Holidays
January 1St - a saint's day where people would throw walnuts.
June 23rd - (Sobotka) St. John's night
August 15 - (Dozynki) Harvest Holiday
November 30th - (Noc Sw. Andrzeja — albo Andrzejki) St. Andrew's Night
Polish Christmas Customs
Oplatek (Christmas Wafer)
The Christmas Wafer commemorates a custom which is many centuries old. Oplatek comes from the Latin word Oblatum which is Holy Bread. The Oplatek is placed by each plate setting at the Christmas Eve evening meal. The breaking and sharing of the wafer with family and friends is accompanied with of wishes of happiness and peace. Thus are shared the harmony and joy in Christ's proclamation "I am the bread of life". Traditionally an uneven number of courses is served at the evening meal. Served usually, herring, carp and other fish, a soup called (barszcz), pierogi, noodles, kapusta, dried fruit, bread, and Christmas cakes. The tradition of a meatless meal is maintained.
Other Polish Christmas customs:
- A door may be left partially opened for "a guest" who may appear.
A guest in the home is Christ in the home.
- An extra place setting is often reserved at the table symbolizing that "Christ" is the unseen "Guest" in the home.
- A small quantity of straw is placed under the table cloth or on a special plate and covered with a white napkin. Upon this manger are placed the Christmas Wafers. Also the Christ - Child from a nativity may also be placed there.
- A brief family devotion begins the family festivities of sharing the blessed Christmas wafers before the Vigil meal.
Easter (Wielkanoc) Customs
Paczki Day (Shrove Tuesday)
The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is called Paczki day. It is celebrated with gaiety, feasting. & dancing. Huge quantities of jelly filled biscuits called paczki are consumed on that day. The following day, Ash Wednesday, is the beginning of Lent with strict fasting for (6) weeks.
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, baskets of decorated, boiled eggs, kielbasa, ham, bread, butter in the shape of a lamb, horseradish, vinegar, and other foods are brought to church for a blessing by a parish priest. All the food, which the Poles eat on Easter, is blessed.
Easter
Easter dawns with great joy with the resurrection of Christ that marks the end of Lent. Poles start the day by attending mass. After mass, everyone is free to eat from an appetizing arranged table filled with the blessed food called (Swieconka). Fasting actually ends the day before Easter at noon Saturday. Though according to tradition, the festivities does not begin until Easter morning.
Dyngus
The Monday following Easter Sunday begins with a burst of frivolity by the young people. Boys will visit from house to house merrymaking and singing songs. They get the girls out of their beds, switch their legs, and sprinkle them with water. The following day the girls reciprocate by visiting the boys and switch their legs and sprinkle them with water. In the larger cities fragrant cologne is used instead of water. The origin of this custom is unknown.
Nameday
Polish people generally do not celebrate birthdays as we do in the United States. Most Poles are named after saints, the canonization day of that saint is their "Name Day." On this day it is customary to receive flowers or gifts from relatives or friends who extend their best wishes.