Wigilia

1
Wigilia

• Wesolych Swiat - this is the way to say "Merry
  Christmas" in Polish. Among Poles, wherever they
  are, the most beloved and beautiful of all
  traditional festivities is that of Christmas Eve
  falling always on 24th December. It is then that
  Christmas Eve Supper is served. It is a solemnly
  celebrated occasion . For days in advance, Poles
  prepare the traditional dishes and everyone
  anxiously awaits the moment when the first star
  appears in the eastern sky. As that is when the
  feast to commemorate the birth of the Christ
  Child begins. Before sitting down at the
  table, everyone shares the traditional wafer and
  exchanges good wishes of health, wealth and
  happiness in the New Year. This is such a deeply
  moving moment that tears of love and joy are
  often evoked . Wafer is known as bread of love
  and is often sent by mail to absent members of
  the family. A lighted candle in the windows
  symbolizes the hope that the Godchild, in the
  form of a stranger, may come to share the meal
  and a spare place is set at the table for the
  unexpected guest. This belief stems from the
  ancient Polish proverb - "A guest home the
  God home."

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• Although the Church laws have been revised and
  permit meat to be eaten on this day, the meal
  traditionally remains meatless and include
  mshroom soup, boiled potatoes, pickled herring ,
  fried fish, pierogi, beans and sauerkraut , a
  dried fruit compote, various pastries, nuts and
  candies.
• After the meal, members of the family sing
  Polish Christmas Carols while children wait
  impatiently around the Christmas tree for
  gifts. Another tradition on this day is the
  Midnight Mass. It starts the true C hristmas Day-
  25th December. In spite of the late hour and
  tiredness, churches in Poland are full of
  believers old, young and even babies. Everyone
  wants to feel this unrepeatable atmosphere.
• There is a popular belief in Poland that while
  the congregation is praying, peace descends on
  the snow-clad, sleeping earth and that during
  that holy night domestic animals can speak like
  humans - but only those with innocent heart may
  hear them.

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SZOPKI
A long time Polish tradition during the
Christmas season is called Szopki. They are
beautifully decorated and very elaborate forms of
the Nativity scene. This tradition started back
in the 13th century in Krakow, Poland, and
remains an annual tradition and exhibition. Major
prizes are awarded for the most elaborately
decorated and designed piece of work. They
sometimes reach two metres in height and
their construction is based on elements of
Krakow's historic architecture. Here is
a miniature version of Szopka.