While Polish people celebrate the traditional holidays we
do, such as Christmas, New Years, and Easter, they also have a few of their
own. A few of these holidays are Women’s Day, Polish Name Day, and Smingus
Dyngus. Christmas is one of the most important holidays for Polish people. It
is a time when people try to be peaceful and try not to have excess anything. It
all begins with a thorough house cleaning. Next is Christmas Eve, also known as
Wiglia. Wiglia is a day of fasting; fasting including no meat or alcohol. Due
to the fasting, a typical Christmas Eve meal consists of soups, fish, sauerkraut,
pirogues, and vegetables. Wiglia is also believed to be a prediction day of the
upcoming year. To assure good luck, a branch of mistletoe is hung outside of
the front door. This is also a time for grudges to end. A white table cloth is
present during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Christmas Day begins with a
traditional breakfast. This breakfast includes sausage, eggs, polish bacon, and
rye bread. It also includes opening gifts, Church, and spending time with
family or friends. Christmas Day is also believed to be a weather predictor for
the following months. St. Stephens day is the second day of Christmas. This is a
day for greetings, visitors, caroling, and performances. One thing all three of
these days share in common is the breaking of the Oplatek, the Christmas wafer.
Oplatek is made out of flour and water. It is celebrated through polish
ancestry throughout the world. Colored Oplateks are used to decorate Christmas trees.
Sources:
1. 1, “Polish Traditions, Customs, Holidays, Polish
Recipes, Life in Poland.” Polish Traditions,
Customs,
Holidays, Polish Recipes, Life in PPoland.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
2. “Polish
Christmas Traditions.” Polish Christmas
Traditions.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12. Apr.2015
3. 3. “Christmas Eve- WIGLIA.” Christmas Eve-
WIGLIA.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015
4. 4. “Christmas in Poland on WhyChristmas?com.”
Christmas
In Poland. N.p., n.d Web. 12 Apr.2015
No comments:
Post a Comment