Christmas in Poland

Preparations for Christmas begin many days before its actual celebration. The popular belief that if a house is messy on Christmas Eve, it will remain messy during the year. The Christmas table is set up due to the Polish tradition, and every element of it has its importance and purpose. If you happen to look under the white tablecloth, you will find straw: some maidens would predict their future from it, by pulling out the straw blades from beneath the tablecloth. A green blade announces marriage, a withered one - waiting; a yellow one predicts spinsterhood; and a very short blade foreshadows an early grave. You will notice an empty seat and plate at the table. As no one should be left alone during Christmas, this additional set is awaiting any strangers that could knock on the door that evening. Everyone pays close attention to the events occurring on Christmas Eve, for it is believed that whatever occurs that day has an impact on the coming year. If the first visitor in the morning is a man, it means good luck; if it is a woman, one might expect misfortune. A brunch of mistletoe hanging above the front door is another way to assure good luck. Last but not least, it is important to end old grudges and exchanges good wishes with these whom we might have not spoken to for a while. Due to the Christmas Eve tradition, the number of people sitting around the dining table must be even. An odd number could bring misfortune to one of the guests. Children await Wigilia day (Christmas Eve) to decorate the Christmas tree. Finally, the whole family gathers and looks out for the first star on the sky. With its appearance, the host or eldest member of the family reaches for the holy opatek (thin wafers made of flour and water) and breaks it - once everyone has had a small part from each other's piece and has exchanged wishes, they all sit down at the table. The tradition is very strict when comes to the number of dishes served: to ensure fertility and good work, an odd number of dishes must be set on the table. The meals had to include all crops harvested during the year, in order to ensure abundance the upcoming year. Everyone should have a taste each served dish. The first dish to be served has always been a traditional soup - usually red borscht with dumplings or mushroom soup. In addition to the desired fish, the host would serve as well fed pea with cabbage, dried mushroom dishes, compotes of dried fruit, kutia and especially poppy seed cake.

After a rich though meatless supper, they sing koldy (Christmas carols and pastorals). Most of these specifically national folk songs are anonymous, their lyrics speak about the coming of Christ. At midnight, Poles gather in churches for the Mass, known as Pasterka ("the Mass of the Shepherds").

wita Boego Narodzenia w Polsce

Przygotowania do Boego Narodzenia zaczynaj si na wiele dni przed Wigili, uwaa si bowiem, e baagan na Wigili wry baagan na cay rok. Jednym z waniejszych elementw boenarodzeniowego wita jest st wigilijny przykryty biaym obrusem, pod ktry kadzie si wizk siana. Wedug ludowego przekazu - kto wycignie dbo zielone temu blisko do lubu, uschnite to czas oczekiwania, te wry staropaniestwo, a krtkie pogrzeb. Jedno miejsce przy stole pozostaje puste czeka na zabkanego gocia, bowiem nikt w tym dniu nie moe pozosta sam. Wszystko co zdarzy si w Wigili ma wpyw na nadchodzcy rok - jeli pierwszym gociem w godzinach porannych jest mczyzna, to znaczy powodzenie, jeli to kobieta - mona spodziewa si kopotw. Nad drzwiami koniecznie trzeba powiesi pk jemioy, ktra zatrzymuje szczcie w domu. Wane jest te, by zapomnie o urazach, pretensjach i nawet zoy yczenia tym, z ktrymi byo si w wani. Do tradycji wigilijnej naley, aby do stou zasiadaa parzysta liczba osb. Nieparzysta ilo uczestnikw miaa wry dla jednego z nich nieszczcie. Dla dzieci Wigilia to wito ubierania choinki. A kiedy na niebie rozbynie pierwsza gwiazda caa rodzina siada do witecznie zastawionego stou - najstarszy czonek rodziny rozdziela opatek i wszyscy amic si nim skadaj sobie nawzajem yczenia. Wedug tradycji, liczba potraw wigilijnych powinna by nieparzysta zapewnia to urodzaj lub dobr prac w przychodzcym roku. Potrawy powinny skada si ze wszystkich podw rolnych, aby plony obrodziy w nastpnym roku. Wane jest te to, by skosztowa wszystkich potraw - by adnej nie zabrako na nastpnej wieczerzy wigilijnej.

Na wieczerz wigilijn tradycyjnie podaje si barszcz czerwony z uszkami lub zup grzybow. Oprcz da rybnych podaje si staropolski groch z kapust, potrawy z grzybw suszonych, kompoty z suszonych owocw, kutie oraz witeczny makowiec. Po bogatym, cho bezmisnej posiku, piewa si koldy (koldy i pastoraki). Wikszo tych anonimowych melodyjnych piosenek opowiada o Narodzeniu Chrystusa. O pnocy, Polacy gromadz si w kocioach na mszy, zwanej Pasterk.

Dictionary Christmas Eve Wigilia Tradition tradycja Wishes yczenia Holy wafer opatek red borscht - czerwony barszcz dumplings uszka poppy seed cake makowiec Christmas carols koldy The midnight Mass of the Shepherds - Pasterka good luck - szczcie