Traditions

Polish customs, especially at Christmas time, are both beautiful and meaningful. The preparations for Christmas begin many days before the actual celebration Christmas. The insides of the houses

are also cleaned thoroughly. It is believed that if a house is dirty on Christmas Eve, it will remain

dirty all next year. A white Christmas is considered a real Christmas; therefore, everybody

is happy when there is fresh snow outside. It is also believed that animals can speak with a

human voice.

Christmas and Santa Claus Day are not celebrated at the same time in Poland, but rather three weeks

apart. Santa Claus Day is celebrated on December 6th, the name day of St. Nicholas. This is when St. Nicholas visits some children in person or secretly

during the night.

Straw is put under white tablecloth. Some maidens predict their future from the straw. After supper, they pull out blades of straw from beneath the

tablecloth. A green one foretells marriage; a withered one signifies waiting; a yellow one predicts spinsterhood; and a very short one

foreshadows an early grave.

Poles are famous for their hospitality, especially during Christmas. In Poland, an additional seat is kept for somebody unknown at the supper table.

No one should be left alone at Christmas, so strangers are welcomed to the Christmas supper. This is to remind us that Mary and Joseph were

also looking for shelter.

The Christmas tree is usually brought to the house just a couple of days before Christmas and since

the adults are busy with work and Christmas shopping, children are commanded to help

with the Christmas tree decorations - long chains of colorful paper and other shapes.

After sunset, the youngest child is sent to watch for the first star. This is why the Eve dinner is also

known as the Star Supper. Only then are the candles on the table lit and the dinner begun. But not a morsel is eaten before the "breaking of the

wafer”.

The family member takes the wafer, breaks it and shares it with the next eldest with wishes for good health and prosperity, and a kiss on each cheek. Each person then exchanges wafer with everyone else at the table. It can be a very emotional time as grudges are forgotten and deceased family members are remembered. Some Poles share a pink-colored wafers with the household (and barnyard) animals because they were the first to greet the Baby Jesus at midnight. The animals also receive a

taste of every course of the meal mixed in with their feed. Instead of sending Christmas cards to friends and family not present, Poles send wafers, first tearing off a small corner to show that the donor has broken it

with them as a token of affection.

Christmas Eve is a meatless meal because, years ago, Roman Catholics fasted for the four weeks of Advent, including Christmas Eve. In

the past there were thirteen main dishes (representing the Apostles and Christ), but, these days, many families have replaced

this tradition with a twelve-fruit compote for dessert. The foods are to represent the four corners of the earth -- mushrooms from the forest, grain from the fields, fruit from the orchards, and fish

from the lakes and sea. Meals vary from family to family but usually include a special soup followed by many elegant fish

preparations, vegetables, and dumplings. Typical dishes includeborscht with mushroom dumplings, carp in aspic, herring,

breaded whitefish, meatless cabbage rolls, and noodles with poppyseed. Desserts might include nuts, tangerines, chocolates,

poppyseed roll, a jam-filled flat pastry, honey-spice cake, gingerbread cookies, fruit compote.

When night begins to fall, you can hear stamping and jingling, followed by Christmas carol singing outside. Carolers begin

their wandering from home to home. Herody, a popular form of caroling, is a live performance usually played by

twelve young boys. Dressed in special costumes, they include King Herod, a field marshal, a knight, a soldier, an

angel, a devil, death, a Jew, Mary, shepherds, and sometimes the Three Kings and an accordionist. They sing

pastoral songs and carols, and when let into a house, perform scenes from King Herod's life. Oration and songs vary and depend upon to whom they are being addressed:

the owner of the house, a young woman about to be married, a widow, etc. At the conclusion, the performers are

offered refreshments and some money. Also popular is caroling with a crib and with a star. Usually, those are

items are carried by three caroling teenagers. They, too, are given some money.

Gabriela Bagnicka2 c