Polish Christmas…

On Christmas Eve we decorate Christmas tree under which later that evening we will place presents for our loved once. We hung on branches and twigs glass balls, which are so fragile and unique. Some of the are very expensive. Polish glass balls are exported around the world and there are recognise as the best. Also we hung light (like other nations do), small ginger breads, long candies and paper chains. On every twig we put some cotton wool (imitation of snow).

The day before and on Christmas Eve all food is prepared. We bake traditional cakes and meat which will be eaten on first and second Christmas day. All dishes prepared specially for Christmas Eve supper are made from fish and/or vegetables. As I write before most of Polish people follow the traditions so all food is according to it.  There should be 12 dishes on the table. There are simple and without meat. So we eat beetroot soup with special dumplings or wild mushroom soup (is depend of the region), vegetable salad (cooked carrot, potatoes, parsnip, boiled eggs, fresh apple and leek, cucumbers in brine, peas, sweet corn, mayo), boiled dough pockets or pancakes with sauerkraut and wild mushrooms filling, fried carp, fish in vegetable jelly, fish in Greek sauce (tomatoes, carrot, onion, parsnip), dumplings with poppy seeds ( poppy seeds, raisins, honey nuts), bread, stewed dry fruits ( dry apples, dry plums), herring in oil, herring in cream sauce ( sour cream, onion, apple), baled cheesecake, ginger bread, apple cake and more ( depending of region of Poland). Supper begins when first star on the sky is spotted. Before supper we share special thin white wafer called Oplatek and tell each other wishes. Under the table cloth some hay should be placed and we leave empty space and plate. We do it to memory our gone relatives and just in case some unexpected guest will come. After supper we open the presents. We sing Christmas carols and letter we attend to the church for Christmas Midnight Mas.

First day of Christmas we visit our relatives and friends, whose couldn’t be with us previous evening. This day we can eat meat. So dinner usually is composed of roast duck, goose, chicken or turkey. We can eat also roast pork belly etc. We also eat cakes and sweets, fruits and everything what was prepared earlier before Christmas time. We visit churches to see crib with Baby Jesus.

Second Christmas day is the same. We visit our relatives and friends. This is a time of joy. We forget about problems for a while. We are happy to be with our families.

So as you noticed Polish people celebrate Christmas differently and we have so many traditions. I’m glad that we follow those traditions because in modern times many of them were forgotten.