Polish Christmas

by Agnieszka Hycnar

Preparations for

Christmas

Nativity scene

At every church people make a Nativity scene.

Christmas tree

Polish Christmas trees have a star on top, balls, chains, sweets, christmas lights and other ornaments.

Polish Christmas

days

WIGILIA – Christmas Eve(December 24)

At this day when the first star shines, whole family prays. Then everyone are breaking the Christmas wafer and submits requests. After that everyone sits to the table and starts eat the Christmas supper.

Christmas Eve supper is very important for us because we can be together all evening.

Boże Narodzenie – Christmas Day and Saint Stephen’s Day (December 25,26)

In the middle of the night from 24th to 25th December people are going to the church for midnight mass. Faithful all day prays at the Nativity scene.

Polish Christmas traditions

Gifts from Santa Claus

Santa Claus comes to children with his sack full of gifts. He lefts them under the Christmas tree when everyone are sleeping. Reindeers are helping him to get to the children.

12 dishes

At the Christmas Eve’s supper people prepares 12 dishes. Inter alia red borsch with ravioli, carp and dumplings.

Empty plate

On the Christmas Eve table people put empty plate for unknown wanderer.

Hay under the tablecloth

People puts hay under the tableclothto commemorate Jesus’s nativity.

Singing carols

After the Christmas Eve’s supper people are singing carols. The most popular is ‘’Silent night’’.

Polish superstitions & beliefs

First person entering to house

If the first person who is entering to house is man, then all family will have a happiness in comming year.

The man can’t be burglar, of course ;)

Talking animals

People believes that animals can talk at the Christmas Eve.

Cat is saying ‘’Merry Christmas’’

I like Christmas very much because I always spend this time with my family and friends. We take a rest and we are full of energy.

Merry Christmas ;-)