We would like to introduce you to the most popular Polish Traditions and Customs.

You will be have a chance to learn something about us and our lifestyle.

21.04.23 1

This day has a rich tradition of Easter palm. In particular, the custom was preserved in some parts of Poland where annual competitions for the longest and most beautiful palm are held. Palms reach the height of several meters and must stand alone. Made of wicker, they cannot contain any metal parts. They are decorated with flowers and paper. On Palm Sunday people go to churches with their palms and then they keep them in their homes.

The celebration of Easter is preceded by Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday. During the Great Fast it is customary to participate in special religious observances such as Stations of the Cross, Bitter Lamentations, and an annual three-day retreat which closes with the reception of the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. Good Friday, marks the start of the vigil at symbolic tombs of Christ, which lasts until Holy Saturday. Visits are made tothe tombs of Christ.  On the next day, Holy Saturday, services accompanied by processions are held to commemorate the Resurrection.

Food Blessing is one of the most enduring and beloved Polish traditions.

On Saturday people take to churches decorated baskets containing a sampling

of traditional food to be blessed: hard-boiled

shelled eggs, ham, sausage, salt, horseradish,

fruit, bread and cake. Prominently displayed

among these is the Easter lamb, usually

molded from butter or sugar and colorful

Easter eggs. The food has a symbolic

meaning: eggs – symbolize life and Christ's resurrection, lamb represents

Christ, salt represents purification, horseradish is a symbol of bitter sacrifice

of Christ, ham symbolizes great joy and abundance.

Pisanka is a common name for an egg ornamented using various techniques. Pisanki are now considered to symbolize the revival of nature and the hope that Christians will gain faith from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the past, only women decorated eggs. Men were not allowed to come inside the house during the process, as it was believed that it could put a spell on the eggs, and cause bad luck.

On Easter morning, a special Resurrection Mass is celebrated in every church in Poland. At this Mass, a procession of priests, altar boys and the people circles the church three times while thechurch bells peal and the organ is played for the first time sincethey had been silenced on Good Friday. Following the Mass, people return home to eat the food blessed the day before. 

It will be covered with a white tablecloth. The whitetablecloth is indicative of the white swaddling clothwith which Our Lord was wrapped when he was placedin the Holy Sepulcher. In the middle of the table inmost homes a housewife will put Easter eggs, coldmeats, coils of sausagaes, ham, yeast cakes, pound cakes, poppy-seed cakes, and  a lamb made of sugar.Polish Easter Soup called Zurek or White Barszcz isoften served at the Easter meal, garnished with thehard-boiled eggs and sausage. There is also tradition toshare blessed eggs with the members of the family andwish each other  good health, happiness  for the rest of the year. 

Dyngus Day or Wet Monday (Polish Śmigus-DyngusDyngus Day or Wet Monday (Polish Śmigus-Dyngus)) is the is the name for Easter Monday in Poland. Easter Monday is the day name for Easter Monday in Poland. Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Orthodox cultures.cultures. In Poland traditionally, early in the morning boys In Poland traditionally, early in the morning boys awake girls by pouring a bucket of water on their heads.awake girls by pouring a bucket of water on their heads.

The name ‘Sobótka’ originated from the Polish sobota (Saturday). In the early summer, usually on Saturdays, people gather at a fire, jump through

it, sing songs, dance and have lots of fun. There was also some magic

involved in these rituals. This was probably originally a feast celebrating the Sun as a source of light and warmth. This ceremony took place on the shortest night of the year.

Sometimes girls sprout wreaths

on the water.

In Poland superstitious people believe that the night before St. Andrew's Day is magic and it

might reveal a young woman's future husband. Nowadays

people usually pour hot wax from the candle through a key hole into cold water. The most popular rituals are: placing pieces of paper with

male first names on the edges of the bowl - the

bowlis filled with water and a candle is floating in the middle it. The first burntpiece of paper indicates the name of the future husband. Another ritualinvolves three cups flipped upside down to cover marriage ring, a small crossand a piece of green plant. Girls choose one cup and it indicates their future fate - the ring of course signifies a marriage, the cross - life as a nun in amonastery and a green plant

implies unmarried life.

There are several beliefs regarding Christmas in Poland that might seem very different for foreigners. On

Christmas Eve for dinner (known as Wigilia) traditional foods are ready and brought to the table, everyone anxiously awaits the moment when the first star, known as the star appears in the eastern sky. For that is when the feast to commemorate the birth of the Christ Child begins. Typical dishes include barszcz wigilijny z uszkami (Christmas Eve borscht with mushroom dumplings), carp in aspic, herring (śledzie), meatless cabbage rolls (gołąbki), and noodles with poppy seed. Desserts might include nuts, tangerines, chocolates, makowiec (poppy seed roll), mazurek (a jam-filled flat pastry), piernik (honey-spice cake), pierniczki (gingerbread cookies), kompot (fruit compote), kutia, a kind of gruel with cracked wheat and honey, is also eaten in some parts of Poland on Christmas Eve.

Now everybody breaks the traditional wafer and exchanges good wishes for

health, wealth and happiness in the New Year. This is such a deeply moving

moment that often tears of love and joy are evoked among family members.

At midnight on Christmas Eve animals are believed to speak with a human

voice. Many people believe that an additional plate on the table is a way to

reunite with those who we cannot be with during Christmas dinner. It can be

for deceased relatives or friends who supposedly come during Christmas Eve

to eat the food with us. On the other hand this symbolic additional seat

represents Polish hospitality. No one should be left alone at Christmas, so

strangers and also the homeless are welcome to join in the holy meal.

This belief derives from the times when

Mary and Joseph were looking for shelter. 

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