CHRISTMAS IN POLAND

The most important part of Christmas is Christmas Eve with the traditional Christmas Eve supper called Wigilia. On that evening, children watch the sky anxiously hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star has come!" Only after it appears, the family members sit down to a dinner table.The supper begins with the breaking of the wafer called opłatek and expressing Christmas greetings. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece, shares the piece with each family member and eats it.

The table should be laid with a white tablecloth, under which some hay should be put. The one, who takes the longest bit of hay will be happy during the coming year.There is one special plate for an unexpected guest.

A tradition exists among some families to serve twelve different dishes at Wigilia symbolizing the Twelve Apostles, or perhaps, an odd number of dishes for good luck (usually five, seven, or nine).Everyone should taste every dish to be healhty and to have prosperity in the coming year.

mushroom soup

There are some of the dishes:

red borsch (beetroot soup) with ravioli

fried carp

herrings with cream

dumplings with cabbage

peas with sauerkraut cabbage

cheese cake

poppy seed cake

honey cakes (gingerbread cakes).

After Wigilia Father Christmas leaves presents under the Christmas tree.

Christmas Eve ends with Pasterka, the Midnight Mass at the local church.

Then there are two days of public holidays.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!