the table during the Eve supper. None of them could
include meat. And everyone is expected to taste all of the dishes, no excuses :)
That's not very demanding, though. My mum is brilliant in cooking. Of course, we are not
supposed to eat until the first star appears in the night sky. When I was smaller it always
seemd to be too long, now it's easier to handle the time. One empty plate is always
prepared in case of some homeless or simply a lonely person arrive.
Before the Christmas Eve, we always decorate Christmas Tree - that's the kids' task.
What I personally like most in Christmas arrangements is cooking gingerbrad J I only wonder how is it possible that half of them actually disappears until I finish pouring the glaze.
When it's coming up to midnight we all go to the church to celebrate 'Pasterka' which is a special Mass celebrated at night between the 24th and 25th of December - Christmas Eve and the first day of Christmas. The church is beautifully decorated and the choir is singing carols which create admirable atmosphere. On the second day of Christmas the Church recalls Saint Szczepan, who is said to be the first martyr.
Created by Weronika Miszkiel:
With a pure heart, I can say that the Polish holiday time is the most beautiful. Decorating Christmas tree, cooking a meals, buying gifts are only a small part of Polish Christmas. On this day, the most important is the family and the birth of Jesus. Christmas lasts from 24 December to 26 December. In my town every family celebrates Christmas. Almost all the streets or balconies are decorated with lights.
Why holidays are so important for Poles? Because even our worst enemies become our friends. Together we want celebrate the birth of Jesus. Polish holiday time is characterized by a very good cuisine. In my family my grandmother and mother always takes over the command in the kitchen, and I’m only helper. My Christmas table can’t do without: “pierogi” (dumplings with filling), “makowiec” (poppy seed cake), śledzie w śmietanie “herrings in cream”, “kapusta z grochem” (cabbage with peas), “zupa owocowa” (fruit soup; a kind of compote with pasta), “jabłecznik” (apple pie), “sernik” (cheesecake), sałatki (salads; for example with corn, pineapple, celery).
During the Christmas, it’s important to share the wafer. We give each other best wishes. About 10 pm or 12 pm we go to the church for Midnight mass. During the Midnight mass we sing carols and we enjoy the birth of Christ.
Churches are also decorated festively.
Created by Aneta Michalska:
Big preparation ....
Hello, maybe I'm a little bit late. but I would like to tell you about the preparations for Christmas in my hometown and in my church.
As I had wrote you before I'm a part of a band and on the 6th of December we had a performance. Why? Because Santa Claus came along with his reindeers. The Santa Claus asked us: “Can You come with me to all the good children that were waiting for him in the city centre?” So our dear Santa Claus came with us and watched our performance. And so started the preparations for Christmas.
After the lanterns were decorated the preparations in the city ended and they began in the church. Together with a friend of mine we were asked to make some paper angels in white shirts.
I think you would like to see them (on the left).
The angels weren't everything. After we had finished them we started the big preparations. I hope you know how it is when you can't sit from excitement because after school you have planned some good activities, and so I felt in December. Painting baubles and chestnuts, cutting out snowflakes out of Styrofoam, fixing the lights, and preparing figures for the manger are only a few things that we made. Sounds difficult, but it isn't. For me it was a lot of fun. I never thought that I would learn to sew from a cleric (a priest to be during studies) and my first contact with advanced artworks will be arranged by a lay sister. I'm very happy about how I’ve spent that week because I can stand with pride and look at our work which beautifully decorates the temple.
Created by Dominika Jaksim:
My Christmas time starts with 20th December, when everybody comes back home from school or work. My mum and my sister cook Christmas meals, while I clean up the house. Then, we decorate it, when the food is ready. There are three Christmas trees in my house: small, medium and the big one :) We also use lighters to decorate rooms. This year I made lovely Christmas decorations. On Christmas Eve we have our own family dinner in my home. After that we go to my grandma's house. There we have the main meal. Except us, there come my mother's siblings: her sister with family and her brother with his family. And my grandma, of course. Our supper starts with a prayer and then my sister reads Gospel. Obviously, she doesn't want to do it, but every year we persuade her, that she's the best in it. Later on we share the wafer and wish ourselves for happiness, health and all the best. And we have to eat garlic. Everybody fights for the smallest one. Then we start eating. Traditionally, we should have 12 meals, but every year mum, grandma and aunts prepare more than that. After the supper we talk and sing Christmas carols. When we are back home my dad goes to bed. Me, my sister and my mum wait for the shepherdess, which starts at midnight.Next day is Christmas. In the morning we go to church. After that we eat dinner. Then we go to our family, or they come to us. It's time when carolers visit people, sing carols and wish for happpiness in New Year.On the second day of Christmas we go to church again and visit family. This day young boys come to houses where young girls live and shower them with the oat grains.
Created by Ola Zborowska:
My Christmas preparation lasted quite a long time. Each member of our family got involved. Me and my mum cooked some delights for Christmas Eve. I prepared the gingerbread, which was delicious! My mum baked the pies. Two days before Christmas Eve, me, my siblings and my dad, decorated the Christmas tree. At 8 pm on Christmas Eve, we prepared the table. It wasn't easy to find a place for all the dishes on it- there wasn't enough room!We began Christmas Eve wishing each other all the best and sharing the wafer. When we finished eating everything that was prepared on the table, we unpacked the presents and sang carols together. At midnight we went to church to take part in shepherdess. After returning home, we cleaned the room and went sleep. The next day was the first day of Christmas. We went to church and after returning home, we ate Christmas dinner. Later, we sat on the sofa and talked for the whole evening. We had so much fun! In the afternoon we had some guests- my mother's family paid us a visit. On the second day of Christmas, after breakfast, we went to church. At noon we went to my grandma, where we spent the afternoon together with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. So, we were talking, singing carols and doing many, many other great things all that time. Me and my cousins were looking for a baby- Milena, one of my youngest cousins, who is the youngest member of my family, as well. After returning home we immediately went sleep, feeling very tired. Finally we could start a countdown to the New Year's Eve!Christmas was very pleasant. I spend it in a traditional way, together with my whole family. I love the atmosphere it brings, the so called "Christmas spirit". It's such a shame, that this magical time lasts only 3 days!
Created by Kinga Gandor:
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