CHRISTMAS

IN

POLAND

Normandy vs Europe

PREPARATIONS

A month before Christmas, we make gingerbread.

The Polish tradition says that at the Christmas Eve table there should be one empty place for a wanderer.

At the school, every year before Christmas, a nativity play is shown.

We decorate the Christmas tree, most often it is artificial.

After the Christmas Eve supper we find gifts under it.

ACTIVITIES

We spend Christmas in Poland with our families.

On Christmas Eve we sing Christmas carols, share the wafer, unpack gifts and go to Midnight Mass.

In the evening we watch Christmas movies.

FOOD

There are 12 dishes for Christmas. The main dishes are:

-fish called carp

-pierogi (dumplings)

-borscht

-compote made of dried fruit

When we sit down at the table, we leave an empty seat for a stranger.

We put hay under the tablecloth.

For dessert we serve the cake called makowiec (poppyseed cake) and pierniki ( gingerbread cookies).

 WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE?

PRESENTS

We get gifts after eating Christmas Eve dinner. When the first star appears, it is a sign that we can sit at the table to have supper and then the gifts are opened. We open them together with the family and Santa Claus brings them to us.

CHRISTMAS FAIRS

In our town there was a fair- these are Christmas shops. You could buy various things, for example Christmas decorations or Christmas food. There was also  Santa Claus with whom you could take a photo of yourself.

HOW DO WE DRESS?

Elegant clothes are a tradition. Women wear dresses and men wear suits. Every year someone dresses up as Santa Claus and comes to see if we’ve been polite this year.

CHRISTMAS GAMES

We don’t play games at home. But we sit in front of the Christmas tree, sing Christmas songs, talk and have a good time with our families.

DECORATING OUR HOMES

I have a Christmas tree at home, which we decorate with my siblings a week before Christmas. My dad is the decorator outside. He decorates the Christmas tree and the house with colorful lights. My mother does not put Christmas decorations with us because she deals with the house cleaning. (Julia W.)

WHO DO WE SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH?

We celebrate Christmas with the family at the same table. We send or call our friends with Christmas wishes. Lockdown did not allow people to meet at the table last year, so people connected by using the Internet. A maximum of 5 people could be at one table.

DECORATIONS IN TOWNS

In smaller towns, the streets are decorated with Christmas lights. In larger cities, we can find Christmas markets, lights and decorations. In Szubin, on the main street, the shops are decorated.

WHY DO I LOVE CHRISTMAS?

I love Christmas time, preparations and all traditions. My favorite Polish tradition is 12 dishes on the Christmas Eve table. I like it when we prepare them, everyone helps each other and the Christmas music is always on. For Christmas, we prepare a variety of traditional dishes that taste best on Christmas, when we are together.    AGNIESZKA

WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT!

I Liceum Ogólnokształcące

im. S. Wyspiańskiego w Szubinie

December 2021