Holidays Around the World

Greeting: Wesolych Swiat which means Season's Greetings!

Where in the World is Poland?
Poland is a large country on the continent of Europe. It is bordered on the north by the Baltic Sea, and on the northeast by the country of Russia. West of Poland is Germany.

When the Christmas Season begins
Christmas is one of the most important holidays in Poland. There are many celebrations, some starting thousands of years ago. In many areas, families in Poland begin the Christmas season on November 12th and it lasts until January 6. During this time, the Poles celebrate many special days.

The Advent Season
Advent is a time before Christmas. During this time, the Poles celebrate many special saints' days. On November 12 they celebrate St. Martin's Day. November 25 is St. Catherine's Day and November 30 is St. Andrews' Day. The Poles celebrate these days with special meals, parties and even fortune-telling.

St. Nicholas Day
December 6 is St. Nicholas Day. In some areas of Poland St. Nicholas dresses like a bishop. But others dress like the American Santa Claus. St. Nicholas brings gifts to the children. Some of the gifts could be religious pictures, apples, and pierniki, which are cookies made from honey and spices.

The First Star of Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Polish families celebrate an elaborate tradition. They fast all day, which means they don't eat anything for 24 hours. On Christmas Eve night, Poles watch the sky waiting for the first star to appear. Many call Christmas Eve Gwiazdka, which means "little star" as a reminder of the first star of Bethlehem.

When the first star is seen, the Poles shout out Christmas greeting and good wishes to each other. They eat a special thin wafer called oplatek. It is broken into pieces and shared with family and friends. The wafer is usually made with a Christmas scenes stamped on top of it.

Christmas Eve Feast
After the oplatek is shared, Poles begin the biggest meal of the year called wigillia, which means Christmas supper. Bits of hay are spread under the table cloth to remind everyone that Christ was born in a manger. Up to 12 different types of food, representing either the 12 apostles or the 12 months of the year, are served.

No meat is served, but there can be fish, like herring, carp, or pike. Other traditional foods are beet soup, sauerkraut with wild mushrooms or peas, poppy seed cake, and pierogis. Pierogis are Polish dumplings filled with different foods. On Christmas Eve, they are usually filled with sauerkraut and mushrooms.

Gift Giving
After dinner, Polish families will sing Christmas songs, tell stories and open gifts by the Christmas tree. Some children believe Santa brings the gifts, while others believe the "Little Star" does. Gifts are shared with families and friends. At midnight, many Poles go to Church to attend pasterka, or Shepard's Mass.

Christmas Decorations
Most Polish families decorate their homes with a nativity creche. During the Christmas season, there will also be one in every Church. Families also decorate Christmas trees. Decorations could be nuts, apples, and ornaments made from eggshells, colored paper and straw.

The Holiday Season Ends
After Christmas Day, December 25, many Polish families continue to celebrate the Christmas season. They have parties and visit with families and friends. The Christmas season ends on January 6.

Would you like to read more about Poland?
Here are some really awesome books you might like to read about Poland. There are both fiction and nonfiction books that will help you learn more about this country.

Fiction
An Ellis Island Christmas by Maxinne Rhea Leighton