Christmas in Poland is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the

Christian world Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwin ...

. The observance of

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

developed gradually over the centuries, beginning in ancient times; combining old Polish pagan customs with the religious ones introduced after the

Christianization of Poland The Christianization of Poland ( pl, chrystianizacja Polski) refers to the introduction and subsequent spread of Christianity in Poland. The impetus to the process was the Baptism of Poland ( pl, chrzest Polski), the personal baptism of Mies ...

by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Later influences include the mutual permeating of local traditions and various folk cultures. It is one of the most important religious holidays for

Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in C ...

, who follow a somewhat strict traditional custom. Christmas trees are decorated and lit in family rooms on the day of Christmas Eve. Other trees are placed in most public areas and outside churches. Christmas in Poland is called "Boże Narodzenie", which translates to 'God's Birth'. The Day of Saint Nicholas on 6 December is the unofficial beginning of the festive season in

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 ...

. Well-behaved children receive small gifts on the day, whereas naughty children receive a lump of coal or a twig, called "rózga". The highlight of the holiday is the most significant day, Christmas Eve on the 24 December. Polish

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 ...

begins with the appearance of the first star, which corresponds to the

Star of Bethlehem The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 where "wise men from the East" (Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There, they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask hi ...

. During preparation, hay is spread beneath the tablecloth as a reminder that

Jesus Christ 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 religious ...

was born in a

manger __NOTOC__ A manger or trough is a rack for fodder, or a structure or feeder used to hold food for animals. The word comes from the Old French ''mangier'' (meaning "to eat"), from Latin ''mandere'' (meaning "to chew"). Mangers are mostly used in ...

. According to tradition, an empty place setting is symbolically left at the table for the Lord or, for a lost wanderer who may be in need of food or shelter. The supper begins with the breaking of the

Christmas wafer Christmas wafer ( pl, opłatek, plural ; lt, kalėdaitis, plural ; , plural ) is a Catholic Christmas tradition celebrated in Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia. The custom is traditionally observed during ''Kūčios'' in Lithuania and ''Wigilia'' ...

known as "opłatek", a custom observed exclusively in Poland and two other countries. The meals must be

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

(with the exception of fish) as a sign of

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

and twelve different dishes are made, thus symbolizing the

Twelve Apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...

. The celebration ends with the exchange of gifts and a

midnight mass In many Western Christian traditions Midnight Mass is the first liturgy of Christmastide that is celebrated on the night of Christmas Eve, traditionally beginning at midnight when Christmas Eve gives way to Christmas Day. This popular Christmas ...

in churches. Other aspects of Polish Christmas include nativity plays called "Jasełka" or "Herody", outdoor

nativity scene In the Christian tradition, a nativity scene (also known as a manger scene, crib, crèche ( or ), or in Italian ''presepio'' or ''presepe'', or Bethlehem) is the special exhibition, particularly during the Christmas season, of art objects rep ...

s, the singing of carols, most notably " God Is Born", and

Kulig Kulig (sleigh rides) is an old Polish winter tradition dating back to the days of the szlachta (nobility). The kulig was a sleigh ride party organized among the Polish aristocracy. A cavalcade of horse-pulled sleighs and sleds went from one man ...

, a horse-pulled sleigh ride. The tradition of crafting and hand-making Christmas szopkas in

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

was declared

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

Advent

Among the special tasks carried out in private homes during Advent (a time of waiting for the celebration of the

Nativity of Jesus The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Luke and Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, his mother Mary was engaged to a man ...

) is the baking of the Christmas piernik (gingerbread), and the making of Christmas decorations. Pierniks are made in a variety of shapes, including hearts, animals, and

St. Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...

figures. St. Nicholas does not play a major role on Christmas Day, but is celebrated on his Saint feast day of December 6. He visits good children in secret and leaves presents for them. Traditionally, the Christmas trees are decorated with glass baubles, garlands and many homemade

ornaments An ornament is something used for decoration. Ornament may also refer to: Decoration *Ornament (art), any purely decorative element in architecture and the decorative arts *Biological ornament, a characteristic of animals that appear to serve on ...

including painted eggshells, shiny red apples, walnuts, wrapped chocolate shapes, candles, etc. They are lit on Christmas Eve before

. At the top of each tree there is a star or a glittering tree topper. In many homes,

sparkler A sparkler is a type of hand-held firework that burns slowly while emitting bright, intense colored flames, sparks, and other effects. Sparklers are particularly popular with children. In the United Kingdom, a sparkler is often used by chil ...

s are hung on the branches of the trees for wintery ambiance. Sometimes the trees are left standing until February 2, the feast day of St. Mary of the Candle of Lighting. During Advent and all the way until

Epiphany Epiphany may refer to: * Epiphany (feeling), an experience of sudden and striking insight Religion * Epiphany (holiday), a Christian holiday celebrating the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ ** Epiphany season, or Epiph ...

, or the

baptism of Jesus The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in the life of Jesus which is described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghtas (also called Bet ...

(day of January 6), the "gwiazdory", or the star carriers walk through the villages. Some of them sing carols; others recite verses or put on "szopki", or "herody" (

s). The last two customs are inspired by the traditional

scenes or "Jasełka" ( crib). One tradition unique to Poland is the sharing of the "

opłatek Christmas wafer ( pl, opłatek, plural ; lt, kalėdaitis, plural ; , plural ) is a Catholic Christmas tradition celebrated in Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia. The custom is traditionally observed during '' Kūčios'' in Lithuania and ''Wigilia'' ...

", a thin wafer into which a holy picture is pressed. In the old days, people carried these wafers from house to house wishing their neighbors a Merry Christmas. Nowadays, opłatek is mostly shared with members of the family and immediate neighbors before the Christmas Eve supper (

in the

Polish language Polish (Polish: ''język polski'', , ''polszczyzna'' or simply ''polski'', ) is a West Slavic language of the Lechitic group written in the Latin script. It is spoken primarily in Poland and serves as the native language of the Poles. In a ...

). As each person shares pieces of the wafer with another, they are supposed to forgive each other any hurts that have occurred over the past year and wish them happiness in the coming year.

''Wigilia'', the Christmas Eve supper

In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of

, then of feasting. The

feast begins at the appearance of the first star. There is no red meat served but fish, usually carp. The supper, which includes many traditional dishes and desserts can sometimes last for over two hours. It is followed by the exchange of gifts. The next day, the

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

, is often spent visiting friends. In Polish tradition, people combine religion and family closeness at Christmas. Although gift-giving plays a major role in the rituals, the emphasis is placed more on the making of special foods and decorations. On the night of Christmas Eve, so important is the appearance of the first star in remembrance of the

, that it has been given an affectionate name of "the little star" or Gwiazdka (the female counterpart of St. Nicholas). On that evening, children watch the sky anxiously hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star has come!" Only after it appears, the family members sit down to a dinner table. According to tradition, bits of hay are spread beneath the tablecloth as a reminder that Christ was born in a

. Others partake in the practice of placing money under the tablecloth for each guest, in order to wish for prosperity in the coming year. Some practice the superstition that an even number of people must be seated around the table. In many homes an empty place setting is symbolically left at the table for the

Baby Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

or, for a lonely wanderer who may be in need of food, or if a deceased relative should come and would like to share in the meal. The supper begins with the breaking of the opłatek wafer. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. They then share a piece with each family member. A tradition exists among some families to serve twelve different dishes at Wigilia symbolizing the

, or perhaps, an odd number of dishes for good luck (usually five, seven, or nine). A traditional Wigilia supper in Poland includes fried carp and

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 ...

(beetroot soup) or mushroom

consommé In cooking, a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified, a process that uses egg whites to remove fat and sediment. Consommé has three English pronunciations: traditionally in the UK, th ...

with

uszka Uszka or vushka (Polish: Uszka, Ukrainian: Вушка, Belarusian: Вушкі) (meaning "little ears") are small dumplings (a very small and twisted version of pierogi) usually filled with flavoursome wild forest mushrooms and/or minced meat. T ...

(tortellini). Carp provides a main component of the Christmas Eve meal across Poland; carp fillet, carp in

aspic Aspic or meat jelly () is a savory gelatin made with a meat stock or broth, set in a mold to encase other ingredients. These often include pieces of meat, seafood, vegetable, or eggs. Aspic is also sometimes referred to as ''aspic gelée'' or ' ...

and

gefilte fish Gefilte fish (; from yi, געפֿילטע פֿיש, lit. "stuffed fish") is a dish made from a poached mixture of ground deboned fish, such as carp, whitefish, or pike. It is traditionally served as an appetizer by Ashkenazi Jewish househo ...

. Universal Polish Christmas foods are pierogi as well as some herring dishes, and for dessert, makowiec or noodles with poppy seed. Often, there is a

compote Compote or compôte (French for ''mixture'') is a dessert originating from medieval Europe, made of whole or pieces of fruit in sugar syrup. Whole fruits are cooked in water with sugar and spices. The syrup may be seasoned with vanilla, lemo ...

of dry fruits for a drink. The remainder of the evening is given to stories and songs around the Christmas tree. In some areas of the country, children are taught that "The Little Star" brings gifts. As presents are unwrapped, carollers may walk from house to house receiving treats along the way. Christmas Eve ends with "

Pasterka Pasterka is a Midnight Mass#Time of celebration of Mass, midnight mass celebrated by Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholics Christmas in Poland, during Christmas between December 24 and 25 Religion in Poland, across Poland. A close translation o ...

", the Midnight Mass at the local church. The tradition commemorates the arrival of the shepherds to Bethlehem and their paying of respect and bearing witness to the newborn Messiah. The custom of Christmas night liturgy was introduced in the Christian churches after the second half of the

5th century The 5th century is the time period from 401 ( CDI) through 500 ( D) ''Anno Domini'' (AD) or Common Era (CE) in the Julian calendar. The 5th century is noted for being a period of migration and political instability throughout Eurasia. It saw the ...

. In Poland that custom arrived together with the coming of Christianity. "Boże Narodzenie i polskie tradycje,"
Polska Misja Katolicka, Amsterdam The next day (December 25) begins with the early morning mass followed by daytime masses. According to scripture, the Christmas Day masses are interchangeable allowing for greater flexibility in choosing the religious services by individual parishioners.

''Kolędy'', the Christmas carols

Christmas carols Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

are not celebrated in Poland until during-and-after the Christmas Vigil Mass called "

" held between 24 and 25 of December."The Shepherds' Mass".
Polish-American Liturgical Center.org. 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2012. The Christmas season often runs until February 2. The early hymns sung in the

Catholic church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

were brought to Poland by the Franciscan Brothers in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. The early Christmas music was Latin in origin. When the Polish words and melodies started to become popular, including many new secular pastorals (pastoralka, or shepherd's songs), they were not written down originally, but rather taught among people by heart. Notably, the song " God Is Born" (''Bóg się rodzi'') with lyrics written by

Franciszek Karpiński Franciszek Karpiński (4 October 1741 – 16 September 1825) was the leading sentimental Polish poet of the Age of Enlightenment. He is particularly remembered for his religious works later rendered as hymns and carols. He is also considered ...

in 1792 became the Christmas hymn of Poland already in the court of King

Stefan Batory Stefan may refer to: * Stefan (given name) * Stefan (surname) * Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname * Štefan, a Slavic given name and surname * Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer * Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...

. Many of the early Polish carols were collected in 1838 by in a book called ''Pastorałki i Kolędy z Melodiami'' (Pastorals and Carols with Melodies).Lorraine Grochowsa Kiefer
Christmas Kolędy - Polish Carols
, at culture.polishsite.us

Polish hand-made Christmas ornaments

Poland produces some of the finest hand blown glass Christmas ornaments in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

. Families and collectors value these ornaments for high quality, traditional artwork, and unique decorations. Polish blown-glass Christmas ornaments are generally manufactured only in the winter season. The modern glass workshops and manufacturers tend to be localized in the southern regions of Poland.LUXORNA
Polskie ręcznie wytwarzane i zdobione bombki choinkowe, katalog.
Retrieved December 29, 2014. Lista produktów kategorii Ozdoby Formowane.
Bilinski. Retrieved December 29, 2014.

References

External links