A twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper is traditionally prepared to commemorate

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...

' twelve disciples in Central, Northern and

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...

an cultures, especially those that were formerly part of the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Poland and Lithuania ru ...

and neighbouring countries. The tradition is especially cultivated in modern-day

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, where alternatively thirteen meatless dishes on Christmas Eve are sometimes served.

Description

The specific dishes may differ from country to country, but many of them are universal. Due to the

Nativity Fast In Christianity, the Nativity Fast—or Fast of the Prophets in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church—is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church a ...

, no meat, eggs or milk (including cheese) are allowed during the supper. Thus fish,

mushrooms A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

and various types of grain are the main offerings. In Poland, the

Wigilia Wigilia () is the traditional Christmas Eve vigil supper in Poland, held on December 24. The term is often applied to the whole of Christmas Eve, extending further to Pasterka—midnight Mass, held in Roman Catholic churches all over Poland and i ...

supper begins with eating soups, traditionally mushroom soup or barszcz. The ritual for Catholics and Orthodox Christians in Ukraine is to start with

kutia Kutia or kutya is a ceremonial grain dish with sweet gravy traditionally served by Eastern Orthodox Christians and Byzantine Catholic Christians predominantly in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia during the Christmas - Feast of Jordan holiday season ...

. Kutia, poppy milk (''aguonų pienas'') together with ''kūčiukai'' are served as a dessert and forms a significant part of the Lithuanian Christmas Eve menu. Poppy seeds are widely used for Christmas Eve dishes, because they symbolise abundance and prosperity. In Poland, it was traditionally believed that the poppy seeds, known for their sleep-inducing power, may have been helpful on the way to the afterlife or as a delicacy for souls who come to earth. Honey, a product produced by bees, which are considered by many to be sacred creatures, was offered as a gift to departed souls. In Ukraine, it was believed that

varenyky Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Eas ...

, which are also a symbol of prosperity, with poppy-seed filling when served at Ukrainian Sviata Vecheria have the most magical potential for bringing prosperity and fecundity to the villager. Regarding the fish dishes, these are usually herring, carp or

pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus of ...

. In Lithuania, herring ( lt, silkė) dishes are popular and diverse. Usually ''silkė su morkomis'' (herring with carrots), or ''silkė su grybais'' (herring with mushrooms) are served on Christmas Eve. Mushrooms, especially dried or pickled, are also one of the main ingredients used in Christmas Eve dishes.

Sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferm ...

(

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

: ''kiszona kapusta'',

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

: ''кисла капуста''; kisla kapústa) with wild mushrooms or

pea The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...

s, red

borscht Borscht () is a sour soup common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In English, the word "borscht" is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which g ...

, mushroom or fish soups are served in Poland and western Ukraine. Boiled or deep fried dumplings (Polish: pierogi, Ukrainian: вареники,

, Lithuanian: auselės) with a wide variety of fillings (including cabbage or sauerkraut, mushrooms and crushed poppy seeds), are among the most popular dishes. Doughnuts filled with

jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and ente ...

(Polish: pączki, Ukrainian: пампушки, pampushky) are served for dessert in Poland and western Ukraine, but in Lithuania sweet dishes are not common, as they are believed to be inappropriate for the solemn atmosphere of the evening. As for beverages, traditionally

dried fruit Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to th ...

kompot Kompot or compote is a non-alcoholic sweet beverage that may be served hot or cold, depending on tradition and season. It is obtained by cooking fruit such as strawberries, apricots, peaches, apples, raspberries, rhubarb, plums, or sour cherries ...

cranberry Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus '' Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species '' Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...

kisiel ( lt, spanguolių kisielius) are common. In earlier times oaten kisiel was more common. There is the whole ritual before the meal begins. Once the first star appears on the sky, each member of the family washes his face, hands and legs in cold water saying: "Be as healthy as this water is." The most brave people go to local rivers or lakes and have a short swim there. After the water procedure is finished, the family goes on with a prayer, often the

Our Father The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...

. After the prayer the head of the household will

anoint Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or ot ...

each person present with

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

, making the sign of the Cross on their forehead, saying: "In the name of the

Father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...

and of the

Son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...

and of the Holy Spirit: may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year." The Christmas Eve supper is usually held under candlelight and starts in the evening after the first star appears in the sky. The star symbolizes the birth of

in Christian tradition and a soul of deceased ancestors in pre-Christian beliefs. Quiet, dim-lighting, and a somewhat mystical atmosphere is characteristic for Christmas Eve supper. In Poland, Lithuania and western Ukraine an extra plate and seat are always left at the table. According to the folk beliefs, the spirits of the departed members of the family visit on the night.Tracz, Orysia 2015, ''First Star I See Tonight'', Mazepa Publications Zhuravli, Winnipeg

References

External links

Traditional recipes

Customs and Traditions

Recipes with photos - 12 dishes for Christmas Eve

{{Christmas Polish traditions Polish cuisine Lithuanian traditions Lithuanian cuisine Slovak cuisine Ukrainian cuisine Catholic cuisine Christmas meals and feasts Christianity in Lithuania Semi-vegetarianism Christian vegetarianism Ukrainian traditions Folk Christianity Belarusian traditions Belarusian cuisine Rusyn culture Baltic culture