Celebrating Christmas in Poland: Holiday Vacation Guide

Whether because of work, family, or simply for the love of travel, many people often find themselves abroad at Christmas. The experience can be an enjoyable one because of the unique culture and the way the country celebrates this holiday. A country with a great deal of cultural traditions, it helps to know their backgrounds so you as a traveler can have a fuller experience.

Unlike the U.S., the most festive part of Christmas in Poland is Christmas Eve (December 24^th). In Polish, Christmas Eve is called Wigilia. Taken from the Latin for "keeping watch," Church tradition states that on the day before a major celebration, the people would fast and stay up all night praying together.

The Christmas Eve supper is a tradition that has been celebrated since the 18^th century. Before the meal, Polish housewives would thoroughly clean the house. Often in countryside homes, the people follow the tradition of placing sheaves of grain (wheat, rye, barley, oats) in the four corners of every main room in the house. This is done in the belief that the Infant Jesus would not begrudge the people and their cattle food in the coming New Year.

A white tablecloth is laid on the table, in reference to an altar and the robes of Jesus. Underneath the tablecloth, the inhabitants often lay hay, in memory of the hay which made up the Christ Child's bed. Until supper, the family would take part in a strict fast. The supper consists of an odd number of diverse Lenten dishes. There is an odd number of dishes in order to ensure a good harvest or success in the coming year.

Tradition states that there should always be an even number of people at the table, because an odd number of people means bad luck. The unluckiest number is 13, tracing its origins to the Last Supper, in which Judas Iscariot was the 13^th person at the table.

A wonderful tradition states that everyone must try all the dishes, in order to ensure that no one will miss out on any dish at the Christmas Eve supper the following year. Though the supper is a Lenten meal, the Polish people have always managed to make it a true feast, making these dinners famous all over the world. Some dishes included in this dinner are kutia (a sweet grain pudding), poppy-seed cake, cabbage and peas, an assorted number of fish dishes and Wigilia soup, usually a beetroot soup with dumplings or a mushroom soup.

The most important part of the Christmas Eve supper is the breaking of the wafer, called Oplatek. Prior to this action, the Gospel reading about the birth of Christ is read and everyone wishes each other good luck or a happy future or new year. The tradition of Oplatek has been observed since the first century of Christianity, in remembrance of the Last Supper. The message of the breaking of the wafer is that people should share everything, even down to the last bit of bread.

Generally in all regions of Poland, after supper, the family gathers to sing carols together, often going out caroling in the neighborhood. In Masovia, a region in the east of Poland, the remains of supper is given to the animals, following a belief that at midnight many animals will be able to speak. This tradition comes from a tale saying that animals, especially the cattle who were present at Christ's birth were given the gift of a human voice on Christmas Eve.

As with any country that is built upon strong customs and traditions, it is hard to find any new Christmas traditions in Poland. They do not modify the traditional Christmas name, (Xmas, etc.) nor are there stockings hanging above the fireplace. The only element of Christmas that was brought from elsewhere is the Christmas tree.

In Poland, Christmas is about family and joining together in happiness and goodwill. Their traditions are part of what makes Christmas in Poland such an enjoyable and unique experience.

Polish Culture Website

Polish Holidays, Polandtravelministry.com