Szociológia | Tanulmányok, esszék » Christmas Traditions in Polish Families

Source: http://www.doksinet CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN POLISH FAMILIES Christmas is traditionally celebrated on 25 and 26 December, but Christmas Eve – 24 December – is probably even more important for Polish people. Its most important moment is the festive dinner, eaten in the evening, which brings whole families together. Christmas Eve is the time filled with traditions of various kinds. The children would like to share them with you. Here is a list of traditions observed in their families:
A Christmas tree must be decorated a few days before Christmas or on Christmas Eve’s morning. Children also have a tree at school, where it is decorated with the ornaments they make themselves during the Art lessons.
We decorate windows with “stained glasses” – usually they are not made of glass at all, but children make them themselves using special paints or paper.
The presents are put under the tree before the festive dinner begins and they stay there until its end. Opening

the presents is the last thing to do on Christmas Eve. Unlike many other countries, Polish children do not expect Saint Nicholas then. Święty Mikołaj – as we call him here – comes to them on December 6. He usually brings gifts himself to the youngest kids, leaves them on the doormat for a bit older ones or hides them somewhere in the house for the others. Source: http://www.doksinet
The Christmas Eve’s dinner is supposed to begin when the first star appears in the sky. It is the children’s responsibility to spot it. (Picture: Gwiazdka by Laura K)
At the beginning of the feast there is a prayer and then the whole family shares with a wafer (similar to the Host, but bigger and usually rectangular). Each person you approach takes a piece of yours and gives you a piece of theirs and people wish each other merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.
We read fragments from the Bible and sing or listen to Christmas carols.
We always prepare one extra complete

place setting at the table for an unexpected guest.
We are supposed to put some hay (to remember the fact that baby Jesus was born in a manger) and a coin (to bring prosperity in the New Year) under the white tablecloth. Source: http://www.doksinet
There should be an even number of people who sit down to dinner
All the dishes should be put on the table before the dinner begins – we are not supposed to stand up and leave the table before it ends.
There should be twelve dishes (to commemorate the twelve apostles) served during the Christmas Eve’s dinner.
The leftovers are given to the animals (to remind ourselves of the animals present in the stable during the birth of Jesus)
After the dinner many families stay around the table, admiring presents and waiting until midnight. At midnight they go to church to attend the Midnight Mass (“Shepherd’s Mass” in Polish called Pasterka). (Picture: Pasterka by Marta W)
Churches exhibit wonderful crèches, with the

manger, the Holy Family, shepherds, angels and the three Magi. The tradition of Source: http://www.doksinet building them is very long in Poland. The oldest examples were recorded in Cracow in the 14th century. Many people make their own at homes, children make them at schools and artists produce really magnificent works of art which can be seen on exhibitions and in galleries. The church close to our school is famous for its astonishing crèches. OTHER CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS (not celebrated on Christmas Eve)
On Boxing Day it is popular for young people to dress up as angels, devils, the Magi etc and walk around the town, knock on the doors and sing Christmas carols. People usually give them sweets or money in return. Source: http://www.doksinet
Children at schools and churches often prepare special Nativity Plays presenting the story of Christmas. They are shown to the public from Boxing Day until Epiphany. At our school the Nativity Play is always performed on the last

school day before Christmas. On this day we also have a class ceremony which is supposed to remind us of the Christmas traditions – we meet to have a meal together, sing carols, share with a wafer and give presents to each other.
From the beginning of Advent priests go visiting the people from their parishes in their homes. They always take some altar boys with them Such visits are announced a long time before they begin so that the people have enough time to prepare themselves and their houses Source: http://www.doksinet properly. The ringing of the bells is a sign that the group has arrived at your doorstep. (picture – kolęda by Patryk N)
On December 25th people usually stay at home and spend the time with their families, while on the 26th it is popular to visit friends and relatives. Source: http://www.doksinet CHRISTMAS EVE’S TRADITIONAL DISHES There is a variety of dishes served on this special day, but there is one rule: there must be twelve of them on the

Christmas Eve’s table. The dishes differ mainly according to the region of the country, so we decided to collect most of them. In the recipe section we would like to invite you to try three delicacies: they are all Christmas Eve’s desserts – one is popular in the whole country, one is connected with our region, Silesia, and one comes from Eastern Poland. There are a few things which are very characteristic for Polish Christmas: these include: fish (usually carp and herring, although nowadays more and more people start serving other kinds of fish as well), honey (appearing in many desserts and cakes), poppy seed (just like honey), sauerkraut, mushrooms and dried fruit. HERE IS OUR LIST: - “barszcz” – red beet soup - “uszka” – a kind of Polish ravioli filled with mushroom stuffing, served with barszcz - “zupa grzybowa” – mushroom soup - “zupa rybna” – fish soup - almond soup with raisins - fried carp - carp roast in vegetables - carp in grey

gravy - carp in Jewish style - carp in jelly - herrings with cream - fried potatoes stuffed with herrings - fish dumplings - sauerkraut fried with mushrooms - sauerkraut fried with peas - “pierogi z kapustą” – a type of pies filled with fried sauerkraut and mushrooms - Christmas vegetable salad - “makówki” – a typical Silesian dessert, a kind of pudding made of poppy seed, sweet bread, raisins, nuts etc. - “moczka” – a Silesian sweet dessert soup - poppy seed dumplings - “kutia” – a kind of pudding made of wheat, honey, poppy seed etc, originating from Eastern Poland Source: http://www.doksinet - poppy seed rolled cake - “piernik” – gingerbread cake - “pierniczki” – small gingerbread cookies, beautifully decorated - a drink made of boiled dried fruit - nuts and fruit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Piernik Staropolski” – OLD POLISH GINGERBREAD

CAKE INGREDIENTS:            600 grams honey (melted) 100 grams candied lemon peel 10 grams bicarbonate of soda 1 spoonful of rum 500 grams flour 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon and ground cloves salt 100 grams chopped almonds 2 eggs 300 grams dark chocolate 20 peeled almonds and candied cherries for decoration INSTRUCTIONS: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1. pour the honey in a pan and make it warm (do not allow to boil) chop the lemon peel dissolve the soda in the rum and pour into a bowl add flour, cloves, cinnamon, salt, lemon peel and chopped almonds beat in eggs add melted and cooled honey mix everything very carefully with a mixer until smooth cover the bowl and put away for 24 hours ♦ ♦ ♦ 2. take a baking tray (26x32 cm) and cover it with the baking paper roll out the dough, put on the tray and into the oven] bake 25 – 30 minutes in the temperature of about 1750C Source: http://www.doksinet ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 3. cut the hot cake evenly into two parts

spread plum jam on the bottom part put the second part on top of it melt the chocolate and spread on the cake decorate with almonds and candied cherries “Moczka” – Silesian sweet dessert soup INGREDIENTS:        300 grams honey gingerbread ½ big celery 1 medium sized parsley 300 grams prunes 2 bottles of caramel beer 10 dried figs 50 grams walnuts       20 almonds 100 grams raisins juice of 1 lemon salt two spoons butter two spoons flour INSTRUCTIONS: 1.
soak the prunes for 4 hours in lukewarm boiled water
wash and peel the vegetables
boil the vegetables until soft and take out of the water 2.
cut the gingerbread into pieces
soak the pieces in the vegetable stock, adding beer
boil the prunes in a small amount of water 3.
pour in the prune to the gingerbread
add raisins, chopped almonds, chopped walnuts and chopped figs
sprinkle in salt and add lemon juice 4.
melt butter on a pan
add flour and fry together
stir the mixture in the soup


“MOCZKA” is ready! Source: http://www.doksinet
Serve warm or cold in small serving bowls “Kutia” – EASTERN POLISH POPPY SEED AND WHEAT DESSERT INGREDIENTS:          1 glass shelled wheat 1 glass poppy seed ½ glass honey 1 glass milk 200 grams walnuts 100 grams almonds 3 spoonfuls raisins some figs, dates, hazelnuts and orange peel (the more, the better) salt INSTRUCTIONS:     1. rinse the shelled wheat and soak it overnight next day boil it until soft (3 – 4 hours) while boiling change the water frequently drain carefully on a sieve and leave to cool     2. wash the poppy seed and pour boiling milk over it boil together on low heat leave to cool and drain on a very thick sieve grind twice on a meat mincer        3. combine ground poppy with the cooled wheat stir in honey chop the dates, figs, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, orange peel and raisins add them to the mixture sprinkle with salt and mix thoroughly refrigerate for a few hours

before serving served as the last dish on Christmas Eve