Christmas traditions in Poland

Christmas is one of the most important festivals in Poland. Like every country in the world, Polish people have their own traditions and rituals for this festival. Poland Christmas traditions are mainly family oriented. People meet their family and friends and celebrate this festival together.

Wigilia or Christmas Eve is the most important day in a year for the Polish people. It is more significant than the Christmas day itself. Everything said and

done on Wigilia is believed to be reflected throughout the year. Decorating Christmas tree is an important activity on the Christmas Eve. Most of the time, children take the privilege to decorate the Christmas tree.

 

According to a popular Polish Christmas tradition, animals talk in human voice in order to predict the human future. It is believed that the animals get the power to forecast future during this holy occasion.

 

The preparations of Christmas start with cleaning and washing the households and other belongings. It is believed what one will do on the Christmas; this will be a continuous trend for the next one year. For this reason, they do not forget to clean their house, so that they are blessed with a clean house for the next one year. People talk with each other softly and politely, so that the next one year will remain least chaotic.

 

Another important Christmas tradition in Poland is weather forecasting. As they believe that the Christmas eve makes the trend for the next one year, weather is a vital part of this too. It is believed that the weather of Christmas day has a strong impact on the weather of the whole year. It is thought that a snowy day is the ideal day for Christmas, because it promises lovely weather for the rest of the year.

 

According to one of the Poland Christmas traditions, maidens, who grind poppy seeds on the eve of Christmas, can tie the holy knot sooner, compared to other girls. After having Christmas Eve dinner, the girls come out of their houses and start moving at the direction of the first barking of dog. The first bark

indicates that their future husband will come from this direction.

 

There is another custom, associated with the wedding and Christmas. In the casual conversation during the Christmas Eve, if a maiden hears ‘Go’, it signifies that her wedding will happen soon. If she hears ‘Sit’, it means that she cannot get married in the nearest future.

 

Christmas Eve in Poland

 

Christmas Eve supper is a grand affair. According to the Christmas customs in Poland, 12 separate dishes have to be served on the dinner table on the Christmas Eve. It is believed that the more you will eat the more good luck you can get on this occasion.

 

A popular custom about the dinner is associated with the future predictions. There are some daring diners, who want to know about their future through the blades of straw, kept underneath the dinner table. The colors of the straw tell about one’s future. For example, yellow straw signifies spinsterhood, green indicates wedding, withered straw suggests waiting, and short blade of straw refers to grave.

Last updated on 14/07/2011